ap style bulleted lists capitalization ap style bulleted lists capitalization

Hello! Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions (regardless of length). AP style provides consistent guidelines for such publications in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuation and language usage. The buttons at the bottom let you choose specific case conversion options for the various styles. Learn more about how to write better bullet lists. 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. All major words in titles (including small words, such as "Is" and "It"); for example, "Business and Economics". Fax: 205-921-5595 2131 Military Street S Hamilton, AL 35570 View Location 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. Let me frame my recommendations. 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. 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. I like bananas. Use proper punctuation for bulleted sections. 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. Garner calls this "vertical lists punctuated as a sentence." 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. We wont send you spam. The art instructor assigned three projects for the spring semester: 2. The following examples demonstrate both options as well as how to integrate in-text citations into bulleted lists. A: AP lowercases those descriptive titles. When writing an argumentative essay, you would typically research a topic and adopt a certain How to Punctuate and Capitalize Bullet Points. 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. 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? This will convert your text to uppercase. For a series of complex terms, though, use commas after each for clarity. No italics. Use a period after every bullet point that completes the introductory stem. The AP Stylebook is a writing and editing reference for newsrooms, classrooms and corporate offices worldwide. r%Q! Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. However, in regard to headlines, is it now true that press release headlines should be in sentence case? A: In this instance, use a plural verb. For MBA, AP Style don [t use periods. 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." The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style . 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. in Composition and Rhetoric from the University of New Hampshire. Well, that was really helpful; thanks for the effort. Q. 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). and Ph.D. See "doctor" for an explanation of Dr. as a title for medical doctor on first reference. finish the project by Friday, January 23; place everything youve turned in to date, plus this assignment, on afloppy disk;and. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: AP style, APA style, Chicago style, formatting, grammar, MLA style, punctuation. Capitalization and end punctuation depend on the type of list and the contents of the list. Example: You will need to present the following information: Your driver's license. My name is Erin. The rules are fairly standard for title case: Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. I like apples. In the example above, the first two list items end with a semicolon because the second list item has internal commas. 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). To create a bulleted list, use the bulleted list function of your word-processing program. 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. Stay with us.". in English Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. AP Style: Sentence Fragments and Capitalization Finally, let's look at Associated Press style. The following example demonstrates this format as well as how to include a citation for the information in the bulleted list. This creates anew layer of confusion on how to use capitalization and punctuation in such lists. Chicago Style is one of the most used and respected headline capitalization methods used in journalism. Lowercase to in the infinitive (though not defined in the stylebook). Its illogical to use semicolons and vertical lists punctuated as sentences in business writing because its visually cluttered so its harder to scan. In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. Please try again. 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: Lowercase for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, hepatitis C, etc. Title case is the most common form of title and headline capitalization and is found in all four major title capitalization styles. 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. 7. When do Iuse periods and when do Ileave bulleted items without end punctuation? The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that theyre upper. A: AP lowercases civil rights movement. The key thing is applying a clear and consistent punctuation style to all lists. Use numbered lists when youre working with instructions to be done in sequence, and the numbers suggest ahierarchy. A: The phrase suggests a contingency unlikely to come true, so use "were" for the subjunctive mood. Q: Should diseases also known by acronyms such as PTSD be capitalized? Alternatively, you can use our tool to convert text from lowercase to uppercase by clicking the UPPER button. Use a rubber glove to twist the lid off. 8 Tips to Make Your Writing Sound More Formal, Capitalization in APA, Chicago, MLA, and AP. 10. Are we nitpicking punctuation with these considerations of bullet lists? According to APA, racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and Get your free sample back in 3 to 6 hours! $;$ExRp" e8CQiQYgKdIw lP"1C[;d,|xk0:[#.kvZ|{wY14\.wCzb`*,a`FK{GQfl!hie "h9e tI*2$"/'O6\a>Zb=01fD?`ZTX7w$\a +!F7X o7N| *&Rp oTF G6eKeJ22N Mb[$er6_oZkh:.jFeX^Lu}]/E.tesv!8;>pi0B@09]l}llx| V:2`zXoyQ% 'w Finally, should you capitalize the first letter of each entry in a vertical list? label all file pages (and the disk itself) with your designatedcode. Watch your title convert case and be automatically capitalized! Does this help? Judy Vorfeld Oppress means to persecute/tyrannize/bully. AP flags such cases atop the story with an editor's note. If the elements are complex, uses commas for all. Symbols such as small circles, squares, dashes, and so forth may be used for the bullets. This will uncapitalize your text. It is intended as a guide to common PR Team style and . Although a little old-fashioned, some people like to use semicolons or commas in lists. Erin Wright, 20122023. A: AP Stylebook entry on "collective nouns" says band names take plural verbs. 