For more specific title capitalization rules, you can see the following sections which cover each style of title capitalization rules or check out our FAQs for common capitalization questions. Example 1: For company names, use their preference: eBay. Initial capitalization is preferred for list items that are complete sentences ( Example B) or stand-alone phrases (Examples C and D ). Capitalize the first word of every bullet. Home Style and Grammar Guidelines Lists Lists Just as heading structure alerts readers to the order of ideas in a paper, lists help readers understand a related set of key points within a sentence or paragraph. Capitalize My Title requires JavaScript to be enabled in order to run. A list of information can be neatly organised using bullet points. AP and Chicago Manual of Style - capitalize initial word and use periods after sentence list items. Q: Do you capitalize a conjunction in a headline? This isn't an exhaustive list, but it will get you started. 205-921-5556. Sorry to pile on here, but your discussion of verb endings is inadequate. You're not "piling on." AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. However, clear bullet list punctuation adds visual scan-ability to your business writing. The Chicago Manual of Style Online is the venerable, time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. Bulleted lists. Bulleted lists: Capitalize the first letter after the bullet. A colon can introduce a long quotation or one of more than one sentence, because it says to a reader: "There's more coming here than you thought. hn7_@os@`v6Y8m.sSWloK6]G\#4:RsJ.Sv1b0',K4;mgbj\l~}7N|7W}v0qp}_n]QQL~yNy?NQ2*yZ_p@PnCx'q%6\zr0nqfopzpyb"uGh7? The rules are fairly standard for title case: Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. Not using a colon isnt wrong, but omit it only with certainty that you comply with the style guide of your choice. Copyright 2023 Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc. mar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style. 9. News media (datelines; headlines; newswriting ). Do it anyway. In business writing, yes, use a colon at the end of the introductory stem sentence. Capitalize all words of four letters or more. Government, including federal government and U.S. government. Grammar (essential vs. nonessential clauses; pronouns; subject-verb agreement ), Q: I'm confused on the use of "that" and "who" when talking about groups. The listing below reflects a few departures from Associated Press (AP) style typically used in Johns Hopkins' web and print text, as well as other style points that, while they are not departures from AP style, require special attention. The capitalization rules are as follows: NY Times style capitalization is mainly used by writers for the NY Times but is also used widely throughout journalism. But if youre following AP style, chances are youre overusing those big letters. A: "don't ask, don't tell" policy. See APA 7, Section 6.52 for examples and more information. driving, in which people text while in their vehicle (Schroeder & Sims, 2018). Sentence case simply means you capitalize the first letter of a sentence, proper nouns, and nothing else as opposed to capitalizing almost every first letter in title case. Capitalize every word in the headline; the main subhead is a complete sentence with a period. Beyond that, all three capitalize the first and last word of a title. Ive never found the AP Stylebook entry that covers this, including capitalization.. Bulleted Lists: APA uses bulleted lists to avoid the perception of importance/priority connotated in numbered lists. It also connects closely related thoughts. All contents 2023 Associated Press All rights reserved. Capitalization Begin each item in a list with a capital letter unless there's a reason not to (for example, it's a command that's always lowercase). The department prefers bullets, but punctuate them per AP style: After each bullet, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each item. Once again, complete sentences introducing unordered lists are traditionally punctuated with a colon. 7.2.15 New section added on when to capitalize names of degree programs. I was a fan until I realized it wasn't AP Style, all hail AP Style Honorable mention a.m. and p.m. - That's how they're used. Recently, we looked at how to write run-in lists, which are lists that appear inside sentences. in English Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. A: a month's confinement, per the QUASI POSSESSIVES section of the "possessives" entry. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. Thanks for the comment, Anna. Punctuating every introduction with a colon and every list item with a period regardless of other structural issues (such as complete versus incomplete introductory sentences and list-item formatting) could potentially decrease flow and readability. Welcome to Ask the Editor, a forum on writing, style and phrasing issues that go beyond the pages of the AP Stylebook. Q: In a news story, can you start a sentence with an acronym? A: Commas in a series are for clarity and prevention of ambiguities. Why wouldnt you want to add a list to your work? A: AP doesn't use italics in news stories. By virtue of their formatting, numbered lists stand . in Composition and Rhetoric from the University of New Hampshire. 