However, clear bullet list punctuation adds visual scan-ability to your business writing. If you have questions, read our. Capitalize the first word in each bullet. Bulleted lists can be used with complete sentences, phrases, or a combination. A: A partial spelling with hyphens in place of some letters would convey the meaning. 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. This is a grammar guide that accompanies our post on how to write better bullet points. 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. Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up. The Fantastic Shakers have won many awards. Because AP recommends the colon and AP is the preferred business writing style guide, I recommend using it consistently in your business writing. In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. Your email address will not be published. The capitalization rules are as follows: Capitalize the first and the last word. A: A few examples: Radar, Laser, NATO, OPEC. 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. The capitalization rules are as follows: Bluebook style capitalization is mainly used by lawyers. In AP style, the word that begins the list or series should generally only be capitalized if it is a proper noun. Below are examples of vertical listswhich may be unnumbered, numbered, or bulletedand how to introduce, punctuate, and capitalize them. Capitalize the first word following the dash or bullet. Colon Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it is a proper noun or If checked, quotes will be output as straight quotes. A: AP lowercases wine varietals such as cabernet sauvignon and chardonnay, and caps regional names such as Bordeaux, Sauternes and Chablis. 8. This article is a summary of AP style. Find it. Capitalize every word in the headline; the main subhead is a complete sentence with a period. 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. . 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. Follow @APStylebook AP uses dashes to introduce individual sections of a list, like this: - Put a space between the dash or bullet and the first word of each item in the list. Capitalize words with four or more letters (including conjunctions and prepositions). A: In a simple series, AP doesn't use a comma before the last item. 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. Lowercase indefinite and definite articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions. Q: Should the names of decades be capitalized when written out? Gently tap the lid against a hard surface. 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. The first word after a colon unless it begins an independent clause. Punctuation (commas; quotation marks; colon; semi-colon; ellipsis ). Quickly convert your title or text to title case by simply clicking the Title Case button in the tool above. $;$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 A: Commas in a series are for clarity and prevention of ambiguities. The Chicago Manual of Style Online is the venerable, time-tested guide to style, usage, and grammar in an accessible online format. Use a period after every bullet point that completes the introductory stem. Do you capitalize the first word of a bullet point? in English from the University of Rhode Island, an M.A. 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). 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. Example: Hampton, Va. See the stylebook for specific abbreviations. 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. Thanks for the comment, Anna. Do use a comma before the last item in a series when it contains items with and/or. This will uncapitalize your text. 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. Watch your title convert case and be automatically capitalized! Our amended style is website (one word, lowercase w), along with other compounds: webcam, webcast, webmaster. Include the dateline - BRYAN-COLLEGE STATION, Jan. 1, 2022; . AP style is actually not capitalized, though AP Stylebook is. Learn more about how to write better bullet lists. AP flags such cases atop the story with an editor's note. Bulleted lists are covered in Section 6.52 of the APA Publication Manual, Seventh Edition. x]0)} N "d/J]g<3gcyY?9Y\}xLgH*vVQ8e[!}mg%O*~OqoEhe9k=~o^p{?~7?ZOu6ImR)Gow=\JrP However, you can omit the colon when a list follows a partial sentence. The phrase "she has decided" warns the reader that the next . Use proper punctuation for bulleted sections. A: AP uses dashes, not bullets, for lists in news stories that follow a colon. This is another case where there are no hard rules! This post links directly to APA Style topics of interest that users may not even know exist on the website. is lowercase. A: AP lowercases civil rights movement. The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that theyre upper. %PDF-1.4 % See the "legislative titles" entry for rulings. Cite it. . After each dash, capitalize the first letter and use periods at the end of each section. A: AP style is email (changed from e-mail), but other e- words are hyphenated: e-commerce and e-book. The rule of thumb in AP style is that things should be lowercased unless a rule indicates that they're upper. 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. This is a tricky one for me because, personally, I agree with you. 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. Semicolon Use in Lists A properly inserted semicolon helps to provide pause and clarifying separation in sentences. STATES: Abbreviate state names when listed after a city. 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. The Gregg Reference Manual uses periods only after bullets that are dependent clauses and long phrases. Use either all full sentences in your bullet lists or all fragments. Published: November 13, 2012 Updated: August 22, 2020. 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). 6. 7. Bullets Associated Press style is to use dashes, not bullets, for lists that follow a colon. Our tool lets you convert the case of your text easily into sentence case. According to APA Style, the first word after the colon is capitalized only if it begins a complete sentence. 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. I have a tendency to be very verbose when I write. How a list is punctuated depends on the sort of information that is being presented. 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. 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. It is the indispensable reference for writers, editors, proofreaders, indexers, copywriters, designers, and publishers, informing the editorial canon with sound, definitive advice. In our latest quarterly roundup of AP Style reminders, we cover back-to-school terms, travel terminology, and more. Follow the same capitalization rules you would follow for normal sentences. Dont use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. If nothing else, your writing will be consistent. All rights reserved. Below is a description of the ways you can use our case converter. Note however that it is not wrong to capitalize a sentence or clause after a colon. 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. I am a technical writer and editor who shares writing-related software tutorials on this website and on YouTube. The same applies when someone may refer to specific items by number. Awesome sauce! When multiple letters in a title need to be capitalized, use title case capitalization. It's hard for some people to wrap their heads around this rule, especially if each . Clarity and consistency are the building blocks of great content. I like apples. Youre singing my tune! driving, in which people text while in their vehicle (Schroeder & Sims, 2018). 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. 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. AP Style calls for periods after each bullet point, but Texas A&M House Style allows either periods or no periods - just pick one and be consistent. 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. This is ultimately a matter of stylistic preference. Whether youre writing an essay, email, or cover letter, youll likely use parentheses. 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.". You have multiple options to capitalize and change the case of your titles, headlines, song titles, book titles, email subjects, and more. Again, style guides dont agree.]. Use numbered lists when youre working with instructions to be done in sequence, and the numbers suggest ahierarchy. And if so, when? Write it. Now check your email to confirm your subscription for My Blog Editor blog alerts. 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 . Proven techniques for attention grabbing headlines & titles. 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 . Garner's Modern American Usage inserts periods at the end of bullet lists only if the bullet list begins with a capital letter. 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. Numbered lists may appear with or without the period after the number. You can quickly convert your text or title to all caps by selecting the UPPER button on the tool.

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