1+ 803-479-5092 ntuten@getitwriteonline.com Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter! Capitalization, Case Internet The word internet is all lowercase (unless, of course, it starts a sentence or comes after a bullet) . There are five important things to watch for in numbered and bulleted lists: inconsistent capitalization. Bulleted lists are appropriate when presenting a list of items in no particular order. Numbers One through nine are spelled out, 10 and above are figures (Arabic numerals). Young adults have many motivations for texting on their smartphones: Further information about bulleted lists is available in the Publication Manual, including how to format lists of definitions in a glossary. The capitalization rules are as follows: Learn how to spot the 5 most common mistakes and fix them before you publish. Q: Great Depression is capitalized and so is American Revolution. APA allows the use of bulleted lists with or without punctuation. Q: If you have a hyphen in a headline, is the word after the hyphen capitalized? While the above words are generally capitalized in titles regardless of style, there are some words that are generally not capitalized when using title case. Gently tap the lid against a hard surface. The same applies when someone may refer to specific items by number. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites owner is strictly prohibited. It is intended as a guide to common PR Team style and . Capitalize the first word in each bullet. How about Civil Rights Movement? Careful punctuation also reflects thought and care. 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. A: AP style is email (changed from e-mail), but other e- words are hyphenated: e-commerce and e-book. It's hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each . 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. Sixth and Seventh streets). Garner calls this "vertical lists punctuated as a sentence." They look good. 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. Q: How about using e- as a prefix for new terms in the tech and business worlds? Ordered vertical lists have, you guessed it, an order. and Ph.D. See "doctor" for an explanation of Dr. as a title for medical doctor on first reference. You can also use a colon after a partial sentence. Prepositions that contain five letters or more. In Not quite. A: a month's confinement, per the QUASI POSSESSIVES section of the "possessives" entry. 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. Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. To help, weve prepared a guide to punctuating and capitalizing bullet points. Thank you, Sarah! hb```"3VTa`0p4 )x3JH2HgQW(Iz8Nul i@fP!40XE&,0e0v`do`6c $X1)`U&y[#b s .6[ The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style . Lists, Part 4: Numbered Lists. Numbered and unnumbered lists are more commonly used in scholarly publications. The CMS is commonly used in the publishing sphere, and AP style is more press-oriented . The capitalization rules are as follows: Capitalize the first and the last word. Titles. 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. The following rules apply to APA headline capitalization and title capitalization: Making sure you have the right capitalization for MLA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. This will automatically indent the list as well. Please list your allergies and give date of last flare-up. Today we'll look at numbered lists. Q: Would "crew chief" and "team owner" be capitalized before a name? For lists of fragments, short phrases, or words, capitalization is optional: As with the other optional punctuation above, though, make sure to use a consistent capitalization style throughout your writing. Q: Which states are never abbreviated in datelines? 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. If that sounds like a lot to remember, think of it this way instead: as a general rule of thumb, any word that's three letters or less should not be capitalized. When to Use a Colon With Capitalization: The puppy left a trail of destroyed items in his wake: shredded papers, mangled stuffed animals and what looked like the remains of a shoe. The individual list items following the complete sentence are usually lowercased if they arent complete sentences themselves. 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. 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.. Erin Wright, 20122023. 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. Lowercase to in the infinitive (though not defined in the stylebook). Below is a description of the ways you can use our case converter. An updated list of units of measurement makes finding what you need a breeze. The two major capitalization styles for headlines and titles are sentence case and title case. Use either all full sentences in your bullet lists or all fragments. A: AP lowercases wine varietals such as cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, and caps regional names such as Bordeaux, Sauternes and Chablis. Try it with a list of shorter items like this. Avoid a mix. driving, in which people text while in their vehicle (Schroeder & Sims, 2018). Beyond that, all three capitalize the first and last word of a title. 