Clarity and consistency are the building blocks of great content. Numbered lists may appear with or without the period after the number. Vertical lists are set apart from the surrounding text and are usually prefaced with bullets or sequential numbers or letters. Understanding what to capitalize in a title is important to make sure that your titles and headlines look correct. %PDF-1.4 % 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. Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. A colon adds emphasis, too. In business writing, capitalize the first letter of bullet lists. Very helpful stuff! In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. This creates anew layer of confusion on how to use capitalization and punctuation in such lists. (After reading this) .. These include short words and conjunctions: The other major type of title capitalization standard is sentence case. Good business writing seeks to make information easy to understand. 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. In AP style, headlines capitalize the first word, proper names, or proper abbreviations, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs. The Chicago Manual of Style. 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). 1 ). Words that should not be capitalized include: Government, including federal government and U.S. government. You have multiple options to capitalize and change the case of your titles, headlines, song titles, book titles, email subjects, and more. The rules are fairly standard for title case: Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. and Ph.D. See "doctor" for an explanation of Dr. as a title for medical doctor on first reference. This is ultimately a matter of stylistic preference. Initial capitalization is preferred for list items that are complete sentences ( Example B) or stand-alone phrases (Examples C and D ). Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. Numbered Lists and Bullet Lists: Why and How? Q: Which states are never abbreviated in datelines? I recommend APs style guidance for end punctuation: All of these recommendations follow AP, but one clarification is needed. A: AP uses the numeral for acres, even when less than 10, as a dimension: 5 acres. The two major capitalization styles for headlines and titles are sentence case and title case. Use all sentences or all. Not using a colon isnt wrong, but omit it only with certainty that you comply with the style guide of your choice. Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. 1+ 803-479-5092 ntuten@getitwriteonline.com x]0)} N "d/J]g<3gcyY?9Y\}xLgH*vVQ8e[!}mg%O*~OqoEhe9k=~o^p{?~7?ZOu6ImR)Gow=\JrP For example, are newspapers italicized? We recommend following the AP Stylebooks bullet punctuation, with additional clarifications that AP doesnt address. The MLA's guidelines for styling vertical lists are derived from The Chicago Manual of Style (6.127-132). This means you must CHECK to find out the proper name!) A: "don't ask, don't tell" policy. Complete sentences introducing ordered lists are traditionally punctuated with a colon. A: The phrase suggests a contingency unlikely to come true, so use "were" for the subjunctive mood. Garner calls this "vertical lists punctuated as a sentence." She holds a B.A. AP Style: Sentence Fragments and Capitalization Finally, let's look at Associated Press style. This option is helpful for complex or longer bulleted sentences that may be more difficult to read without the aid . Ordered vertical lists have, you guessed it, an order. Bullet points. Judy Vorfeld Oppress means to persecute/tyrannize/bully. - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. Do not capitalize articles, prepositions (regardless of length), and coordinating conjunctions. See The MLA Style Center for more information. By virtue of their formatting, numbered lists stand . This is where the semicolon confusion comes in. Copyright 2023 Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc. mar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style. According to APA Style, the first word after the colon is capitalized only if it begins a complete sentence. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? Bulleted lists. AP style is actually not capitalized, though AP Stylebook is. - Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. 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. finish the project by Friday, January 23; place everything youve turned in to date, plus this assignment, on afloppy disk;and. Others, like the Chicago Manual of Style, suggest lowercasing it. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The Gregg Reference Manual(Sabin). Lower is default; upper is special. Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading. The capitalization rules are as follows: Learn how to spot the 5 most common mistakes and fix them before you publish. Lowercase the second word in a compound modifier (e.g., Mid-year or On-site). A: In AP headline style, only the first word and proper nouns are capped. How to punctuate bullet lists can be tricky because various style guides contradict each other. 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. Infants often display positive emotions when following parents behavioral requests, such as not touching the stove. Again, style guides dont agree.]. No italics. These are perfectly acceptable, and some style guides suggest writing lists like this. Enter the email you used in your Ragan store purchase. 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. This article is a summary of AP style. Q: Do music groups take singular verbs, as do collective nouns, or plural verbs, as with sports teams? Now we have bullets. Q: If you have a hyphen in a headline, is the word after the hyphen capitalized? Asthma or some allergies. label all file pages (and the disk itself) with your designatedcode. . 