ap style bulleted lists capitalizationap style bulleted lists capitalization

There's an old joke: The first step in the process of how to write an AP style press release is to familiarize yourself with the guidelines. The Fantastic Shakers have won many awards. - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. See the "legislative titles" entry for rulings. Bonus: We have some great shortcuts to make your life easier. Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. Numbers One through nine are spelled out, 10 and above are figures (Arabic numerals). Stay with us.". in Composition and Rhetoric from the University of New Hampshire. You're not "piling on." They are also written without terminal punctuation (i.e., they dont end in a period, comma, colon, or semicolon).9. 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. Thank you for subscribing to our newsletter! 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. Clean windows with a newspaper and . The default rule is to lowercase words unless theres a reason they should be uppercase. Subscribe to the My Blog Editor blog for the latest TIPS on improving the QUALITY of your business content. Most often, the text that introduces such lists ends with a colon, as in "The value of . However, most people now leave out the extra punctuation. Home Style and Grammar Guidelines Lists Lists Just as heading structure alerts readers to the order of ideas in a paper, lists help readers understand a related set of key points within a sentence or paragraph. Do not capitalize articles, prepositions (regardless of length), and coordinating conjunctions. Q: Should diseases also known by acronyms such as PTSD be capitalized? Please try again. ?X~soOr{/'gqjfZIuVCZQ!SdbnU)pHuL`>b"wlh)}4!ybjK The same applies when someone may refer to specific items by number. Clarity and consistency are the building blocks of great content. My name is Erin. Bullet points. Navigating the not-so-hidden treasures of the APA Style website. Geography, addresses (state names, regions: Mideast; Northwest; northeast Minnesota; 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.; Fifth Avenue ). When do Iuse periods and when do Ileave bulleted items without end punctuation? Welcome to Ask the Editor, a forum on writing, style and phrasing issues that go beyond the pages of the AP Stylebook. These include short words and conjunctions: The other major type of title capitalization standard is sentence case. If you want to change your title from uppercase to title case, you can select the Title Case button above. In business writing, yes, use a colon at the end of the introductory stem sentence. This is why capitalization of items that make up a list of bullet points is sometimes a matter of style. Colon Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or Any symbol may be used for the bullets, although small circles or squares are typical software defaults. Q: Why is atheist not capitalized while Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, etc., are? 6. Capitalization looks fancy and makes things seem important. Do you capitalize the first word of a bullet point? Take a digital photo of a family member. (After reading this) .. 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. Thanks for the tips. AP Style - use dashes, capitals and periods. If the elements are complex, uses commas for all. 6. in English Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. Below is a description of the ways you can use our case converter. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: AP style, APA style, Chicago style, formatting, grammar, MLA style, punctuation. This is another case where there are no hard rules! A: Lowercase the compass point - central Louisiana -- unless it's a widely known section, as in Southern California or South Florida. The tricky thing is punctuation. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. . The huge difference is that AP colon rules allow you to use a colon after a sentence fragment. Capitalization (proper nouns: America; proper names: Democratic Party; popular names: Indy 500; compositions: books, movies, operas ). Youre singing my tune! It also connects closely related thoughts. Again, these will depend on the specific style you choose (see Title Capitalization Rules by Style section). So long as your capitalization rules remain consistent in your organizations communications, youre golden. hbbd```b``"A$dH\8'$XM7"$c[D& j@H2w 2+: A: AP stories use PHP, Ajax, XML, FTP search engine optimization click-through rate pay-per-click. 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. The phrase "she has decided" warns the reader that the next . This is the fourth in a six-part series. Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. 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. AP style is actually not capitalized, though AP Stylebook is. 2023 American Psychological Association, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, Telephone: (800) 374-2721; (202) 336-5500. 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. Dont use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. Because AP recommends the colon and AP is the preferred business writing style guide, I recommend using it consistently in your business writing. Hello! Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites owner is strictly prohibited. Government, including federal government and U.S. government. 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. 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. Some guiding principles behind AP style are: Consistency Clarity Accuracy Brevity AP style also aims to avoid stereotypes and unintentionally offensive language. 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. Unsubscribe at any time. This post links directly to APA Style topics of interest that users may not even know exist on the website. Take the sentence "She has decided: She won't have surgery to hide the scar.". A: The phrase suggests a contingency unlikely to come true, so use "were" for the subjunctive mood. To remove a lid from a jar that is stuck: Place the lid under hot water for ten seconds. 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. 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. Do it anyway. When multiple letters in a title need to be capitalized, use title case capitalization. (Just like this bullet list youre reading now.). See APA 7, Section 6.52 for examples and more information. Use a lettered list if you want to emphasize separate parallel items within a sentence. Fax: 205-921-5595 2131 Military Street S Hamilton, AL 35570 View Location Style Bullets Capitalize the first letter after a bullet. But if youre following AP style, chances are youre overusing those big letters. Follow the same capitalization rules you would follow for normal sentences. Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. Judy Vorfeld Oppress means to persecute/tyrannize/bully. 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). 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. Inconsistent punctuation; Sometimes the grammar isn't parallel between items. First, it is important to note that there are four main title capitalization styles: Chicago style, APA style, MLA style, and AP style. In business writing, capitalize the first letter and keep bullet list punctuation clean. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. A: In this instance, use a plural verb. 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. This is usually done when each list entry finishes an introductory phrase, as shown below: Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox. Q: My AP Stylebook always lists examples in italics, so it's difficult to see if italics are part of the style. 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 post deserves a standing ovation. The rules are fairly standard for title case: Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. hb```"3VTa`0p4 )x3JH2HgQW(Iz8Nul i@fP!40XE&,0e0v`do`6c $X1)`U&y[#b s .6[ The Gregg Reference Manual uses periods only after bullets that are dependent clauses and long phrases. It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. The capitalization rules are as follows: Learn how to spot the 5 most common mistakes and fix them before you publish. Lowercase and spell out when not used with an individual name: The president issued a statement. Following are some questions and answers to use as guidelines: When is it better to use bullets than numbers? A: A few examples: Radar, Laser, NATO, OPEC. Q: Do music groups take singular verbs, as do collective nouns, or plural verbs, as with sports teams? 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. 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. Lowercase to in the infinitive (though not defined in the stylebook). Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading. Q: Is the proper phrase "If money were no object" or "If money was no object"? r%Q! Q: Do you capitalize a conjunction in a headline? 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. endstream endobj 32 0 obj <>stream %%EOF Again, style guides dont agree.]. Q: Why is "doctorate in psychology" not capped, but "Bachelor of Arts" is? Other terminology (business; food and beverages; legal and justice; medical; ethnic and nationality; politics; religion ). Should the first letter of the bullet list be capitalized? Read this and other articles on English grammar, mechanics, and usage at Get It Write. A: AP lowercases civil rights movement. is lowercase. A list of information can be neatly organised using bullet points. 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. Quickly convert your title or text to title case by simply clicking the Title Case button in the tool above. A: member is lowercase, as are congressmen and congresswoman. Gently tap the lid against a hard surface. Lower is default; upper is special. (AP Style reminds writers that it is still correct to use bullets if preferred.) [M zmp0&BLp$UPd67Z9Ha{0gPY "nG~h%rls 'wdt;:^2i+>f9V%EQ)j2"^e\KP"TiNc-((V A&N+E}E;SnIP Beyond that, all three capitalize the first and last word of a title. Q: How does AP treat programming language when used in general text? Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions of four letters or fewer. See "diseases" entry for further guidance. A: AP Stylebook entry on "collective nouns" says band names take plural verbs. 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. A colon adds emphasis, too. Infants often display positive emotions when following parents behavioral requests, such as not touching the stove. 