book titles punctuate

Punctuation with Titles

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

In a previous Ask the MLA post, we explained how to incorporate titles ending in question marks or exclamation points into works-cited-list entries . But how do you incorporate such titles into your prose? How do you handle titles ending in other punctuation marks? And what should you do about other matters of punctuation related to titles?

Titles Ending in Question Marks or Exclamation Points in Your Prose

At the MLA, we never insert a period after a title ending in a question mark or exclamation point, but we insert a comma if doing so makes a sentence easier to read—for example, when such a title is one item in a series or when the title is contained in a nonrestrictive clause:

“I just saw Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? , Oklahoma! , and Design for Living ,” Roland said.

The center hopes its 1992 theme, Explore New Worlds—Read!, will draw attention to geography.

But when possible, we prefer to reword:

The center hopes to draw attention to geography with its 1992 theme, Explore New Worlds—Read!

Titles That Need to Be Shortened 

When we need to shorten a really long title in a works-cited-list entry, we add an ellipsis after the first part of the title up to at least the first noun. If a work has an alternative title, we might include it. If a period is needed, we insert the period before the ellipsis and set the punctuation roman:

Bulwer, John.  Philocophus; or, The Deafe and Dumbe Mans Friend. . . .      Humphrey Mosely, 1648.

If a comma is needed, as it would be when the long title is the title of a container, we insert it after the ellipsis. We set the ellipsis and the comma roman:

Smith, Ann. Introduction.  Philocophus; or, The Deafe and Dumbe Mans Friend . . .  , Humphrey Mosely, 1648, pp. x-xxi.

In prose, we omit the ellipsis:

Philocophus; or, The Deafe and Dumbe Mans Friend  was written by John Bulwer.

Titles Ending in an Ellipsis or Dash

If the ellipsis is part of the title, we add the period or comma after the ellipsis. The ellipsis is set in italics if the title is italicized, but the additional punctuation is set roman:

One of the most popular comic films of the 1980s was Rob Reiner’s When Harry Met Sally . . . . One of the most popular comic films of the 1980s was When Harry Met Sally . . . , directed by Rob Reiner. Work Cited Reiner, Rob, director. When Harry Met Sally . . . . MGM, 1989.

We follow the same principle if a title ends in a dash:

A well-known poem about death is Emily Dickinson’s “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—.” A well-known poem about death is “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—,” by Emily Dickinson. Work Cited Dickinson, Emily. “I heard a Fly buzz—when I died—.” The Poems of Emily Dickinson , edited by R. W. Franklin, Harvard UP, 1999.

Titles and Subtitles

Section 1.2.1 of the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook says, “Use a colon and a space to separate a title from a subtitle, unless the title ends in a question mark or an exclamation point. Include other punctuation only if it is part of the title or subtitle.”

The handbook provides the following examples:

Storytelling and Mythmaking: Images from Film and Literature

Whose Music? A Sociology of Musical Language

But sometimes titles are not straightforward. In such cases, we follow some additional rules.

For example, when a title is followed by two subtitles, we use two colons:

Finis Coronat Opus: A Curious Reciprocity: Shelley’s “When the Lamp Is Shattered”

When a period separates a title and a subtitle on the title page, we change the period to a colon. When a question mark, exclamation point, or dash separates a title and a subtitle on the title page, we leave the original mark:

On the title page: The East End. The Story of a Neighborhood

In your prose: The East End: The Story of a Neighborhood

Both on the title page and in your prose: What Do I Know? An Account of an Investigation

But if a title contains a title ending in a question mark or exclamation point, we add a colon:

Moby-Dick and Absalom, Absalom! : Two American Masterpieces

Here the exclamation point is part of the title Absalom, Absalom! , so a colon is needed to separate the title Moby-Dick and Absalom, Absalom! from the subtitle.

Double Titles

For an alternative or double title in English beginning with or , we follow the first example given in section 8.165 of The Chicago Manual of Style and punctuate as follows:

England’s Monitor; or, The History of the Separation (452)

But no semicolon is needed for a title in English that ends with a question mark or exclamation point:

“Getting Calliope through Graduate School? Can Chomsky Help? or, The Role of Linguistics in Graduate Education in Foreign Languages”

For double titles of foreign language publications, we follow the source.

Dates in Titles

Unless a date is part of a title’s syntax, we follow section 8.163 of Chicago and set it off with a comma:

Melodrama Unveiled: American Theater and Culture, 1800–1850 (451)

Serial Comma in Titles

Contrary to section 8.163 of Chicago , for English-language titles of books published in the United States, we add the serial comma before the conjunction preceding the final item in a series if the comma is missing. Otherwise, we follow the source. The following book was published by Verso in London, so the serial comma is not added:

Buelens, Geert. Everything to Nothing: The Poetry of the Great War, Revolution and the Transformation of Europe. Verso, 2015.

Works Cited

The Chicago Manual of Style . 16th ed., U of Chicago P, 2016.

MLA Handbook . 8th ed., Modern Language Association of America, 2016.

90 Comments

Omar 22 october 2017 at 07:10 am.

Dear Jennifer, I have a question regarding the use of semi-colons in the subtitle of report headlines. Specifically, I'd like to know whether or not the first word after the semi-colon should be capitalized. I know that the first word after the subtitle typically begins with a capital letter as per Chicago and AP rules, but the AP is silent on what to do when the subtitle is itself separated by a semi-colon. Is the below headline acceptable?

Hurricanes 2017: Galeforce winds batter UK; Flood warnings issued nationwide

Your e-mail address will not be published

Jennifer A. Rappaport 23 October 2017 AT 12:10 PM

Great question. MLA style, following Chicago , capitalizes the first letter of the first and last words of a title and the first letter of any other words in the title unless they are articles or prepositions, so in your example, we would capitalize not only "Flood" but also all the other words in the title: "Hurricanes 2017: Galeforce Winds Batter UK; Flood Warnings Issued Nationwide." (Note that "galeforce" is not in Webster's so if we were crafting this title we would style it "Gale-Force Winds," but if it were a published title, we would follow copy.)

Amy W 05 January 2018 AT 09:01 AM

What would you do if the title with a question mark was in quotes, rather than italicized? Would the comma go inside or outside the quotation mark? "...?," Or "...?",

Jennifer A. Rappaport 08 January 2018 AT 09:01 AM

The comma would be placed inside the quotation marks.

Colleen 24 April 2018 AT 02:04 PM

Where would the commas go if I listed multiple titles that had quotation marks? Ex. I read "Riding the Rails," "The Long Road to Oregon," and "Coming out West." Is that correct with the commas and period inside the quotation marks?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 24 April 2018 AT 08:04 PM

Yes, correct. Please see our related post for examples: style.mla.org/punctuation-and-quotation-marks/

Amy Nelson 26 January 2018 AT 05:01 PM

When the title of the work being cited in the WC list includes the title of another text (for example, the cited work is titled A Critical Edition of John Lydgate's _Life of Our Lady_, with the last four words in the title -- here set apart with underscores -- being the title of a long poem and thus italicized), should the secondary / interior title be italicized along with the main title, or should it be formatted in standard typeface in contrast with the main title's italics?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 31 January 2018 AT 09:01 AM

Thanks for your question. The answer is on p. 71 of the handbook (1.2.4 "Titles within Titles").

Patricia Bostian 20 February 2018 AT 12:02 PM

Can't find an answer for citing a title within a title when it comes at the end. This is for a citation: "An Overview of 'A Rose for Emily'." OR "An Overview of 'A Rose for Emily.'"

Jennifer A. Rappaport 21 February 2018 AT 12:02 PM

Great question. The period goes inside the single quotation mark.

Karen 12 March 2018 AT 12:03 AM

I have an issue with a document on line that I want to call attention to. This document has several sections or parts and each section or part has a name/header/sort of title. I need to mention the name/header/title of each section in this document. Should I put the names/headers/titles of each section in quotations or italics? How should I punctuate this? Also, to do certain things with this document, you have to navigate through it, for example: click "Save and finish later" or click "Next". Should these "Click" buttons be in quotation marks or italics as well? Thank you for your help.

Jennifer A. Rappaport 13 March 2018 AT 02:03 PM

Thanks for your question. We'll submit it to Ask the MLA.

Renee 15 March 2018 AT 10:03 PM

When citing an article title that contains periods, should the periods be omitted? For example: In the article "That's No Woman. That's My Wife.," the author states...

That's No Woman. That's My Wife. is the title, but the punctuation doesn't look correct. Thank you!

Jennifer A. Rappaport 16 March 2018 AT 07:03 AM

Good question. We'll submit it to Ask the MLA.

Frank 27 July 2018 AT 07:07 PM

Jennifer, thanks for this wonderful and useful piece. One issue I'm still confused about is how to handle the mid-sentence appearance of titles containing a single comma. (Some examples: Lust, Caution ; White Hunter, Black Heart ; New York, New York .

To consider the last example, I know that I would write a non-title version of the phrase as follows:

• I took a trip to New York, New York, and had a wonderful time.

But is this the correct way to place the title in the middle of a sentence?

• We watched the Scorsese film New York, New York and really enjoyed it.

Is no comma required at the end of the title to "close out" the comma in the middle?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 30 July 2018 AT 06:07 AM

Thanks for your question. Whereas a comma is needed before and after the state in formulations such as "New York, New York," when the city and state are used as the title of a work, no comma is needed following the name of the state, unless the grammar of the rest of the sentence requires it (After watching the movie New York, New York , we went out to dinner).

Alethia 14 August 2018 AT 03:08 PM

Is it common to place an additional comma between the year and time in a subtitle? i.e. meeting announcement August 21, 2018, 1:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m. (EST)

Jennifer A. Rappaport 15 August 2018 AT 07:08 AM

Yes, a comma should generally separate a date from a time.

Cynthia Crosbie 30 August 2018 AT 12:08 AM

How would you punctuate this sermon title: “Building Wisely,” Part 1 Should Part 1 be written as part of the title? italicized? in parentheses? Should Part 1 be left off and only Part 2 and Part 3 written?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 03 September 2018 AT 06:09 PM

Thanks for your question. In MLA style, "part 1" would be included in the "Number" slot on the MLA format template:

https://style.mla.org/works-cited-a-quick-guide/

ML Corwin 08 November 2018 AT 04:11 PM

The author of this book has put colons after the chapter numbers followed by the chapter title. Three chapters are each about one of three "Power Blockers." How to punctuate those? Which of two styles is preferable? Use a second colon or not?

Chapter 6: Power Blocker #3 Misplaced Blame

Chapter 6: Power Blocker #3: Misplaced Blame

Jennifer A. Rappaport 09 November 2018 AT 09:11 AM

There's no hard-and-fast rule about how to style chapter numbers before titles, but in a table of contents, I would recommend the following in the example you've sent:

Chapter 6. Power Blocker #3: Misplaced Blame

Andrew Johnston 29 November 2018 AT 02:11 PM

My question concerns the title of an academic publication.

In my situation, the title concludes with a question and the subtitle gives further clarification.

How can I distinguish the title from the subtitle?

For example:

Competition Law within the European Union is Functioning Just Fine, but do fines cut it?: An exploration of the efficacy of corporate fines in achieving the goals of EU Competition Law, and the potential benefits of reform.

Competition Law within the European Union is Functioning Just Fine, but do fines cut it? An exploration of the efficacy of corporate fines in achieving the goals of EU Competition Law, and the potential benefits of reform.

I look forward to having this one resolved.

Jennifer A. Rappaport 30 November 2018 AT 08:11 AM

Thanks for your question. The question mark separates the title from the subtitle.

Competition Law within the European Union Is Functioning Just Fine, but Do Fines Cut It? An Exploration of the Efficacy of Corporate Fines in Achieving the Goals of EU Competition Law, and the Potential Benefits of Reform.

Sue 05 December 2018 AT 05:12 AM

Hi there, We are trying to figure out how to punctuate a role title. For example,

You are invited to be an Organization Lead at xyz company.

Should 'Organization Lead' have quotation marks like "Organization Lead" or single quotations or none at all?

And if a course title, do I add 'xx' or "xx" as well in a phrase? For example, Access "Digital Marketing" today.

Thank you for your help!

Jennifer A. Rappaport 05 December 2018 AT 07:12 AM

Thanks for your question. In MLA style, quotation marks are not used around professional titles or titles of courses. We also lowercase professional titles: organization lead.

Stevie D 11 December 2018 AT 04:12 PM

When using a short story title within a paper's title, and before a subtitle, where does the colon belong?

"A Rose for Emily:" Northern Progress Meets Southern Tradition or "A Rose for Emily": Northern Progress Meets Southern Tradition

Thanks for your help!

