59 0 obj <>stream 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. The key thing is applying a clear and consistent punctuation style to all lists. 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." Your email address will not be published. . How about Civil Rights Movement? Everyone loves a vertical list. 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. Capitalize the first word of every bullet. This article is a summary of AP style. Do not capitalize articles, prepositions (regardless of length), and coordinating conjunctions. They look good. Do you capitalize the first word of a bullet point? 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. In sentence case, only the first word and all proper nouns are capitalized, as shown in the following example: One more day of extreme heat for East Coast Bullet points. 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. Theyre easy to read. However, you can omit the colon when a list follows a partial sentence. Vertical lists are set apart from the surrounding text and are usually prefaced with bullets or sequential numbers or letters. Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. 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. TITLES 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.. 28 0 obj <> endobj A: A few examples: Radar, Laser, NATO, OPEC. A: Eight states are never abbreviated in datelines or text: Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Ohio, Texas and Utah. 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. Over 1.5 million copies sold! 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. 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. 8 Tips to Make Your Writing Sound More Formal, Capitalization in APA, Chicago, MLA, and AP. Don't use the Oxford comma in a simple series before the conjunction. 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. Lists Introduced with a Complete Sentence Capitalize My Title requires JavaScript to be enabled in order to run. Q: Is clarity essentially the only rule determining when a serial comma should be included? Use a lettered list if you want to emphasize separate parallel items within a sentence. We wont send you spam. Added standalone cities to guidance on addresses and states. Complete sentences introducing ordered lists are traditionally punctuated with a colon. Use a numbered list if you want to display items in a numbered series. A The first step in the process of how to write an AP style press release is to familiarize yourself with the guidelines. 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.". Avoid a mix. If the bulleted text is a whole sentence, uppercase the initial letter of the first word and use a period to conclude the paragraph (see "Lists, Part 5: Bulleted Lists" in the APA Style Blog . This option is helpful for complex or longer bulleted sentences that may be more difficult to read without the aid . Q: Do music groups take singular verbs, as do collective nouns, or plural verbs, as with sports teams? After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. - Use periods, not semicolons, at the end of each section. In business writing, capitalize the first letter and keep bullet list punctuation clean. 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. A: corporate (adj.) Q: Is the age of an inanimate object expressed in numerals or spelled out? 1 ). Q: How does AP treat programming language when used in general text? The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA style) recommends only using complete sentences for vertical numbered list items, not incomplete sentences as shown above.6, Unordered lists are united by commonality rather than rank or sequence. [M zmp0&BLp$UPd67Z9Ha{0gPY "nG~h%rls 'wdt;:^2i+>f9V%EQ)j2"^e\KP"TiNc-((V A&N+E}E;SnIP When do Iuse periods and when do Ileave bulleted items without end punctuation? AP follows two broad rules for capitalization: Common names are not capitalized unless part of a proper name (the river vs. the Thames River). After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. Ordered vertical lists have, you guessed it, an order. The capitalization chapter has new guidance on how to write about census divisions and geological formations. Asthma or some allergies. All rights reserved. A: Use "that" for a thing, "who" for the personal pronoun, although "that" also fits some human references. 2003-2022 Judy Vorfeld's Office Support Services. A colon can introduce a long quotation or one of more than one sentence, because it says to a reader: "There's more coming here than you thought. For a list of short items, there is no need to punctuate each point. Should the opening stem sentence end with a colon to introduce the bullet lists or use no colon? 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). 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. A: In AP headline style, only the first word and proper nouns are capped. Your points should be consistent, either all sentences or all fragments. Do you need a colon to introduce a list? Semicolon Use in Lists A properly inserted semicolon helps to provide pause and clarifying separation in sentences. Example: Hampton, Va. See the stylebook for specific abbreviations. 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. When a vertical list follows a full sentence, introduce it with a colon. r%Q! Finally, should you capitalize the first letter of each entry in a vertical list? 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. 