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. Clarity and consistency are the building blocks of great content. 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). Required fields are marked *. Hello! Q: Great Depression is capitalized and so is American Revolution. Bulleted Lists: APA uses bulleted lists to avoid the perception of importance/priority connotated in numbered lists. Your email address will not be published. July 31, 2019. 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. Please try again. This post links directly to APA Style topics of interest that users may not even know exist on the website. 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. Numbered lists may appear with or without the period after the number. A: Lowercase for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, hepatitis C, etc. Others, like the Chicago Manual of Style, suggest lowercasing it. Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading, Capitalize all major words (nouns, verbs including. This will automatically indent the list as well. Follow the same capitalization rules you would follow for normal sentences. For a list of short items, there is no need to punctuate each point. (Just like this bullet list youre reading now.). 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: We follow Webster's on that term, which is lowercase. If you left caps lock on accidentally, you can quickly convert your title from uppercase to lowercase by selecting the lower button above. Inconsistent punctuation; Sometimes the grammar isn't parallel between items. 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. I the word Cocaine supposed to be capitalized? Try it with a list of shorter items like this. You are reading a blog that focuses on business writing. Erin Wright, 20122023. 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. In this review, we'll further consider how the semicolon operates in forming lists that involve items in a series. Online and technology (the web; the internet; URL; computers; e-commerce ). 4.24.14 AP style rules on state abbreviations updated. However, most people now leave out the extra punctuation. Let me frame my recommendations. Ordered vertical lists have, you guessed it, an order. Infants will try to help others who seem like they need help with simple tasks, such as carrying multiple objects. Colon Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or A: 2-5 p.m. is preferred. 6. Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. These aren't always the same abbreviations the mail carrier uses. and Ph.D. See "doctor" for an explanation of Dr. as a title for medical doctor on first reference. Awesome sauce! 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. Thank you, Sarah! Lists, Part 4: Numbered Lists. Example: Hampton, Va. See the stylebook for specific abbreviations. 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. These might seem like confusing rules with too many exceptions, but youre always welcome to homebrew your own style rules. If numbers arent essential, use bullets, especially in business documents. Birth certificate . Use lowercase at all . r%Q! Q: How does AP treat programming language when used in general text? Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? A: Veterans benefits, lowercase and not a possessive, is usually a descriptive term. The most accepted style guide in business writing and web publishing is the AP Stylebook. When writing a list, ensure all items are syntactically and conceptually parallel. - Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Capitalize the first and the last word of titles and subtitles. According to APA Style, the first word after the colon is capitalized only if it begins a complete sentence. A: AP Stylebook entry on "collective nouns" says band names take plural verbs. Bulleted lists can be used with complete sentences, phrases, or a combination. Recently, we looked at how to write run-in lists, which are lists that appear inside sentences. 1+ 803-479-5092 ntuten@getitwriteonline.com Again, these will depend on the specific style you choose (see Title Capitalization Rules by Style section). AP Stylebook recommends: "Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. 'I hope this email finds you well:' Emailing During the Pandemic, Business Grammar: Pronoun Antecedent Errors, Use a period or other full stop after every bullet that is a sentence. Lowercase the second word in a hyphenated compound when it is a prefix or suffix (e.g., Anti-itch,world-wide) or part of a single word. The 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. Over 1.5 million copies sold! 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. News media (datelines; headlines; newswriting ). AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. 10. Quick Links: How to Use Capitalize My Title, What to Capitalize in a Title (What Is Title Case, What Is Sentence Case), Title Capitalization Rules by Style (APA, Chicago, AP, MLA, BB, AMA, NY Times, Wikipedia). And consistency goes a long way in creating clear, credible content. Consider the examples below: Take a digital photo of a family member. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. This is why capitalization of items that make up a list of bullet points is sometimes a matter of style. See The MLA Style Center for more information. I was a fan until I realized it wasn't AP Style, all hail AP Style Honorable mention a.m. and p.m. - That's how they're used. Q: Which states are never abbreviated in datelines? 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. ?X~soOr{/'gqjfZIuVCZQ!SdbnU)pHuL`>b"wlh)}4!ybjK Don't use the Oxford comma in a simple series before the conjunction. Numbers One through nine are spelled out, 10 and above are figures (Arabic numerals). Our amended style is website (one word, lowercase w), along with other compounds: webcam, webcast, webmaster. Watch your title convert case and be automatically capitalized! Please enable JavaScript and visit again! This guidance has been expanded from the 6th edition. If nothing else, your writing will be consistent. $;$ExRp" e8CQiQYgKdIw lP"1C[;d,|xk0:[#.kvZ|{wY14\.wCzb`*,a`FK{GQfl!hie "h9e