Jennifer A. Rappaport 11 December 2018 AT 07:12 PM

The colon goes after the title in quotation marks:

“A Rose for Emily”: Northern Progress Meets Southern Tradition

Shari 14 January 2019 AT 10:01 PM

Thank you so much for your help Jennifer, but what if the title is an analysis of a book. For example, about animals in Harry Potter?

Can I write:

Anthropomorphisation and Animal representation: A post humanistic analysis of Harry Potter.

Is this the right format for MLA?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 15 January 2019 AT 06:01 AM

Thanks for your question. The correct styling in MLA format would be

Anthropomorphization and Animal Representation: A Posthumanistic Analysis of the Harry Potter Books (since Harry Potter is the name of a series of books, not the name of a particular book).

Christine Dushack 22 January 2019 AT 12:01 PM

For the following, does the period go inside the quotation marks or outside? It is a title of a paper.

For questions 3-10, refer to "The Beetle Juice". Or For questions 3-10, refer to "The Beetle Juice."

Jennifer A. Rappaport 22 January 2019 AT 12:01 PM

Thanks for your question. See our answer here:

https://style.mla.org/punctuation-and-quotation-marks/

Mark 02 February 2019 AT 10:02 AM

While I understand how to punctuate a question, I'm a bit confuse as to the proper rule regarding titles that do not indicate it's a question but rather an answer.

For example, there are plenty of "how to" posts that do not have any punctation in the title.

How to prepare for a snowstorm

How do I prepare for a snowstorm?

I would think the proper way is ...

How to prepare for a snowstorm. (with a period)

But I'm finding several major newspapers and magazines do not punctuate these titles with a period. It seems to me it creates a conflict with citing sources using proper punctuations. Can you clarify how MLA handles this?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 03 February 2019 AT 08:02 AM

Thanks for your question. We would style the title as follows:

How to Prepare for a Snowstorm

Calla Andrews 26 March 2019 AT 02:03 PM

Does one need a period after a title ending with a question mark when the title is the end of the sentence? For example: We were analyzing the short story "Who's Afraid of the Storm?" I think that's enough punctuation, but should there be a period after the quotes? With a non-question mark title, the period for the end of the sentence would go inside the quotes.

Jennifer A. Rappaport 26 March 2019 AT 04:03 PM

A question mark is indeed enough punctuation in your example. There should be no period after the closing quotation mark.

Carly Bondár 02 April 2019 AT 01:04 PM

Hi there. I have a question about listing book titles that have commas in their titles. For example, I want to list four book titles in a single sentence, but two of the books have commas in the titles. How do I write out the list so as to be clear about which commas are part of the titles and which are separating items in a list? Do I use semicolons? It doesn't look right. As of now the only thing distinguishing the commas in the titles from the commas used as list separators is that the former are italicized and the latter are not. I just worry this isn't clear enough when the font is small.

Jennifer A. Rappaport 03 April 2019 AT 07:04 AM

Great question, Carly. You have it exactly right: the commas between the titles are not italicized, so those commas separate one title from another.

Eitan 03 July 2019 AT 07:07 PM

In my academic field, I often see titles that include some made-up system name, a colon, and a short description of the system. Something like: "Gizmo: a great new way to do things". Is there a name or term for the first word in this title, the system name? It's clearly not the subtitle or the title, but is there anything else I can call it?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 15 July 2019 AT 12:07 PM

In this case, "Gizmo" is the title, and "A Great New Way to Do Things" is the subtitle.

Jesse P 14 July 2019 AT 07:07 PM

Hi, I'm wondering what to do when a question inside quotation marks is the first half of a title (i.e. followed by a subtitle). I see that it says here, “Use a colon and a space to separate a title from a subtitle, unless the title ends in a question mark or an exclamation point. Include other punctuation only if it is part of the title or subtitle.” However, does that still hold true when the title is in quotation marks? In that case might the colon be added back (since technically the quotation mark would make for a barrier between the question mark and the colon so they wouldn't be directly in a row)? Or still no? For example: "A Man for All Seasons?" Reflections on John Wayne OR "A Man for All Seasons?": Reflections on John Wayne

Jennifer A. Rappaport 15 July 2019 AT 01:07 PM

We retain the colon:

"A Man for All Seasons?": Reflections on John Wayne

David Charles Burt 29 July 2019 AT 03:07 PM

I need advice on how to use commas in a title of a piece I've written for an American publication. The title is: From Brass Pins Pistols and Swords to Warships.

How are the commas to be placed in this title ? David Burt, England.

Izabel 02 December 2019 AT 11:12 PM

Hi! I'm an artist (a painter) and sometimes I have two names, or titles, for my paintings. How to write it correctly? Usually I just place it in quotation, for example: "The painting one", or "The painting two". I'm originally from Russia, and we have these punctuation rules (with comma before 'or' with double titles), but I doubt it is correct in English. Please, help.

Jennifer A. Rappaport 03 December 2019 AT 07:12 AM

Thanks for your question. We also have rules in English for punctuating double titles. See the section "Double Titles" above.

Zaine Pittman 10 December 2019 AT 04:12 PM

Hello, I have a question. What if there is a book with a title that has the article "The" in it. When you write it on a document or something, would you put the article after the full title, and separate the article and end of the title with a comma? for example, "Maze of Bones, The"?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 11 December 2019 AT 07:12 AM

Thanks for your question. In prose and works-cited-lists, the article should remain at the start of the title, but in an index, it would likely be listed as Maze of Bones, The.

Kara Wood 09 January 2020 AT 07:01 PM

I have a list of newspaper article titles that are being analyzed by some high school students; naturally, one of the article titles ends with a question mark. What is MLA's rule on this?

Here's the opening to his précis:

In his 2019 articles “Sea Level Rise Could Claim Mar-a-Lago — and Trump’s empire,” “U.S. Women’s Soccer Players Shouldn’t be Paid as Much as Men. They Should Get More.,” and “What Can a Black Person do to Keep from Getting Killed by Police in this Country?” American columnist Eugene Robinson unabashedly addresses various controversial topics, ranging from the everyday lunch conversation starter, climate change, to the heated, yet popular political campaign platforms of gender and racial discrimination in order to . . .

Jennifer A. Rappaport 15 January 2020 AT 07:01 AM

Thanks for your question. We would insert a comma between the question mark and the closing quotation mark because it makes the sentence easier to read.

Reb 03 March 2020 AT 04:03 PM

If a book title within an article title is not italicized should this be corrected in the citation?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 04 March 2020 AT 06:03 AM

Thanks for your question. See section 1.2.4 of the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook .

christina 03 March 2020 AT 07:03 PM

Is it correct if I were to have my title with a colon and a question mark? If so, do I add a space between?

Thanks for your question. A colon and a question mark should not generally appear next to each other in a title. So, for instance, if a title ends in a question mark and the title is followed by a subtitle, do not add a colon between the title and the subtitle. See the example above: Whose Music? A Sociology of Musical Language .

Reb 04 March 2020 AT 11:03 AM

Thanks but 1.2.4 does not address my question. Yes, a book title within a journal article title should be italicized. But if the book title is NOT italicized in the actual journal article, do I make that correction in my works cited page?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 05 March 2020 AT 07:03 AM

Thanks for the clarification. If the book title is not italicized in the journal article, do not italicize it. Copy the article title as it appears in the source.

Reb 05 March 2020 AT 05:03 PM

Jeff dailey 17 april 2020 at 08:04 am.

I want to title a play with a long title and need your thoughts on both my chosen punctuation and capitalization and thank you. Here is my title: An Angel with Flowers, Broadway Bound in Twenty-Seventeen, B.C. [Before COVID-19]

Jennifer A. Rappaport 20 April 2020 AT 06:04 AM

Thanks for your question. You might consider An Angel with Flowers: Broadway-Bound in 2017 BC (before COVID-19)

Julie 27 April 2020 AT 11:04 AM

Should university course titles be punctuated if they are mentioned in a letter?

For example: "I look Introduction to Film last spring, and it helped me understand movies."

Thank you for such a helpful forum!

Jennifer A. Rappaport 28 April 2020 AT 07:04 AM

Thanks for your question. In MLA style, course titles are set roman without quotation marks, so your example is correct.

Ricardo Bravo 29 June 2020 AT 10:06 AM

Hi There, Names of restaurants, theaters should be in italic as well? Best and thanks!

Jennifer A. Rappaport 29 June 2020 AT 03:06 PM

Thanks for your question. Names of restaurants and theaters should be styled roman without quotation marks.

Mark 22 August 2020 AT 10:08 AM

Good Day Jennifer, is it a grammer law that you Must put a question mark at the end of your title if the title is a question...I"m just trying to find out the Pros and Con"s and the benefits of using the question mark in this type title.

Jennifer A. Rappaport 29 August 2020 AT 08:08 AM

Thanks for your comment. It's probably a good idea to include a question mark if you are creating a title that is a question.

Valerie Exar 06 October 2020 AT 09:10 AM

Hello, For the title of a paper I'm writing:

A Comparison of Water Supply in Houston, TX and Baltimore, MD

Do I put a comma after TX, as I would insert within the body of the paper? (Same question would apply if I spelled out the state names)

Jennifer A. Rappaport 07 October 2020 AT 07:10 AM

Thanks for your question. Yes, there should be a comma after "TX" or after "Texas."

Madeline Patrick 14 October 2020 AT 03:10 PM

Hello, Jennifer A. Rappaport. As a high school junior enrolled in a college class, I want to, well, I want to show off to my classmates. I mustn't have errors! After some reading online, I have received mixed answers on whether or not I can put a period at the end of a précis title for emphasis. Could you help me?

With many thank yous, Madeline A. Patrick

Jennifer A. Rappaport 15 October 2020 AT 08:10 AM

Thanks for your question. A title should not end in a period.

Samantha Hanna 10 December 2020 AT 11:12 AM

What would you put after by in the title?

By: someone? A

By; someone? B

By, someone? C

Jennifer A. Rappaport 10 December 2020 AT 11:12 AM

Thanks for your question. Are you referring to the byline rather than the title? If so, there should be no punctuation between "by" and the author's name.

Patrick Love 23 February 2021 AT 12:02 PM

Thank you for your post. I have a question concerning how to punctuate a short story title, but I am trying to add an apostrophe "s" to the title. I am trying to make this sentence: "The Necklace's" ending is an example of situational irony because ...

So I am wondering if it is correct to add the apostrophe "s" inside of the quotation marks or should it be added outside of the quotation marks?

Thank you for your time, Patrick

C. Barney Latimer 09 March 2021 AT 10:03 AM

The apostrophe and "s" go after the title’s closing quotation mark (“The Necklace”’s). However, an easier and more readable solution would be to reword the sentence to avoid this awkward use of the possessive: The ending of “The Necklace” is an example of situational irony because. . . .

Judy Lee 06 May 2021 AT 09:05 AM

I think a period is needed at the end of the following sentence: The peddler went up, took out a scroll, and showed him the verse “Who is the man who desires life […]?” (Psalms 34:13). What say you? Thanks.

Chris Davis 19 May 2021 AT 02:05 PM

How do you punctuate a title and subtitle that are BOTH questions?

A Water-Proof Phone?: Is There a Market for Water Resistant Smartphones? OR A Water-Proof Phone? Is There a Market for Water Resistant Smartphones?

C. Barney Latimer 25 May 2021 AT 04:05 PM

When the main title of a work ends in a question mark or exclamation point, no colon precedes the subtitle, even if the subtitle also ends in a question mark or exclamation point. The correct format for your example is therefore “A Waterproof Phone? Is There a Market for Water-Resistant Smartphones?” Note that no period follows the question mark at the end of the subtitle when the title appears at the end of the sentence. However, if a title ending in a question mark appears in the middle of a sentence, a comma may be used if it makes the sentence easier to read, as in this example: “After reading ‘A Waterproof Phone? Is There a Market for Water-Resistant Smartphones?,’ I accidentally dropped my smartphone in the bath.”

W. 16 October 2021 AT 01:10 PM

If the title of a work appears at the end of a sentence, where does the period go? before or after the quotations marks for the work? B) Aesop uses allegory and satire to expose humanity’s ego in his fable, “The Fox and the Grapes”. or B) Aesop uses allegory and satire to expose humanity’s ego in his fable, “The Fox and the Grapes.”

Wyatt F. 18 November 2021 AT 09:11 AM

How would you punctuate a title that exclaims itself?

Ammy 23 November 2021 AT 09:11 AM

How the author can enter the number/part of the paper in the title of their essay/monograph/article for publication in a journal. The MLA Template shows the sequence of writing the numbering when quoting/referring someone's work; but it does not answer the question of how the author should compose their title correctly when the work is divided into parts. For example:

1// Short Title: A Long Subheading Containing Ten Words—Paper 1 of (a/the?) Historical Jesus Review Series

2// Short Title: A Long Subheading Containing Ten Words Part 2 of Historical Jesus Review Series /as second line/

3// Short Title: A Long Subheading Containing Ten Words. Part 3 of Historical Jesus Review Series

4//Short Title: A Very Long Subheading Containing Fourteen Words. I Short Title: A Very Long Subheading Containing Fourteen Words. II

How it is advisable to design the numbering itself: Article 1, Essay 2, Part 3, IV, or just Paper 5?