7.2.15 New section added on when to capitalize names of degree programs. Following are some questions and answers to use as guidelines: When is it better to use bullets than numbers? Proven techniques for attention grabbing headlines & titles. Thanks! AP Stylebook Online builds on everything that's in the print Stylebook, and makes it a more comprehensive, convenient resource. Next, read the lead-in word or phrase again followed by the second item on the list. A: AP uses the numeral for acres, even when less than 10, as a dimension: 5 acres. Q: Others use one word for internet-related terms. Your email address will not be published. The default rule is to lowercase words unless theres a reason they should be uppercase. In business writing, capitalize the first letter of bullet lists. And consistency goes a long way in creating clear, credible content. There was an error submitting your subscription. - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. In business writing, capitalize the first letter and keep bullet list punctuation clean. That's . Again, these will depend on the specific style you choose (see Title Capitalization Rules by Style section). By far, this is the most vexing punctuation issue! Stay with us.". In our latest quarterly roundup of AP Style reminders, we cover back-to-school terms, travel terminology, and more. the proper name, do not capitalize. . 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. I am a technical writer and editor who shares writing-related software tutorials on this website and on YouTube. Now we have bullets. Alternatively, you can use our tool to convert text from lowercase to uppercase by clicking the UPPER button. First, it is important to note that there are four main title capitalization styles: Chicago style, APA style, MLA style, and AP style. I like apples. This creates anew layer of confusion on how to use capitalization and punctuation in such lists. Were often asked whether you need a period at the end of each entry in a list. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? Capitalize the first and the last word of titles and subtitles. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. Each of these capitalization styles has slightly different rules for which words are capitalized and each of these styles can be written using title case capitalization or sentence case capitalization. AP has a few punctuation rules that differ from many common style guides: Do not use a comma before the last item in a simple series ("My favorite candy includes Snickers, Twix and Zagnut bars."). 2003-2022 Judy Vorfeld's Office Support Services. Subscribe to the My Blog Editor blog for the latest TIPS on improving the QUALITY of your business content. When writing a list, ensure all items are syntactically and conceptually parallel. 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. Words that should not be capitalized include: Chicago Style is one of the most used and respected headline capitalization methods used in journalism. Q: Do music groups take singular verbs, as do collective nouns, or plural verbs, as with sports teams? When do Icapitalize the first letter in abulleteditem? This will uncapitalize your text. Please try again. Ordered lists that are part of an incomplete introductory sentence are lowercased and punctuated as if each item was inside the sentence.5, The animal shelters most generous donors were, 2. local businesses, including the hardware store, grocery store, and coffee shop; and. 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. 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. Capitalize major words, e.g. How a list is punctuated depends on the sort of information that is being presented. This article is a summary of AP style. The huge difference is that AP colon rules allow you to use a colon after a sentence fragment. 6. The stylebook uses italics for examples only. However, Garner qualifies this: "If you begin each item with a lowercase letter, put a semicolon at the end of each item, use and after the next-to-last item, and put a period after the last item." ?X~soOr{/'gqjfZIuVCZQ!SdbnU)pHuL`>b"wlh)}4!ybjK Use all sentences or all. The following example demonstrates this format as well as how to include a citation for the information in the bulleted list. A: AP lowercases those descriptive titles. Q: Why is atheist not capitalized while Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, etc., are? Problem solved. . Welcome to Ask the Editor, a forum on writing, style and phrasing issues that go beyond the pages of the AP Stylebook. A: 2-5 p.m. is preferred. A: "don't ask, don't tell" policy. 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. Regards, Julia! Local Phone: (623) 399-6676 | Entries (RSS). Include the dateline - BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Jan. 1, 2022; . The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that they're upper. It is the same across all of the four styles. But if youre following AP style, chances are youre overusing those big letters. All major words in titles (including small words, such as "Is" and "It"); for example, "Business and Economics". Q: A months confinement or a month's confinement? 10439 W Royal Palm Rd., Peoria AZ 85345 Use numbered lists when youre working with instructions to be done in sequence, and the numbers suggest ahierarchy. That includes newspaper names and magazine references. See The MLA Style Center for more information. There are two options for the punctuation of bulleted lists when the items are words or phrases. 