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. So long as your capitalization rules remain consistent in your organizations communications, youre golden. The first word after a colon unless it begins an independent clause. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? hb```"3VTa`0p4 )x3JH2HgQW(Iz8Nul i@fP!40XE&,0e0v`do`6c $X1)`U&y[#b s .6[ Vacuum windowsills and corners with a vacuum hose. 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.". July 31, 2019. driving, in which people text while in their vehicle (Schroeder & Sims, 2018). 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. in compound modifiers (e.g., Mid-year, Anti-hero, etc.). In Not quite. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions of four letters or fewer. You're not "piling on." Capitalize the first word of every bullet. Your email address will not be published. %%EOF Use a numbered list if you want to display items in a numbered series. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. The capitalization rules are as follows: Learn how to spot the 5 most common mistakes and fix them before you publish. 0 A: a month's confinement, per the QUASI POSSESSIVES section of the "possessives" entry. Enter the email you used in your Ragan store purchase. Subscribe to the My Blog Editor blog for the latest TIPS on improving the QUALITY of your business content. Q: My AP Stylebook always lists examples in italics, so it's difficult to see if italics are part of the style. Now we have bullets. - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. This option is helpful for complex or longer bulleted sentences that may be more difficult to read without the aid . Semicolon Use in Lists A properly inserted semicolon helps to provide pause and clarifying separation in sentences. All contents 2023 Associated Press All rights reserved. For a list of short items, there is no need to punctuate each point. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? Take the sentence "She has decided: She won't have surgery to hide the scar.". AP's style is now to capitalize Black in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense, conveying an essential . Q: Do you capitalize a conjunction in a headline? Semicolons Use in Lists: Items with Internal Punctuation A: Use "that" for a thing, "who" for the personal pronoun, although "that" also fits some human references. 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). 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. Prepositions that contain five letters or more. A: A few examples: Radar, Laser, NATO, OPEC. Q: Is clarity essentially the only rule determining when a serial comma should be included? Abbreviations, acronyms (24/7; NATO; laser; U.S.; No. 205-921-5556. Quickly convert your title or text to title case by simply clicking the Title Case button in the tool above. These aren't always the same abbreviations the mail carrier uses. 5 Free French-to-English Translation Services. For example, are newspapers italicized? To help, weve prepared a guide to punctuating and capitalizing bullet points. Follow the same capitalization rules you would follow for normal sentences. J%HfTH@zGI8a. A: corporate (adj.) It's hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each . In this tutorial, well explore guidelines for how to write vertical lists. Colon Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or A: Always use figures for people, animals and objects: 3-year-old house. A: Veterans benefits, lowercase and not a possessive, is usually a descriptive term. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. Numbered, lettered, and bulleted lists. Q: Is the proper phrase "If money were no object" or "If money was no object"? 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. 7. Q: Should the names of decades be capitalized when written out? Write it. Garner's Modern American Usage inserts periods at the end of bullet lists only if the bullet list begins with a capital letter. However, you can omit the colon when a list follows a partial sentence. Thanks! 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. The MLA's guidelines for styling vertical lists are derived from The Chicago Manual of Style (6.127-132). Capitalize major words, e.g. Q: Great Depression is capitalized and so is American Revolution. Don't use the Oxford comma in a simple series before the conjunction. You can also use a colon after a partial sentence. You can also use this tool to do it automatically. How about AP? Lists Introduced with a Complete Sentence Whether youre writing an essay, email, or cover letter, youll likely use parentheses. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You can also upload a document to get an instant quote. Yes. Example: Hampton, Va. See the stylebook for specific abbreviations. Capitalize My Title requires JavaScript to be enabled in order to run. An updated list of units of measurement makes finding what you need a breeze. If numbers arent essential, use bullets, especially in business documents. A colon adds emphasis, too. But if youre following AP style, chances are youre overusing those big letters. Poor sleep quality has been linked with the following symptoms: The second option is to insert punctuation after the bulleted items as though the bullets were not there, which may be better when the items are longer or more complex. The default rule is to lowercase words unless theres a reason they should be uppercase. endstream endobj startxref Careful punctuation also reflects thought and care. 59 0 obj <>stream We updated guidance on how to write about U.S. and international currency. Proven techniques for attention grabbing headlines & titles. The Best 2023 AP Style Cheat Sheet Every Writer Needs (Free Download) Ben Sailer Content. Style Bullets Capitalize the first letter after a bullet. hbbd```b``"A$dH\8'$XM7"$c[D& j@H2w 2+: Lowercase and spell out when not used with an individual name: The president issued a statement. Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of AP style used in answers. Numbered and unnumbered lists are more commonly used in scholarly publications. A: We follow Webster's on that term, which is lowercase. The Gregg Reference Manual uses periods only after bullets that are dependent clauses and long phrases. I am a technical writer and editor who shares writing-related software tutorials on this website and on YouTube. EPA follows the AP rule after the dash or bullet: capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. The tricky thing is punctuation. Q: There seem to be differing opinions on whether or not to capitalize the names of grapes used to make wine. Capitalization looks fancy and makes things seem important. Awesome sauce! Now check your email to confirm your subscription for My Blog Editor blog alerts. See "diseases" entry for further guidance. 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. Below is a description of the ways you can use our case converter. A: Eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah. This is why capitalization of items that make up a list of bullet points is sometimes a matter of style. TITLES Colon Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun orFile Size: KB. Were often asked whether you need a period at the end of each entry in a list. A: AP doesn't use italics in news stories. Good business writing seeks to make information easy to understand. When multiple letters in a title need to be capitalized, use title case capitalization. But if you are using a style guide, you may want to check it for guidance on which style to use. 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? Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading. Dont use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. AP Style - use dashes, capitals and periods. If a sentence contains more than three items or ideas, we recommend breaking them up into a bulleted list. Copyright 2023 Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc. mar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style. If you feel punctuation does not matter, consider the impact of punctuation in these bullet lists: 2023 Instructional SolutionsRefund Policy | Terms | Privacy Policy. Most often, the text that introduces such lists ends with a colon, as in "The value of . Q: Is clarity essentially the only rule determining when a serial comma should be included? I the word Cocaine supposed to be capitalized? [M zmp0&BLp$UPd67Z9Ha{0gPY "nG~h%rls 'wdt;:^2i+>f9V%EQ)j2"^e\KP"TiNc-((V A&N+E}E;SnIP The Chicago Manual of Style. To draw visual attention to items in a list without implying that items go in a certain order (e.g., chronology, importance, priority), use a bulleted list. AP Stylebook Online builds on everything that's in the print Stylebook, and makes it a more comprehensive, convenient resource. (CMS) and the Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) are what writers typically use. 10439 W Royal Palm Rd., Peoria AZ 85345 Your points should be consistent, either all sentences or all fragments. Bulleted lists. Note however that it is not wrong to capitalize a sentence or clause after a colon. in English from the University of Rhode Island, an M.A. Use a period after bullet list that completes the opening stem sentence that introduces it. 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. AP Stylebook recommends: "Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. 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. 1 ). The stylebook uses italics for examples only. 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. If nothing else, your writing will be consistent. Lowercase the second word in a compound modifier (e.g., Mid-year or On-site). They are also written without terminal punctuation (i.e., they dont end in a period, comma, colon, or semicolon).9. 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. Q: For a subject/verb agreement, how should I treat "one or more features? This is the fourth in a six-part series. And consistency goes a long way in creating clear, credible content. The first step in the process of how to write an AP style press release is to familiarize yourself with the guidelines. 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. 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). Lower is default; upper is special. - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. Q: Others use one word for internet-related terms. First, it is important to note that there are four main title capitalization styles: Chicago style, APA style, MLA style, and AP style. I recommend APs style guidance for end punctuation: All of these recommendations follow AP, but one clarification is needed. Continue from there down the list. endstream endobj 32 0 obj <>stream Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. 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. 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. Next post: Make blog post content rich with layers, Previous post: Blog Post Format: Chunk It. Words that should not be capitalized include: As an Amazon Associate, CapitalizeMyTitle.com earns from qualifying purchases. You should always use a colon before a bulleted or numbered list. . For more AP style tips, watch Grammar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style any time. (AP Style reminds writers that it is still correct to use bullets if preferred.) All rights reserved. Should each point start with a capital letter and end with a period? Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. Memorize the AP abbreviations. And if youd like any more help with the punctuation and capitalization of lists in a document, dont forget we have proofreaders available 24/7! This is a grammar guide that accompanies our post on how to write better bullet points. The phrase "she has decided" warns the reader that the next . The Fantastic Shakers have won many awards. If you left caps lock on accidentally, you can quickly convert your title from uppercase to lowercase by selecting the lower button above. Over 1.5 million copies sold! Quickly convert your title or text to sentence case by simply clicking the Sentence case button in the tool above.