mla essay title capitalization

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Making title capitalization easy. Automatically capitalize and case convert to Title Case (in AP, APA, Chicago, MLA, BB, AMA ) , sentence case, UPPERCASE, lowercase, and more.

What is capitalize my title.

Capitalize My Title is an easy, smart title capitalization tool that uses title capitalization rules published by leading professional organizations to ensure your titles and headlines are capitalized correctly. We analyze your titles and headlines using a combination of logic and artificial intelligence (AI) / machine learning to determine which words in your heading should be capitalized.

Join our free writing community on Skool .

How to use capitalize my title.

• Select your title capitalization style above by clicking on a tab. If you have questions, read our title capitalization rules below.
• Enter your title in the text box.
• Watch your title convert case and be automatically capitalized!
• If you want to, you can press “Enter” on your keyboard or click the Copy button next to the text box to copy the text to your clipboard.
• Capitalize your next title.

Bonus: We have some great shortcuts to make your life easier.

Quick Links: How to Use Capitalize My Title , What to Capitalize in a Title ( What Is Title Case , What Is Sentence Case ), Title Capitalization Rules by Style ( APA , Chicago , AP , MLA , BB , AMA , NY Times , Wikipedia )

Case Converter Options

You have multiple options to capitalize and change the case of your titles, headlines, song titles, book titles, email subjects, and more. Below is a description of the ways you can use our case converter.

The top tabs allow you to select which style of capitalization you want to use. You can learn more in the Title Capitalization Rules by Style section.

• APA : Capitalize using the APA style guide.
• Chicago : Capitalize using the Chicago Manual of Style capitalization rules.
• AP : Use the Associated Press Stylebook capitalization guidelines.
• MLA : Use the MLA Handbook title capitalization rules.
• BB: Use the Bluebook title capitalization rules.
• AMA: Use the AMA Manual of Style capitalization rules.
• NY Times: Use the NY Times style guidelines.
• Wikipedia: Use Wikipedia’s capitalization rules.
• Email: Use proper capitalization rules for email.

Bottom Buttons

The buttons at the bottom let you choose specific case conversion options for the various styles.

• Title Case: Capitalize only the words that should be capitalized according to the top tab style guide.
• Sentence Case : Capitalize only the first word of each sentence.
• Uppercase: Convert your title from lowercase to uppercase .
• Lowercase: Convert your title from uppercase to lowercase .
• First Letter / Proper Case: Capitalize the first letter of every word.
• Alt Case: Capitalize every other letter of your text starting with the first letter being capitalized.
• Toggle Case: Change the case of every letter in your string. Similar to the Microsoft Word feature.

Other Options

• Straight quotes: Curly quotes (“,”,‘,’) are used in good typography . If you need to use straight quotes, enable this feature.
• Get Headline Score/Get Email Subject Score: Find out how strong your headline or email subject is by using our convenient tools.

Common Case Converter Uses

Title case converter.

Quickly convert your title or text to title case by simply clicking the “Title Case” button in the tool above.

Sentence case converter

Quickly convert your title or text to sentence case by simply clicking the “Sentence case” button in the tool above.

Uppercase to lowercase converter

If you left caps lock on accidentally, you can quickly convert your title from uppercase to lowercase by selecting the “lower” button above. This will uncapitalize your text. You can also use this tool to do it automatically.

Lowercase to uppercase converter

Alternatively, you can use our tool to convert text from lowercase to uppercase by clicking the “UPPER” button. You can also use this tool to do it automatically.

Uppercase to title case converter

If you want to change your title from uppercase to title case, you can select the “Title Case” button above.

All caps converter

You can quickly convert your text or title to all caps by selecting the “UPPER” button on the tool. This will convert your text to uppercase.

What to Capitalize in a Title

Understanding what to capitalize in a title is important to make sure that your titles and headlines look correct. If you’re confused about what words to capitalize in a title or headline, we recommend using our title capitalization tool above, but if you want specific capitalization rules, they are as follows.

First, it is important to note that there are four main title capitalization styles: Chicago style, APA style, MLA style, and AP style . Each of these capitalization styles has slightly different rules for which words are capitalized and each of these styles can be written using title case capitalization or sentence case capitalization.

What Is Title Case Capitalization?

Title case is the most common form of title and headline capitalization and is found in all four major title capitalization styles. Title case is also commonly used for book titles, movies titles, song names, plays, and other works.

