Lowercase the second word after a hyphenated prefix (e.g., Mid-, Anti-, Super-, etc.) It is the same across all of the four styles. The first word after a colon unless it begins an independent clause. Title case is also commonly used for book titles, movies titles, song names, plays, and other works. Its all about readability. Capitalization and end punctuation depend on the type of list and the contents of the list. The Fantastic Shakers have won many awards. Did you know that before the introduction of word processing (via word processors and computers), most publications displayed lists in either outline form or numbered lists. But if you're following AP style, chances are you're overusing those big letters. 5 simple story types to fill out your editorial calendar, A quick refresher on using minor punctuation marks in AP style, 8 tips on writing and editing from Jerry Seinfeld. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? STATES: Abbreviate state names when listed after a city. Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. A: AP doesn't use italics in news stories. Items that are complete sentences If bulleted items are complete sentences, begin each item with a capital letter and finish it with a period or other appropriate punctuation. 2023 American Psychological Association, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, Telephone: (800) 374-2721; (202) 336-5500. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. 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. Q: Is it staff has or staff have? Subscribe to AP Stylebook Online: AP Stylebook Online is a searchable, customizable guide for writers and editors that is updated throughout the year. But if youre following AP style, chances are youre overusing those big letters. A: 2-5 p.m. is preferred. According to APA Style, the first word after the colon is capitalized only if it begins a complete sentence. Most often, the text that introduces such lists ends with a colon, as in "The value of . - Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Our tool lets you convert the case of your text easily into sentence case. Q: There seem to be differing opinions on whether or not to capitalize the names of grapes used to make wine. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. When writing a list, ensure all items are syntactically and conceptually parallel. As an Amazon Associate, CapitalizeMyTitle.com earns from qualifying purchases. The huge difference is that AP colon rules allow you to use a colon after a sentence fragment. You're not "piling on." Numbered and unnumbered lists are more commonly used in scholarly publications. Inconsistent punctuation; Sometimes the grammar isn't parallel between items. . Added standalone cities to guidance on addresses and states. Below you'll find information on numbers, time and dates, locations, phone numbers, punctuation, capitalization and titles, and the Internet. For lists of fragments, short phrases, or words, capitalization is optional: My favorite fruits include: oranges apples bananas dragon fruit My favorite fruits include: Oranges Apples Bananas Dragon fruit As with the other optional punctuation above, though, make sure to use a consistent capitalization style throughout your writing. The same applies when someone may refer to specific items by number. - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. Again, these will depend on the specific style you choose (see Title Capitalization Rules by Style section). 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. How about Civil Rights Movement? . $;$ExRp" e8CQiQYgKdIw lP"1C[;d,|xk0:[#.kvZ|{wY14\.wCzb`*,a`FK{GQfl!hie "h9e
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Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites owner is strictly prohibited. In this tutorial, well explore guidelines for how to write vertical lists. Thanks! Following are some questions and answers to use as guidelines: When is it better to use bullets than numbers? Whether youre writing an essay, email, or cover letter, youll likely use parentheses. Words that should not be capitalized include: Regards, Julia! Example: There are anumber of tags used in HTML, including: RULE: Its not necessary to use periods after short phrases or single words in alist, if the introductory statement is grammatically complete (see below) or if the listed items are like those on an inventory sheet or ashopping list. 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. You have multiple options to capitalize and change the case of your titles, headlines, song titles, book titles, email subjects, and more. An updated list of units of measurement makes finding what you need a breeze. The most accepted style guide in business writing and web publishing is the AP Stylebook. in English Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. Q: How does AP treat programming language when used in general text? According to APA, racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and Get your free sample back in 3 to 6 hours! Ordered vertical lists have, you guessed it, an order. 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. endstream
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5 Free French-to-English Translation Services. Theyre easy to read. You can also use this tool to do it automatically. The Gregg Reference Manual uses periods only after bullets that are dependent clauses and long phrases. That order can be based on rank (e.g., a list of most favorite to least favorite foods) or sequence (e.g., recipe instructions). Initial capitalization is preferred for list items that are complete sentences ( Example B) or stand-alone phrases (Examples C and D ). The Copyeditors Handbook (Einsohn). finish the project by Friday, January 23; place everything youve turned in to date, plus this assignment, on afloppy disk;and. Of course, youll want to keep using capitals for all the basics: the beginning of every sentence, proper nouns like names and specific locations, days of the week and months. 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. Capitalize words with four or more letters (including conjunctions and prepositions). Bullets normally preface unordered list items.7. Are we nitpicking punctuation with these considerations of bullet lists? Should the opening stem sentence end with a colon to introduce the bullet lists or use no colon? Examples: House Cleaning Tips: Remove items from shelves before dusting. Q: Do you capitalize a conjunction in a headline? When a vertical list follows a full sentence, introduce it with a colon. How to Create Bulleted Lists in Microsoft Word, How to Create and Modify Numbered Lists in Microsoft Word, How to Create Custom Bullets in Microsoft Word, Parallel StructureThe Secret to Beautiful Bullet Points. Capitalization looks fancy and makes things seem important. The MLA's guidelines for styling vertical lists are derived from The Chicago Manual of Style (6.127-132). hb```"3VTa`0p4 )x3JH2HgQW(Iz8Nul