The question is fundamental and will help many people who divide their articles into parts. Thank you for your comprehensive responsiveness.

Christin Bonin 17 January 2022 AT 08:01 AM

I am about to publish my dissertation. The Title is: The Broadway Belt The Musical Diva and her Belt Voice from Technical, Ethnic, and Feminist Perspectives Now my big question: Oxford Comma after Ethnic/before and ... or not?

Aliaa Bondok 09 February 2022 AT 08:02 PM

Hello! Unfortunately, I could not find an answer to my question in the MLA guide, so here is it: How do I punctuate a certain quote take from a novel when I include this quote in a title, heading, or sub-heading? Should I capitalize the words of the quote or just copy them as they are in the novel? Example: the original quote reads: “a future of poverty and despondency” I want to include it in a subheading a) Escaping “a future of poverty and despondency” b) Escaping "a Future of Poverty and Despondency" Which version is correct, (a) or (b)?

Thanks in advance!

Pallavi 20 April 2022 AT 12:04 PM

Is this title correct ?

Prone to dominance and criminality ? : The scientist figure in selected films

Russ 21 April 2022 AT 01:04 PM

My book title contains a colon, but I am told that the title, when placed on the book cover, binding and title page, should be written without the colon. I am confused!

Jadyn 03 October 2022 AT 06:10 PM

If the title is inside quotation marks at the end of a sentence (Example: This is discussed in the book "Mindset: The New Psychology of Success") Does the period go inside or outside the quotation?

Laura Kiernan 24 October 2022 AT 04:10 PM

Thanks for your question. In MLA style, titles of books are italicized, so, in the example you supplied, you wouldn't surround Mindset: The New Psychology of Success in quotation marks. For guidance on punctuation around titles, see section 2.105 of the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

Nour 30 October 2022 AT 05:10 PM

Hi i have a question regarding article titles is it : Study Suggests Video Games Can Help Mental Health. or Study Suggests Video Games Can Help Mental Health with ponctuation or without ponctuation ??

Kristina 03 October 2023 AT 01:10 PM

Hi there, I'm working on a subtitle for my children's book. Title: A children's picture book about monsters (or perhaps not-so-scary monsters) I would use caps, but I'm not exactly certain which words wouldn't be capitalized other than or? I'm wondering if you can use parenthesis in a book subtitle? Originally I was thinking about using the line: A children's picture book about scary monsters (or ARE they)? Again, I'm not sure about the parenthesis or ending a book subtitle with a question mark. I've seen one so far and they placed the question mark inside the parenthesis and didn't have any punctuation after the parenthesis. Just wanted to get your advice. Thanks so much!

Uma Maheswari 08 November 2023 AT 09:11 PM

I want to frame a question in MLA style. Which one is correct regarding the question mark at the end? What is the significance of the title of the poem "An African Elegy"? What is the significance of the title of the poem "An African Elegy?" Note: The title of the poem does not have a question mark. It is mine. Thank you

Laura Kiernan 09 November 2023 AT 04:11 PM

Thank you for your question about MLA style. For guidance, see section 6.53 of the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

Emma 17 February 2024 AT 09:02 AM

In my list of works cited, titles of self-contained sources need to be italized, now my question is, does the period right after it have to be italized as well or just the title? Thank you!

Noir 27 March 2024 AT 07:03 PM

Can I include a period at the end of a sentence for a title?

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How to Punctuate Titles

Last Updated: March 17, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Michelle Golden, PhD . Michelle Golden is an English teacher in Athens, Georgia. She received her MA in Language Arts Teacher Education in 2008 and received her PhD in English from Georgia State University in 2015. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 69,176 times.

Punctuating titles can be tricky, especially because different types of titles require different notations and typography. Depending on the type of title, you may need to capitalize the title, underline the title, or use quotation marks around the title to ensure it is punctuated properly. You may also be creating a title for an original work written by you, citing it in a text, or a published work written by someone else, citing it as a reference in your bibliography. Depending on the expectations of your professor or teacher, you may also be required to use the more common MLA style or the less common APA style.

Punctuating the Title of a Shorter Work

• You also use quotation marks for the titles of short stories. For example, “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver or “Coyotes” by Jo Ann Beard.
• This rule also applies to the title of an essay. For example, “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell.

• For example, if you are citing a chapter title in Moby Dick , you would cite it as “The Carpet-Bag” chapter in Moby Dick .
• If you are citing an article title in a travel journal, it would appear as “Rivers of China” or “Top Hikes in Oregon”. A newspaper article title would appear as “Woman Missing on Hiking Trail”.

• You should also use quotations for the title of a skit or a monologue. For example, “The Bar Skit”.

• If you have any unpublished works that you are titling, such as manuscripts, speeches, lectures, dissertations, or theses, you should use quotation marks. For example, “My Speech on Human Rights” or “A Lecture on Bees”.

• In your references or bibliography, you would use plain text for the titles of shorter works, with no quotation marks. For example, Breaking the Psyche in Adolescents.

Punctuating the Title of a Longer Work

• Story collections and poetry collections are also notated with italics. For example, The Collected Stories of Grace Paley or The Collected Poetry of Dorothy Parker .
• An anthology of essays is also italicized. For example, The Best American Essays .

• The titles of encyclopedias are also italicized. For example, Encyclopedia Britannica or The Encyclopedia of Botanicals .

• The titles of television series or shows as a whole should be italicized. For example, Friends or The Mindy Project .

• Check with your professor or teacher about her preference for underlying or italics before you format titles in a paper or an assignment so you do not get docked points due to formatting errors. If your professor does want you to use underlining instead of italics, follow the same steps above using underlining instead of italics.

Capitalizing Titles In Text and As References

• You must capitalize the first and last word in the title as well as every noun, verb, adjective, and adverb. For example, the title “poem about a happy day” would appear as “Poem about a Happy Day.”
• Do not use all capitals to format the title, for example, “MOBY DICK”. Instead, only capitalize the first letter of each word, for example, “Moby Dick”.

• In APA style, you also only capitalize the first word of any subtitles in the title. For example, “The wise man on the mountain: A true story”.

• For example, the title “wise man on the mountain” would appear as: “Wise Man on the Mountain.”
• The exception to this rule is if the title begins with a preposition or article. The preposition or article would be capitalized in this case. For example, the title “the sound and the fury” would appear as: “The Sound and the Fury.”

• You should also make sure you capitalize any names of persons or key historical events in a title. This could be a well known cultural or political figure, or the name of a historical event.
• For example, the title “The ramifications of Mao Zedong’s cultural revolution” would appear as: “The Ramifications of Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution”.

• When in doubt, more capitalization is better than too little capitalization. You can also look up the title if it already exists in print and check to see how the author or publisher capitalizes the title.

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• ↑ https://style.mla.org/punctuation-with-titles/
• ↑ https://www.languagehumanities.org/what-are-the-different-ways-to-punctuate-titles.htm
• ↑ https://www.thepunctuationguide.com/titles-of-works.html
• ↑ https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2012/03/how-to-capitalize-and-format-reference-titles-in-apa-style.html

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How to Punctuate Book Titles: 7 Tips For Authors

• March 22, 2024

Table of Contents:

1.    capitalization rules for titles, 2.    use of quotation marks, 3.    italicizing titles, 4.    handling series titles, 5.    punctuation within titles, 6.    addressing specific cases, 7.    consistency in punctuation, watch out for common mistakes, how to edit your work, where to get more help, frequently asked questions.

Titles are the first thing people see when they come across your work. Using the right punctuation in titles helps readers understand what you’re saying. Writers must know how to punctuate book titles properly to look professional and trustworthy. But sometimes, writers find it tricky and make mistakes. This guide will review seven tips to help writers better punctuate book titles.

Here are seven tips to punctuate a book title.

Capitalization rules for titles are guidelines that determine which words should be capitalized and which should remain in lowercase. These rules help ensure consistency and clarity in writing. Generally, principal words such as nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are capitalized. However, conjunctions, articles, and prepositions are typically lowercase unless they are the first or last word in the title. There are exceptions to these rules, such as the words “and,” “but,” and “or,” which usually remain lowercase unless they are the first or last word in the title.

These rules help eBook writers adhere to standardized formatting and enhance readability in various forms of writing, including essays, articles, and books. Adhering to capitalization rules for titles can make written works appear more polished and professional.

Quotation marks indicate the titles of shorter works or works that are part of a larger whole. This includes titles of articles, short stories, poems, and individual episodes of television shows. When using quotation marks, it’s important to enclose the entire title within double quotation marks, ensuring clarity for readers. For example, “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger.

Titles of longer works, such as books, plays, movies, and full-length musical compositions, are typically italicized to distinguish them from surrounding text. Italicizing helps titles stand out visually and signals to readers that they are encountering significant work. When italicizing titles, refrain from using quotation marks simultaneously, as this can lead to confusion regarding formatting. For instance, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

When dealing with series titles, authors must follow specific guidelines to ensure consistency across all installments. Series titles are often italicized, with individual titles appearing in quotation marks. This helps distinguish between the overarching series and its constituent parts. For example, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone is the first book in the “Harry Potter” series.

 Applying Book titles punctuated correctly within titles is essential for maintaining coherence and readability. Commas, colons, and dashes are commonly used to enhance clarity or convey additional information. Commas are typically used to separate elements within a title, while colons can signify subtitles or indicate a relationship between different parts of the title. Dashes may be employed to emphasize or set apart clauses within a title.

Certain cases, such as titles with subtitles or titles of short works within larger works, require special attention to punctuation. Subtitles should be separated from the main title using a colon, with each component capitalized according to standard capitalization rules.

Additionally, titles of short works, such as chapters, articles, or short stories, should be enclosed in quotation marks when referenced within larger works.

Maintaining consistency in punctuation is crucial for ensuring coherence and professionalism in writing. Authors should establish guidelines for punctuating titles and adhere to them consistently throughout their work. Consistency enhances readability and reflects positively on the author’s attention to detail and commitment to quality.

When writing book titles, indie authors should be careful to avoid some common mistakes. For instance, using apostrophes incorrectly or mixing up italicizing and using quotation marks.

Apostrophes should only show possession or contraction, not make words plural or show missing letters. It can get confusing when authors use italics and quotation marks for titles, making things inconsistent and unclear.

Editing your writing is important, especially making sure your punctuation is right. Authors and writing services Book Writing Bureau should learn how to punctuate book titles correctly and use tools to find and fix mistakes.

Time checking and improving punctuation can make your writing clearer and more professional. Also, editing ensured every sentence is punctuated correctly.

If authors need more help with punctuating book titles, many resources are online. Style guides like The Chicago Manual of Style and the American Psychological Association Publication Manual give detailed advice on punctuation and formatting. Also, online writing groups and forums let authors ask questions and get feedback from other professional book writers .

Should I capitalize every word in a title?

Only principal words such as nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are typically capitalized in titles. Articles, conjunctions, and prepositions are usually lowercase unless they are the first or last word.

When should I use quotation marks for titles?

Quotation marks are used for shorter works or works that are part of a larger whole, such as articles, short stories, poems, and individual episodes of television shows.

Can I use both italics and quotation marks for emphasis?

Choosing one formatting style for titles is generally recommended to avoid confusion. Using both italics and quotation marks simultaneously can distract readers.

How do I punctuate titles and subtitles?

Subtitles should be separated from the main title using a colon. Each title component, including the subtitle, should be capitalized according to standard capitalization rules.

What should I do if I’m unsure about punctuation in a title?

If you’re unsure about the punctuation of a title, consult reputable style guides such as The Chicago Manual of Style or seek guidance from online writing communities and forums.

Correctly punctuated book titles are crucial for authors who want their writing to look polished and professional. By knowing the rules about capital letters, quotation marks, italics, and series titles, authors can ensure their work is consistent and easy to understand. By avoiding common mistakes and engaging in self-editing, authors can make their writing more readable and trustworthy, capturing readers’ attention with well-punctuated book titles.

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How to Punctuate Titles – Ultimate Guide with Examples

Meet  David De’ Ath , founder, editor, and writer at Wonderful World English. With his extensive background as an English teacher, David provides valuable insights and practical tips on ESL for students and teachers alike.

In the meticulous art of writing, the punctuation of titles is a subtle yet crucial element that can significantly influence a reader’s perception and engagement with the content.