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The Chicago Manual of Style. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it will get you started. In the example above, the first two list items end with a semicolon because the second list item has internal commas. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style . 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. If necessary, rewrite the list item so that all items begin with capital letters or all items begin with lowercase words. STATES: Abbreviate state names when listed after a city. So many choices to make! always refer to the style guide and doublecheck capitalization recommendations. Q: Is the proper phrase "If money were no object" or "If money was no object"? 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? 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. 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.. Q: If you have a hyphen in a headline, is the word after the hyphen capitalized? For company names, use their preference: eBay. 2023 American Psychological Association, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, Telephone: (800) 374-2721; (202) 336-5500. If the elements are complex, uses commas for all. nouns, pronouns, verbs. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. 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. A: Use Arabic figures to indicate decades of history: the 1920s, the '80s Figures, numerals, dimensions (7-year-old boy; three years ago; 1 percent; third grade; size 9; 6-by-8-foot rug; 5 ounces; 68,000-square-foot facility). 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. Use sentence case capitalization Use sentence case capitalization for most content, including page titles, headings, subheadings, buttons, and text links, unless a word is a proper noun. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? Thanks for the catch! Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions (regardless of length). All rights reserved. Complete sentences introducing ordered lists are traditionally punctuated with a colon. 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. Dont use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. in Composition and Rhetoric from the University of New Hampshire. The Gregg Reference Manual(Sabin). After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. See APA 7, Section 6.52 for examples and more information. The following example demonstrates this format as well as how to include a citation for the information in the bulleted list. You can learn more in the Title Capitalization Rules by Style section. One exception: email (no hyphen, which reflects majority of usage). 59 0 obj
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The MLA's guidelines for styling vertical lists are derived from The Chicago Manual of Style (6.127-132). Q: In denoting area, which is correct for numbers under 10 -- 5 acres or five acres? When your writing is crisp, clear, and easy to understand, audiences will likely leave your site with a positive impression. 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. Title case is also commonly used for book titles, movies titles, song names, plays, and other works. Geography, addresses (state names, regions: Mideast; Northwest; northeast Minnesota; 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.; Fifth Avenue ). Finally, should you capitalize the first letter of each entry in a vertical list? If a sentence contains more than three items or ideas, we recommend breaking them up into a bulleted list. A: Lowercase the compass point - central Louisiana -- unless it's a widely known section, as in Southern California or South Florida. 8. 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 style provides consistent guidelines for such publications in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuation and language usage. DO NOT capitalize plural words even when part of a proper name (e.g. %%EOF
The bullets indicate that I like apples, bananas, and oranges equally. We could also write this list with commas instead of semicolons. This is a tricky one for me because, personally, I agree with you. 0