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So long as your capitalization rules remain consistent in your organizations communications, youre golden. Required fields are marked *. Dont use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. And, as a guideline, wed suggest punctuating bullet points as follows: However, this again comes down to preference and your chosen style guide. Don't use the Oxford comma in a simple series before the conjunction. Q: When referring to your company in internal (or external) communications, which is correct: Corporate or corporate? Punctuation (commas; quotation marks; colon; semi-colon; ellipsis ). The Chicago Manual of Style. The individual list items following the complete sentence are usually lowercased if they arent complete sentences themselves. AP style is actually not capitalized, though AP Stylebook is. If necessary, rewrite the list item so that all items begin with capital letters or all items begin with lowercase words. If you have questions, read our. All major words in titles (including small words, such as "Is" and "It"); for example, "Business and Economics". The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) recommends prefacing unordered lists with dashes instead of bullets, although bullets are an acceptable choice for some publications.AP style also recommends punctuating complete and incomplete introductory sentences with a colon and capitalizing the first word in each list item as well as punctuating July 31, 2019. Online and technology (the web; the internet; URL; computers; e-commerce ). The top tabs allow you to select which style of capitalization you want to use. Consider the examples below: To illustrate the example, youd sayI voted on election day because I want my candidate to win. I voted on election day because I like to exercise my right to vote. I voted on election day because I believe every vote counts.. social connection, in which people text as a way to connect with others; escapism, in which people text to get away from dull or uncomfortable situations such as waiting in line; distraction, in which people text to distract themselves while having a conversation with someone or being in a meeting; audacity, in which people text to get a response from someone, such as to break up with them or ask them on a date; nurturing, in which people text to foster relationships by saying things like good morning or I love you; and. I recommend APs style guidance for end punctuation: All of these recommendations follow AP, but one clarification is needed. 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. A: A partial spelling with hyphens in place of some letters would convey the meaning. 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. 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). Awesome sauce! Below is a description of the ways you can use our case converter. A: a month's confinement, per the QUASI POSSESSIVES section of the "possessives" entry. RULE: Use periods after independent clauses, dependent clauses, or long phrases that are displayed on separate lines in alist. 22 December, 2021. RECOMMENDATION: Please avoid usingthe following format: If you write alot of reports and documents with lists, youll always do well if you follow the guidelines above, recognizing the need of the reader to grasp information quickly and easily. Whether using bullets or numbers, vertical lists can be tricky. Bulleted lists allow a writer to create a list that stands out from the text without the implied chronology or order of importance that a numbered list might convey. See The MLA Style Center for more information. Now check your email to confirm your subscription for My Blog Editor blog alerts. In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. In Not quite. The rules are fairly standard for title case: Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. AP Style calls for periods after each bullet point, but Texas A&M House Style allows either periods or no periods - just pick one and be consistent. There was an error submitting your subscription. ap style bulleted lists capitalization veterinary ophthalmologist santa barbara June 22, 2022 flood banks advantages and disadvantages montana national guard jobs ap style bulleted lists capitalization veterinary ophthalmologist santa barbara June 22, 2022 flood banks advantages and disadvantages montana national guard jobs ap style bulleted lists Q: Should diseases also known by acronyms such as PTSD be capitalized? Include periods after independent clauses, dependent clauses, and long phrases, and also after short phrases or words that are necessary to make the sentence grammatically complete: To register for the Annual Meeting: Go to aad.org. Its hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each item on the list is not a full sentence. Write a strong thesis statement, compose the body of your essay, complete the introduction, and. Bulleted lists. That's . In the example above, the first two list items end with a semicolon because the second list item has internal commas. "The cat's toy" means one cat owns that toy. Lower is default; upper is special. Follow the same capitalization rules you would follow for normal sentences. 