ap style bulleted lists capitalization

This article is a summary of AP style. When your writing is crisp, clear, and easy to understand, audiences will likely leave your site with a positive impression. Individual list items following a complete sentence are usually capitalized but appear without terminal punctuation (i.e., they dont end in a period, comma, colon, or semicolon) if they are incomplete sentences, phrases, or single words.3. (After reading this) .. One exception: email (no hyphen, which reflects majority of usage). AP style capitalization is mainly used by writers for the Associated Press but is also used widely throughout journalism. Navigating the not-so-hidden treasures of the APA Style website. Read this and other articles on English grammar, mechanics, and usage at Get It Write. Ordered lists can be introduced by a complete or incomplete sentence and are typically prefaced by numbers1 or letters2 followed by a period. AP follows two broad rules for capitalization: Common names are not capitalized unless part of a proper name (the river vs. the Thames River). 59 0 obj <>stream Your email address will not be published. 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). A colon should be used to introduce the list, and the first letter of each point should be capitalised. These include short words and conjunctions: The other major type of title capitalization standard is sentence case. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it will get you started. 5 simple story types to fill out your editorial calendar, A quick refresher on using minor punctuation marks in AP style, 8 tips on writing and editing from Jerry Seinfeld. 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. Young adults have many motivations for texting on their smartphones: Further information about bulleted lists is available in the Publication Manual, including how to format lists of definitions in a glossary. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style . Capitalize the first word in a bullet point and the introduction to the list, but not the rest. This option is helpful for complex or longer bulleted sentences that may be more difficult to read without the aid . Q: Would "crew chief" and "team owner" be capitalized before a name? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); You can also upload a document to get an instant quote. AP Stylebook recommends: "Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. The Chicago Manual of Style Online is the venerable, time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. Get an email every time a new blog post is published. Q: For a subject/verb agreement, how should I treat "one or more features? This means you must CHECK to find out the proper name!) Geography, addresses (state names, regions: Mideast; Northwest; northeast Minnesota; 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.; Fifth Avenue ). Abbreviations, acronyms (24/7; NATO; laser; U.S.; No. Infants will try to help others who seem like they need help with simple tasks, such as carrying multiple objects. When to Use a Colon With Capitalization: The puppy left a trail of destroyed items in his wake: shredded papers, mangled stuffed animals and what looked like the remains of a shoe. In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. By far, this is the most vexing punctuation issue! There's an old joke: Its illogical to use semicolons and vertical lists punctuated as sentences in business writing because its visually cluttered so its harder to scan. Semicolon Use in Lists A properly inserted semicolon helps to provide pause and clarifying separation in sentences. . That includes newspaper names and magazine references. Theyre easy to read. 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. This is a grammar guide that accompanies our post on how to write better bullet points. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? For a series of complex terms, though, use commas after each for clarity. Sorry to pile on here, but your discussion of verb endings is inadequate. Consider the examples below: The Gregg Reference Manual uses periods only after bullets that are dependent clauses and long phrases. Automatically copy the capitalized title with CTRL + C ( + C on Mac) or after pasting. Copyright 2023 Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc. mar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style. Bonus: We have some great shortcuts to make your life easier. 6. Learn more about how to write better bullet lists. Semicolons Use in Lists: Items with Internal Punctuation The CMS is commonly used in the publishing sphere, and AP style is more press-oriented . Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading. However, most people now leave out the extra punctuation. 7. Next, identify a newsworthy angle and set up your press release's header section. While its not wrong and some style guides recommend this, its not the best business writing choice. In business writing, capitalize the first letter and keep bullet list punctuation clean. It's hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each . Should the first letter of the bullet list be capitalized? People who grew up in the 1980s watched a lot of television, including: If you arent a strict follower of AP style, consider using the general guidelines explained in the sections above instead of those outlined in this alert box. 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. Finally, should you capitalize the first letter of each entry in a vertical list? The phrase "she has decided" warns the reader that the next . These aren't always the same abbreviations the mail carrier uses. Subscribe to AP Stylebook Online: AP Stylebook Online is a searchable, customizable guide for writers and editors that is updated throughout the year. 2023 American Psychological Association, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, Telephone: (800) 374-2721; (202) 336-5500. Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. Vacuum windowsills and corners with a vacuum hose. Birth certificate . Today we'll look at numbered lists. The top tabs allow you to select which style of capitalization you want to use. ?X~soOr{/'gqjfZIuVCZQ!SdbnU)pHuL`>b"wlh)}4!ybjK Topics: Writer's Passport, Writing & Editing. 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. And consistency goes a long way in creating clear, credible content. 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. A: AP lowercases those descriptive titles. The stylebook uses italics for examples only. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites owner is strictly prohibited. To see what I mean, read the lead-in word or phrase then read the first item on the list. Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. Now check your email to confirm your subscription for My Blog Editor blog alerts. Q: Others use one word for internet-related terms. The MLA's guidelines for styling vertical lists are derived from The Chicago Manual of Style (6.127-132). 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. Prepositions that contain five letters or more. 