Numbered lists may appear with or without the period after the number. 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. An updated list of units of measurement makes finding what you need a breeze. 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. endstream endobj 32 0 obj <>stream 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. Numbers One through nine are spelled out, 10 and above are figures (Arabic numerals). Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition This guidance has been expanded from the 6th edition. Q: How do I deal with a vulgarity from a movie that is integral to the article I'm writing? 1:28 PM - 14 Jul 2021 37 Retweets 189 Likes See APA 7, Section 6.52 for examples and more information. I have a tendency to be very verbose when I write. Lowercase the second word in a compound modifier (e.g., Mid-year or On-site). Do you need a colon to introduce a list? EPA follows the AP rule after the dash or bullet: capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. Read this and other articles on English grammar, mechanics, and usage at Get It Write. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. A list of information can be neatly organised using bullet points. To help, weve prepared a guide to punctuating and capitalizing bullet points. How about Civil Rights Movement? Preferred style is without terminal punctuation, unless the list item is a complete sentence. Q: What is AP's style on the military's don't ask, don't tell policy? Bulleted lists help make information more scannable and easier to understand. 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. Watch your title convert case and be automatically capitalized! Learn how your comment data is processed. Input your member identification number. The stylebook uses italics for examples only. These are perfectly acceptable, and some style guides suggest writing lists like this. Now we have bullets. Don't use a bulleted list for only one item. Bulleted lists can be used with complete sentences, phrases, or a combination. Example: There are anumber of tags used in HTML, including: RULE: Its not necessary to use periods after short phrases or single words in alist, if the introductory statement is grammatically complete (see below) or if the listed items are like those on an inventory sheet or ashopping list. If unchecked, quotes will be output as curly quotes. Capitalization (proper nouns: America; proper names: Democratic Party; popular names: Indy 500; compositions: books, movies, operas ). After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. This will convert your text to uppercase. %PDF-1.4 % 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. 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. is lowercase. 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. The capitalization and punctuation for each bulleted item are determined by the sentence structure. (Just like this bullet list youre reading now.). For more AP style tips, watch Grammar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style any time. The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that theyre upper. The Fantastic Shakers have won many awards. The AP Stylebook is a writing and editing reference for newsrooms, classrooms and corporate offices worldwide. 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. (After reading this) .. A: corporate (adj.) For company names, use their preference: eBay. There are two options for the punctuation of bulleted lists when the items are words or phrases. Whether a numbered list is being used when a bullet list would be more appropriate, or vice versa, Capitalization and end punctuation depend on the type of list and the contents of the list. Problem solved. Capitalize the first word in a bullet point and the introduction to the list, but not the rest. The default rule is to lowercase words unless theres a reason they should be uppercase. Example: In this project, the equipment shall consistof: RULE: Use periods after short phrases that are essential to the grammatical completeness of the statement introducing the list. For example, are newspapers italicized? Does this help? First, it is important to note that there are four main title capitalization styles: Chicago style, APA style, MLA style, and AP style. In general, capitalize formal titles used directly before a name. 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). Below is a description of the ways you can use our case converter. But if youre following AP style, chances are youre overusing those big letters. But here are a few things you might not realize are actually lowercase in AP style. Quickly convert your title or text to sentence case by simply clicking the Sentence case button in the tool above. Vertical lists are set apart from the surrounding text and are usually prefaced with bullets or sequential numbers or letters. You are reading a blog that focuses on business writing. Again, style guides dont agree.]. 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! J%HfTH@zGI8a. Unsubscribe at any time. Q: Should diseases also known by acronyms such as PTSD be capitalized? Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of AP style used in answers. They look good. 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. 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. 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. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. finish the project by Friday, January 23; place everything youve turned in to date, plus this assignment, on afloppy disk;and. The capitalization rules are as follows: Wikipedia editors must follow certain capitalization rules for any posts to Wikipedia. Example: You will need to present the following information: Your driver's license. 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, read the lead-in word or phrase again followed by the second item on the list. 2-5 p.m.) and when to use the word "to"? In our latest quarterly roundup of AP Style reminders, we cover back-to-school terms, travel terminology, and more. According to APA, racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and Get your free sample back in 3 to 6 hours! in English Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. Stay with us.". 2003-2022 Judy Vorfeld's Office Support Services. 