7. RULE: Use periods after independent clauses, dependent clauses, or long phrases that are displayed on separate lines in alist. 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. 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. But if you are using a style guide, you may want to check it for guidance on which style to use. 48 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<8DCDC806A06A984EB23F9AC6F5FBCE2C><8DCDC806A06A984EB23F9AC6F5FBCE2C>]/Index[28 32]/Info 27 0 R/Length 99/Prev 782230/Root 29 0 R/Size 60/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream Q: If we're speaking about regions of the state, should it be South Louisiana, North Louisiana and Central Louisiana? To help, weve prepared a guide to punctuating and capitalizing bullet points. Sorry to pile on here, but your discussion of verb endings is inadequate. A: AP lowercases civil rights movement. An updated list of units of measurement makes finding what you need a breeze. The first word after a colon unless it begins an independent clause. But here are a few things you might not realize are actually lowercase in AP style. Use a period after bullet list that completes the opening stem sentence that introduces it. If a sentence contains more than three items or ideas, we recommend breaking them up into a bulleted list. 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. The rules are fairly standard for title case: Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. 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 ?X~soOr{/'gqjfZIuVCZQ!SdbnU)pHuL`>b"wlh)}4!ybjK Its illogical to use semicolons and vertical lists punctuated as sentences in business writing because its visually cluttered so its harder to scan. Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. 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. Here is a sampling of frequently asked questions, with examples of AP style used in answers. Birth certificate . AP Stylebook: Use periods after bullets. The Chicago Manual of Style. Capitalize all words of four letters or more. How to punctuate bullet lists can be tricky because various style guides contradict each other. "The cat's toy" means one cat owns that toy. Numbers One through nine are spelled out, 10 and above are figures (Arabic numerals). Q: Do you capitalize a conjunction in a headline? finish the project by Friday, January 23; place everything youve turned in to date, plus this assignment, on afloppy disk;and. 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. Considering those rules, these hyphenated words would all be correctly capitalized in titles: In the list above, up, in, on, off, and out are adverbs-not prepositions. 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). See the "legislative titles" entry for rulings. 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. 22 December, 2021. The buttons at the bottom let you choose specific case conversion options for the various styles. The phrase "she has decided" warns the reader that the next . Subscribe to AP Stylebook Online: AP Stylebook Online is a searchable, customizable guide for writers and editors that is updated throughout the year. 1:28 PM - 14 Jul 2021 37 Retweets 189 Likes Continue from there down the list. You should always use a colon before a bulleted or numbered list. In AP style, headlines capitalize the first word, proper names, or proper abbreviations, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs. The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that theyre upper. A: "don't ask, don't tell" policy. - Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Numbered Lists and Bullet Lists: Why and How? Today we'll look at numbered lists. 205-921-5556. A list of information can be neatly organised using bullet points. The Gregg Reference Manual uses periods only after bullets that are dependent clauses and long phrases. Bulleted lists are appropriate when presenting a list of items in no particular order. Once again, complete sentences introducing unordered lists are traditionally punctuated with a colon. %%EOF Capitalization looks fancy and makes things seem important. 1+ 803-479-5092 ntuten@getitwriteonline.com Its visually cluttered, impeding easy scan. is lowercase. EPA follows the AP rule after the dash or bullet: capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. I the word Cocaine supposed to be capitalized? Do it anyway. 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! Q: Would "crew chief" and "team owner" be capitalized before a name? Q: Is there a standard AP style for bulleted areas of text? AP and Chicago Manual of Style - capitalize initial word and use periods after sentence list items. The listing below reflects a few departures from Associated Press (AP) style typically used in Johns Hopkins' web and print text, as well as other style points that, while they are not departures from AP style, require special attention. The individual list items following the complete sentence are usually lowercased if they arent complete sentences themselves. endstream endobj 32 0 obj <>stream To create a bulleted list, use the bulleted list function of your word-processing program. Below you'll find information on numbers, time and dates, locations, phone numbers, punctuation, capitalization and titles, and the Internet. Online and technology (the web; the internet; URL; computers; e-commerce ). Bullet point structure Don't mix and match sentence structures. Bulleted lists. Words that should not be capitalized include: A: Lowercase for post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, hepatitis C, etc. Q: When referring to your company in internal (or external) communications, which is correct: Corporate or corporate? 