In general, the following capitalization rules apply across the four styles in title case:

• Capitalize the first word in the title
• Capitalize the last word in the title
• Capitalize the important words in the title

Important words in that last bullet generally refer to:

• Adjectives (tiny, large, etc.)
• Adverbs (quietly, smoothly, etc.)
• Nouns (tablet, kitchen, book)
• Pronouns (they, she, he)
• Subordinating conjunctions (when fewer than 5 letters)
• Verbs (write, type, create)

Title case is the most common title capitalization for book titles, headlines, articles titles, etc. When multiple letters in a title need to be capitalized, use title case capitalization.

Words Not Capitalized in Title Case

While the above words are generally capitalized in titles regardless of style, there are some words that are generally not capitalized when using title case. Again, these will depend on the specific style you choose (see Title Capitalization Rules by Style section). These include short words and conjunctions:

• Articles (a, an, the)
• Coordinating Conjunctions (and, but, for)
• Short (fewer than 4 letters)
• Prepositions (at, by, to, etc.)

What Is Sentence Case?

The other major type of title capitalization standard is sentence case. Sentence case simply means you capitalize the first letter of a sentence, proper nouns , and nothing else as opposed to capitalizing almost every first letter in title case. It is the same across all of the four styles.

For more specific title capitalization rules, you can see the following sections which cover each style of title capitalization rules or check out our FAQs for common capitalization questions. Our tool lets you convert the case of your text easily into sentence case.

Title Capitalization Rules by Style

Chicago manual of style 17th edition capitalization rules.

Chicago Style is one of the most used and respected headline capitalization methods used in journalism. The rules are fairly standard for title case:

• Capitalize the first and the last word.
• Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including phrasal verbs such as “play with”), adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions.
• Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions (regardless of length).
• Lowercase the second word after a hyphenated prefix (e.g., Mid-, Anti-, Super-, etc.) in compound modifiers (e.g., Mid-year, Anti-hero, etc.).
• Lowercase the ‘to’ in an infinitive (e.g., I Want to Play Guitar ).

Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) 7th Edition Capitalization Rules

Making sure you have the right capitalization for APA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. The following rules apply to APA headline capitalization and title capitalization:

• Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading
• Capitalize all major words (nouns, verbs including phrasal verbs such as “play with”, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns) in the title/heading, including the second part of hyphenated major words (e.g., Self-Report not Self-report)
• Capitalize all words of four letters or more.

Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook, 9th Edition Capitalization Rules

Making sure you have the right capitalization for MLA headings is crucial for scholarly articles. The following rules apply to MLA headings:

• Capitalize the first word of the title/heading and of any subtitle/subheading.
• Capitalize all major words (nouns, verbs including phrasal verbs such as “play with”, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns) in the title/heading, including the second part of hyphenated major words (e.g., Self-Report not Self-report).
• Do not capitalize articles, prepositions (regardless of length), and coordinating conjunctions.
• Do not capitalize ‘to’ in infinitives (e.g., I Want to Play Guitar ).

The Associated Press (AP) 2020 Edition Stylebook Capitalization Rules

AP style capitalization is mainly used by writers for the Associated Press but is also used widely throughout journalism. The capitalization rules are as follows:

• Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions.
• Lowercase the second word in a compound modifier (e.g., Mid-year or On-site).
• Capitalize words with four or more letters (including conjunctions and prepositions).
• Capitalize both parts of a hyphenated word ( new as of 4/25/23 ).
• Capitalize the ‘to’ in an infinitive (e.g., I Want To Play Guitar ).

Bluebook 21st Edition Capitalization Rules

Bluebook style capitalization is mainly used by lawyers. The capitalization rules are as follows:

• Lowercase articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions of four letters or fewer.
• Lowercase “to” in the infinitive (though not defined in the stylebook).

American Medical Association ( AMA) Manual of Style 11th Edition Capitalization Rules

AMA style capitalization is mainly used in the scientific community. The capitalization rules are as follows:

• Capitalize the first and the last word of titles and subtitles.
• Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs (including phrasal verbs such as “play with”), adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions (major words).
• Lowercase “to” in the infinitive.
• Lowercase the second word in a hyphenated compound when it is a prefix or suffix (e.g., “Anti-itch”,”world-wide”) or part of a single word.
• Capitalize the second word in a hyphenated compound if both words are equal and not suffices or prefixes (e.g., “Cost-Benefit”)
• Capitalize the first non-Greek letter after a lowercase Greek letter (e.g., “ω-Bromohexanoic”)
• Lowercase the first non-Greek letter after a capital Greek letter (e.g., “Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol”)
• Capitalize the genus but not the species epithet

NY Times Style Capitalization Rules

NY Times style capitalization is mainly used by writers for the NY Times but is also used widely throughout journalism. The capitalization rules are as follows:

• Capitalize major words, e.g. nouns, pronouns, verbs.