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. By far, this is the most vexing punctuation issue! Online and technology (the web; the internet; URL; computers; e-commerce ). Understanding what to capitalize in a title is important to make sure that your titles and headlines look correct. A: Commas in a series are for clarity and prevention of ambiguities. Follow the same capitalization rules you would follow for normal sentences. Bulleted lists: Capitalize the first letter after the bullet. If all else fails, when it comes to accepting AP style: Just do it. You can also use a colon after a partial sentence. Numbered and unnumbered lists are more commonly used in scholarly publications. It makes it easier for your reader. The individual list items following the complete sentence are usually lowercased if they arent complete sentences themselves. Government, including federal government and U.S. government. Welcome to Ask the Editor, a forum on writing, style and phrasing issues that go beyond the pages of the AP Stylebook. Take the sentence "She has decided: She won't have surgery to hide the scar.". The rules are fairly standard for title case: Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. 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. No periods on the end of a list of bullets unless its more than one sentence. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions (regardless of length). document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a4470ef17940e51381fb55e5e7bde6b6" );document.getElementById("j6a5d70196").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Sign up to receive the latest articles from Ragan.com directly in your inbox. Bullet point structure Don't mix and match sentence structures. RULE: Use periods after independent clauses, dependent clauses, or long phrases that are displayed on separate lines in alist. Now check your email to confirm your subscription for My Blog Editor blog alerts. Chicago Manual of Style does not. Capitalization looks fancy and makes things seem important. Hello! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Microsoft and Gregg would capitalize flat and sharp if they appeared in a title (unlike Rule 2). 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. Ive never found the AP Stylebook entry that covers this, including capitalization.. Punctuation For MBA, AP Style don [t use periods. And if so, when? Why wouldnt you want to add a list to your work? Q: Great Depression is capitalized and so is American Revolution. Abbreviations, acronyms (24/7; NATO; laser; U.S.; No. How to Create Bulleted Lists in Microsoft Word, How to Create and Modify Numbered Lists in Microsoft Word, How to Create Custom Bullets in Microsoft Word, Parallel StructureThe Secret to Beautiful Bullet Points. Capitalize all words of four 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. Q: If you have a hyphen in a headline, is the word after the hyphen capitalized? A: The phrase suggests a contingency unlikely to come true, so use "were" for the subjunctive mood. 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.. Lists, Part 4: Numbered Lists. AP has a few punctuation rules that differ from many common style guides: Do not use a comma before the last item in a simple series ("My favorite candy includes Snickers, Twix and Zagnut bars."). Start each list item with a capital letter, unless case is an important part of the information conveyed by the listsuch as in a list of glossary terms. Q: Which states are never abbreviated in datelines? Capitalize the first word in each bullet. The Best 2023 AP Style Cheat Sheet Every Writer Needs (Free Download) Ben Sailer Content. I the word Cocaine supposed to be capitalized? Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading. 4.24.14 AP style rules on state abbreviations updated. In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. Semicolons Use in Lists: Items with Internal Punctuation 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. Q: When referring to your company in internal (or external) communications, which is correct: Corporate or corporate? News media (datelines; headlines; newswriting ). Your points should be consistent, either all sentences or all fragments. Below you'll find information on numbers, time and dates, locations, phone numbers, punctuation, capitalization and titles, and the Internet. In business writing, capitalize the first letter of bullet lists. These might seem like confusing rules with too many exceptions, but youre always welcome to homebrew your own style rules. A colon should be used to introduce the list, and the first letter of each point should be capitalised. Examples: House Cleaning Tips: Remove items from shelves before dusting. AP's style is now to capitalize Black in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense, conveying an essential . 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. You should always use a colon before a bulleted or numbered list. Judy Vorfeld Oppress means to persecute/tyrannize/bully. Capitalization, Case Internet The word internet is all lowercase (unless, of course, it starts a sentence or comes after a bullet) . Unfortunately, many brands forego style guides and choose to wing . When do Iuse periods and when do Ileave bulleted items without end punctuation? Please try again. Symbols such as small circles, squares, dashes, and so forth may be used for the bullets. 6. Vacuum windowsills and corners with a vacuum hose. Avoid a mix. A: AP uses hyphenated e- for generic terms such as e-commerce and e-strategies. Use numbered lists when youre working with instructions to be done in sequence, and the numbers suggest ahierarchy. 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. You can quickly convert your text or title to all caps by selecting the UPPER button on the tool. 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. 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. Topics: Writer's Passport, Writing & Editing. Although a little old-fashioned, some people like to use semicolons or commas in lists. AP style provides consistent guidelines for such publications in terms of grammar, spelling, punctuation and language usage. Its illogical to use semicolons and vertical lists punctuated as sentences in business writing because its visually cluttered so its harder to scan. 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. Q: Is it staff has or staff have? A: a month's confinement, per the QUASI POSSESSIVES section of the "possessives" entry. 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. When your writing is crisp, clear, and easy to understand, audiences will likely leave your site with a positive impression. That order can be based on rank (e.g., a list of most favorite to least favorite foods) or sequence (e.g., recipe instructions). In AP style, the word that begins the list or series should generally only be capitalized if it is a proper noun. A: AP headlines cap only first word and proper names or proper abbreviations. Please list your allergies and give date of last flare-up. Use lowercase at all . 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. This is a tricky one for me because, personally, I agree with you. 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.

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