11.5.13 Updates made to University statistics, the list of research centers and section on Web addresses. Try it with a list of shorter items like this. Quickly convert your title or text to sentence case by simply clicking the Sentence case button in the tool above. The CMS is commonly used in the publishing sphere, and AP style is more press-oriented . Do not capitalize articles, prepositions (regardless of length), and coordinating conjunctions. A: We follow Webster's on that term, which is lowercase. Get an email every time a new blog post is published. Inconsistent punctuation; Sometimes the grammar isn't parallel between items. If your bulleted list is part of the sentence and is not preceded by a colon, treat the bullets like a part of the sentence, adhering to standard capitalization and punctuation. Preferred style is without terminal punctuation, unless the list item is a complete sentence. Use numbered lists when youre working with instructions to be done in sequence, and the numbers suggest ahierarchy. Proven techniques for attention grabbing headlines & titles. However, in regard to headlines, is it now true that press release headlines should be in sentence case? Numbered Lists and Bullet Lists: Why and How? in compound modifiers (e.g., Mid-year, Anti-hero, etc.). 7. For example, are newspapers italicized? She holds a B.A. When do Iuse periods and when do Ileave bulleted items without end punctuation? July 31, 2019. These are perfectly acceptable, and some style guides suggest writing lists like this. Bulleted lists can be used with complete sentences, phrases, or a combination. Lowercase the second word in a hyphenated compound when it is a prefix or suffix (e.g., Anti-itch,world-wide) or part of a single word. The capitalization rules are as follows: Capitalize the first and the last word. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites owner is strictly prohibited. Garner's Modern American Usage inserts periods at the end of bullet lists only if the bullet list begins with a capital letter. Chicago Style is one of the most used and respected headline capitalization methods used in journalism. nouns, pronouns, verbs. 2003-2022 Judy Vorfeld's Office Support Services. The capitalization chapter has new guidance on how to write about census divisions and geological formations. Follow @APStylebook AP uses dashes to introduce individual sections of a list, like this: - Put a space between the dash or bullet and the first word of each item in the list. Ordered vertical lists have, you guessed it, an order. Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. The Gregg Reference Manual(Sabin). and Ph.D. See "doctor" for an explanation of Dr. as a title for medical doctor on first reference. Q: How do I deal with a vulgarity from a movie that is integral to the article I'm writing? Were so programmed to capitalize only proper nouns and the first word of acomplete sentence that it almost seems wrong to capitalize single words and phrases. Infants will try to help others who seem like they need help with simple tasks, such as carrying multiple objects. A: AP stories use PHP, Ajax, XML, FTP search engine optimization click-through rate pay-per-click. Microsoft and Gregg would capitalize flat and sharp if they appeared in a title (unlike Rule 2). Gently tap the lid against a hard surface. Judy Vorfeld Oppress means to persecute/tyrannize/bully. Writing, phrasing, usage (word choice; clarity; subjunctive mood; ethnic-racial; profanity; slang ). Thanks for the catch! A: Normally staff is a collective taking a singular verb, Spelling (one word or two; hyphenation; noun phrases; prefixes; suffixes), Titles (academic; courtesy; professional; military; occupational; political; religious). $;$ExRp" e8CQiQYgKdIw lP"1C[;d,|xk0:[#.kvZ|{wY14\.wCzb`*,a`FK{GQfl!hie "h9e tI*2$"/'O6\a>Zb=01fD?`ZTX7w$\a +!F7X o7N| *&Rp oTF G6eKeJ22N Mb[$er6_oZkh:.jFeX^Lu}]/E.tesv!8;>pi0B@09]l}llx| V:2`zXoyQ% 'w How to Write Vertical Lists (Ordered and Unordered), How to Export PDF Tables from Adobe Acrobat to Excel (PC & Mac), How to Insert Images into Shapes in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac), How to Align the Periods in Numbered Lists in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac), How to Password Protect Files in Microsoft Word, How to Password Protect PDFs in Adobe Acrobat (PC & Mac). Local Phone: (623) 399-6676 | Entries (RSS). As an Amazon Associate, CapitalizeMyTitle.com earns from qualifying purchases. Capitalization looks fancy and makes things seem important. the proper name, do not capitalize. Capitalization and end punctuation depend on the type of list and the contents of the list. When your writing is crisp, clear, and easy to understand, audiences will likely leave your site with a positive impression. Example: In this project, the equipment shall consistof: RULE: Use periods after short phrases that are essential to the grammatical completeness of the statement introducing the list. Use proper punctuation for bulleted sections. Lowercase and spell out when not used with an individual name: The president issued a statement. - Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Again, these will depend on the specific style you choose (see Title Capitalization Rules by Style section). - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. A: AP lowercases wine varietals such as cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, and caps regional names such as Bordeaux, Sauternes and Chablis. Vertical lists are set apart from the surrounding text and are usually prefaced with bullets or sequential numbers or letters. See The MLA Style Center for more information. %%EOF There was an error submitting your subscription. Following are some questions and answers to use as guidelines: When is it better to use bullets than numbers? Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? The key thing is applying a clear and consistent punctuation style to all lists. Title case is also commonly used for book titles, movies titles, song names, plays, and other works. Q: Why is atheist not capitalized while Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, etc., are? To create a bulleted list, use the bulleted list function of your word-processing program. Q: In denoting area, which is correct for numbers under 10 -- 5 acres or five acres? Q: Would "crew chief" and "team owner" be capitalized before a name? How to punctuate bullet lists can be tricky because various style guides contradict each other. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. Q: A months confinement or a month's confinement? Below are examples of vertical listswhich may be unnumbered, numbered, or bulletedand how to introduce, punctuate, and capitalize them. Bullets normally preface unordered list items.7. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions (regardless of length). That's . Capitalize the first word in each bullet. The Fantastic Shakers have won many awards. The Best 2023 AP Style Cheat Sheet Every Writer Needs (Free Download) Ben Sailer Content. document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a4470ef17940e51381fb55e5e7bde6b6" );document.getElementById("j6a5d70196").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Sign up to receive the latest articles from Ragan.com directly in your inbox. In most cases, experts recommend that you start each bulleted item with acapital letter. Use all sentences or all. Erin Wright, 20122023. (CMS) and the Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) are what writers typically use. If you left caps lock on accidentally, you can quickly convert your title from uppercase to lowercase by selecting the lower button above. 2-5 p.m.) and when to use the word "to"? persistent psychological distress (Glozier et al., 2010; Lund et al., 2010). Q: If you have a hyphen in a headline, is the word after the hyphen capitalized? Learn how your comment data is processed. Here is an example of bullet lists that need a period to complete the introductory stem sentence: Here is an example of bullets lists that do not need a period because they are fragments not connected to the introductory stem sentence: These are reasons I love traveling to Ireland: Here is an example of bullet lists that do not need a period because theyre one word or a short phrase that feels like an inventory or shopping list: This issue is straightforward. A If you have a list of full sentences or a list with a mix of full sentences and fragments we suggest capitalizing the first letter in each item. You are reading a blog that focuses on business writing. AP style provides consistent guidelines for such publications in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuation and language usage. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition This guidance has been expanded from the 6th edition. The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that they're upper. Q: My AP Stylebook always lists examples in italics, so it's difficult to see if italics are part of the style. AP style is actually not capitalized, though AP Stylebook is. Your email address will not be published. If you have questions, read our. Q: Is it staff has or staff have? Sixth and Seventh streets). Subscribe to the My Blog Editor blog for the latest TIPS on improving the QUALITY of your business content. Subscribe to AP Stylebook Online: AP Stylebook Online is a searchable, customizable guide for writers and editors that is updated throughout the year. A: Always use figures for people, animals and objects: 3-year-old house. To see what I mean, read the lead-in word or phrase then read the first item on the list. Bullet points. And, as a guideline, wed suggest punctuating bullet points as follows: However, this again comes down to preference and your chosen style guide. Considering those rules, these hyphenated words would all be correctly capitalized in titles: In the list above, up, in, on, off, and out are adverbs-not prepositions. Hello! Example: The software in this price range offers many excellent features: RULE: When one item contains acomplete sentence, punctuate all bulleted items as though they were complete sentences: capitalize the beginning words and use aperiod at the end of each item. AP Style - use dashes, capitals and periods. Semicolon Use in Lists A properly inserted semicolon helps to provide pause and clarifying separation in sentences. So nice to hear the positive feedback! Capitalization (proper nouns: America; proper names: Democratic Party; popular names: Indy 500; compositions: books, movies, operas ). Garner calls this "vertical lists punctuated as a sentence." Any symbol may be used for the bullets, although small circles or squares are typical software defaults. Take a digital photo of a family member. Lists Introduced with a Complete Sentence Q: Is the proper phrase "If money were no object" or "If money was no object"? In our latest quarterly roundup of AP Style reminders, we cover back-to-school terms, travel terminology, and more. The two major capitalization styles for headlines and titles are sentence case and title case. The book club members made a list of their favorite genres: Individual list items following a complete sentence that are themselves complete sentences are each punctuated with a period.4. I like bananas. This is usually done when each list entry finishes an introductory phrase, as shown below: Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox. %PDF-1.4 % AP flags such cases atop the story with an editor's note. A: AP lowercases those descriptive titles. I recommend APs style guidance for end punctuation: All of these recommendations follow AP, but one clarification is needed. Vertical lists can be ordered or unordered and can be introduced