Are we nitpicking punctuation with these considerations of bullet lists? By virtue of their formatting, numbered lists stand . Examples: House Cleaning Tips: Remove items from shelves before dusting. Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. When writing an argumentative essay, you would typically research a topic and adopt a certain How to Punctuate and Capitalize Bullet Points. This is where the semicolon confusion comes in. Colon Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or I love traveling to Ireland because of its: [AP, Garner, and Gregg use the colon here. Navigating the not-so-hidden treasures of the APA Style website. 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 This will automatically indent the list as well. Added standalone cities to guidance on addresses and states. AP Stylebook: Use periods after bullets. 59 0 obj <>stream Capitalization, Case Internet The word internet is all lowercase (unless, of course, it starts a sentence or comes after a bullet) . If you want to, you can press Enter on your keyboard or click the Copy button next to the text box to copy the text to your clipboard. Vacuum windowsills and corners with a vacuum hose. Bullet points. Filed Under: Writing Tagged With: AP style, APA style, Chicago style, formatting, grammar, MLA style, punctuation. 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. J%HfTH@zGI8a. While its not wrong and some style guides recommend this, its not the best business writing choice. Lowercase indefinite and definite articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions. 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. Thanks! 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. 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. Learn more about how to write better bullet lists. Consider the examples below: I the word Cocaine supposed to be capitalized? Some style manuals, such as the AP Stylebook and APA Publication Manual, recommend capitalizing an independent clause after a colon. Q: My AP Stylebook always lists examples in italics, so it's difficult to see if italics are part of the style. The capitalization rules are as follows: Capitalize the first and the last word. A: Always use figures for people, animals and objects: 3-year-old house. But if you are using a style guide, you may want to check it for guidance on which style to use. A: In AP headline style, only the first word and proper nouns are capped. STATES: Abbreviate state names when listed after a city. Gently tap the lid against a hard surface. APA allows the use of bulleted lists with or without punctuation. All major words in titles (including small words, such as "Is" and "It"); for example, "Business and Economics". Good business writing seeks to make information easy to understand. All rights reserved. Lower is default; upper is special. finish the project by Friday, January 23; place everything youve turned in to date, plus this assignment, on afloppy disk;and. Quickly convert your title or text to sentence case by simply clicking the Sentence case button in the tool above. 2-5 p.m.) and when to use the word "to"? Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. If numbers arent essential, use bullets, especially in business documents. Were often asked whether you need a period at the end of each entry in a list. 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. A: corporate (adj.) Punctuation (commas; quotation marks; colon; semi-colon; ellipsis ). - Put a space between the dash or bullet and the first word of each item in the list. hb```"3VTa`0p4 )x3JH2HgQW(Iz8Nul i@fP!40XE&,0e0v`do`6c $X1)`U&y[#b s .6[ Online and technology (the web; the internet; URL; computers; e-commerce ). 'I hope this email finds you well:' Emailing During the Pandemic, Business Grammar: Pronoun Antecedent Errors, Use a period or other full stop after every bullet that is a sentence. Writing, phrasing, usage (word choice; clarity; subjunctive mood; ethnic-racial; profanity; slang ). Thanks for the catch! A: We follow Webster's on that term, which is lowercase. To see what I mean, read the lead-in word or phrase then read the first item on the list. - Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Bullets normally preface unordered list items.7. Use lowercase at all . The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style . Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this websites owner is strictly prohibited. A: The phrase suggests a contingency unlikely to come true, so use "were" for the subjunctive mood. Your email address will not be published. Our amended style is website (one word, lowercase w), along with other compounds: webcam, webcast, webmaster. A: AP style is email (changed from e-mail), but other e- words are hyphenated: e-commerce and e-book. Memorize the AP abbreviations. - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. 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. 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. Example: Hampton, Va. See the stylebook for specific abbreviations. 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). in English Literature from Boston College, and a C.A.G.S. 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. News media (datelines; headlines; newswriting ). Bulleted lists: Capitalize the first letter after the bullet. A: AP uses the numeral for acres, even when less than 10, as a dimension: 5 acres. Should each point start with a capital letter and end with a period? 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). 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, Capitalization is a style choicewith sentence fragments, you can choose to start each with either upper- or lower-case letters. Unsubscribe at any time. The Chicago Manual of Style Online is the venerable, time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. This is a tricky one for me because, personally, I agree with you. 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). Q: If we're speaking about regions of the state, should it be South Louisiana, North Louisiana and Central Louisiana? If nothing else, your writing will be consistent. Other terminology (business; food and beverages; legal and justice; medical; ethnic and nationality; politics; religion ). 