Whether it is a book, an academic paper, a song, or a piece of art, the way in which a title is punctuated reflects the piece’s character and can distinguish it from the masses.

The precision and care given to title punctuation showcase the writer’s dedication to their craft, enhancing the work’s aesthetic appeal and clarity.

This guide will navigate through the norms and nuances of punctuating titles across different mediums, providing writers with the tools to ensure their titles are presented with the authority and polish they deserve.

Punctuating titles correctly is not only a hallmark of professionalism but also an important means of communication within the writing sphere.

Each medium, from movies to blog posts, has its conventions that, when followed, help convey the work’s tone and intent.

This clarity is essential, as in academic circles where accurate punctuation delineates the scope of research or in journalism where it grabs attention and maintains clarity.

By adhering to these conventions, writers can elevate their work, ensuring that it is not overlooked due to avoidable oversights in punctuation.

Key Takeaways

• Proper title punctuation is vital for engaging readers and conveying a piece’s tone.
• Different types of writing require unique punctuation rules to reflect their style and purpose.
• Mastery of title punctuation is a mark of professionalism and enhances communication.

How to Punctuate Titles

In the diverse world of writing, where each piece, whether it be a novel, an article, or a poem, has its unique flavor, understanding how to punctuate titles correctly ensures that your work is presented with the finesse it deserves.

Longer works, such as books and movies, are typically presented in italics, adding a sense of grandeur and importance.

Shorter works, like articles and poems, are often enclosed in quotation marks, creating a cozy, intimate frame for the title.

A consistent style not only enhances the professionalism of your piece but also ensures a smooth reading experience.

However, it’s important to note that some guidelines may suggest underlining instead of italics.

This variation is like choosing between a pencil and a pen; each has its place, depending on the context and preference.

Additionally, different style guides like APA, MLA, or Chicago may have specific nuances in their title punctuation rules.

Understanding these differences is like navigating the varied cuisines of the world – each has its unique flavor and set of guidelines.

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork let’s dive deeper into the specific rules of punctuating titles in various forms of writing.

Now, let’s explore examples from different genres, shedding light on how these rules apply in practical scenarios:

1. Book Titles

Punctuating book titles might seem complex, but it’s quite straightforward once you know the basics.

Here’s a simple guide to help you:

• Always capitalize the first and last words of the title.
• Capitalize key words in the title, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, and proper nouns.
• Use capital letters for words like “like,” “as,” or “because.”
• If there’s a colon in the title, capitalize the first word after it.
• Don’t capitalize small words like “a,” “an,” “the” unless they are the first word.
• Avoid capitalizing small connecting words like “and,” “or,” “if.”
• Don’t capitalize short prepositions (words with less than five letters) like “at,” “to,” or “in.”
• For two-part verbs (phrasal verbs) like “give in” or “get over,” capitalize the second part too.
• Use hyphens and question marks if needed, but don’t use commas or periods in titles.

For example, a well-punctuated book title would look like “The Secret Garden: Unveiling Nature’s Mysteries” or “Whispers in the Wind: A Tale of Love and Loss.”

Remember, these rules help make your title clear and eye-catching!

2. Article Titles

Punctuating article titles is quite similar to book titles but with a few differences.

Here’s a simple guide to help you get it right:

• Capitalize the first and last words of the title, just like in book titles.
• Capitalize the important words in the title, which include nouns, verbs, adjectives, and proper nouns.
• Don’t capitalize small words like “a,” “an,” “the,” unless they are the first or last word in the title.
• Small connecting words like “and,” “or,” “but,” “if” should not be capitalized.
• Short prepositions (words with less than five letters) such as “at,” “to,” “from,” “in,” “out,” or “over” are not usually capitalized.
• If the title includes a phrasal verb (like “break down” or “check out”), capitalize both parts.
• Unlike book titles, article titles are usually placed within quotation marks.

For example, an article title would be punctuated like: “The Rise and Fall of Ancient Civilizations” or “Exploring the Depths: A Journey into Deep Sea Biology.”

These rules help make your article titles clear and professional.

Remember to keep them consistent across your writing!

If you want to improve your general writing ability, check out the guide below!

Related Article: How to Sharpen Writing Skills – Full Guide

3. Movie and TV Show Titles

Punctuating movie and TV show titles is straightforward. Here’s a quick guide to help you:

• Capitalize the first and last words of the title.
• Also capitalize all the major words in the title, like nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Don’t capitalize small words like “a,” “an,” “the,” unless they are the first or last word.
• Avoid capitalizing small connecting words like “and,” “but,” “or.”
• For short prepositions (words with fewer than four letters) like “in,” “on,” “at,” don’t capitalize them unless they are the first or last word in the title.

For example, movie and TV show titles should look like: “The Shawshank Redemption,” “Game of Thrones,” or “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.”

These rules will help you ensure that your movie and TV show titles are punctuated correctly and look professional.

4. Song and Album Titles

Punctuating song and album titles is pretty straightforward.

Here’s a quick guide:

• Capitalize the main words in the titles, like nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Don’t capitalize small connecting words like “and,” “but,” “or,” unless they are the first or last word.
• Don’t capitalize small prepositions like “in,” “on,” “at,” unless they are the first or last word.
• When mentioning song titles in text, put them in quotation marks.

For example, song and album titles should look like: “Bohemian Rhapsody” (song), “A Night at the Opera” (album), or “Hotel California” (song).

These simple rules will help you correctly punctuate song and album titles, making your writing clear and professional.

5. Magazine and Newspaper Titles

Punctuating titles of magazine and newspaper articles is easy once you know the rules.

Here’s how:

• Capitalize the first and last words of the article title.
• Capitalize the key words in the title, which include nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Don’t capitalize small prepositions (like “in,” “on,” “at”) unless they are the first or last word in the title.
• Place the title of the article in quotation marks when writing it in text.

For example, article titles should look like: “The Future of Renewable Energy” or “Breaking Barriers: Women in Science.”

Following these rules will make your magazine and newspaper article titles look professional and punctuated correctly.

Related Article: How to Read Big Words in English – The Guide

6. Website and Blog Titles

Punctuating website and blog titles are quite similar to other types of titles.

Here’s how to do it:

• Capitalize all the main words in the title, including nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Don’t capitalize small connecting words like “and,” “but,” “or,” unless they are the first or last word in the title.
• Don’t capitalize short prepositions (like “in,” “on,” “at”) unless they are the first or last word.
• In general, website and blog titles don’t need quotation marks when written in text.

For example, website and blog titles should be punctuated as: “Exploring Digital Frontiers” or “The Art of Baking: A Culinary Journey.”

These guidelines will help ensure that your website and blog titles are punctuated and professional.

7. Poem and Short Story Titles

Punctuating titles of poems and short stories is straightforward and follows a pattern similar to other works.

• Also, capitalize all the major words, including nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Place poem and short story titles in quotation marks when writing them in text.

For example, titles of poems and short stories should be punctuated as: “The Road Not Taken” (poem) or “The Lottery” (short story).

Following these rules ensures that your poem and short story titles are punctuated correctly and look professional.

8. Play and Musical Titles

Punctuating titles of plays and musicals is easy to do once you understand the basic rules.

• Capitalize all the major words in the title, including nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Plays and musicals are usually italicized when written in text rather than placed in quotation marks.

For example, play and musical titles should look like: Romeo and Juliet (play) or The Phantom of the Opera (musical).

These rules will help make sure your play and musical titles are punctuated correctly and look polished.

9. Artwork and Sculpture Titles

Punctuating titles for artworks and sculptures follows a straightforward set of rules.

Here’s a simple guide:

• Capitalize all the important words in the title, including nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Don’t capitalize short prepositions (such as “in,” “on,” “at”) unless they are the first or last word in the title.
• Titles of artworks and sculptures are typically italicized when written in text.

For example, titles of artworks and sculptures should be formatted as: The Starry Night (painting) or The Thinker (sculpture).

By following these guidelines, you can ensure your titles for artworks and sculptures are correctly punctuated and presented professionally.

10. Academic Paper and Research Article Titles

Punctuating titles of academic papers and research articles are similar to other titles but with a focus on clarity and formality.

• Capitalize all major words in the title, including nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs.
• Don’t capitalize short prepositions (such as “in,” “on,” “at”) unless they are the first or last word.
• Academic papers and research articles often use a colon to separate the main title from a subtitle, and both parts follow the same capitalization rules.
• Typically, these titles are not italicized or placed in quotation marks when included in the text.

For example, academic papers and research article titles should be punctuated like: “The Effects of Climate Change on Marine Biodiversity” or “Breaking Barriers in Quantum Computing: A New Era of Technology.”

These guidelines ensure that your academic paper and research article titles are punctuated correctly, lending a professional and formal tone to your work.

Punctuating titles correctly is an essential skill for any writer. It adds a professional touch to your work and makes it more appealing to readers.

It’s important to get familiar with the rules of capitalization, formatting, and specific guidelines for different types of titles.

This guide is a helpful tool for anyone looking to punctuate titles accurately.

If you need more help, there are many great online resources.

Grammarly is one such tool that can check punctuation in titles and text, making it easier to avoid errors.

Whether you’re a new writer or an experienced academic, this guide aims to provide useful tips and insights on title punctuation.

Mastering this skill will help you professionally present your work and engage your readers with clear, well-structured content.

We hope you found value in this guide, you can reach out to us if you require any assistance.

Good luck on your writing journey!

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How To Punctuate Book Titles Or Can You Be A Little Creative?

Are there definitive rules on how to punctuate book titles?

Yes, there are broadly accepted rules for book and chapter titles.

They are very similar to correctly punctuating titles in shorter works such as poems, short stories, songs, and musical albums.

But yes, but when it comes to punctuation for book titles, you can also be creative.

General rules for how to punctuate book titles

1. Always capitalize the first word and the last word of the title.

2. Always capitalize important and significant words such as proper nouns, verbs, nouns, and adjectives.

3. Always capitalize subordinate conjunctions like, as, or because.

4. Always capitalize a word after a colon.

5. Never capitalize articles, a, an, and the, unless it is the first word of the title.

6. Never capitalize on coordinating conjunctions such as but, and, or, if, or nor.

7. Never capitalize short prepositions of less than five letters like at, to, from, in, out, or over.

8. Always capitalize on a phrasal verb particle such as give out , go away , push on , give in, or get over .

9. No commas and periods (full stops), but hyphens and question marks are commonly used.

Additional punctuation tips

If you are referencing a title, the book title punctuation rules above are fine, and it would be rare that you could go wrong.

It is not recommended to place italics or quotation marks around the titles if they are book titles.

But if you are referencing parts of a book , such as book chapters, or only part of the title, use quotation marks.

Tip! Beware of using Title Case in Microsoft Word, as it will capitalize every single word in a title.

You can check various references for how to punctuate book titles. You can refer to the Chicago Manual of Style, the AP Style Guide, the MLA Handbook, The Oxford Style Guide, and many others.

There could be small differences between American, British, Australian, or Canadian English language styles.  But the basic rules for punctuating book titles are quite standard across all forms of English.

How to apply the punctuation rules for book titles

Or, can you be creative with your new book title ? You can do both, but you first need to remember that your title will be used in two places in your book.

It will be on your book cover, of course, but also on the title page of your book.

For your cover, you can be very creative. But for your book title page, you should use correct capitalization and punctuation.

Very often, every word in the title is a noun, verb, or adjective, so there is not a lot to do or worry about.

However, capitalizing prepositions will cause the most confusion, especially with phrasal verb particles .

If the title is I Wish I Could Move On Quickly , the word, on, is capitalized because move on is a phrasal verb.

But if it is When We Went on Holiday , the word on would not be capitalized because it is a preposition.

Titles on your book cover

Punctuation rules count for very little on a book cover. But great typography counts for a lot.

Yes, you should follow the rules.

But look at the two cover versions below of one of my favorite books, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy.

Obviously, there was a change of punctuating heart about prepositions as the years passed by.

There was also a need for a hyphen because Hitchhikers didn’t fit in full on the original cover.

It is easy to stop worrying about using a capital letter if you use all caps and use a freaky font.

Punctuation rule breakers

When it comes to rule-breaking capitalizing in book titles, you would think that an ex-president would be the last person to be a big rule-breaker.

But Barrack Obama broke the very first golden rule with this cover title.

Mixing lower case with upper case and no capital on the first word is just not in the rule book.

But you would have to say that it works very well.

Another way to throw out the rule book is to not bother with doing anything. Just use lowercase for everything.

But look closely. What’s with adding a hyphen?

Lowercase is one word or can be two separate words depending on your dictionary, so it doesn’t need a hyphen .

But it gets one anyway on this book cover.

But why not add an ampersand in place of and? I’ll let you judge if the ampersand is capitalized or not.

Or, why not add a hyphen when there is absolutely no logical reason whatsoever to add one?