Wikipedia Style Capitalization Rules

Wikipedia editors must follow certain capitalization rules for any posts to Wikipedia. The capitalization rules are as follows:

• Capitalize nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs, adverbs, and subordinate conjunctions.
• Lowercase indefinite and definite articles (a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions.
• Prepositions that contain five letters or more.
• The word “to” in infinitives.
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MLA General Format 

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MLA Style specifies guidelines for formatting manuscripts and citing research in writing. MLA Style also provides writers with a system for referencing their sources through parenthetical citation in their essays and Works Cited pages. 

Writers who properly use MLA also build their credibility by demonstrating accountability to their source material. Most importantly, the use of MLA style can protect writers from accusations of plagiarism, which is the purposeful or accidental uncredited use of source material produced by other writers. 

If you are asked to use MLA format, be sure to consult the  MLA Handbook  (9th edition). Publishing scholars and graduate students should also consult the  MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing  (3rd edition). The  MLA Handbook  is available in most writing centers and reference libraries. It is also widely available in bookstores, libraries, and at the MLA web site. See the Additional Resources section of this page for a list of helpful books and sites about using MLA Style.

Paper Format

The preparation of papers and manuscripts in MLA Style is covered in part four of the  MLA Style Manual . Below are some basic guidelines for formatting a paper in  MLA Style :

General Guidelines

• Type your paper on a computer and print it out on standard, white 8.5 x 11-inch paper.
• Double-space the text of your paper and use a legible font (e.g. Times New Roman). Whatever font you choose, MLA recommends that the regular and italics type styles contrast enough that they are each distinct from one another. The font size should be 12 pt.
• Leave only one space after periods or other punctuation marks (unless otherwise prompted by your instructor).
• Set the margins of your document to 1 inch on all sides.
• Indent the first line of each paragraph one half-inch from the left margin. MLA recommends that you use the “Tab” key as opposed to pushing the space bar five times.
• Create a header that numbers all pages consecutively in the upper right-hand corner, one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor may ask that you omit the number on your first page. Always follow your instructor's guidelines.)
• Use italics throughout your essay to indicate the titles of longer works and, only when absolutely necessary, provide emphasis.
• If you have any endnotes, include them on a separate page before your Works Cited page. Entitle the section Notes (centered, unformatted).

Formatting the First Page of Your Paper

• Do not make a title page for your paper unless specifically requested or the paper is assigned as a group project. In the case of a group project, list all names of the contributors, giving each name its own line in the header, followed by the remaining MLA header requirements as described below. Format the remainder of the page as requested by the instructor.
• In the upper left-hand corner of the first page, list your name, your instructor's name, the course, and the date. Again, be sure to use double-spaced text.
• Double space again and center the title. Do not underline, italicize, or place your title in quotation marks. Write the title in Title Case (standard capitalization), not in all capital letters.
• Use quotation marks and/or italics when referring to other works in your title, just as you would in your text. For example:  Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas  as Morality Play; Human Weariness in "After Apple Picking"
• Double space between the title and the first line of the text.
• Create a header in the upper right-hand corner that includes your last name, followed by a space with a page number. Number all pages consecutively with Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.), one-half inch from the top and flush with the right margin. (Note: Your instructor or other readers may ask that you omit the last name/page number header on your first page. Always follow instructor guidelines.)

Here is a sample of the first page of a paper in MLA style:

The First Page of an MLA Paper

Section Headings

Writers sometimes use section headings to improve a document’s readability. These sections may include individual chapters or other named parts of a book or essay.

MLA recommends that when dividing an essay into sections you number those sections with an Arabic number and a period followed by a space and the section name.

MLA does not have a prescribed system of headings for books (for more information on headings, please see page 146 in the MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing , 3rd edition). If you are only using one level of headings, meaning that all of the sections are distinct and parallel and have no additional sections that fit within them, MLA recommends that these sections resemble one another grammatically. For instance, if your headings are typically short phrases, make all of the headings short phrases (and not, for example, full sentences). Otherwise, the formatting is up to you. It should, however, be consistent throughout the document.