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. AP style is actually not capitalized, though AP Stylebook is. Ordered lists can be introduced by a complete or incomplete sentence and are typically prefaced by numbers1 or letters2 followed by a period. AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. Published: November 13, 2012 Updated: August 22, 2020. Well, that was really helpful; thanks for the effort. She holds a B.A. But if you're following AP style, chances are you're overusing those big letters. Example 1: In our latest quarterly roundup of AP Style reminders, we cover back-to-school terms, travel terminology, and more. If necessary, rewrite the list item so that all items begin with capital letters or all items begin with lowercase words. 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 does AP treat programming language when used in general text? So long as your capitalization rules remain consistent in your organizations communications, youre golden. endstream endobj 32 0 obj <>stream The same applies when someone may refer to specific items by number. 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? There's an old joke: 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). Thanks for the tips. The capitalization rules are as follows: Learn how to spot the 5 most common mistakes and fix them before you publish. (AP Style reminds writers that it is still correct to use bullets if preferred.) 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. A: A few examples: Radar, Laser, NATO, OPEC. 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. Example: You will need to present the following information: Your driver's license. When multiple letters in a title need to be capitalized, use title case capitalization. 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. To create a bulleted list, use the bulleted list function of your word-processing program. How will ChatGPT affect the communications profession? Now we have bullets. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions. 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. Use a lettered list if you want to emphasize separate parallel items within a sentence. According to APA, racial and ethnic groups are designated by proper nouns and Get your free sample back in 3 to 6 hours! Take the sentence "She has decided: She won't have surgery to hide the scar.". Garner calls this "vertical lists punctuated as a sentence." As an Amazon Associate, CapitalizeMyTitle.com earns from qualifying purchases. The bullets indicate that I like apples, bananas, and oranges equally. This is a grammar guide that accompanies our post on how to write better bullet points. 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. Q: If you have a hyphen in a headline, is the word after the hyphen capitalized? A: AP uses hyphenated e- for generic terms such as e-commerce and e-strategies. The capitalization and punctuation for each bulleted item are determined by the sentence structure. 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 can quickly convert your text or title to all caps by selecting the UPPER button on the tool. The CMS is commonly used in the publishing sphere, and AP style is more press-oriented . The tricky thing is punctuation. We could also write this list with commas instead of semicolons. 6. Q: Why is atheist not capitalized while Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, etc., are? 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. If you have questions, read our. Inconsistent punctuation; Sometimes the grammar isn't parallel between items. Semicolons Use in Lists: Items with Internal Punctuation These aren't always the same abbreviations the mail carrier uses. Do it anyway. The first option is to use no punctuation after the bulleted items (including the final one), which may be better when the items are shorter and simpler. A: "don't ask, don't tell" policy. 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 colon should be used to introduce the list, and the first letter of each point should be capitalised. Numbered lists may appear with or without the period after the number. Do not capitalize articles, prepositions (regardless of length), and coordinating conjunctions. I am a technical writer and editor who shares writing-related software tutorials on this website and on YouTube. Awesome sauce! Get an email every time a new blog post is published. With this format, use commas after each list item and on the next-to-last list, item use the word and close the list with a . The default rule is to lowercase words unless theres a reason they should be uppercase. Bulleted lists help make information more scannable and easier to understand. [M zmp0&BLp$UPd67Z9Ha{0gPY "nG~h%rls 'wdt;:^2i+>f9V%EQ)j2"^e\KP"TiNc-((V A&N+E}E;SnIP AP Stylebook recommends: "Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Bachelor of Arts is capitalized as an academic degree, as are B.A. 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. 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. We updated guidance on how to write about U.S. and international currency. In AP style, headlines capitalize the first word, proper names, or proper abbreviations, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs. Clean windows with a newspaper and . The first word after a colon unless it begins an independent clause. July 31, 2019. 28 0 obj <> endobj Capitalize the first and the last word of titles and subtitles. 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. A: member is lowercase, as are congressmen and congresswoman. Q: What is AP's style on the military's don't ask, don't tell policy? 22 December, 2021. Next, identify a newsworthy angle and set up your press release's header section. Read this and other articles on English grammar, mechanics, and usage at Get It Write. Ive updated. This is the fourth in a six-part series. You should always use a colon before a bulleted or numbered list. r%Q! A: In this instance, use a plural verb. Try it with these examples and see if the period makes more sense. A It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. 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. Clarity and consistency are the building blocks of great content. finally, draft your conclusion. Q: Do music groups take singular verbs, as do collective nouns, or plural verbs, as with sports teams? 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. Finally, should you capitalize the first letter of each entry in a vertical list? 