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 are two options for the punctuation of bulleted lists when the items are words or phrases. How about AP? A: AP lowercases civil rights movement. I the word Cocaine supposed to be capitalized? Dont use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. Fax: 205-921-5595 2131 Military Street S Hamilton, AL 35570 View Location the proper name, do not capitalize. 7.2.15 New section added on when to capitalize names of degree programs. Another easy decision. 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.. For example, here is a summary of the instructions to write a standard 5 paragraph essay. A: AP lowercases those descriptive titles. In business writing, yes, use a colon at the end of the introductory stem sentence. Online and technology (the web; the internet; URL; computers; e-commerce ). However, you can omit the colon when a list follows a partial sentence. Your email address will not be published. Lowercase indefinite and definite articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions. Consider the examples below: Colon Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun orFile Size: KB. . Birth certificate . Also, please note that ads, brochures and legal contracts may require some deviation from these guidelines. Q: In denoting area, which is correct for numbers under 10 -- 5 acres or five acres? A colon should be used to introduce the list, and the first letter of each point should be capitalised. Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, 9th Edition Capitalization Rules, Best Book Writing Software and Book Writing Apps, Cursive Text Generator , Buscador de palabras y descifrador de palabras, Select your title capitalization style above by clicking on a tab. She excels at designing customized business writing training programs to maximize productivity, advance business objectives, and convey complex information. The AP Stylebook is a writing and editing reference for newsrooms, classrooms and corporate offices worldwide. Chicago Manual of Style does not. A: A few examples: Radar, Laser, NATO, OPEC. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. Try it with a list of shorter items like this. If the elements are complex, uses commas for all. The capitalization rules are as follows: Capitalize the first and the last word. 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.". Symbols such as small circles, squares, dashes, and so forth may be used for the bullets. A: AP doesn't use italics in news stories. APA allows the use of bulleted lists with or without punctuation. %%EOF TITLES Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter! A: corporate (adj.) You can also use this tool to do it automatically. The art instructor assigned three projects for the spring semester: 2. Example: Hampton, Va. See the stylebook for specific abbreviations. When a vertical list follows a full sentence, introduce it with a colon. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions of four letters or fewer. Should each point start with a capital letter and end with a period? Important Note: The MLA Handbook from the Modern Language Association (MLA style) follows Chicago-style recommendations for ordered and unordered vertical lists. To create a bulleted list, use the bulleted list function of your word-processing program. A: In this instance, use a plural verb. 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. Preferred style is without terminal punctuation, unless the list item is a complete sentence. Clean windows with a newspaper and . Q: Is it staff has or staff have? 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 . Beyond that, all three capitalize the first and last word of a title. Input your member identification number. Semicolons Use in Lists: Items with Internal Punctuation When do Iuse periods and when do Ileave bulleted items without end punctuation? Subscribe to the My Blog Editor blog for the latest TIPS on improving the QUALITY of your business content. So nice to hear the positive feedback! A: 2-5 p.m. is preferred. To help, weve prepared a guide to punctuating and capitalizing bullet points. Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of AP style used in answers. A: A partial spelling with hyphens in place of some letters would convey the meaning. Thanks! For MBA, AP Style don [t use periods. is lowercase. AP style capitalization is mainly used by writers for the Associated Press but is also used widely throughout journalism. Are we nitpicking punctuation with these considerations of bullet lists? Right you are. The Best 2023 AP Style Cheat Sheet Every Writer Needs (Free Download) Ben Sailer Content. 10. However, clear bullet list punctuation adds visual scan-ability to your business writing. The Gregg Reference Manual uses periods only after bullets that are dependent clauses and long phrases. 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 equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style . Q: My AP Stylebook always lists examples in italics, so it's difficult to see if italics are part of the style. 7. The following rules apply to MLA headings: AP style capitalization is mainly used by writers for the Associated Press but is also used widely throughout journalism. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites owner is strictly prohibited. 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." Published: November 13, 2012 Updated: August 22, 2020. AP Style - use dashes, capitals and periods. A) Begin each bullet with the same part of speech (noun, verb, adjective) It is very common to use action verbs (also known as dynamic verbs) to begin each item in a bulleted list. This will uncapitalize your text. Capitalize My Title requires JavaScript to be enabled in order to run. Punctuation Lists, Part 4: Numbered Lists. 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. 