For me, it’s Moby Dick, not Moby-Dick.

Poetic license?

But if you really want to avoid problems and tough decisions, go for a very short one-word title as Stephen King did with IT.

But should every letter be capitalized?

Probably, but I think in the middle version below, the cover designer was undecided on that score.

If you are studying and writing an essay or review, always follow the nine basic punctuation rules for titles.

The same applies if you need to add a reference to a bibliography.

But if you are an author researching a new book title , you have a lot of choices.

I would advise sticking to the rules for the title page of your book.

But for your book cover, you or your cover designer can go wild and let your imagination do the talking.

You can italicize the title or only part of it.

Why not use AlTeRnAtInG case? There is no reason why you can’t, except that it is tough to read.

Or you could try having an  ǝlʇıʇ uʍopǝpısdn on your cover.

Now that could create some real interest. It could also result in readers having to twist their necks to read it.

Accidentally breaking a rule can look silly, as in This Is my New Book title .

But intentionally breaking the rules, as in, THIS is my new book TITLE, might work well for you.

When you are deciding on your new book title, short is usually the best choice.

However, in today’s book marketing world, keywords and SEO play a big role in online book discovery.

But SEO and your title can work happily together if you focus on using only nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

You often hear that if you want to break the rules, you need to learn them first.

It is good advice for book titles and how you intend to punctuate them.

Related reading: When To Capitalize Long Prepositions In Book Titles

About The Author

Derek Haines

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4 thoughts on “how to punctuate book titles or can you be a little creative”.

This was so much fun to read. I am struggling with my publisher. I want to add a ellipsis (…) in the title of my book, but they don’t understand that you can and that the title of my book calls for a pause in between the title name. I agree, the title of the book can be creative and brake the rule a bit. I will pass this info over to my publisher. Thanks

Hello, My notebook has an armadillo on the cover and is titled: “Little armored one”

Little armored one is “armadillo” in Spanish. Do I need the quotations on the cover? Thanks in advance, Jimmy

Regarding your assertion that commas in titles are forbidden:

Life, the Universe and Everything

Women, Fire, and Dangerous Things: What Categories Reveal About the Mind

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Goodbye, Mr. Chips

Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters

Cry, the Beloved Country

Useful, indeed. One cannot successfully break rules until one knows what they are, and most of the time they are there to be stuck to.

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Titles of Works – Punctuation Guide

| Danielle McLeod

| Punctuation

Danielle McLeod

Danielle McLeod is a highly qualified secondary English Language Arts Instructor who brings a diverse educational background to her classroom. With degrees in science, English, and literacy, she has worked to create cross-curricular materials to bridge learning gaps and help students focus on effective writing and speech techniques. Currently working as a dual credit technical writing instructor at a Career and Technical Education Center, her curriculum development surrounds student focus on effective communication for future career choices.

When including titles of works in your writing, they must be appropriately punctuated. This helps emphasize their importance amongst the rest of the text. Although you may be creative in highlighting them, there are some broadly accepted rules for various titles of different works.

The most important thing to remember is to keep your punctuation consistent from one type of work or material to the next. In order to do that, first you need to understand how titles are categorized. Look at our punctuation guide to help determine which title deserves quotations, italics, or regular type.

How to Punctuate Titles

How you use capitalizations and punctuation marks in a title are important. Despite having some creative freedom, most online citation style guides offer some helpful advice for consistency. Keep these rules and examples in mind when you are using various types of titles in your writing.

Rule 1: Capitalize the first and last word of a title

Some people believe that an entire title is written in capitalizations, but that isn’t true unless you are using your own creative style. However, be sure always to capitalize the first and last word. 

For example:

• Lord of the Rings

Rule 2: Capitalize proper nouns, verbs, nouns, and adjectives

Always capitalize any proper nouns, any other nouns, verbs, and adjectives. These make up the bulk of a descriptive title and need to stand out. 

• A Journey Through a History of Magic

Rule #3: Capitalize the subordinate conjunctions like, as, or because

Subordinate conjunctions help combine the rest of the words in a descriptive title and should always be capitalized. 

• Love Like Me

Rule #4: Capitalize words following a colon

Be sure to capitalize the first word following a colon even if it is an article or coordinating conjunction. The part of a title that follows a colon is important to understanding the overall title and deserves added emphasis. 

• Europe: A History

Rule #5: Do not capitalize the articles a, an, and the unless they are the first word of the title

Articles are conjoining words that when capitalized can take away from the main subject of the title. Keep them in lowercase unless they are the first word of the title or follow a colon. 

• The Fellowship of the Ring

Rule #6: Do not capitalize the coordinating conjunctions but, and, or, if, or nor

SImilar to rule #5, keep coordinating conjunctions in lowercase unless they are also the first word of a title or follow a colon. 

• The Fox and the Hound

Rule #7: Do not capitalize short prepositions of less than five letters

Short prepositions also need to be in lowercase to avoid pulling attention from the main subject of the title. To, at, in, and or are more commonly known, but words such as from, out, or over are also included in this list

For example: 

• A History at Antietam: A War to Remember

Rule #8: Capitalize a phrasal verb particle

Go away, give over, and push on are examples of phrasal verbs and should be capitalized as they are usually a prominent part of the title. 

• How to Push On in Life

Rule #9: Always include any ending marks or punctuation included with the title

Don’t add any punctuation or end marks to a title that does not already include them (unless the title ends the actual sentence it is included in). This consists of any colons, commas, question marks, or exclamation points. 

• Why Me? A Story of Survival

Italics vs. Quotations vs. Regular Type

When using titles in your writing you want to indicate to the reader which words represent a title. You do this by making it stand out, and although you can get creative in how you highlight titles, it needs to be consistent in all your writing. Because of that it is sometimes best to follow the accepted rules for title punctuation to help you keep it the same from one text to the next. 

Big Titles vs Little Titles

“Big” titles, such as book titles or album titles, should be italicized. “Little” titles, such chapters in a book or a song title in an album, should be put into quotation marks. 

If you are handwriting, this can be difficult to do. In this situation you will replace the italicized big title with an underline. Leave little titles in quotations. 

• I enjoyed Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Less Traveled” in his anthology, Frost’s Greatest Poems .

Works of Art

Works of art, such as paintings and sculptures, are considered a big work and their title should be italicized (or underlined if handwriting). Photography is considered a little work and should be put into quotations. 

• Michelangelo’s Pieta is located in the Vatican and is an amazing piece to behold. 

Italicized titles indicate a more significant work. These include major works and publications in a variety of both print and digital options. The title of anything in print, such as books, plays, newspapers, and magazines are obvious, but italicization also applies to movies and television shows, plays and operas, blogs, legal cases, published journals, epic poems or book-length poems, paintings, and sculptures, and even cartoons and comic strips. 

Quotation marks are reserved for shorter titles, or titles related to larger pieces of work. This includes the chapters in books, short stories and poems, articles in magazines and newspapers, blog entries, television episodes, and unpublished materials such as lectures and dissertations. 

Regular Type

Even though it feels natural to highlight titles with either italics or quotations within a block of text, there are some titles that should be left as regular type. These include the titles of awards, online databases and websites, religious works, and political documents. Always follow the same capitalization and punctuation rules, even if the title doesn’t call for italicization or quotation mark use.  

Title Guide

Keep this guide handy to help you remember which publications and other works that have titles should be correctly punctuated.

Italicize / Underline

• musical compositions 
• radio shows
• legal cases
• television shows
• musical albums
• cartoons and comic strips
• long poems 

Place in Quotation Marks

• short poems 
• chapters in books
• short stories
• blog entries
• photographs
• episodes of television shows
• articles in magazines, journals, newspapers, and encyclopedias
• unpublished manuscripts, speeches, dissertations, theses, and lectures

Leave as Regular Type

• musical compositions not identified by name
• online databases 
• political documents
• religious works 
• sections, books, and prayers within religious works
• streaming services 
• works of antiquity

Let’s Review

You can reference many titles in your writing, and you want to ensure your readers have a visual of them while they read for contextual purposes. The use of proper punctuation in terms of capitalization, italics, and quotations allows readers to know they are looking at a formal title being referenced within the work.

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When to Punctuate Titles in Italics or Quotes

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You may have wondered in the middle of typing up a research project : Do I italicize  a song title? What about a painting?​ Even the most experienced writers have a problem remembering the proper punctuation for certain types of titles. Books are italicized (or underlined) and articles are put in quotation marks. That's about as far as many people can remember.​

Many teachers require students to use Modern Language Association style for research papers and essays covering language arts, cultural studies, and the humanities . There is a trick to remembering how to treat titles in MLA style, and it works well enough that you can commit most types of titles to memory. It's the big and little trick.

Big Things vs. Little Things

Big things and things that can stand on their own, like books, are italicized. Little things that are dependent or that come as part of a group, like chapters, are put into quotation marks. Think of a CD or an album as a major (big) work that can be divided into smaller parts, or songs. The individual song names (small part) are punctuated with quotation marks .

For example:

• The Sweet Escape , by Gwen Stefani, includes the song "Wind It Up."

While this is not a perfect rule, it can be helpful for determining whether to italicize or surround an item in quotation marks when you have no resources at hand.

Furthermore, italicize or underline any published collection, like a book of poetry. Put the individual entry, like a poem, in quotation marks. However: a long, epic poem that is often published on its own would be treated like a book. The Odyssey is one example.

Punctuating Titles of Works of Art

Creating a work of art is an enormous task. For that reason, you can think of art as a big accomplishment. That might sound a bit corny, but it will help you remember. Individual works of art, like paintings and sculptures, are underlined or italicized:

• Michelangelo 's David
• The Last Supper

Note that a photograph—although not any less significant or important—is often much smaller than a work of created art, and is placed in quotation marks. Following are guidelines for punctuating titles according to MLA standards.

Titles and Names to Italicize

Works to put in italics include:

• A sculpture or statue
• A TV Series
• A cartoon series
• An encyclopedia
• A newspaper

Titles to Put Into Quotation Marks

When deciding how to handle smaller works, put quotation marks around:

• A short story
• A commercial
• An individual episode in a TV series (like "The Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld)
• A cartoon episode, like "Trouble With Dogs"
• A newspaper story

More Tips on Punctuating Titles

Some titles are merely capitalized and not given additional punctuation. These include:

• Religious works, like the Bible or the Koran
• How to Use Italics
• The Case of the Missing Italics
• Guidelines for Using Quotation Marks Correctly
• German Punctuation Zeichensetzung Punctuation Marks Part 1
• MLA Bibliography or Works Cited
• What Is a Citation?
• Turabian Style Guide With Examples
• An Introduction to Punctuation
• How to Write a Bibliography For a Science Fair Project
• Difference Between "Quote" and "Quotation": What Is the Right Word?
• Definition and Examples of Colons
• Learn the Correct Way to Use Quotation Marks in a Headline
• MLA Sample Pages
• Why, Commas Really Do Make A Difference
• 140 Key Copyediting Terms and What They Mean
• HTML Emphasis Tags

Book Title Punctuation 101: Your Quick Guide on How to Punctuate a Book Title

The complexities of book title rules and book name punctuation present a unique set of challenges for authors and publishers. 

Minor errors, such as misplaced punctuation marks or typographical mistakes, can significantly detract from a book's appeal. 

In the name of creative freedom, some authors choose to eschew conventional guidelines for something that enhances cover design. Despite this choice, knowing how to punctuate book titles is essential. 

This article provides guidelines to assist [emerging] writers in confidently applying book title punctuation, eliminating any second guesses about their choices.

Key takeaways:

• Choose between sentence case, title case, or all caps for titles based on punctuation rules across different styles. This includes capitalizing the first and last words, important words, and compound words while avoiding the capitalization of articles, conjunctions, short words, and prepositions.
• The Chicago Manual of Style guides punctuating book titles correctly, covering capitalization, italics, quotation marks, and other marks for precise conveyance in various contexts. Proper title punctuation is vital for effectively presenting a book, influencing reader perception and interest beyond adhering to standard rules.
• Experimentation with style, including fonts, sizes, and punctuation marks, is crucial for creating an impactful title page that captures the essence of the work while maintaining clarity and legibility to attract attention in competitive markets.

How Do You Punctuate a Book Title?

Should you write your titles in sentence case? Title case? All caps? 

Let's see the basic punctuation for book titles. 

Most, if not all, titles in English are written in title case. 

✒️ If you're not writing in English, adhere to the rules of the language you're writing in.

There are four major styles to punctuate book titles:

• Associated Press Stylebook (AP Style): with this style, you will capitalize the words with four or more letters;
• American Psychological Association (APA Style): with this style, you will capitalize the words with five or more letters;
• The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago Style): if you use this writing style, you don't have to take into account the word's length, and you will capitalize all the important words;
• Modern Language Association (MLA Style): if you choose this one, you'll capitalize all major words and those that have four letters or more.

