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Title Capitalization Rules by Style

Chicago Manual of Style 17th Edition: Title Capitalization Rules

The Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) is a widely respected guideline for academic and professional writing, particularly known for its title capitalization standards.

In the 17th edition of CMOS, the rules for title capitalization are as follows:

1. Capitalize the First and Last Word: The first and last words of the title and any subtitles must be capitalized.
2. Capitalize Key Parts of Speech: This includes nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including phrasal verbs like “play with”), adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions.
3. Lowercase Certain Word Types: Articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for), and prepositions should be in lowercase, regardless of their length.
4. Treatment of Hyphenated Prefixes: In compound modifiers with hyphenated prefixes like Mid-, Anti-, Super-, etc., the second word should be in lowercase (e.g., Mid-year, Anti-hero).
5. Lowercase ‘to’ in Infinitives: Always lowercase the word ‘to’ in an infinitive, such as in “I Want to Play Guitar.”

Example Usage

Let’s consider a hypothetical book title and apply CMOS 17th edition capitalization rules:

• Original Title: “the mysteries and complexities of linguistic evolution in the modern era”
• CMOS-Capitalized Title: “The Mysteries and Complexities of Linguistic Evolution in the Modern Era”

In this example, we’ve capitalized the first and last words and all principal words like nouns, verbs, and adjectives while keeping articles, conjunctions, and prepositions in lowercase.

Capitalization Guidelines According to APA 7th Edition

APA style is one of the most commonly used citation styles for academic writing, particularly in the social sciences. It provides guidelines for formatting papers and citing sources.

Here’s a summary of the capitalization rules for headlines and titles in the APA (7th Edition) format:

1. Capitalize the First Word of the Title and Subtitle: The first word of the title and the first word after a colon (subtitle) should always be capitalized.
2. Capitalize All Major Words in the Title: This includes nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Words like ‘and,’ ‘but,’ ‘or,’ ‘for,’ ‘nor,’ ‘the,’ ‘a’, and ‘and are not capitalized unless they are the first word of the title or subtitle.
3. Capitalize Both Parts of a Hyphenated Compound Word: In a hyphenated compound word, both words should be capitalized (e.g., “Self-Esteem,” “Decision-Making”).
4. Use Sentence Case for Article Titles in Reference Lists: Only the first word of the title, the first word after a colon or dash, and proper nouns are capitalized.

Example of APA Style Title Capitalization

Let’s say you have a journal article titled: “understanding the effects of social media on self-esteem among teenagers.”

According to APA style, the correctly capitalized title would be: “Understanding the Effects of Social Media on Self-Esteem Among Teenagers.”

Using the “Capitalize the Title Generator” with its APA style option, you can automatically convert any title to adhere to these guidelines.

Absolutely! Here’s an explanation of the Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, 9th Edition capitalization rules for titles, along with an example, suitable for your post about the “Capitalize the Title Generator”:

Modern Language Association (MLA) Title Capitalization Rules

The MLA Handbook is a fundamental guide for academic writing in the humanities. The 9th edition of the MLA Handbook provides specific guidelines for capitalizing titles.

1. Capitalize the First and Last Words: Regardless of their part of speech, always capitalize the first and last words of the title and subtitle.
2. Capitalize Principal Words: This includes all major words like nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
3. Capitalize Subordinating Conjunctions: Words like ‘although’, ‘because’, and ‘unless’ are capitalized.
4. Lowercase Articles, Coordinating Conjunctions, and Prepositions: Words such as ‘a’, ‘an’, ‘the’, ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘for’, ‘nor’, ‘or’, ‘so’, and ‘yet’ are typically in lowercase unless they are the first or last words of the title or subtitle.
5. Lowercase ‘to’ in Infinitives: Consistent with general English grammar rules, the ‘to’ in infinitives is not capitalized.

Example

• Original Title: “unlocking the secrets of medieval literature and its enduring influence on modern storytelling”
• MLA-Capitalized Title: “Unlocking the Secrets of Medieval Literature and Its Enduring Influence on Modern Storytelling”

In this example, the first and last words, along with all principal words, are capitalized. Articles, conjunctions, and prepositions are left in lowercase, except when they are the first or last words.

The Associated Press (AP) Title Capitalization Rules:

The AP Stylebook is widely used in journalism and public relations. The 2020 edition of the AP Stylebook has rules for how to capitalize titles in press releases, news articles, and other media content.

1. Capitalize the Principal Words: This includes the first and last word of the title and subtitle, and all major words in between. Major words include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and some conjunctions.
2. Lowercase Articles, Coordinating Conjunctions, and Prepositions: Articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, nor, for, yet), and prepositions with fewer than four letters should be in lowercase.
3. Exception for Prepositions Acting as Other Parts of Speech: If a preposition is used nonstandard, such as part of a verb or as another part of speech, it should be capitalized.