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? Infants often display positive emotions when following parents behavioral requests, such as not touching the stove. Q: In a news story, can you start a sentence with an acronym? We recommend following the AP Stylebooks bullet punctuation, with additional clarifications that AP doesnt address. Hello! The idea is that the list reads like a single sentence, with semicolons separating each point, a conjunction just before the final entry, and a period at the end. This is a grammar guide that accompanies our post on how to write better bullet points. This is ultimately a matter of stylistic preference. A: A few examples: Radar, Laser, NATO, OPEC. This option is helpful for complex or longer bulleted sentences that may be more difficult to read without the aid . Grammar (essential vs. nonessential clauses; pronouns; subject-verb agreement ), Q: I'm confused on the use of "that" and "who" when talking about groups. We could also write this list with commas instead of semicolons. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Should the first letter of the bullet list be capitalized? Lists Introduced with a Complete Sentence Q: How does AP treat programming language when used in general text? Enter the email you used in your Ragan store purchase. However, clear bullet list punctuation adds visual scan-ability to your business writing. The Gregg Reference Manual(Sabin). Any symbol may be used for the bullets, although small circles or squares are typical software defaults. Capitalization is a style choicewith sentence fragments, you can choose to start each with either upper- or lower-case letters. Below are examples of vertical listswhich may be unnumbered, numbered, or bulletedand how to introduce, punctuate, and capitalize them. A: Veterans benefits, lowercase and not a possessive, is usually a descriptive term. 11.5.13 Updates made to University statistics, the list of research centers and section on Web addresses. 2-5 p.m.) and when to use the word "to"? Colon Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun orFile Size: KB. Your subscription includes the . Your email address will not be published. In sentence case, only the first word and all proper nouns are capitalized, as shown in the following example: One more day of extreme heat for East Coast The capitalization rules are as follows: Bluebook style capitalization is mainly used by lawyers. 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). Whether a numbered list is being used when a bullet list would be more appropriate, or vice versa, Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. 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. Unordered lists occasionally appear without bullets.8 However, strongly consider using bullets whenever possible because bullet-less list items can be difficult to identify on mobile devices with responsive text layouts. 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 . This is another case where there are no hard rules! A: AP headlines cap only first word and proper names or proper abbreviations. Continue from there down the list. Q: Is it staff has or staff have? is lowercase. Right you are. To see what I mean, read the lead-in word or phrase then read the first item on the list. You have multiple options to capitalize and change the case of your titles, headlines, song titles, book titles, email subjects, and more. You can learn more in the Title Capitalization Rules by Style section. How will ChatGPT affect the communications profession? 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. Why wouldnt you want to add a list to your work? You are reading a blog that focuses on business writing. The rules are fairly standard for title case: Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. This will convert your text to uppercase. My name is Erin. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition This guidance has been expanded from the 6th edition. AP style is actually not capitalized, though AP Stylebook is. Write a strong thesis statement, compose the body of your essay, complete the introduction, and. When multiple letters in a title need to be capitalized, use title case capitalization. Find it. If bulleted items are complete sentences, begin each item with a capital letter and finish it with a period or other appropriate punctuation. Learn more about how to write better bullet lists. Numbered lists (as noted on p. 64 of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association) can be used to denote items in a series, such as conclusions or procedural steps. For a list of short items, there is no need to punctuate each point. Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section or a phrase." This is clear, but AP doesn't fully address when to omit a period at the end of each bullet. In this review, we'll further consider how the semicolon operates in forming lists that involve items in a series. r%Q! Bachelor of Arts is capitalized as an academic degree, as are B.A. For example, here is a summary of the instructions to write a standard 5 paragraph essay. A colon should be used to introduce the list, and the first letter of each point should be capitalised. If you want to change your title from uppercase to title case, you can select the Title Case button above. 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. Ordered lists can be introduced by a complete or incomplete sentence and are typically prefaced by numbers1 or letters2 followed by a period. If nothing else, your writing will be consistent. Write it. %PDF-1.4 % Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading, Capitalize all major words (nouns, verbs including. Your points should be consistent, either all sentences or all fragments. Follow the same capitalization rules you would follow for normal sentences. Most often, the text that introduces such lists ends with a colon, as in "The value of . A: In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. 