Each style is used for a certain type of writing. For example, the AP Style is used in journalism, the MLA is used for academic purposes, while the Chicago Style is used for extensive writing, book publishing, and academic writing.

Rules to follow when using title case 

Although there are four different styles when it comes to capitalizing your title, there are a few general rules:

• Capitalize the first word in the title
• Capitalize the last word in the title
• Capitalize the important words in the title
• Capitalize compound words (e.g., Science Fiction)

Now, a question could be: which are considered "important" words in a headline? In most cases, you should capitalize the following words:

• Adjectives (e.g., beautiful, happy, aloof)
• Adverbs (e.g., silently, gracefully, clumsily)
• Nouns (e.g., book, phone, typewriter)
• Pronouns (e.g., they, she, he)
• Subordinating conjunctions (e.g., as, so, that)
• Verbs (e.g., write, jump, read)

Words in headlines you don’t generally capitalize: 

• Articles (a, an, the)
• Coordinating Conjunctions (and, but, for)
• Short words (less than five letters) 
• Prepositions (at, by, from)

Rules to follow when using sentence case

There is just one rule, basically. If you choose to use sentence case style, you capitalize only the first letter of the first word and proper nouns like you would do when writing a sentence.

Some writers prefer this style as it's more casual and gives a feeling of consistency. 

The Chicago Manual of Style

The Chicago Manual of Style is mostly used in academic and book publishing. It became a reference for writers and editors because it was one of the first style guides to be published.

Authors refer to it to understand how book titles are punctuated to ensure the correct punctuation for book titles is applied when the book is published.

A key question often arises: Are book titles capitalized? The answer is yes, alongside understanding the specific nuances of this style's particularities in book name punctuation. 

This encompasses capitalization and the use of italics, quotation marks, and other punctuation marks to accurately convey titles within various contexts.

For hyphenated titles:

• Capitalize the first element of the hyphenated word;
• Capitalize the following element of the hyphenated word unless it's an article, preposition, or coordinating conjunction (and, but, for, or, nor):

E.g., High-Quality Services for All Users Worldwide

•  Capitalize the second element in a hyphenated, spelled-out ordinal number.

E.g., Twenty-Ninth of October Is a Day to Remember

• Don't capitalize the second element if the compound word starts with a prefix that could not stand alone by itself (such as anti- or pre-).

E.g., Pre-existing Conditions Can Influence Results

Both Chicago and AP Styles say you should capitalize the first word after a colon in title case:

E.g., A Webinar for Writers: Learn How to Punctuate a Book Title in a Sentence.

In book titles with colons written in sentence case, you should capitalize the first word after the colon only if it can stand as an independent clause.

E.g., I know who you are: You're a book lover

You can access this extensive article from UChicago News to learn more about the Chicago style and the differences between it and the Oxford writing style.

Exception : Some writers who really pay attention to punctuation for the book title will capitalize the preposition that belongs to a phrasal verb even if they are not on the list of words that should be capitalized. 

It is mostly used for content in magazines, blogs, and other minor publications.

E.g., How to Back Up Important Data on Your Drive

Title Page: How to Punctuate Book Titles and Authors

The cover and the book's title serve as the "front" of the entire work. It will definitely help your book get noticed on Amazon and other essential stores.

The title page is (typically) the first page of a book that meets the reader immediately after the cover. 

It contains the title, subtitle, author's name, publisher, and year of issue. 

🔥 Read a detailed explanation about each part of a book .

Here, you can write the title in proper capitalization or use all caps, small caps, or bold. 

The title is usually placed in the middle of the page, followed by the subtitle, which you can put right underneath. You can also separate it from the title with a colon or write it in italics.

Image source

The title needs to be clear, written in legible fonts .

Follow one of the writing styles we previously mentioned and these standards for processing the title page:

• Do not enclose the header in quotation marks.
• Do not add a full stop at the end of the title.

Forget pondering over the punctuation of book titles. These tools will help you ace your book title punctuation:

• Headline Capitalization , choose the preferred headline style.
• Grammarly , for editing or grammar check, so no mistake would remain unnoticed.

How to Use Punctuation Marks in a Book Title

We talked about the title case, sentence case, and the way you can forget about all the rules when it comes to artistic purposes.

Punctuation marks are another element that can emphasize an idea or showcase an element of style.

Typically, we use dashes, colons, question marks, and exclamation points intuitively or by adhering to the standard rules of a particular language. But that may not be enough for book writers.

The punctuation marks in the headings are set according to certain canons, taking into account the book's mood, objectives, and narrative format.

You should think about what feeling you want your readers to get after punctuating book titles.

As a general rule, you shouldn’t use full stops in your titles, but other punctuation marks are acceptable for setting the right intonation:

• «?» - doubt, question;
• «!» - astonishment, delight, joy, emotional appeal;
• «...» - for showing a pause in the speech or an incomplete idea that you will continue in your book.

The headers may also have commas, dashes, or colons. The attractiveness of the title and the reader's interest in the entire book sometimes depend on it.

If you choose a title that sets you apart from other titles through its artistic format, you can also use the same style throughout the book.

Or use a title perfectly adjusted to the rules and then deviate from the punctuation marks in your novels.

Examples of capitalizing book titles:  

The American novelist Cormac McCarthy is already recognized as a living classic. He earned his recognition as a writer due to the success of the novel Blood Meridian.

He stands out because of his love of linguistic experiences and artistic expression. 

Cormac McCarthy believes that you don't need punctuation if you write properly. In his mind, quotation marks are "weird little characters," so he tries to avoid them. And you can notice it in his novels The Road and No Country for Old Men . But the author does not deny the need to use commas, capital letters, and periods. 

It is worth saying that Cormac McCarthy is not the only representative of the literary world who ignores the rules of punctuation.

The list of authors who created their own writing rules also includes:

• William Faulkner: Wrote The Sound and the Fury using unusual syntax. His advice to understand a difficult paragraph: "Read it four times."
• E. E. Cummings: Ignores the standard rules of capitalization and punctuation in his work "r-p-o-p-h-e-s-s-a-g-r" (even the title is something totally different from what you usually see), which at first read seems cryptic.
• Timothy Dexter: Published A Pickle for the Knowing Ones or Plain Truth in a Homespun Dress , which is so weirdly written and punctuated that the original transcription is near-illegible.
• Marcel Proust: Ignores the full stop in the 601-word long sentence (847 words in the original French text) in the first volume, Swann's Way , from his masterpiece In Search of Lost Time.
• Gertrude Stein: Called the comma "a poor period that lets you stop and take a breath but if you want to take a breath you ought to know yourself that you want to take a breath."

Despite their deviation from the usual punctuation rules, these writers won worldwide fame and recognition.

Authors abandon established canons and create their works using unconventional techniques. By analyzing the author's punctuation style, it’s possible to determine the specificity of the novel and explore the non-standard author's syntax. 

Rebel AuThors bReaking title of Books Capitalization rules

Some authors choose to follow their own creative principles to point out an idea or a feeling. 

In other cases, it’s all about making a great design for the book cover. Here are a few examples of punctuating book titles from rebel authors.

Former U.S. President Barack Obama broke the first golden rule on the cover of his book. He mixed the lower and upper cases and removed the capital letters in the first word. 

Here, the entire header was written in lowercase. 

Here, the hyphen was not required, but it eased the reading of the title.

Adhering to book title rules is important; however, a title that strictly follows these guidelines may not always capture the reader's interest. 

Consider the rules not only for correctness but also for their impact on the cover's visual appeal. This is particularly relevant for self-publishers handling their own editing. 

To simplify and avoid overcomplication, adopt a concise and memorable title, like the one below from Stephen King.

Mastering how to punctuate book titles and understanding book title punctuation in text are skills any writer looking to make their work stand out should master.

While adhering to punctuation rules is essential, don't be afraid to experiment with style, including different fonts, sizes, and punctuation marks, to create a visually appealing and flawless book. 

At PublishDrive, we are happy to walk with you to reach your publishing, distribution, and promotion goals.

Know about PublishDrive?

Whether you got short stories or an epic fantasy series, PublishDrive can help you publish in thousands of stores like Amazon and Google worldwide. It's free to try:

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Let’s Clear This Up: Should You Underline Or Italicize Book Titles? 

If your teachers taught you to underline book titles , it probably didn’t make sense to argue. 

Plus, underlining is just easier when you’re writing things out by hand. 

Not so with texting — or when you’re writing a book of your own.

When you reference your sources, do you underline or italicize book titles?

Are novels italicized or underlined?

And does it matter whether a novel or novelette is part of an anthology ? 

What are the rules worth remembering? 

The Basics: Do You Underline or Italicize Book Titles?

Some exceptions to the rule: should you underline or italicize book titles, punctuating book titles, book title italics or quotes .

• Do You Italicize Books Like The Lord of the Rings? 

Do You Italicize the Titles of Sacred Books?

What does the ap stylebook recommend.

If your main question is “Do I underline book titles or italicize them?” most style guides recommend the following guidelines: 

• If you have italics as an option, use it. 
• If not, underline. 
• If underlining isn’t an option, use asterisks or under-slashes to set off titles. 

That last one is the way to go when you include a book title in a text message or social media post or comment, where you can’t apply any kind of text formatting. 

Underlining can be problematic with digital text (websites, digital apps, and ebooks) since we now associate it with hyperlinks, even if the font color matches the text around it. 

Probably the most common scenario, when you can underline but not effectively italicize, is when you’re writing something by hand. While you could switch to cursive mid-sentence, underlining is less likely to be dismissed as a random quirk. 

Plus, underlining is easier than cursive. 

We’ve already mentioned one exception to the rule favoring italics. Handwriting makes underlining easier and more obvious. 

Another exception is when you’re submitting text through a web form, which doesn’t allow text formatting (much like texting and social media posts). 

A third exception involves chunks of italicized text that include a book title. In this case, you’ll want to keep the title unitalicized to make it stand out. 

Keep these exceptions in mind when someone asks you, “Do you italicize book titles?” Because they do matter. 

There’s one final exception, which we’ll revisit at the end of this post, and that has to do with the particular style guide you may be using. 

So, what do you do if you’re italicizing a book title and you have to add punctuation — like an apostrophe to show possession — that isn’t part of the title? Do you treat that differently from the punctuation that the author included? 

For the sake of clarity, we keep any added punctuation (apostrophes, dashes , ellipses, etc.) — anything not native to the original title — in regular, non-italicized text. 

Examples: 

• “Looking at the books stacked nearby, I saw that Blink ’s cover was slightly creased from its days in my purse.”  (The apostrophe-s ending is not italicized because it’s not part of the title.)
• “She just finished reading Salem’s Lot , and she’d rather not talk about it. Give her time.” (In this case, the apostrophe-s at the end of Salem is part of the title and is italicized.) 

So, are all book titles italicized? And what about titles for smaller works like short stories, magazine articles, and blog posts? 

To keep the rule as simple as possible, ask yourself whether the title in question is for a published container — like a blog, a website, a magazine or scholarly journal, or a complete book — or for something that would be contained. 

Would you find this title on the cover of a finished whole (an album, the cover image for a podcast, etc.) or in a table of contents or a list of songs, poems, or podcast episodes? 

Larger works get the italics treatment, as you’ll see in the following examples:

• Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed
• For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway
• Back in Black (album) by AC/DC
• Live Bold and Bloom (blog)
• Authority Self Publishing: Marketing, Writing, and Kindle Publishing Tips (podcast)

Smaller works that a larger work could contain get quotation marks. It’s not about which one is more important; it’s about making it easier for readers to tell them apart. 

When you see a story title in quotation marks, you’re more likely to think, “Oh, that must be a short story?” Find a book of short stories and check out the table of contents, and you’ll find quotes around each story’s title. 

Each is a smaller part of the whole collection, which bears an italicized title of its own.  

Do You Italicize Titles of Novels and Books Included in Anthologies? 

So, what about Reader’s Digest Condensed Books (1950-1997) — or Reader’s Digest Select Editions (since 1997)? 

Each of the works included are abridged versions of completed books and novels. 

If you’re looking up some options on Amazon, you’ll see quotation marks around the titles of the books and novels included in each hardcover edition. 

It’s tempting to think the abridgment of the title is the reason for this. But collections like Reader’s Digest editions aren’t the only ones that do this—even when the titles in the collection are unabridged originals. 

Read on for another well-known example.

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Do You Italicize Books Like The Lord of the Rings ? 

Books like LOTR bring together separate books that are all part of a complete series. In LOTR’s case, the complete set is a trilogy with the following titles: 

• The Fellowship of the Ring
• The Two Towers
• The Return of the King

If the book you’re referencing in your own writing is a separate title with its own cover, you’ll italicize the title in-text citations and in your bibliography. 