7.2.15 New section added on when to capitalize names of degree programs. Capitalize the first and the last word of titles and subtitles. Q: Is clarity essentially the only rule determining when a serial comma should be included? This article is a summary of AP style. Also, please note that ads, brochures and legal contracts may require some deviation from these guidelines. A colon adds emphasis, too. Infants will try to help others who seem like they need help with simple tasks, such as carrying multiple objects. Although a little old-fashioned, some people like to use semicolons or commas in lists. Youre singing my tune! Bulleted lists: Capitalize the first letter after the bullet. Lowercase to in the infinitive (though not defined in the stylebook). Let me frame my recommendations. . In APA 7, you have two options for punctuating bulleted phrases: to include no punctuation after each list item and after the last list item or to include commas or semicolons, as appropriate, after each list item and final punctuation at the end of the list. Garner calls this "vertical lists punctuated as a sentence." Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions. [M zmp0&BLp$UPd67Z9Ha{0gPY "nG~h%rls 'wdt;:^2i+>f9V%EQ)j2"^e\KP"TiNc-((V A&N+E}E;SnIP endstream
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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. Use no punctuation after bullets that are not sentences and do not complete the stem. In most cases, experts recommend that you start each bulleted item with acapital letter. Sixth and Seventh streets). All style guides agree to capitalize the first letter of the bullet list unless you opt for the "vertical lists punctuated as a sentence" format using semicolons, illustrated above. Important Note: The MLA Handbook from the Modern Language Association (MLA style) follows Chicago-style recommendations for ordered and unordered vertical lists. It makes it easier for your reader. By far, this is the most vexing punctuation issue! AP Stylebook: Use periods after bullets. (AP Style reminds writers that it is still correct to use bullets if preferred.) The capitalization and punctuation for each bulleted item are determined by the sentence structure. First, it is important to note that there are four main title capitalization styles: Chicago style, APA style, MLA style, and AP style. You should always use a colon before a bulleted or numbered list. 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. 6. A: Lowercase for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, hepatitis C, etc. We updated guidance on how to write about U.S. and international currency. 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. If you feel punctuation does not matter, consider the impact of punctuation in these bullet lists: 2023 Instructional SolutionsRefund Policy | Terms | Privacy Policy. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It's like APA style in that you capitalize the first word after a colon if it's the start of at least one complete sentence. To help, weve prepared a guide to punctuating and capitalizing bullet points. This creates anew layer of confusion on how to use capitalization and punctuation in such lists. If youre confused about what words to capitalize in a title or headline, we recommend using our title capitalization tool above, but if you want specific capitalization rules, they are as follows. How a list is punctuated depends on the sort of information that is being presented. 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. Bulleted lists are appropriate when presenting a list of items in no particular order. 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. The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA style) recommends only using complete sentences for vertical numbered list items, not incomplete sentences as shown above.6, Unordered lists are united by commonality rather than rank or sequence. Use proper punctuation for bulleted sections. AP's style is now to capitalize Black in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense, conveying an essential . If you want to change your title from uppercase to title case, you can select the Title Case button above. Everyone loves a vertical list. Preferred style is without terminal punctuation, unless the list item is a complete sentence. To see what I mean, read the lead-in word or phrase then read the first item on the list. driving, in which people text while in their vehicle (Schroeder & Sims, 2018). And if so, when? Use a lettered list if you want to emphasize separate parallel items within a sentence. Continue from there down the list. Capitalize the first word in each bullet. A: AP style is email (changed from e-mail), but other e- words are hyphenated: e-commerce and e-book. always refer to the style guide and doublecheck capitalization recommendations. A: AP lowercases those descriptive titles. Capitalize the first word of every bullet. 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. Q: My AP Stylebook always lists examples in italics, so it's difficult to see if italics are part of the style. J%HfTH@zGI8a. As with so many things in the English language, capitalization with colons can be complex, and many times, it's more of a style issue than one of correctness. Use lowercase at all . Capitalization, Case Internet The word internet is all lowercase (unless, of course, it starts a sentence or comes after a bullet) . Punctuation Should each point start with a capital letter and end with a period? Q: Great Depression is capitalized and so is American Revolution. While the APs guidelines on this issue are straightforward and easy to remember, they are designed for news publications dealing with limited space and the technical limitations of news wire transmissions. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? A list of information can be neatly organised using bullet points. . In business writing, capitalize the first letter of bullet lists. I like oranges. In bulleted and numbered lists, do not use a period or other punctuation after titles or phrases that are not complete sentences (also good for accessibility). This post links directly to APA Style topics of interest that users may not even know exist on the website. Q: Veteran's Benefits, Veterans Benefits or Veterans' Benefits? 