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. The first word after a colon unless it begins an independent clause. %%EOF . Other terminology (business; food and beverages; legal and justice; medical; ethnic and nationality; politics; religion ). (AP Style reminds writers that it is still correct to use bullets if preferred.) 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. 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. To create a bulleted list, use the bulleted list function of your word-processing program. hbbd```b``"A$dH\8'$XM7"$c[D& j@H2w 2+: She holds a B.A. Are we nitpicking punctuation with these considerations of bullet lists? These include short words and conjunctions: The other major type of title capitalization standard is sentence case. Bulleted lists help make information more scannable and easier to understand. Topics: Writer's Passport, Writing & Editing. Does this help? - Put a space between the dash or bullet and the first word of each item in the list. All contents 2023 Associated Press All rights reserved. in English Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions. Our tool lets you convert the case of your text easily into sentence case. Its illogical to use semicolons and vertical lists punctuated as sentences in business writing because its visually cluttered so its harder to scan. Take the sentence "She has decided: She won't have surgery to hide the scar.". The Copyeditors Handbook (Einsohn). 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. The capitalization chapter has new guidance on how to write about census divisions and geological formations. If numbers arent essential, use bullets, especially in business documents. AP style provides consistent guidelines for such publications in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuation and language usage. Bulleted lists. People who grew up in the 1980s watched a lot of television, including: If you arent a strict follower of AP style, consider using the general guidelines explained in the sections above instead of those outlined in this alert box. nouns, pronouns, verbs. AP Stylebook: Use periods after bullets. Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. Not using a colon isnt wrong, but omit it only with certainty that you comply with the style guide of your choice. . - Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. 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). 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. Yes. If necessary, rewrite the list item so that all items begin with capital letters or all items begin with lowercase words. Capitalization looks fancy and makes things seem important. Please enable JavaScript and visit again! Published: November 13, 2012 Updated: August 22, 2020. [M zmp0&BLp$UPd67Z9Ha{0gPY "nG~h%rls 'wdt;:^2i+>f9V%EQ)j2"^e\KP"TiNc-((V A&N+E}E;SnIP Q: Is clarity essentially the only rule determining when a serial comma should be included? 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. 59 0 obj <>stream Quickly convert your title or text to sentence case by simply clicking the Sentence case button in the tool above. 7. Should each point start with a capital letter and end with a period? Q: Why is "doctorate in psychology" not capped, but "Bachelor of Arts" is? Bonus: We have some great shortcuts to make your life easier. When your writing is crisp, clear, and easy to understand, audiences will likely leave your site with a positive impression. A: Lowercase the compass point - central Louisiana -- unless it's a widely known section, as in Southern California or South Florida. How to punctuate bullet lists can be tricky because various style guides contradict each other. A: AP Stylebook entry on "collective nouns" says band names take plural verbs. 4.24.14 AP style rules on state abbreviations updated. I love traveling to Ireland because of its: I do not recommend this vertical lists punctuated as a sentence format with semicolons for business writing. If the elements are complex, uses commas for all. in English from the University of Rhode Island, an M.A. 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 In most cases, experts recommend that you start each bulleted item with acapital letter. Thanks for the catch! 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. Navigating the not-so-hidden treasures of the APA Style website. 22 December, 2021. Fax: 205-921-5595 2131 Military Street S Hamilton, AL 35570 View Location 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. To remove a lid from a jar that is stuck: Place the lid under hot water for ten seconds. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. Bullets normally preface unordered list items.7. The phrase "she has decided" warns the reader that the next . Numbered, lettered, and bulleted lists. Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: AP style, APA style, Chicago style, formatting, grammar, MLA style, punctuation. The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that theyre upper. If a bulleted list contains phrases, each bullet should begin with a lowercase letter. 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.
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