by complete or incomplete sentences, all of which affect how the individual list items are capitalized and punctuated. Memorize the AP abbreviations. No italics. A: The phrase suggests a contingency unlikely to come true, so use "were" for the subjunctive mood. Numbered and unnumbered lists are more commonly used in scholarly publications. endstream endobj 29 0 obj <> endobj 30 0 obj <>/Border[0 0 0]/Rect[603 407.25 648 420.75]/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>><>/Border[0 0 0]/Rect[270.75 387.75 315.75 401.25]/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>><>/Border[0 0 0]/Rect[281.25 368.25 318.75 381.75]/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>>]/Contents[34 0 R 35 0 R 36 0 R 37 0 R 38 0 R 39 0 R 41 0 R 42 0 R]/CropBox[0 0 792 612]/MediaBox[0 0 792 612]/Parent 26 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSets[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 31 0 obj <>stream Lowercase the second word in a compound modifier (e.g., Mid-year or On-site). Finally, should you capitalize the first letter of each entry in a vertical list? This post links directly to APA Style topics of interest that users may not even know exist on the website. When a vertical list follows a full sentence, introduce it with a colon. The first step in the process of how to write an AP style press release is to familiarize yourself with the guidelines. Q: Great Depression is capitalized and so is American Revolution. This is the fourth in a six-part series. A: member is lowercase, as are congressmen and congresswoman. Bonus: We have some great shortcuts to make your life easier. Bulleted lists. Capitalize the first and the last word of titles and subtitles. Note however that it is not wrong to capitalize a sentence or clause after a colon. Use either all full sentences in your bullet lists or all fragments. Consider the examples below: Well, that was really helpful; thanks for the effort. Titles. Infants often display positive emotions when following parents behavioral requests, such as not touching the stove. STATES: Abbreviate state names when listed after a city. Bulleted lists help make information more scannable and easier to understand. Today we'll look at numbered lists. Semicolons Use in Lists: Items with Internal Punctuation I love traveling to Ireland because of its: [AP, Garner, and Gregg use the colon here. TITLES Stay with us.". Published: November 13, 2012 Updated: August 22, 2020. It's hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each . The Associated Press Stylebook says when writing lists "use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section, whether it is a full sentence or a phrase.". Its hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each item on the list is not a full sentence. A: AP style is email (changed from e-mail), but other e- words are hyphenated: e-commerce and e-book. When writing a list, ensure all items are syntactically and conceptually parallel. Good business writing seeks to make information easy to understand. 7. Dont use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. Use a lettered list if you want to emphasize separate parallel items within a sentence. Please list your allergies and give date of last flare-up. Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. These aren't always the same abbreviations the mail carrier uses. With this format, use commas after each list item and on the next-to-last list, item use the word and close the list with a . Capitalize major words, e.g. This option is helpful for complex or longer bulleted sentences that may be more difficult to read without the aid . Our amended style is website (one word, lowercase w), along with other compounds: webcam, webcast, webmaster. Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. The tricky thing is punctuation. The Chicago Manual of Style has pages of rules and examples of bullet lists that agree with the Garner style recommendation to use semicolons after each item, use and after the next-to-last-item, and use a period at the end of the last item. And consistency goes a long way in creating clear, credible content. We have three punctuation issues to consider: Should the ending punctuation at the end of each bullet list be a period, a semicolon, or no punctuation? Creating a free account also gives you access to historical stylebooks, writing guidelines and handbooks produced by The Associated Press, dating back to June 1900. The first option is to use no punctuation after the bulleted items (including the final one), which may be better when the items are shorter and simpler. The Chicago Manual of Style. A: AP uses hyphenated e- for generic terms such as e-commerce and e-strategies. Your email address will not be published. But if you're following AP style, chances are you're overusing those big letters. Include the dateline - BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Jan. 1, 2022; . Your subscription includes the . Careful punctuation also reflects thought and care. Lowercase indefinite and definite articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions. Q: Others use one word for internet-related terms. This article is a summary of AP style. 48 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<8DCDC806A06A984EB23F9AC6F5FBCE2C><8DCDC806A06A984EB23F9AC6F5FBCE2C>]/Index[28 32]/Info 27 0 R/Length 99/Prev 782230/Root 29 0 R/Size 60/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream This is ultimately a matter of stylistic preference. This is where the semicolon confusion comes in. The most accepted style guide in business writing and web publishing is the AP Stylebook.
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