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). AP Stylebook Online builds on everything that's in the print Stylebook, and makes it a more comprehensive, convenient resource. These aren't always the same abbreviations the mail carrier uses. So many choices to make! Dont use a period at the end of a bullet if the bullet lists are one word or a short phrase that feels like an inventory or shopping list. Use a rubber glove to twist the lid off. A: Eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah. Don't use a bulleted list for only one item. The capitalization rules are as follows: Learn how to spot the 5 most common mistakes and fix them before you publish. 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. Unfortunately, many brands forego style guides and choose to wing . The capitalization rules are as follows: Capitalize the first and the last word. Garner's Modern American Usage inserts periods at the end of bullet lists only if the bullet list begins with a capital letter. For company names, use their preference: eBay. Title case is the most common form of title and headline capitalization and is found in all four major title capitalization styles. Learn how your comment data is processed. Use all sentences or all. Its illogical to use semicolons and vertical lists punctuated as sentences in business writing because its visually cluttered so its harder to scan. Erin Wright, 20122023. Titles. Common Style Guidelines Avoid a mix. The two major capitalization styles for headlines and titles are sentence case and title case. The Associated Press Stylebook provides an A-Z guide to issues such as capitalization, abbreviation, punctuation, spelling, numerals and many other questions of language usage. Recently, we looked at how to write run-in lists, which are lists that appear inside sentences. In business writing, yes, use a colon at the end of the introductory stem sentence. Today we'll look at numbered lists. Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section or a phrase. This is clear, but AP doesnt fully address when to omit a period at the end of each bullet. Use a numbered list if you want to display items in a numbered series. This is ultimately a matter of stylistic preference. A: Lowercase the compass point - central Louisiana -- unless it's a widely known section, as in Southern California or South Florida. Q: A months confinement or a month's confinement? See "diseases" entry for further guidance. There are two options for the punctuation of bulleted lists when the items are words or phrases. A: In this instance, use a plural verb. The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that theyre upper. Lists, Part 4: Numbered Lists. Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. To remove a lid from a jar that is stuck: Place the lid under hot water for ten seconds. In general, the following capitalization rules apply across the four styles in title case: Important words in that last bullet generally refer to: Title case is the most common title capitalization for book titles, headlines, articles titles, etc. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it will get you started. A: corporate (adj.) Birth certificate . Ive never found the AP Stylebook entry that covers this, including capitalization.. Q: Is clarity essentially the only rule determining when a serial comma should be included? Do not capitalize articles, prepositions (regardless of length), and coordinating conjunctions. Bulleted lists can be used with complete sentences, phrases, or a combination. The Chicago Manual of Style Online is the venerable, time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. Writing, phrasing, usage (word choice; clarity; subjunctive mood; ethnic-racial; profanity; slang ). Q: Is the age of an inanimate object expressed in numerals or spelled out? Q: Why is atheist not capitalized while Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, etc., are? Local Phone: (623) 399-6676 | Entries (RSS). AP flags such cases atop the story with an editor's note. I love traveling to Ireland because of its: [AP, Garner, and Gregg use the colon here. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. This is where the semicolon confusion comes in. 1:28 PM - 14 Jul 2021 37 Retweets 189 Likes A: In AP headline style, only the first word and proper nouns are capped. The key thing is applying a clear and consistent punctuation style to all lists. When writing an argumentative essay, you would typically research a topic and adopt a certain How to Punctuate and Capitalize Bullet Points. Beyond that, all three capitalize the first and last word of a title. This guidance has been expanded from the 6th edition. In business writing, capitalize the first letter and keep bullet list punctuation clean. Example: Hampton, Va. See the stylebook for specific abbreviations. To keep bullets simple and consistent, I take a dual approach to styling them, based on whether the items in the list are complete sentences or partial sentences. 4.24.14 AP style rules on state abbreviations updated. Again, style guides dont agree.]. To make peace with periods in a list, think of the entire list (including the lead-in word or phrase) as several sentences (all of which need a period at the end). 8. Q: Why is "doctorate in psychology" not capped, but "Bachelor of Arts" is? She holds a B.A. Mary founded Instructional Solutions in 1998, and is an internationally recognized business writing trainer and executive writing coach with two decades of experience helping thousands of individuals and businesses master the strategic skill of business writing. Do you capitalize the first word of a bullet point? Capitalize the important words in the title, Subordinating conjunctions (when fewer than 5 letters), Coordinating Conjunctions (and, but, for), Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including.