If you employ multiple levels of headings (some of your sections have sections within sections), you may want to provide a key of your chosen level headings and their formatting to your instructor or editor.

Sample Section Headings

The following sample headings are meant to be used only as a reference. You may employ whatever system of formatting that works best for you so long as it remains consistent throughout the document.

Formatted, unnumbered:

Level 1 Heading: bold, flush left

Level 2 Heading: italics, flush left

Level 3 Heading: centered, bold

Level 4 Heading: centered, italics

Level 5 Heading: underlined, flush left

MLA Citation Guide

• Capitalization and Styling for Titles
• In-Text Citations
• Sample Papers

Capitalization of Titles in MLA

Capitalizing titles.

When you are writing the title of a work in an MLA-formatted paper, the rules can appear confusing. However, they are simple once you get used to working with them. If the title on the cover and title page do not match, use the one from the title page. You will probably capitalize most of the words in the title.

Here is what you capitalize:

• The first and last word of the title
• Verbs and adverbs
• Nouns and pronouns
• Subordinating conjunctions (for example, as , because , if )

Here is what you don't capitalize:

• a, an, and, but, nor, the, so, to, yet
• prepositions (words like as, between, or in )

If you are not sure what part of speech a word is, online dictionaries such as Merriam-Webster will tell you.

Note : There are two exception to the capitalization rules. First, capitalize any word if it's the last word in the title. For example, you would write the book title Island Between with between capitalized even though it's a preposition. The second exception is that you capitalize anything that follows a colon. Here is an example: Citations: A Study of Good Practices . Normally, you wouldn't capitalize a , but in this case you would.

If you would like more information on capitalizing titles, check out page 54 of the MLA Handbook, Ninth Edition . It is available in the library with the call number LB 2369 .M52 2021.

Capitalizing Quotes

According to MLA style, how you capitalize words in quotes depends upon the context.

Quotes in Text

Whenever you quote a text, you may need to change the capitalization used in the quote. If your sentence before the quote uses a word like says , states , writes , etc., you will want to capitalize the first word you quote. If you do change a lower case word to upper case, put the capitalized letter in brackets. This tells your reader that you changed the text a little. Here is an example:

Original sentence: Cats are affectionate, and dogs are playful.

Example one: Smith says "Cats are affectionate."

Example two: Smith says "[D]ogs are affectionate."

If your sentence uses a word that isn't says , writes , etc., you will want to make the first word of the quote lower case, unless it is a proper noun like someone's name. Here is an example:

Example one: Smith's research determined that "[c]ats are affectionate."

Example two: Smith noted that "dogs are affectionate."

Block Quotes

The first word of block quotes are always capitalized, and brackets used if you have to change the first word from lower case to capitalized.

If you would like more information on capitalization in quotes, check out page 268 of the MLA Handbook, Ninth Edition . It is available in the library with the call number LB 2369 .M52 2021.

Styling Titles in MLA

How to style a title in mla.

When using the MLA citation method, there are two different ways to style titles you write in your text. They will be either italicized or in quotation marks. As a general rule, complete works (like a book, play, or movie) would be italicized, but works that appear inside another work (such as a short story that appears in an anthology of stories, or an article from a scholarly journal) will be put in quotation marks. Here is an example:

Smith's short story "The Happy Dog" first appeared in his book of collected stories Dog and Cat Tales .

There are exceptions, however. If a work would normally be italicized, but appears inside another work, it stays italicized. For example, a publisher may print a collection of short novels or plays inside one large book. Because novels and plays are normally italicized, they stay italicized even though they're part of a larger work.

Here is a brief list of what is italicized, and what is put in quotation marks:

If you would like more information on styling titles, check out page 66 of the MLA Handbook, Ninth Edition . It is available in the library with the call number LB 2369 .M52 2021.

