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English Prose Style
Table of Contents
Unit 4 Overview: Punctuation and Mechanics
4.1 Commas, Semicolons, and Colons
4.2 Dashes and Parentheses
4.3 Apostrophes and Quotation Marks
4.4 Capitalization and Italics

Capitalization and italics are key elements of English writing style. They help readers distinguish between proper nouns and common words, and emphasize important ideas. Knowing when to use them correctly can make your writing clearer and more professional.

This section covers rules for capitalizing names, places, and titles. It also explains when to use italics for emphasis, foreign words, and titles of works. Understanding these conventions will improve your writing's clarity and polish.

Capitalization of Proper Nouns

Rules for Capitalizing Names and Places

  • Capitalize proper nouns including specific names of people, places, organizations, and brands (Microsoft, Eiffel Tower, United Nations)
  • Capitalize names of days, months, and holidays (Monday, July, Christmas)
  • Do not capitalize seasons unless used as part of a proper noun (summer, Fall Semester 2023)
  • Capitalize specific course names, but not general subjects (Introduction to Psychology, studying psychology)

Title Capitalization Guidelines

  • Capitalize the first word, last word, and all major words in titles of works
  • In title case, do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions under five letters unless they are the first or last word
  • Capitalize the first word after a colon if it begins a complete sentence or is a proper noun
  • Capitalize both parts of hyphenated words in titles unless the second part is a short conjunction or preposition (Self-Esteem, Co-op)

Sentence and Academic Capitalization

  • Capitalize the first word of every sentence regardless of its part of speech or significance
  • Follow discipline-specific style guides (APA, MLA, Chicago) for capitalization rules in academic writing
  • Capitalize major words in headings and subheadings according to the chosen style guide
  • Use title case for references in bibliographies or works cited lists, following specific citation style guidelines
  • Capitalize proper nouns in academic writing, including names of theories, models, and specific tests or measures (Big Bang Theory, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator)

Italicization for Emphasis

Proper Use of Italics in Writing

  • Use italics sparingly for emphasis in academic writing, reserving them for words or phrases requiring special attention
  • Italicize foreign words and phrases not commonly used in English (ad hoc, zeitgeist)
  • Do not italicize foreign words assimilated into English language (sushi, ballet)
  • Italicize titles of standalone works such as books, plays, movies, albums, and periodicals (To Kill a Mockingbird, The New York Times)
  • Italicize names of ships, trains, and spacecraft (USS Enterprise, Orient Express)
  • Do not italicize makes or models of vehicles (Toyota Camry, Boeing 747)

Scientific and Technical Italicization

  • Italicize scientific names of species with genus capitalized and species in lowercase (Homo sapiens)
  • Italicize statistical symbols and algebraic variables in scientific writing (p-value, x-axis)
  • Do not italicize Greek letters in scientific writing (α, β, γ)
  • Use underlining as a substitute for italicization in handwritten or typewritten documents where italics are unavailable

Italicization Best Practices

  • Avoid using italics for entire paragraphs or long passages to maintain readability
  • Consistently apply italicization rules throughout academic documents, including footnotes and endnotes
  • Do not italicize punctuation marks adjacent to italicized text, keeping them in regular font

Conventions for Capitalization and Italicization

Academic Writing Conventions

  • Use sentence case for titles of articles in references, capitalizing only the first word and proper nouns
  • Capitalize proper nouns in academic writing, including names of theories, models, and specific tests (Theory of Relativity, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scales)
  • Follow specific style guide requirements for capitalizing and italicizing in academic citations and bibliographies

Discipline-Specific Guidelines

  • Adhere to APA style guidelines for psychology and social sciences papers
  • Follow MLA style rules for literature and humanities essays
  • Use Chicago style for history and some humanities disciplines
  • Consult field-specific style guides for specialized areas (IEEE for engineering, AMA for medical writing)

Consistency and Formatting

  • Maintain consistent capitalization and italicization throughout entire documents
  • Apply uniform formatting to headings, subheadings, and in-text citations
  • Use title case for chapter titles and section headings in most academic writing styles
  • Ensure consistent treatment of recurring terms, acronyms, and specialized vocabulary within a document