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 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.. One exception: email (no hyphen, which reflects majority of usage). Q: There seem to be differing opinions on whether or not to capitalize the names of grapes used to make wine. 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. Anation could be oppressed by its leaders, Judy Vorfeld Repellent and Repulsive both speak to driving others away, but REPULSIVE Three horizontal centrifugal pumps with design temperature of 100 degrees F. Three electric motors, in accordance with Appendices. This will convert your text to uppercase. Ive never found the AP Stylebook entry that covers this, including capitalization.. The most accepted style guide in business writing and web publishing is the AP Stylebook. How about AP? And consistency goes a long way in creating clear, credible content. Next, read the lead-in word or phrase again followed by the second item on the list. Careful punctuation also reflects thought and care. Use numbered lists when youre working with instructions to be done in sequence, and the numbers suggest ahierarchy. For MBA, AP Style don [t use periods. You should always use a colon before a bulleted or numbered list. When writing a list, ensure all items are syntactically and conceptually parallel. Instead, texts like The Canadian Style (2nd ed., 1997) offer guidelines for styling bulleted lists, some of which strike some writers (this one, for instance) as needlessly complicated. 1+ 803-479-5092 ntuten@getitwriteonline.com the proper name, do not capitalize. 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. The key thing is applying a clear and consistent punctuation style to all lists. Bulleted lists: Capitalize the first letter after the bullet. By far, this is the most vexing punctuation issue! 9. AP editor Paula Froke fields questions of widest interest posed by subscribers to the online AP Stylebook. Only use it to avoid ambiguity, if part of the series contains a conjunction or if you have a complex series of phrases. ap style bulleted lists capitalization veterinary ophthalmologist santa barbara June 22, 2022 flood banks advantages and disadvantages montana national guard jobs ap style bulleted lists capitalization veterinary ophthalmologist santa barbara June 22, 2022 flood banks advantages and disadvantages montana national guard jobs ap style bulleted lists 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. Vacuum windowsills and corners with a vacuum hose. Its illogical to use semicolons and vertical lists punctuated as sentences in business writing because its visually cluttered so its harder to scan. Topics: Writer's Passport, Writing & Editing. According to APA Style, the first word after the colon is capitalized only if it begins a complete sentence. For example, here is a summary of the instructions to write a standard 5 paragraph essay. Theyre easy to read. All rights reserved. . A: AP style is email (changed from e-mail), but other e- words are hyphenated: e-commerce and e-book. See The MLA Style Center for more information. 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. 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. Do you need a colon to introduce a list? Another easy decision. 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. Whether a numbered list is being used when a bullet list would be more appropriate, or vice versa, 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 you left caps lock on accidentally, you can quickly convert your title from uppercase to lowercase by selecting the lower button above. Capitalize all words of four letters or more. Please enable JavaScript and visit again! 1:28 PM - 14 Jul 2021 37 Retweets 189 Likes Semicolon Use in Lists A properly inserted semicolon helps to provide pause and clarifying separation in sentences. 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. They look good. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style . 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 top tabs allow you to select which style of capitalization you want to use. Very helpful stuff! If you feel punctuation does not matter, consider the impact of punctuation in these bullet lists: 2023 Instructional SolutionsRefund Policy | Terms | Privacy Policy. A: AP doesn't use italics in news stories. Q: What is AP's style on the military's don't ask, don't tell policy? 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. We recommend following the AP Stylebooks bullet punctuation, with additional clarifications that AP doesnt address. A: As a descriptive term, doctorate in psychology is lowercase. Capitalization and end punctuation depend on the type of list and the contents of the list. 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. Don't use the Oxford comma in a simple series before the conjunction. Ive updated. If you have a list of full sentences or a list with a mix of full sentences and fragments we suggest capitalizing the first letter in each item. Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. Q: In denoting area, which is correct for numbers under 10 -- 5 acres or five acres? RULE: Use periods after independent clauses, dependent clauses, or long phrases that are displayed on separate lines in alist. 