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MLA Style Guide Eighth Edition

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• Title of Container
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Title of Source. The title is usually taken from an authoritative location in the source such as the title page. It is the name of the source you are using. Capitalize the following parts of speech in a title: nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, subordinating conjunctions (although, because, unless, after, until, when, where, while, etc.). Do not capitalize articles, prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, the "to" in infinitives if they appear in the middle of the title. A colon separates the title from the subtitle unless it ends in a question mark or exclamation. Titles should be italicized or enclosed in quotation marks. Titles that are independent and self-contained (e.g., books) and titles of containers (e.g., anthologies) should be italicized. Titles that are contained in larger works (e.g., short stories) should be in quotation s. Exceptions to the above rule are: 1) Scripture (Genesis, Bible, Gospels, Upanishads, Old Testament, Talmud, etc.) Titles of individualized scripture writings, however, should be italicized and treated like any other published work.(e.g. The Interlinear Bible) 2) Names of laws, acts and political documents (Bill of Rights, Declaration of Independence, Magna Carta, Treaty of Marseilles, etc.) 3) Musical compositions identified by form, number, and key (Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in A, op. 92) 4) Series titles (Critical American Studies, Bollingen Series, etc.) 5) Conferences, seminars, workshops, and courses (MLA Annual Convention, English 110)

The title of the work follows the author and ends with a period . Mitchell, Margaret. Gone With the Wind . New York: Macmillan, 1961.

A sub-title is included after the main title . Joyce, Michael. Othermindedness: The Emergence of Network Culture. U of Michigan P, 2000. Baron, Sabrina Alcorn et al., editors. Agent of Change: Print Culture Studies after Elizabeth L. Eisenstein. U of               Massachusetts P /Center for the Book, Library of Congress, 2007.

The title of a story, poem or essay in a collection, as part of a larger whole, is placed in quotation marks . Dewar, James A., and Peng Hwa Ang. "The Cultural Consequences of Printing and the Internet." Agent of Change: Print             Culture Studies after Elizabeth L. Eisenstein. U of Massachusetts P /Center for the Book, Library of Congress,             2007, pp. 365-77. 

Independent work in a collection When a work that is normally independent (such as a novel or play) appears in a collection, the work's title remains in italics. Euripides. The Trojan Women . Ten Plays, translated by Paul Roche, New American Library, 1998, pp. 457-512.

The title of a periodical (journal, magazine, or newspaper) is in italics and the title of the article is in quotation marks. Goldman, Anne. "Questions of Transport: Reading Primo Levi Reading Dante." The Georgia Review, vol. 64, no. 1, 2010           pp. 69-88. Note: This rule applies to all media forms such as the title of a television series, an episode in a television series, a song or piece of music in an album, a posting or article on a web page. See examples below. Television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer . Created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Mutant Enemy, 1997-2003. Episode in a television series "Hush." Buffy the Vampire Slayer , created by Joss Whedon, performance by Sarah           Michelle Gellar, season 4, episode 10, Mutant Enemy, 1997-2003. Web site Hollmichel, Stefanie. So Many Books . 2003-13, somanybooksbkog.com Note: When giving a URL, omit http and https. Posting of an article on a web site Hollmichel, Stefanie. "The Reading Brain: Differences Between Digital and Print."           So Many Books, 25 April 2013, somanybooksblog.com/2013/04/25/the-reading-brain-differences-between-digital-           and-print/. A song or piece of music in an album Beyonce. "Pretty Hurts." Beyonce , Parkwood Entertainment, 2013,           www.beyonce.com/album/beyonce/?media_view=songs.

Untitled Source In the place of the title, provide a generic description of the source without italics or quotation marks. Capitalize the first word in the title and any proper nouns in it. Mackintosh, Charles Rennie. Chair of Stained Oak. 1897-1900, Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

Comment or review of a title in an online forum Jeane. Comment on "The Reading Brain: Differences Between Digital and Print." So Many Books, 25 Apr. 2013,            10:30 p.m., somanybooksblog.com/2013/04/25/the-reading-brain-differences-between-digital-and-            print/#comment-83030

Review of a title in an online forum Mackin, Joseph. Review of The Pleasures of Reading of an age of Distraction , by Alan Jacobs. New York Journal of Books, 2 June 2011, www.nyjournalofbooks.com/book-review/            pleasures-reading-age-distraction.

Tweet Reproduce the full text without changing anything and enclose within quotation marks. @persiankiwi."We have report of large street battles in east and west of Tehran now. - #Iranelection." Twitter ,            23 June 2009, 11:15 a.m., twitter.com/persianwiki/status/2298106072.

E-mail message Use subject as the title. Subject is enclosed in quotation marks. Boyle, Anthony T. "Re: Utopia." Received by Daniel J. Cayhill, 21 June 1997.