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. 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. It is the same across all of the four styles. A: As a descriptive term, doctorate in psychology is lowercase. Q: For a subject/verb agreement, how should I treat "one or more features? 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. 8 Tips to Make Your Writing Sound More Formal, Capitalization in APA, Chicago, MLA, and AP. Following are some questions and answers to use as guidelines: When is it better to use bullets than numbers? hbbd```b``"A$dH\8'$XM7"$c[D& j@H2w 2+: driving, in which people text while in their vehicle (Schroeder & Sims, 2018). Judy Vorfeld Oppress means to persecute/tyrannize/bully. 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. Use either all full sentences in your bullet lists or all fragments. A: AP doesn't use italics in news stories. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Cite it. If you want to change your title from uppercase to title case, you can select the Title Case button above. Government, including federal government and U.S. government. This guidance has been expanded from the 6th edition. Beyond that, all three capitalize the first and last word of a title. Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading, Capitalize all major words (nouns, verbs including. 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. However, clear bullet list punctuation adds visual scan-ability to your business writing. Our tool lets you convert the case of your text easily into sentence case. social connection, in which people text as a way to connect with others; escapism, in which people text to get away from dull or uncomfortable situations such as waiting in line; distraction, in which people text to distract themselves while having a conversation with someone or being in a meeting; audacity, in which people text to get a response from someone, such as to break up with them or ask them on a date; nurturing, in which people text to foster relationships by saying things like good morning or I love you; and. Others, like the Chicago Manual of Style, suggest lowercasing it. Recently, we looked at how to write run-in lists, which are lists that appear inside sentences. Does this help? Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. 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. Its visually cluttered, impeding easy scan. Your subscription includes the . To remove a lid from a jar that is stuck: Place the lid under hot water for ten seconds. Try it with a list of shorter items like this. The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that theyre upper. Capitalize the important words in the title, Subordinating conjunctions (when fewer than 5 letters), Coordinating Conjunctions (and, but, for), Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including. Title case is the most common form of title and headline capitalization and is found in all four major title capitalization styles. endstream endobj startxref Capitalize the first word of every bullet. Erin Wright, 20122023. Whether youre writing an essay, email, or cover letter, youll likely use parentheses. You can also use a colon after a partial sentence. Local Phone: (623) 399-6676 | Entries (RSS). Style Bullets Capitalize the first letter after a bullet. This is another case where there are no hard rules! . Again, these will depend on the specific style you choose (see Title Capitalization Rules by Style section). Q: There seem to be differing opinions on whether or not to capitalize the names of grapes used to make wine. Grammar (essential vs. nonessential clauses; pronouns; subject-verb agreement ), Q: I'm confused on the use of "that" and "who" when talking about groups. Write it. Bullet point structure Don't mix and match sentence structures. This creates anew layer of confusion on how to use capitalization and punctuation in such lists. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? Ordered vertical lists have, you guessed it, an order. Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? label all file pages (and the disk itself) with your designatedcode. How about AP? After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. 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. Please enable JavaScript and visit again! A: Commas in a series are for clarity and prevention of ambiguities. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it will get you started. You can also use this tool to do it automatically. In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. 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. Don't use a bulleted list for only one item. Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Bulleted lists. Use a period after bullet list that completes the opening stem sentence that introduces it. Bulleted lists allow a writer to create a list that stands out from the text without the implied chronology or order of importance that a numbered list might convey. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. How to punctuate bullet lists can be tricky because various style guides contradict each other. That includes newspaper names and magazine references. The AP Stylebook is a writing and editing reference for newsrooms, classrooms and corporate offices worldwide. This will uncapitalize your text. Capitalize major words, e.g. There was an error submitting your subscription. 4.24.14 AP style rules on state abbreviations updated. A: AP lowercases those descriptive titles. Dont use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. The rules are fairly standard for title case: Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. The phrase "she has decided" warns the reader that the next . 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 rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that they're upper. After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. And, as a guideline, wed suggest punctuating bullet points as follows: However, this again comes down to preference and your chosen style guide. For lists of fragments, short phrases, or words, capitalization is optional: As with the other optional punctuation above, though, make sure to use a consistent capitalization style throughout your writing.
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