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. This option is helpful for complex or longer bulleted sentences that may be more difficult to read without the aid . Yes. Sixth and Seventh streets). The Best 2023 AP Style Cheat Sheet Every Writer Needs (Free Download) Ben Sailer Content. Lists, Part 4: Numbered Lists. Lists Introduced with a Complete Sentence In general, capitalize formal titles used directly before a name. Q: If using "member of Congress" instead of congressman/congresswoman, should "member" be capitalized? Use a period after bullet list that completes the opening stem sentence that introduces it. Required fields are marked *. Consider the examples below: 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). TITLES 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. How to punctuate bullet lists can be tricky because various style guides contradict each other. Capitalization is a style choicewith sentence fragments, you can choose to start each with either upper- or lower-case letters. This is ultimately a matter of stylistic preference. 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. Capitalize the first word in a bullet point and the introduction to the list, but not the rest. In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. Regards, Julia! Example: You will not be accepted if you have been diagnosedwith: RECOMMENDATION: If youre creating along document full of bulleted items, you may choose to be consistent and end each item with aperiod. The stylebook uses italics for examples only. Bachelor of Arts is capitalized as an academic degree, as are B.A. Erin Wright, 20122023. How about Civil Rights Movement? Cite it. To help, weve prepared a guide to punctuating and capitalizing bullet points. Q: Which states are never abbreviated in datelines? 5 Free French-to-English Translation Services. Titles. 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. endstream endobj 29 0 obj <> endobj 30 0 obj <>/Border[0 0 0]/Rect[603 407.25 648 420.75]/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>><>/Border[0 0 0]/Rect[270.75 387.75 315.75 401.25]/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>><>/Border[0 0 0]/Rect[281.25 368.25 318.75 381.75]/Subtype/Link/Type/Annot>>]/Contents[34 0 R 35 0 R 36 0 R 37 0 R 38 0 R 39 0 R 41 0 R 42 0 R]/CropBox[0 0 792 612]/MediaBox[0 0 792 612]/Parent 26 0 R/Resources<>/Font<>/ProcSets[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI]/XObject<>>>/Rotate 0/Type/Page>> endobj 31 0 obj <>stream Finally, should you capitalize the first letter of each entry in a vertical list? Numbered Lists and Bullet Lists: Why and How? The first word after a colon unless it begins an independent clause. AP style capitalization is mainly used by writers for the Associated Press but is also used widely throughout journalism. If checked, quotes will be output as straight quotes. The capitalization chapter has new guidance on how to write about census divisions and geological formations. 8 Tips to Make Your Writing Sound More Formal, Capitalization in APA, Chicago, MLA, and AP. Ordered lists can be introduced by a complete or incomplete sentence and are typically prefaced by numbers1 or letters2 followed by a period. . No italics. 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. Its hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each item on the list is not a full sentence. 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? 10439 W Royal Palm Rd., Peoria AZ 85345 "The cat's toy" means one cat owns that toy. Although a little old-fashioned, some people like to use semicolons or commas in lists. Alternatively, you can use our tool to convert text from lowercase to uppercase by clicking the UPPER button. Avoid a mix. 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. Today we'll look at numbered lists. Numbered lists may appear with or without the period after the number. If all else fails, when it comes to accepting AP style: Just do it. A: corporate (adj.) Q: Others use one word for internet-related terms. And if so, when? However, clear bullet list punctuation adds visual scan-ability to your business writing. Proven techniques for attention grabbing headlines & titles. The capitalization and punctuation for each bulleted item are determined by the sentence structure. 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). Use a period after every bullet point that completes the introductory stem. You can also use this tool to do it automatically. When a vertical list follows a full sentence, introduce it with a colon. However, you can omit the colon when a list follows a partial sentence. 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). A: 2-5 p.m. is preferred. We could also write this list with commas instead of semicolons. If a sentence contains more than three items or ideas, we recommend breaking them up into a bulleted list. Numbered and unnumbered lists are more commonly used in scholarly publications. I like apples. 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 art instructor assigned three projects for the spring semester: 2. In Not quite. 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).
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