Example

• Original Title: “navigating through the storms of global politics in an interconnected world”
• AP-Capitalized Title: “Navigating Through the Storms of Global Politics in an Interconnected World”

Certainly! Here’s an explanation of the Bluebook 21st Edition capitalization rules for legal documents, along with an example, which you can include in your post about the “Capitalize the Title Generator”:

Bluebook Capitalization Rules for Legal Documents

The Bluebook is a widely used guide for legal citation in the United States.

The 21st edition of the Bluebook has rules for how to capitalize titles in legal documents. These rules are important for legal briefs, court documents, law reviews, and other legal writings.

1. Capitalize the Principal Words: This includes the first word of the title and subtitle, and all major words in the title and subtitle. Major words include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
2. Capitalize ‘Important’ Words in Institutional Author Names: In the names of institutional authors, such as government bodies or organizations, capitalize all words that are four letters or longer.
3. Lowercase Minor Words: Lowercase minor words that are three letters or fewer in the title and subtitle, except for pronouns, which are always capitalized. This includes articles (a, an, the), prepositions (on, at, by, etc.), and coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, etc.).
4. Special Considerations for Legal Terms: Some legal terms have specific capitalization rules that may differ from standard English usage.

Example

• Original Legal Document Title: “an analysis of constitutional implications in landmark supreme court rulings on digital privacy rights”
• Bluebook-Capitalized Title: “An Analysis of Constitutional Implications in Landmark Supreme Court Rulings on Digital Privacy Rights”

American Medical Association (AMA): Title Capitalization Rules

The AMA Manual of Style is a key medical and scientific publishing guide. The 11th edition of the AMA Manual of Style sets rules for capitalizing titles in medical literature. These rules are important for research papers, journal articles, and other scientific documents.

1. Capitalize Major Words: This includes the first word of the title and subtitle, as well as nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. It’s similar to the title case used in other styles.
2. Lowercase Articles, Prepositions, and Coordinating Conjunctions: Articles (a, an, the), prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor) are usually in lowercase unless they are the first or last word of the title or subtitle.
3. Special Consideration for Hyphenated Words: In hyphenated compound words, capitalize both words.

Example

• Original Article Title: “latest advancements in gene therapy for combating rare genetic disorders”
• AMA-Capitalized Title: “Latest Advancements in Gene Therapy for Combating Rare Genetic Disorders”

NY Times Style: Capitalization Rules

The New York Times has its own unique style guidelines for capitalization, particularly evident in its article headlines. These rules combine traditional and modern journalistic styles and are important for anyone who wants to write or format titles in a way that looks like the NY Times.

1. Capitalize the First Word and Major Words: This includes the first word of the title and subtitle, as well as all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
2. Capitalize Both Parts of Hyphenated Major Words: In hyphenated compound words, both elements are capitalized if they are major words (e.g., “State-Run”).
3. Lowercase Articles, Coordinating Conjunctions, and Prepositions: Articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor), and prepositions are typically in lowercase, unless they are the first word of the title or subtitle.
4. Special Stylistic Considerations: The NY Times style sometimes capitalizes words for emphasis or stylistic preferences, which may differ from traditional title case rules.

Example

• Original Article Title: “bridging the gap: innovative solutions in urban infrastructure for sustainable city living”
• NY Times-Styled Capitalized Title: “Bridging the Gap: Innovative Solutions in Urban Infrastructure for Sustainable City Living”

Wikipedia Style: Capitalization Rules

Wikipedia’s style for title capitalization is similar to the standard title case, but with a few distinct features.

These guidelines are used for the titles of articles and headings within Wikipedia, and can be a useful reference for general writing as well.

1. Capitalize the First Word and Major Words: This includes the first word of the title and subtitle, as well as all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
2. Lowercase Most Prepositions: Prepositions are typically in lowercase, regardless of length.
3. Capitalize Both Parts of Hyphenated Major Words: In hyphenated compound words, both elements should be capitalized if they are major words (e.g., “Self-Esteem”).
4. Lowercase Articles, Coordinating Conjunctions, and Short Prepositions: Articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor), and prepositions with four letters or fewer are generally lowercase.
5. Special Consideration for Certain Words: In some cases, words that may usually be lowercased (such as ‘is’, ‘be’, ‘with’, ‘in’) are capitalized if they are considered integral to the title’s meaning.

Example:

• Original Title: “a journey through the realms of fantasy and myth”
• Wikipedia-Styled Capitalized Title: “A Journey Through the Realms of Fantasy and Myth”

Titles capitalization Style Comparison

Observations

• AMA Style: Capitalizes ‘Towards’ as it’s the last word of the title.
• AP Style: Uses ‘Toward’ instead of ‘Towards’.
• APA, Bluebook, Wikipedia, and MLA Styles: Do not capitalize ‘towards’ as it is a preposition.
• NY Times Style: Capitalizes ‘Over’ and ‘Towards’, showing its unique approach to three-letter prepositions and conjunctions.
• Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS): Lowercase all prepositions (‘over’, ‘towards’), regardless of length.