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. 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. 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. Should the opening stem sentence end with a colon to introduce the bullet lists or use no colon? You can learn more in the Title Capitalization Rules by Style section. Today we'll look at numbered lists. . Youre singing my tune! . AP Stylebook: Use periods after bullets. J%HfTH@zGI8a. . Should the first letter of the bullet list be capitalized? Follow the same capitalization rules you would follow for normal sentences. If bulleted items are complete sentences, begin each item with a capital letter and finish it with a period or other appropriate punctuation. But if you are using a style guide, you may want to check it for guidance on which style to use. 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. Infants often display prosocial behaviorthat is, behavior intended to help otherswhen interacting with their parents, as demonstrated in the following examples (Hammond & Drummond, 2019): If bulleted items are words or phrases (but not complete sentences), begin each item with a lowercase letter (except words such as proper nouns). In this review, we'll further consider how the semicolon operates in forming lists that involve items in a series. 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. Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: AP style, APA style, Chicago style, formatting, grammar, MLA style, punctuation. Bulleted lists help make information more scannable and easier to understand. Include the dateline - BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Jan. 1, 2022; . The phrase "she has decided" warns the reader that the next . There's an old joke: If you want to change your title from uppercase to title case, you can select the Title Case button above. They are also written without terminal punctuation (i.e., they dont end in a period, comma, colon, or semicolon).9. In this tutorial, well explore guidelines for how to write vertical lists. Use either all full sentences in your bullet lists or all fragments. Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Use lowercase at all . 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. Quickly convert your title or text to title case by simply clicking the Title Case button in the tool above. Bulleted Lists: APA uses bulleted lists to avoid the perception of importance/priority connotated in numbered 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. If you want to, you can press Enter on your keyboard or click the Copy button next to the text box to copy the text to your clipboard. Capitalize the first word in a bullet point and the introduction to the list, but not the rest. 22 December, 2021. Take a digital photo of a family member. Although a little old-fashioned, some people like to use semicolons or commas in lists. A: a month's confinement, per the QUASI POSSESSIVES section of the "possessives" entry. 2003-2022 Judy Vorfeld's Office Support Services. Now check your email to confirm your subscription for My Blog Editor blog alerts. There are five important things to watch for in numbered and bulleted lists: inconsistent capitalization. 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? Stay with us.". Q: Veteran's Benefits, Veterans Benefits or Veterans' Benefits? Thanks for the catch! I like oranges. Common Style Guidelines 8. Q: Is clarity essentially the only rule determining when a serial comma should be included? in English Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. Then craft an attention-grabbing headline, write the body of your press release, add the boilerplate section, and distribute your press . If checked, quotes will be output as straight quotes. The following examples demonstrate both options as well as how to integrate in-text citations into bulleted lists. Garner's Modern American Usage inserts periods at the end of bullet lists only if the bullet list begins with a capital letter. It's hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each . Write a strong thesis statement, compose the body of your essay, complete the introduction, and. 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. 6. The Copyeditors Handbook (Einsohn). If you feel punctuation does not matter, consider the impact of punctuation in these bullet lists: 2023 Instructional SolutionsRefund Policy | Terms | Privacy Policy. 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. In our latest quarterly roundup of AP Style reminders, we cover back-to-school terms, travel terminology, and more. Use a period after bullet list that completes the opening stem sentence that introduces it. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it will get you started. Because AP recommends the colon and AP is the preferred business writing style guide, I recommend using it consistently in your business writing. Quickly convert your title or text to sentence case by simply clicking the Sentence case button in the tool above. While its not wrong and some style guides recommend this, its not the best business writing choice. 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. And if so, when? 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 Careful punctuation also reflects thought and care. The individual list items following the complete sentence are usually lowercased if they arent complete sentences themselves. The buttons at the bottom let you choose specific case conversion options for the various styles. Vacuum windowsills and corners with a vacuum hose. Mr. Heckle and Mr. Jeckle enjoy several feline activities: Like ordered lists, unordered lists that are part of an incomplete introductory sentence are lowercased and punctuated as if each item was inside the sentence.10, People who grew up in the 1980s watched a lot of television, including, 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 each list item with a period even if the item is an incomplete sentence.11. A: member is lowercase, as are congressmen and congresswoman. Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading, Capitalize all major words (nouns, verbs including. AP style provides consistent guidelines for such publications in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuation and language usage. For more AP style tips, watch Grammar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style any time. Finally, should you capitalize the first letter of each entry in a vertical list? This will automatically indent the list as well. Let me frame my recommendations. Learn how your comment data is processed. A: AP headlines cap only first word and proper names or proper abbreviations. Capitalization, Case Internet The word internet is all lowercase (unless, of course, it starts a sentence or comes after a bullet) . Alternatively, you can use our tool to convert text from lowercase to uppercase by clicking the UPPER button. Next, identify a newsworthy angle and set up your press release's header section. in English from the University of Rhode Island, an M.A. Does this help? Sixth and Seventh streets). in Composition and Rhetoric from the University of New Hampshire. A So many choices to make! 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 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. 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. 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. Q: If using "member of Congress" instead of congressman/congresswoman, should "member" be capitalized? No periods on the end of a list of bullets unless its more than one sentence. Memorize the AP abbreviations. Our tool lets you convert the case of your text easily into sentence case. Your subscription includes the . - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. Q: Do you capitalize a conjunction in a headline? 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. Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including phrasal verbs such as "play with"), adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions. Use a rubber glove to twist the lid off. hbbd```b``"A$dH\8'$XM7"$c[D& j@H2w 2+: Q: Others use one word for internet-related terms. This post links directly to APA Style topics of interest that users may not even know exist on the website. This is the fourth in a six-part series. Welcome to Ask the Editor, a forum on writing, style and phrasing issues that go beyond the pages of the AP Stylebook. Inconsistent punctuation; Sometimes the grammar isn't parallel between items. When writing a list, ensure all items are syntactically and conceptually parallel. Lists Introduced with a Complete Sentence Write it. But if you're following AP style, chances are you're overusing those big letters. A: Lowercase the compass point - central Louisiana -- unless it's a widely known section, as in Southern California or South Florida. These might seem like confusing rules with too many exceptions, but youre always welcome to homebrew your own style rules. Dates, time, eras (July 4, 2008; 9 a.m.; the Great Depression ), Q: When referring to a time span, I never know when to use a dash to separate the two times (ex. 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. Capitalize major words, e.g. 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 are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. Please try again. Possessive versus descriptive Q: A months confinement or a month's confinement? Q: When referring to your company in internal (or external) communications, which is correct: Corporate or corporate? After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. Use numbered lists when youre working with instructions to be done in sequence, and the numbers suggest ahierarchy. 11.5.13 Updates made to University statistics, the list of research centers and section on Web addresses. See "diseases" entry for further guidance. That order can be based on rank (e.g., a list of most favorite to least favorite foods) or sequence (e.g., recipe instructions). Two new and potentially controversial suggestions when writing bulleted lists are to use dashes instead of bullets and to always use periods (rather than semicolons) at the end of each section, even if it is a phrase and not a sentence. This will convert your text to uppercase. 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. AP editor Paula Froke fields questions of widest interest posed by subscribers to the online AP Stylebook. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Erin Wright with appropriate and specific direction to the original content. 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. Q: Should the names of decades be capitalized when written out? If the bulleted text is a whole sentence, uppercase the initial letter of the first word and use a period to conclude the paragraph (see "Lists, Part 5: Bulleted Lists" in the APA Style Blog . Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions. r%Q! Bonus: We have some great shortcuts to make your life easier. Content style guide Capitalization As part of our plain language style, we use sentence capitalization as the standard on VA.gov, with a few exceptions. Use a period after every bullet point that completes the introductory stem. 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. We updated guidance on how to write about U.S. and international currency. Bulleted Lists: Capitalization and Punctuation By Judy Vorfeld 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. However, most people now leave out the extra punctuation. By far, this is the most vexing punctuation issue! Title case is also commonly used for book titles, movies titles, song names, plays, and other works.
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