Identifying and Correcting Errors

Common Capitalization Mistakes

  • Recognize overcapitalization, avoiding capitalization of job titles when not used with specific names (the president vs. President Biden)
  • Correct inconsistencies in capitalization within documents, especially in headings and subheadings
  • Spot errors in capitalization of compound words, ensuring prefixes like "non-" and "anti-" are not capitalized unless beginning a sentence
  • Identify and fix errors in capitalization of acronyms and initialisms, maintaining consistency with full terms they represent (NASA, FBI)

Italicization Error Recognition

  • Identify instances where titles of works are incorrectly formatted, such as using quotation marks instead of italics for book titles
  • Spot misuse of italics, like italicizing entire quotes or long passages
  • Recognize improper italicization of common foreign phrases that have been adopted into English (et cetera, per se)

Proofreading Techniques

  • Review documents systematically for capitalization and italicization errors, focusing on one type of error at a time
  • Use digital tools and spell-checkers to identify potential capitalization issues, but verify changes manually
  • Create a style sheet for longer documents to ensure consistent treatment of recurring terms and proper nouns
  • Cross-reference citations and in-text mentions of titles to ensure consistent formatting throughout the document

Key Terms to Review (26)

Punctuation: Punctuation refers to the marks used in writing that help clarify meaning and indicate pauses or stops in a sentence. It plays a critical role in enhancing the readability of a text, establishing the rhythm of sentences, and maintaining the voice of the writer. The proper use of punctuation can significantly impact sentence length and rhythm, as well as influence capitalization and italics, contributing to a consistent voice throughout a piece of writing.
X-axis: The x-axis is a horizontal line in a graph that represents the independent variable, often used in mathematical and scientific contexts to plot data points. It serves as a reference line from which values are measured and helps visualize relationships between variables, especially when combined with the y-axis, which is vertical.
Orient Express: The Orient Express is a famous long-distance passenger train service originally created in the late 19th century, known for its luxury and the exotic destinations it connected across Europe and into Asia. This iconic train not only symbolizes adventure and romance but also plays a significant role in literature and culture, often depicted in stories reflecting themes of travel, intrigue, and mystery.
P-value: A p-value is a statistical measure that helps determine the significance of results obtained from a hypothesis test. It indicates the probability of observing the data, or something more extreme, assuming that the null hypothesis is true. A smaller p-value suggests stronger evidence against the null hypothesis, which plays a critical role in scientific research and data analysis.
Homo sapiens: Homo sapiens is the scientific name for the modern human species, characterized by advanced cognitive abilities, complex language, and the capacity for abstract reasoning. This term encompasses all living humans and signifies our species' unique evolutionary journey, marked by significant cultural and technological developments.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator: The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a personality assessment tool that categorizes individuals into 16 distinct personality types based on preferences in four dichotomies: Introversion/Extraversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. This tool helps people understand their own personalities and how they interact with others, often aiding in personal development and team dynamics.
USS Enterprise: The USS Enterprise is a name historically associated with several United States Navy ships, the most famous being the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) and the fictional starship from the Star Trek franchise. The term encapsulates both a significant military vessel and a cultural icon that reflects American innovation and exploration in both real and imagined contexts.
Co-op: A co-op, short for cooperative, is an organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit. These entities can take various forms, such as housing cooperatives or food co-ops, and are characterized by democratic decision-making where each member has an equal say. This concept emphasizes community involvement, collective responsibility, and shared benefits, which connects to important elements of language use in writing.
Big bang theory: The big bang theory is the leading explanation about how the universe began, positing that it started as an extremely hot and dense point and expanded over approximately 13.8 billion years to form the cosmos we observe today. This concept plays a significant role in understanding the fundamental processes and transformations that govern the universe's evolution.
Apa style: APA style is a set of rules and guidelines for writing, citing, and formatting documents in the field of social sciences. It emphasizes clarity, precision, and uniformity in written communication, ensuring that authors properly attribute sources and present their work in a professional manner. This style includes specific rules for capitalization, italics, and citation practices, making it essential for academic writing and integrating sources effectively.
Chicago Style: Chicago Style is a widely used citation and formatting system developed by the University of Chicago, primarily for academic writing in the humanities. This style emphasizes clarity and consistency in presenting written work, including specific guidelines for capitalization, italics, in-text citations, and integrating sources. The Chicago Manual of Style provides detailed instructions on various aspects of writing, ensuring that authors maintain high standards in their scholarly communications.