But if you’re using the complete LOTR trilogy under one cover, you’ll set off any of the enclosed titles with quotation marks — as if they were separate parts of a larger book. 

The same rule applies to other books that include all the titles in a specific series. 

While we do italicize specific editions of sacred books (e.g., The New King James Bible ), we do not generally italicize or underline the generic titles of sacred religious texts: 

• The Bible (and individual books in the Bible)
• The Koran / Qur’an and The Hadiths
• The Vedas and the Upanishads
• The Tanakh and the Talmud
• The Tipitaka (Buddhism)

As for the specific books inside the Christian Bible, if you’re referencing a specific verse, you’ll include the name of the book (or an abbreviation), along with the chapter and verse, and text formatted the same as the text around it (e.g., Matt 3:5 or 2 Corinthians 4:16). 

Not all style guides recommend italicizing book titles; the AP Stylebook uses quotation marks instead, maybe just to simplify things.  

That said, publications like Writers Digest use the AP Stylebook but choose to italicize their book titles in deference to their own house rules. 

Whether you go that route will likely depend on what you or your client wants. 

If you’re thoroughly confused right now, the main thing to remember is that in most cases, the rules described above will help you correctly format any book titles you reference in your own writing. 

• If it’s a container (book, album, podcast, TV series, etc.), use italics.
• If it’s contained by a container (poem, TV episode, song, etc.), use quotation marks.

When in doubt, check your style guide.  And if you’re writing for someone else, ask them what they prefer or consult their chosen style guide. 

Whatever rules you go with, be consistent. 

Now that you know how to answer the question, “Do you underline book titles or italicize them?” which points stood out for you as most helpful? And what have you learned that you want to remember? 

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• Writing Tips

How to Write Book Titles in Your Essays

3-minute read

• 26th May 2023

When writing an essay, you’re likely to mention other authors’ works, such as books, papers, and articles. Formatting the titles of these works usually involves using quotation marks or italics.

So how do you write a book title in an essay? Most style guides have a standard for this – be sure to check that first. If you’re unsure, though, check out our guide below.

Italics or Quotation Marks?

As a general rule, you should set titles of longer works in italics , and titles of shorter works go in quotation marks . Longer works include books, journals, TV shows, albums, plays, etc. Here’s an example of a book mention:

Shorter works include poems, articles, chapters of books, episodes of TV shows, songs, etc. If it’s a piece that’s part of a biggHow to Write Book Titles in Your Essayser work, the piece considered a short work:

Exceptions to the Rule

The rule for writing book titles in italics applies specifically to running text . If the book title is standing on its own, as in a heading, there’s no need to italicize it.

Additionally, if the book is part of a larger series and you’re mentioning both the title of the series and that of the individual book, you can consider the book a shorter work. You would set the title of the series in italics and place the book title in quotation marks:

Punctuation in Book Titles

Do you need to apply italics to the punctuation in a book title? The short answer is yes – but only if the punctuation is part of the title:

If the punctuation isn’t part of the title (i.e., the punctuation is part of the sentence containing the title), you shouldn’t include in the italics:

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Summary: Writing Book Titles in Essays

We hope you’ll now feel confident when you’re writing and formatting book titles in your essays. Generally, you should set the title in italics when it’s in running text. Remember, though, to check your style guide. While the standards we’ve covered are the most common, some style guides have different requirements.

And once you finish writing your paper, make sure you send it our way! We’ll make sure any titles are formatted correctly as well as checking your work for grammar, spelling, punctuation, referencing, and more. Submit a free sample to try our service today.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you write the title of a book in a sentence.

Set the title of the book in italics unless the book is part of a larger work (e.g., a book that’s part of a series):

When do you use quotation marks for titles?

Place titles of shorter works or pieces that are contained in a larger work in quotation marks:

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How To Write Book Titles The Proper Way: A Complete Guide For Writers

• February 10, 2022

Book titles within essays or papers can be tricky. There are specific rules that are given for how to include a book title in a way that sets it apart from the content of your writing given by the Modern Language Association. However, as with many other things in life, there are exceptions to the rules. This article will guide you through the rules of the writing style guides so that you can include a book’s title in your paper or essay correctly.

How to write book titles:

Style guides and book titles.

When it comes to book titles within text, there are a few different style guides that have rules you can follow, depending on your writing type. The three types that you will encounter most often are; MLA style, Chicago manual of style, and APA. A writing instructor will usually tell you what style guide you are expected to use for a particular essay or paper.

MLA Style Guide

The MLA handbook states that you should always italicize book titles when styling book titles within your text. The exception to this rule are religious texts. You would not italicize the Holy Bible or the sacred books or titles of other religions. Note the following example.

Pam had stayed most of the summer indoors, re-reading her favorite book series. She was already up to  Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone , and she didn’t regret not being more active or going outside.

In the above example, the book title is italicized. Fiction titles and nonfiction titles alike must be in italics when within the text.

Series Titles in MLA

In the above example, a book from a series was used. But what if the text had not specified which book from the series Pam was reading? Would it still need to be in italics? The answer is: in this case, yes. In other cases, sometimes.

It’s really not as confusing as it seems. When you are talking about a book series but don’t want or need to include the complete series titles for the purposes of your work, you only have to put words in italics that also appear in the book titles. So, because  Harry Potter  is part of the title of all of the books in the series, you would italicize his name every time you mention the book.

However, if you were talking about Katniss Everdeen, you would not have to do this, as the book series she is featured in doesn’t use her name in the titles of  The Hunger Games  series. The same would be true of books like the Nancy Drew books.

Quotation Marks

There are instances in which titles should be placed inside of quotation marks within a paper or essay. This is done when you cite the titles of poems , a chapter title, short stories, articles, or blogs.

So, for example, if you were to write a paper that featured a poem from a book, you would put the book title in italics and the poems cited in quotation marks.

An example of an enduring love poem is “Annabel Lee” from  The Complete Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. 

Chapter Title

Another time that quotation marks should be used is when using the title of a chapter. If you are citing a specific chapter of a book, you would enclose the title of the chapter in quotation marks, and the title of the book should be in italics.

The desperation and sadness of a man on death row can be seen in the “Wild Wind Blowing” chapter of Norman Mailer’s  The Executioner’s Song. 

Short Stories

Short stories are another case. Much like the title of a chapter or poem, in which the title is placed in quotation marks, while the title of the book or collection it is found in is italics. The same can be said for sections, stories, or chapters cited within a literary journal.

Stepping away from his norm of horror and gore, Stephen King writes of trust, love, and regret in his story “The Last Rung on the Ladder,” which can be found in his short story collection  Night Shift. 

Punctuation Marks

If you are citing a story or title that includes question marks, you need to make sure to italicize the question mark when citing. Keep all punctuation, such as a question mark, comma, ellipses, colon, or exclamation mark, as it is in the original individual books.

If you want a funny and irreverent read, you’ve got to try  Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea.  Chelsea Handler has done a phenomenal job of being vulgar, relatable, and explaining life from her viewpoint in this hilarious and memorable book.

The Digital Age: Are Book Titles Underlined Anymore?

MLA style used to dictate that a book title should either be in italics or underlined. However, that is no longer the case. As computers started to take over as the major tool used in writing, it became unpopular to underline book titles. Therefore, this rule was dropped from the style guides.

However, it should be mentioned that when handwriting an essay or research paper, many instructors prefer that you underline book titles, as it’s relatively difficult to handwrite italics. If you are in a writing course or a class that is heavy on handwritten work, be sure to ask your instructor or teacher which method they prefer for citing a book title.

How to Come Up with Book Title Ideas

Now that quotation marks, italics, and style guides have been discussed, let’s move on to how you can come up with your own book title. If you’d like a title for your book that sounds interesting and will get a reader’s attention, you may find this article helpful.

Coming up with a good title for your book is a challenging yet essential marketing decision . The right title can make your target audience choose your new book off of the shelf instead of another writer’s work. Your book cover and your book title are quite possibly the most important marketing decisions you will make.

How to Choose a Good Book Title

Certain criteria should be met if you want to have a good book title , and there are specific steps involved in getting there. You may have assumed up until now that titles of books were just spur of the moment decisions made by authors or publishers, but a lot of work goes into writing good titles.

Grab the Reader’s Attention

As a general rule, you want your reader to remember your title and to sound interesting, even without the reader having seen the cover. There are several ways to do this. You can be a little dark with your title, be controversial, provoke the reader, or even be funny.

There are many examples of such works that use memorable and attention-seeking titles. The following are some different titles that are effective and would most likely provoke a reader to grab them from a shelf for closer inspection.

• Burn After Writing (Sharon Jones)
• Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
• Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (Mindy Kaling)
• Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea (Chelsea Handler)
• The Devil Wears Prada (Lauren Weisberger)
• Chicken Soup for the Soul (various authors)
• God Bless You, Dr. Kevorkian (Kurt Vonnegut)

Shorter Titles

If your full title for your book is long, you may end up boring a reader or creating a situation where a reader tries to remember the title of your book, but it’s too long and ends up getting it confused with another book. Although you should always do your best to make sure that there aren’t books by other authors that share a title or have a title similar to your book (more on that in a minute), you don’t want a person to get confused and get the wrong book instead.

Research Your Title Ideas

It’s a good idea to take the titles you have considered for your book and make a list. Then, do your homework. You can use tools like Google Adwords to test out your title to see if there are others like it, or you can simply use any search engine and plug your title ideas into the search bar and see what similar or exact titles of the same words pop up.

Readers are generally busy people. They don’t have the time or the energy to ensure that writers get a title right. They’ll look for the book they are interested in, and if it proves to be too difficult, or if there are other books written that have the same title, they’ll move on to something else.

A writer really has to make sure that they have a title that isn’t going to be ignored, is interesting, isn’t too long, and isn’t too similar to other works.

The same goes for titles of short works within a larger body of work. Short works, like poems or stories, need to have unique titles as well when included in a larger body of work, such as a collection. If stories are similar in nature, be sure to title them differently so that readers will be able to tell them apart, as well.

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Using Italics for Book Titles: A Common Practice in Writing

Capitalizing important words in book titles: establishing consistency, quotation marks for short works within book titles: guidelines to follow, addressing punctuation in book titles: hyphens, colons, and commas, formatting book titles in reference lists: apa vs. mla style, considering different languages: handling book titles beyond english, necessary adjustments: when writing book titles for digital platforms, frequently asked questions, insights and conclusions.

When it comes to writing, italics play a significant role in adding emphasis and clarity to various elements, such as book titles. It has become a common practice in the literary world to use italics for book titles, allowing readers to easily distinguish between the title and the rest of the text. Whether you’re writing a novel, an essay, or even a blog post, utilizing italics for book titles is a simple yet effective way to ensure that your readers can quickly identify the specific literary works you are referring to.

By italicizing book titles, you create a visual distinction that draws attention to the titles and makes them stand out. This formatting convention helps readers easily identify the names of books within your text, which is vital in conveying information accurately. When it comes to citing sources or providing references, it has become the norm to use italics for book titles in both academic and casual writing realms. Emphasizing book titles through italics not only follows established writing conventions but also helps to maintain uniformity and clarity, making your written works more professional and reader-friendly.

Using italics for book titles is a common and widely accepted practice that adds an extra layer of clarity and distinction to your writing. It helps maintain consistency in formatting and aids readers in easily identifying the titles of books you mention. So, whether you’re discussing a classic like “Pride and Prejudice” or a contemporary bestseller like “The Girl on the Train,” don’t forget to italicize those book titles to enhance the overall readability and professionalism of your written work.

In the world of book titles, capitalizing important words is crucial to ensure consistency and readability. By establishing a consistent approach, authors and publishers can enhance the visual appeal of their titles and grab the attention of potential readers. Here are some guidelines to help you navigate the realm of capitalization in book titles:

1. Maintain consistency: Consistency is key when it comes to capitalizing important words in book titles. Decide on a specific style and stick to it throughout your work. Whether you choose to capitalize only nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs; or capitalize all major words (except for articles, conjunctions, and prepositions), maintaining consistency will make your title visually pleasing and professional.

2. Be mindful of style guides: Depending on the genre or publishing house requirements , there may be specific style guides that dictate capitalization rules for book titles. Familiarize yourself with these guidelines to ensure your book aligns with industry standards. For instance, some style guides advocate capitalizing all words in the title, regardless of their grammatical role, while others may recommend a more selective approach.

When it comes to incorporating short works within book titles, the proper use of quotation marks is essential to ensure clarity and accuracy. Quotation marks serve as a valuable tool for distinguishing short works, such as chapters, articles, and poems, from the rest of the book title. By following the guidelines provided below, you can effectively utilize quotation marks for short works within your book titles.