7.2.15 New section added on when to capitalize names of degree programs. Your subscription includes the . and Ph.D. See "doctor" for an explanation of Dr. as a title for medical doctor on first reference. Learn how your comment data is processed. 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. Careful punctuation also reflects thought and care. 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). You can also use this tool to do it automatically. But if youre following AP style, chances are youre overusing those big letters. Copyright 2023 Lawrence Ragan Communications, Inc. mar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style. If bulleted items are complete sentences, begin each item with a capital letter and finish it with a period or other appropriate punctuation. Erin Wright, 20122023. 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. For more AP style tips, watch Grammar Girls Beginning and Intermediate Guide to AP Style any time. endstream endobj startxref 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. A: The phrase suggests a contingency unlikely to come true, so use "were" for the subjunctive mood. Yes. Ordered lists can be introduced by a complete or incomplete sentence and are typically prefaced by numbers1 or letters2 followed by a period. Fax: 205-921-5595 2131 Military Street S Hamilton, AL 35570 View Location AP's style is now to capitalize Black in a racial, ethnic or cultural sense, conveying an essential . The Fantastic Shakers have won many awards. A: a month's confinement, per the QUASI POSSESSIVES section of the "possessives" entry. A: In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. When writing an argumentative essay, you would typically research a topic and adopt a certain How to Punctuate and Capitalize Bullet Points. If nothing else, your writing will be consistent. Next post: Make blog post content rich with layers, Previous post: Blog Post Format: Chunk It. This is the fourth in a six-part series. Proven techniques for attention grabbing headlines & titles. 9. Gently tap the lid against a hard surface. However, clear bullet list punctuation adds visual scan-ability to your business writing. in English from the University of Rhode Island, an M.A. To illustrate the example, youd sayI voted on election day because I want my candidate to win. I voted on election day because I like to exercise my right to vote. I voted on election day because I believe every vote counts.. This isn't an exhaustive list, but it will get you started. July 31, 2019. 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). 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. These might seem like confusing rules with too many exceptions, but youre always welcome to homebrew your own style rules. In business writing, yes, use a colon at the end of the introductory stem sentence. Common Style Guidelines Use a period after every bullet point that completes the introductory stem. 2-5 p.m.) and when to use the word "to"? $;$ExRp" e8CQiQYgKdIw lP"1C[;d,|xk0:[#.kvZ|{wY14\.wCzb`*,a`FK{GQfl!hie "h9e tI*2$"/'O6\a>Zb=01fD?`ZTX7w$\a +!F7X o7N| *&Rp oTF G6eKeJ22N Mb[$er6_oZkh:.jFeX^Lu}]/E.tesv!8;>pi0B@09]l}llx| V:2`zXoyQ% 'w Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. The AP Stylebook is a writing and editing reference for newsrooms, classrooms and corporate offices worldwide. Required fields are marked *. The capitalization rules are as follows: NY Times style capitalization is mainly used by writers for the NY Times but is also used widely throughout journalism. Numbered, lettered, and bulleted lists. Judy Vorfeld Oppress means to persecute/tyrannize/bully. Lowercase indefinite and definite articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions. In most cases, experts recommend that you start each bulleted item with acapital letter. For more specific title capitalization rules, you can see the following sections which cover each style of title capitalization rules or check out our FAQs for common capitalization questions. A: AP style is email (changed from e-mail), but other e- words are hyphenated: e-commerce and e-book. Understanding what to capitalize in a title is important to make sure that your titles and headlines look correct. Use numbered lists when youre working with instructions to be done in sequence, and the numbers suggest ahierarchy. AP style is actually not capitalized, though AP Stylebook is. For MBA, AP Style don [t use periods. Example: You will need to present the following information: Your driver's license. Q: If using "member of Congress" instead of congressman/congresswoman, should "member" be capitalized? To see what I mean, read the lead-in word or phrase then read the first item on the list. Capitalization, Case Internet The word internet is all lowercase (unless, of course, it starts a sentence or comes after a bullet) . . By far, this is the most vexing punctuation issue! Q: If you have a hyphen in a headline, is the word after the hyphen capitalized? Example 1: 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. Because AP recommends the colon and AP is the preferred business writing style guide, I recommend using it consistently in your business writing. 8. Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. Example: The software in this price range offers many excellent features: RULE: When one item contains acomplete sentence, punctuate all bulleted items as though they were complete sentences: capitalize the beginning words and use aperiod at the end of each item. Lower is default; upper is special. I was a fan until I realized it wasn't AP Style, all hail AP Style Honorable mention a.m. and p.m. - That's how they're used. Examples: House Cleaning Tips: Remove items from shelves before dusting. Find it. Q: Is the proper phrase "If money were no object" or "If money was no object"? The bullets indicate that I like apples, bananas, and oranges equally. . Bulleted lists: Capitalize the first letter after the bullet. You have multiple options to capitalize and change the case of your titles, headlines, song titles, book titles, email subjects, and more. I recommend APs style guidance for end punctuation: All of these recommendations follow AP, but one clarification is needed. Q: Why is atheist not capitalized while Catholics, Muslims, Buddhists, etc., are? For company names, use their preference: eBay. I am a technical writer and editor who shares writing-related software tutorials on this website and on YouTube. Use a rubber glove to twist the lid off. 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. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. A: AP lowercases those descriptive titles. Youre singing my tune! No italics. Chicago Style is one of the most used and respected headline capitalization methods used in journalism. This creates anew layer of confusion on how to use capitalization and punctuation in such lists. In the example above, the first two list items end with a semicolon because the second list item has internal commas. 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. . A: In this instance, use a plural verb. Sixth and Seventh streets). You can also use a colon after a partial sentence. I like bananas. If the elements are complex, uses commas for all. Symbols such as small circles, squares, dashes, and so forth may be used for the bullets. The tricky thing is punctuation. The Chicago Manual of Style Online is the venerable, time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. Local Phone: (623) 399-6676 | Entries (RSS). Q: There seem to be differing opinions on whether or not to capitalize the names of grapes used to make wine. finally, draft your conclusion. 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. Only use it to avoid ambiguity, if part of the series contains a conjunction or if you have a complex series of phrases. A: member is lowercase, as are congressmen and congresswoman. Let me frame my recommendations. Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions. The two major capitalization styles for headlines and titles are sentence case and title case. - Put a space between the dash or bullet and the first word of each item in the list. So long as your capitalization rules remain consistent in your organizations communications, youre golden. When writing a list, ensure all items are syntactically and conceptually parallel. Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions (regardless of length). There are two options for the punctuation of bulleted lists when the items are words or phrases. Q: How do I deal with a vulgarity from a movie that is integral to the article I'm writing? Possessive versus descriptive Q: A months confinement or a month's confinement? A: AP headlines cap only first word and proper names or proper abbreviations. If you feel punctuation does not matter, consider the impact of punctuation in these bullet lists: 2023 Instructional SolutionsRefund Policy | Terms | Privacy Policy. There are five important things to watch for in numbered and bulleted lists: inconsistent capitalization. Clarity and consistency are the building blocks of great content. If numbers arent essential, use bullets, especially in business documents. Unfortunately, many brands forego style guides and choose to wing . Below are examples of vertical listswhich may be unnumbered, numbered, or bulletedand how to introduce, punctuate, and capitalize them. A: AP lowercases wine varietals such as cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, and caps regional names such as Bordeaux, Sauternes and Chablis. Capitalize every word in the headline; the main subhead is a complete sentence with a period. nouns, pronouns, verbs. Use lowercase at all . If you have questions, read our. 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. Get an email every time a new blog post is published. 6. Again, style guides dont agree.]. (Just like this bullet list youre reading now.). Should each point start with a capital letter and end with a period? How will ChatGPT affect the communications profession? Below is a description of the ways you can use our case converter. always refer to the style guide and doublecheck capitalization recommendations. 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. Please try again. Your email address will not be published. . Capitalize the second word in a hyphenated compound if both words are equal and not suffices or prefixes (e.g., Cost-Benefit), Capitalize the first non-Greek letter after a lowercase Greek letter (e.g., -Bromohexanoic), Lowercase the first non-Greek letter after a capital Greek letter (e.g., -9-tetrahydrocannabinol), Capitalize the genus but not the species epithet. 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. A: AP uses hyphenated e- for generic terms such as e-commerce and e-strategies. Microsoft and Gregg would capitalize flat and sharp if they appeared in a title (unlike Rule 2).
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