Self-esteem: Self-esteem refers to an individual's subjective evaluation of their own worth, which significantly influences their confidence and overall mental health. It encompasses beliefs about oneself, such as self-acceptance and self-respect, and is shaped by personal experiences, social interactions, and perceptions of external feedback. Healthy self-esteem can lead to a more positive outlook on life and better decision-making.
Font style: Font style refers to the visual appearance and formatting of text in written communication, including variations like italic, bold, and regular. This aspect of typography is crucial for emphasizing certain elements of text, guiding reader attention, and conveying meaning. Font style plays an important role in how information is presented and interpreted, as well as how it adheres to rules around capitalization and italicization.
Names of ships: Names of ships refer to the unique designations given to vessels, often used to identify them in maritime contexts. These names are significant not just for identification but also for cultural, historical, and sentimental reasons, influencing how vessels are perceived and remembered in literature and society.
Foreign words: Foreign words are terms that originate from languages other than the primary language being used in a text. These words can add depth, cultural significance, or specific meaning to a discussion, especially when they do not have a direct equivalent in the primary language. Proper treatment of foreign words often involves specific conventions regarding their presentation, including capitalization and italicization.
Headline-style capitalization: Headline-style capitalization is a specific method of capitalizing words in titles and headlines, where certain words are capitalized while others are left in lowercase. This style typically capitalizes major words such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs, while prepositions, conjunctions, and articles are generally not capitalized unless they start the title. Understanding this style helps maintain consistency in written communication and enhances clarity in titles.
Article capitalization: Article capitalization refers to the rules and guidelines governing the use of capital letters in titles and headings, specifically for articles and similar works. It ensures consistency and clarity in writing, allowing readers to easily identify key elements. Different style guides may have varying rules for which words should be capitalized, but generally, articles, conjunctions, and prepositions are lowercase unless they begin or end the title.
Book titles: Book titles refer to the names given to published works, often reflecting their content, theme, or subject matter. These titles are essential for identification and reference, and they follow specific rules regarding capitalization and formatting, particularly concerning italics and quotation marks.
Sentence-style capitalization: Sentence-style capitalization is a method of capitalizing only the first word of a sentence and any proper nouns within that sentence. This style contrasts with title case, where most major words are capitalized. Sentence-style capitalization is commonly used in various forms of writing, including essays, articles, and some academic papers, as it promotes clarity and simplicity.
First word of a sentence: The first word of a sentence refers to the initial word that begins a complete thought or statement, and it is essential for proper grammar and writing style. This word is always capitalized to indicate the start of a new sentence, which enhances clarity and aids in readability. Capitalizing the first word also follows standardized writing conventions, contributing to professional and polished prose.
Italicize: To italicize means to style text in a slanted format, often used for emphasis, titles, or to indicate foreign words. This text formatting helps convey certain meanings and is an important tool in writing to differentiate specific elements from regular text.
Titles of works: Titles of works refer to the names given to artistic, literary, and academic creations, such as books, poems, movies, and articles. Proper formatting of these titles is essential in writing to distinguish them from other types of text and convey respect for the original work. This includes specific rules on capitalization and the use of italics or quotation marks depending on the type of work being referenced.
Proper Nouns: Proper nouns are specific names used to identify unique entities, such as people, places, organizations, or specific events. They are always capitalized, distinguishing them from common nouns that refer to general items or categories. The use of proper nouns helps to provide clarity and precision in writing, ensuring that the reader understands exactly what or whom is being referenced.
Capitalize: To capitalize means to write a word with its first letter in uppercase, which is essential in establishing proper nouns, the beginnings of sentences, and other specific cases. This practice is important for clarity and understanding in written communication, as it helps convey respect for names, titles, and formal entities while also aiding in grammatical structure.
Mla style: MLA style, or Modern Language Association style, is a widely used formatting and citation method in academic writing, especially in the humanities. It provides a structured approach to presenting written work, ensuring clarity and consistency in how sources are cited and how text is formatted. This style emphasizes the use of quotation marks and proper punctuation when citing works, while also addressing the rules for capitalization and italics, essential for distinguishing titles and emphasizing specific terms.
Emphasis: Emphasis refers to the importance or prominence given to certain words, phrases, or ideas in writing, which helps to convey meaning and influence the reader's perception. By strategically highlighting specific elements, writers can guide the audience's focus and enhance the overall effectiveness of their message. This technique is essential in crafting clear prose that resonates with readers and captures their attention.