Capitalize the second word in a hyphenated compound if both words are equal and not suffices or prefixes (e.g., Cost-Benefit), Capitalize the first non-Greek letter after a lowercase Greek letter (e.g., -Bromohexanoic), Lowercase the first non-Greek letter after a capital Greek letter (e.g., -9-tetrahydrocannabinol), Capitalize the genus but not the species epithet. Topics: Writer's Passport, Writing & Editing. Bullets normally preface unordered list items.7. 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. Certainly, your business writings substance and information are far more critical than exacting punctuation that technically is neither correct nor incorrect since style guides vary. Write a strong thesis statement, compose the body of your essay, complete the introduction, and. They are also written without terminal punctuation (i.e., they dont end in a period, comma, colon, or semicolon).9. 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. 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). 11.5.13 Updates made to University statistics, the list of research centers and section on Web addresses. Careful punctuation also reflects thought and care. These are perfectly acceptable, and some style guides suggest writing lists like this. See "diseases" entry for further guidance. Punctuating every introduction with a colon and every list item with a period regardless of other structural issues (such as complete versus incomplete introductory sentences and list-item formatting) could potentially decrease flow and readability. The first step in the process of how to write an AP style press release is to familiarize yourself with the guidelines. AP style is actually not capitalized, though AP Stylebook is. The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that theyre upper. The two major capitalization styles for headlines and titles are sentence case and title case. Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including phrasal verbs such as "play with"), adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions. Capitalization, Case Internet The word internet is all lowercase (unless, of course, it starts a sentence or comes after a bullet) . In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. If unchecked, quotes will be output as curly quotes. The capitalization and punctuation for each bulleted item are determined by the sentence structure. The Best 2023 AP Style Cheat Sheet Every Writer Needs (Free Download) Ben Sailer Content. Learn how your comment data is processed. Input your member identification number. Use a rubber glove to twist the lid off. Do not capitalize articles, prepositions (regardless of length), and coordinating conjunctions. 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.
Capitalize major words, e.g. A: In AP headline style, only the first word and proper nouns are capped. Were so programmed to capitalize only proper nouns and the first word of acomplete sentence that it almost seems wrong to capitalize single words and phrases. AP Stylebook: Use periods after bullets. Use a lettered list if you want to emphasize separate parallel items within a sentence. Punctuation (commas; quotation marks; colon; semi-colon; ellipsis ). This creates anew layer of confusion on how to use capitalization and punctuation in such lists. Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: AP style, APA style, Chicago style, formatting, grammar, MLA style, punctuation. If checked, quotes will be output as straight quotes. A: As a descriptive term, doctorate in psychology is lowercase. Q: Veteran's Benefits, Veterans Benefits or Veterans' Benefits? This means you must CHECK to find out the proper name!) RULE: Use periods after independent clauses, dependent clauses, or long phrases that are displayed on separate lines in alist. Avoid a mix. It is the same across all of the four styles. Get an email every time a new blog post is published. Garner's Modern American Usage inserts periods at the end of bullet lists only if the bullet list begins with a capital letter. AP Style - use dashes, capitals and periods. Use numbered lists when youre working with instructions to be done in sequence, and the numbers suggest ahierarchy. It's hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each . Regards, Julia! Youre singing my tune! Only use it to avoid ambiguity, if part of the series contains a conjunction or if you have a complex series of phrases. Not using a colon isnt wrong, but omit it only with certainty that you comply with the style guide of your choice. Once again, complete sentences introducing unordered lists are traditionally punctuated with a colon. Quickly convert your title or text to title case by simply clicking the Title Case button in the tool above. Should each point start with a capital letter and end with a period? label all file pages (and the disk itself) with your designatedcode. 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. Published: November 13, 2012 Updated: August 22, 2020. Q: Would "crew chief" and "team owner" be capitalized before a name? She holds a B.A. AP Style: Sentence Fragments and Capitalization Finally, let's look at Associated Press style. 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). 7. The following examples demonstrate both options as well as how to integrate in-text citations into bulleted lists. Capitalization (proper nouns: America; proper names: Democratic Party; popular names: Indy 500; compositions: books, movies, operas ). Garner calls this "vertical lists punctuated as a sentence." For MBA, AP Style don [t use periods. Bullet points. Lowercase and spell out when not used with an individual name: The president issued a statement. The capitalization rules are as follows: Learn how to spot the 5 most common mistakes and fix them before you publish. Initial capitalization is preferred for list items that are complete sentences ( Example B) or stand-alone phrases (Examples C and D ). When a vertical list follows a full sentence, introduce it with a colon. 48 0 obj
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