1. Identify the short work: First and foremost, identify the specific short work within your book title. This could include a single chapter, short story, or poem. Having a clear understanding of what constitutes the short work is crucial in using quotation marks correctly.

2. Enclose the short work in quotation marks: Once the short work is determined, enclose it within quotation marks. These can be either single (‘ ‘) or double (” “) quotation marks, as per your preference. Consistency is key, so make sure to use the same type of quotation marks throughout the book title.

3. Capitalize appropriately: For the short work itself, capitalize the first word and any other significant words within it, following the usual rules of capitalization. However, if the short work already adheres to a unique capitalization style (e.g., “e.e. cummings’ poems”), preserve that formatting.

4. Maintain proper punctuation: Proper punctuation is crucial when incorporating quotation marks for short works within book titles. If the short work ends with a question or exclamation mark, include it within the quotation marks. However, if the punctuation mark is unrelated to the short work, place it outside the closing quotation mark.

In the world of book titles, punctuation plays a vital role in conveying meaning and style. Whether it’s the appropriate use of hyphens, colons, or commas, understanding these punctuation marks can make a significant difference in the overall impact of a book’s title. Let’s delve into each of these punctuation marks and discover how they can enhance the effectiveness and aesthetic appeal of book titles.

Hyphens, though small in size, have a big impact on book titles. They are used to connect words, creating compound terms that specify a particular subject or theme. For example, in the title “The Moonlight-Kissed Ocean,” the hyphen between “Moonlight” and “Kissed” suggests a magical connection between the two elements. Hyphens can also aid in clarifying the meaning of a title when multiple words are combined, like in “The Time-Traveling Detective,” where the hyphen distinguishes that the detective himself is capable of time travel. Properly utilizing hyphens ensures that your book title is fluid, cohesive, and captures the attention of potential readers.

Moving on to colons, these versatile punctuation marks act as signposts within book titles. They serve various purposes, from providing a subtitle or explanatory information to indicating a chronological or thematic structure. In a title such as “Journey to the Unknown: Exploring the Depths of the Amazon,” the colon divides the title into two distinct parts, with the first part offering a broader concept and the second part revealing a specific journey. Colons can also lend an air of authority or intrigue, as seen in titles like “The Secret Life of Ants: Unveiling Nature’s Miniature Architects” or “The Art of Negotiation: Mastering Persuasive Techniques.” With their ability to guide readers and create anticipation, colons are an invaluable tool in crafting captivating book titles .

Lastly, let’s not underestimate the power of commas when it comes to book titles. Commas, when strategically placed, can add depth and clarity to the overall meaning of the title. They are often used to create pauses or separate ideas within a longer title, allowing the reader to digest the different elements. For example, in a title such as “The Wild Adventure, A Tale of Friendship and Courage,” the comma after “Adventure” signifies a shift in focus, inviting the reader to explore the themes of friendship and courage. Commas can also be used to create a sense of rhythm or emphasis, as demonstrated in the title “Whispers in the Wind, Echoes of Forgotten Love.” By deftly employing commas, authors can give their book titles a lyrical quality and captivate readers from the very start.

In the world of academic writing, it is crucial to pay attention to the proper formatting of book titles when creating reference lists. Both the American Psychological Association (APA) and Modern Language Association (MLA) styles provide guidelines on how to format book titles, but they differ in their approach. Understanding these variations can help you navigate the intricacies of citation and ensure that your reference list is accurate and consistent.

In APA style, book titles are generally written in sentence case, where only the first letter of the first word and any proper nouns are capitalized. However, for MLA style, book titles are written in title case, where the first letter of all major words is capitalized. To make it more concrete, let’s take an example. In APA style, “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee would be written as “To kill a mockingbird,” whereas in MLA style, it would be written as “To Kill a Mockingbird.” The key takeaway is to follow the specific guidelines of the style you are using to ensure that your book titles are formatted correctly in your reference list. Remember to consult the official style guides for more in-depth information on the specific rules and exceptions for book titles in APA and MLA styles.

When it comes to handling book titles beyond English, there are several factors to consider in order to ensure accuracy and cultural relevance. Firstly, it is important to understand the nuances of the target language and its unique grammatical rules, as this can greatly impact the translation of book titles. For example, certain languages may have specific conventions regarding capitalization, punctuation, and the placement of articles.

Additionally, it is crucial to take into account the cultural context in which the book title will be used. This entails considering the impact of cultural references, idiomatic expressions, and even potential sensitivities. Adapting book titles for different languages often involves striking a balance between maintaining the essence of the original title and making it accessible and appealing to the target audience. It may require creativity and flexibility to find a suitable translation or adaptation that captures the essence of the book while resonating with the cultural norms of the target language.

When dealing with book titles in multiple languages, attention to detail is key. Here are a few best practices to consider:

– Research the target language thoroughly, paying attention to grammar, sentence structure, and vocabulary. – Consult with native speakers or language professionals to ensure accuracy and cultural appropriateness. – Consider the tone and style of the book when adapting titles, as different languages may require different approaches to convey the same message effectively. – Use italics or quotation marks to differentiate the book title from other text in your writing. – Maintain consistency in formatting and capitalization throughout your work to create a polished and professional look.

Creating book titles for digital platforms requires certain adjustments to ensure maximum visibility and engagement. In the age of digital content consumption, it is crucial for authors and publishers to adopt strategies that effectively capture the attention of potential readers. Here are some essential tips to consider when crafting book titles specifically for digital platforms:

1. Keep it concise and catchy: In a world filled with countless distractions, brevity is key. Digital readers tend to skim through titles quickly, so aim for a concise title that captures the essence of your book. Use strong and attention-grabbing words that will pique their curiosity and make them want to click for more.

2. Optimize for search engines: With the abundance of books available online, it’s important to ensure your book title can be easily discovered by search engines. Include relevant keywords and phrases that are likely to be searched by your target audience. Research popular search terms related to your book’s genre or topic, and integrate them naturally into your title to improve its visibility in search results.

Q: How do you properly denote a book title in writing? A: To denote a book title in writing, use italics or underline the title. It’s important to follow certain guidelines, such as being consistent throughout your writing and using proper formatting.

Q: When should I use italics to denote a book title? A: Use italics to denote a book title when writing in digital formats, such as essays, articles, blog posts, or online publications. Italicizing the title helps differentiate it from the rest of the text and makes it easier for readers to identify.

Q: When should I underline a book title? A: Underlining book titles is generally used when writing by hand or with typewriters. However, in modern writing, underlining has been largely replaced by italics in digital formats. It is best to use italics unless specifically instructed otherwise.

Q: Can I use quotation marks instead of italics or underlining? A: Quotation marks are reserved for shorter works, such as chapters or articles within a larger book, poems, short stories, or individual songs. Book titles are typically formatted differently from these shorter works and should be italicized or underlined instead.

Q: What about titles of books within a book or series? A: When referring to a specific book within a book or series, use italics or underline the title of the individual book. However, if you are including the series title as well, italicize or underline the series title, while the individual book title remains in regular font.

Q: Should I capitalize all the words in a book title? A: Capitalize the first word, last word, and all important words in a book title, such as nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. Do not capitalize articles (a, an, the), prepositions (to, at, on, in), or coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or).

Q: What if a book title contains a subtitle? A: When a book title includes a subtitle, place a colon (:) after the main title, and then italicize or underline the main title and subtitle. Ensure that all the capitalization rules mentioned earlier are followed for both the main title and subtitle.

Q: Are there any exceptions to italicizing or underlining book titles? A: Yes, there are a few exceptions. The Bible and other sacred religious texts, such as the Quran or Torah, are not italicized or underlined. Instead, they should be capitalized and written in regular font.

Q: What should I do if I’m unsure about the formatting of a book title? A: If you’re uncertain about the proper formatting of a book title, it’s always best to consult a style guide or the specific guidelines provided by your instructor, publisher, or editor. Additionally, there are various online resources that can provide guidance and examples for book title formatting.

In conclusion, correctly denoting book titles in writing may seem daunting, but by following these best practices, you can ensure clarity and accuracy. Happy writing!

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How to Capitalize and Punctuate Titles

Citation Maker will take care of italics and most punctuation. The punctuation exceptions are listed below. However, Citation Maker cannot check for proper capitalization and spelling. That is up to you. Below are the APA rules for capitalization and punctuation that you will need to know.

Capitalization

3 Ways to Capitalize a Title  

• Sentence case is capitalizing like you would for a regular sentence. Capitalize the first word, the first word of a subtitle, nouns followed by numerals or letters, and all proper nouns. 
• Title case is capitalizing like you usually would do for a title. Capitalize all words over 3 letters long. 
• “As it appears on the source” is the third style. Capitalize the text or title exactly as it appears on your source, even if all words are in lower case, if there is camel case (ex: PowerPoint), etc.  Titles are cited in sentence case with only a few exceptions.

When to Use Title Case (pp. 294 & 298)

Periodical titles, website names, and social media site names use title case. Periodical titles should be in italics, which Citation Maker will do automatically.

Periodical title: Journal of the American Medical Association

Website name: Curiosity Machine

Social media site name: We Heart It

When to Use “As It Appears on the Source” (p. 293)

For social media posts, blog posts, comments on posts, and other online posts without titles, enter the full text exactly as it appears in the post, up to the first 20 words. For social media posts, the text should be in italics, which Citation Maker will do automatically. However, emojis should not be italicized, so after you create your reference list, you may need to remove italics from emojis or fix any that did not copy or transfer correctly.

Tweet =>  Citation Maker is #awesome 👍 👍 

Online forum comment => What do you think while on the launchpad about to launch? [Comment on the online forum post I'm NASA astronaut Scott Tingle. Ask me anything about adjusting to being back on Earth after my first spaceflight! ]

Blog comment => What an exciting interface! Theater and Science have much more overlap than is typically given credit for, I hope that [Comment on the blog post “What scientists can learn from stand-up comedians”]

When to Use Sentence Case (pp. 291-292)  

• Sources that are part of a greater whole, like journal articles, edited book chapters, television or podcast episodes, and songs or tracks -- The title should not be italicized and should not be in quotes, which Citation Maker accounts for automatically.

Earthquakes: How big will they get?  

Symphony No. 8 in B minor, Op. 47 [Note: "No." and "Op." are capitalized because APA indicates to capitalize nouns (number and opus) that are followed by numbers (8 and 47).]

• Sources that stand alone, like books, reports, television or podcast series, albums, and webpages -- The title should be in italics, which Citation Maker will do automatically.  

Cool salsa: Bilingual poems on growing up Latino in the United States

• For an untitled work of art or other visual work , provide a generic description. Include the medium of the source. The description should not be in italics or quotes and should be in square brackets, which Citation Maker will do automatically.

[Necklace of silver with turquoise stones]

[Oil on canvas abstract impressionism painting]

• For titles in another language, follow the original title with a translation in English, enclosed in brackets and not italicized. Citation Maker will automatically italicize the entire title, so you will have to remove the italics from the bracketed portion after you create your reference list. 

  L'étranger [The stranger]  

Punctuation

Citation Maker will automatically include the correct punctuation in the correct places. However, there are a few exceptions. Here are areas where you will need to add punctuation.

End the main part of the title with a colon , and capitalize the first word of the subtitle.

Numbered Volume with Its Own Title from a Multi-volume Set (p. 295)

In the Book Title field, enter the title of the set, followed by a colon. Then enter the abbreviation Vol. and the volume number, followed by a period. Last, enter the title of the volume. Citation Maker will automatically enter a period at the end of the complete title.

UXL encyclopedia of Native American tribes: Vol. 3. Southwest  

Descriptions in Brackets (pp. 292-293)

Citation Maker includes options to describe most sources (like a painting) when required by APA. Sometimes you may want to provide a source description that Citation Maker does not allow for. If so, create your citation, add it to your reference list, and then add the description after the citation’s source title. Do not italicize the description, only capitalize the first word, and enclose it in square brackets. APA does not have rules about the words you can use, but keep the description brief. Be sure that there is a period after the closing bracket. Ex: [Watercolor on fabric].

Examples of descriptions used in Citation Maker:

Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets (J. Dale, Narr.) [Audiobook].

4 steps to manage your diabetes for life [Pamphlet].

Fast food nation [Film].

Stephen Hawking: Questioning the universe [Video].

Star trek [TV series]. 

Garden at Sainte-Adresse [Painting]. 

About [Facebook page].

Healthy eating [PowerPoint slides].

Ending with Punctuation Other than a Period (p. 292)

Include a question mark or exclamation point if it is part of the title. Otherwise, Citation Maker will automatically include the period at the end of a title element in the correct place.

Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets .  

It can’t be true!: The book of incredible visual comparisons .

American Psychological Association. (2020). Elements of reference list entries . APA Style. https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/elements-list-entry#title

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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