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. A: Eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah. See APA 7, Section 6.52 for examples and more information. An updated list of units of measurement makes finding what you need a breeze. Others, like the Chicago Manual of Style, suggest lowercasing it. Ordered vertical lists have, you guessed it, an order. The first word after a colon unless it begins an independent clause. Enter the email you used in your Ragan store purchase. Lowercase the second word in a compound modifier (e.g., Mid-year or On-site). Below you'll find information on numbers, time and dates, locations, phone numbers, punctuation, capitalization and titles, and the Internet. A Yes. While the APs guidelines on this issue are straightforward and easy to remember, they are designed for news publications dealing with limited space and the technical limitations of news wire transmissions. persistent psychological distress (Glozier et al., 2010; Lund et al., 2010). . 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. Hello! Punctuation (commas; quotation marks; colon; semi-colon; ellipsis ). Vertical lists are set apart from the surrounding text and are usually prefaced with bullets or sequential numbers or letters. Over 1.5 million copies sold! Mary founded Instructional Solutions in 1998, and is an internationally recognized business writing trainer and executive writing coach with two decades of experience helping thousands of individuals and businesses master the strategic skill of business writing. Writing, phrasing, usage (word choice; clarity; subjunctive mood; ethnic-racial; profanity; slang ). Government, including federal government and U.S. government. 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). Let me frame my recommendations. Example: You will need to present the following information: Your driver's license. Capitalization looks fancy and makes things seem important. The capitalization rules are as follows: Capitalize the first and the last word. Important Note: If you follow The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style), see the Style Guide Alert at the bottom of this post for clarification on AP styles recommendations for unordered lists, which differ from the general guidelines explained below. Bulleted lists are appropriate when presenting a list of items in no particular order. Quickly convert your title or text to title case by simply clicking the Title Case button in the tool above. I the word Cocaine supposed to be capitalized? Lowercase to in the infinitive (though not defined in the stylebook). But if you are using a style guide, you may want to check it for guidance on which style to use. A: Lowercase for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, hepatitis C, etc. 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. 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. Most often, the text that introduces such lists ends with a colon, as in "The value of . always refer to the style guide and doublecheck capitalization recommendations. (CMS) and the Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) are what writers typically use. A: AP style is email (changed from e-mail), but other e- words are hyphenated: e-commerce and e-book. Continue from there down the list. Use a numbered list if you want to display items in a numbered series. A: In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. Regards, Julia! Right you are. All rights reserved. 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. So long as your capitalization rules remain consistent in your organizations communications, youre golden. Good business writing seeks to make information easy to understand. 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). Titles. Infants often display positive emotions when following parents behavioral requests, such as not touching the stove. Some guiding principles behind AP style are: Consistency Clarity Accuracy Brevity AP style also aims to avoid stereotypes and unintentionally offensive language. When do Icapitalize the first letter in abulleteditem? You can also use this tool to do it automatically. 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." They are also written without terminal punctuation (i.e., they dont end in a period, comma, colon, or semicolon).9. The Gregg Reference Manual(Sabin). How a list is punctuated depends on the sort of information that is being presented. The Copyeditors Handbook (Einsohn). Capitalization looks fancy and makes things seem important. Items that are complete sentences If bulleted items are complete sentences, begin each item with a capital letter and finish it with a period or other appropriate punctuation. This is where the semicolon confusion comes in. Q: In a news story, can you start a sentence with an acronym? The two major capitalization styles for headlines and titles are sentence case and title case. 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. You're not "piling on." Follow the same capitalization rules you would follow for normal sentences. Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. In this tutorial, well explore guidelines for how to write vertical lists. 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. By virtue of their formatting, numbered lists stand . Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of AP style used in answers. 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). Capitalization (proper nouns: America; proper names: Democratic Party; popular names: Indy 500; compositions: books, movies, operas ). This is ultimately a matter of stylistic preference. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. 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 Capitalize every word in the headline; the main subhead is a complete sentence with a period. They look good. 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. Stay with us.". For more AP style tips, watch Grammar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style any time. We could also write this list with commas instead of semicolons. 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. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions. However, in regard to headlines, is it now true that press release headlines should be in sentence case? I am a technical writer and editor who shares writing-related software tutorials on this website and on YouTube. When multiple letters in a title need to be capitalized, use title case capitalization. Next post: Make blog post content rich with layers, Previous post: Blog Post Format: Chunk It. Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions. A: Veterans benefits, lowercase and not a possessive, is usually a descriptive term. 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. However, clear bullet list punctuation adds visual scan-ability to your business writing. %PDF-1.4 % Following are some questions and answers to use as guidelines: When is it better to use bullets than numbers? The capitalization rules are as follows: Learn how to spot the 5 most common mistakes and fix them before you publish. Example: Hampton, Va. See the stylebook for specific abbreviations. Capitalization and end punctuation depend on the type of list and the contents of the list. 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. You have multiple options to capitalize and change the case of your titles, headlines, song titles, book titles, email subjects, and more. That order can be based on rank (e.g., a list of most favorite to least favorite foods) or sequence (e.g., recipe instructions). Note however that it is not wrong to capitalize a sentence or clause after a colon. Added standalone cities to guidance on addresses and states. RULE: Use periods after independent clauses, dependent clauses, or long phrases that are displayed on separate lines in alist. When a vertical list follows a full sentence, introduce it with a colon.