Introduction, Preface, Foreword, or Afterword Capitalize the term in the works cited list but do not italicize or enclose in quotation marks. The term need not be capitalized in in-text discussion. Felstiner, John. Preface. Selected Poems and Prose of Paul Celan , by Paul Celan, translated by Felstiner              W.W. Norton, 2001, pp.xix-xxxvi.

Translations of Titles Place translations of titles for foreign works in square brackets in the works cited list. The translation appears next to the title.

Shortened titles The first time a title is mentioned in your work, it should appear in full. If the title is repeated in the work, it can be shortened to a familiar one (e.g., Skylark for Ode to a Skylark).

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Capitalization of Titles in MLA

Capitalizing titles.

When you are writing the title of a work in an MLA-formatted paper, the rules can appear confusing. However, they are simple once you get used to working with them. If the title on the cover and title page do not match, use the one from the title page. You will probably capitalize most of the words in the title.

Here is what you capitalize:

• The first and last word of the title
• Verbs and adverbs
• Nouns and pronouns
• Subordinating conjunctions (for example,  as ,  because ,  if )

Here is what you don't capitalize:

• a, an, and, but, nor, the, so, to, yet
• prepositions (words like  as, between,  or  in )

If you are not sure what part of speech a word is, online dictionaries such as  Merriam-Webster  will tell you.

Note : There are two exception to the capitalization rules. First, capitalize any word if it's the last word in the title. For example, you would write the book title  Island Between  with  between  capitalized even though it's a preposition. The second exception is that you capitalize anything that follows a colon. Here is an example:  Citations: A Study of Good Practices . Normally, you wouldn't capitalize  a , but in this case you would.

Capitalizing Quotes

According to MLA style, how you capitalize words in quotes depends upon the context.

Quotes in Text

Whenever you quote a text, you may need to change the capitalization used in the quote. If your sentence before the quote uses a word like  says ,  states ,  writes , etc., you will want to capitalize the first word you quote. If you do change a lower case word to upper case, put the capitalized letter in brackets. This tells your reader that you changed the text a little. Here is an example:

Original sentence: Cats are affectionate, and dogs are playful.

Example one: Smith says "Cats are affectionate."

Example two: Smith says "[D]ogs are affectionate."

If your sentence uses a word that isn't  says ,  writes , etc., you will want to make the first word of the quote lower case, unless it is a proper noun like someone's name. Here is an example:

Example one: Smith's research determined that "[c]ats are affectionate."

Example two: Smith noted that "dogs are affectionate."

Block Quotes

The first word of block quotes are always capitalized, and brackets used if you have to change the first word from lower case to capitalized.

Styling Titles in MLA

How to style a title in mla.

When using the MLA citation method, there are two different ways to style titles you write in your text. They will be either italicized or in quotation marks. As a general rule, complete works (like a book, play, or movie) would be italicized, but works that appear inside another work (such as a short story that appears in an anthology of stories, or an article from a scholarly journal) will be put in quotation marks. Here is an example:

Smith's short story "The Happy Dog" first appeared in his book of collected stories  Dog and Cat Tales .

There are exceptions, however. If a work would normally be italicized, but appears inside another work, it stays italicized. For example, a publisher may print a collection of short novels or plays inside one large book. Because novels and plays are normally italicized, they stay italicized even though they're part of a larger work.

Here is a brief list of what is italicized, and what is put in quotation marks:

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MLA Style: Basics

Formatting titles.

The second core element in bibliographic citations is the title of the source. Titles in English should be presented in title or headline case and either in quotation marks or italicized. End this core element with a period.

What do you mean 'either in quotation marks OR italicized'?

In general, the titles of longer works are italicized and the titles of shorter works are enclosed in quotation marks. [2.106] Books, movies, podcasts, musical albums, an journals are all italicized. Poems, YouTube videos, podcast episodes, song titles, and journal, newspaper and magazine articles are all enclosed in quotation marks.

Works without titles

If the work doesn't have a title, don't skip this element. Instead, write your own concise description of the source. Descriptions of works are not included in quotation marks. [5.28] Some untitled short works, like poems, use the first line as a title. In this case, include the first line as presented in the work and include it in quotation marks [5.29]

Shortening Titles

Very long titles can be shortened in your works cited list. Make sure you retain enough of the title for your reader to understand which source you're citing, and note that you've shortened the title with ellipses. The period or comma that ends the core element comes after these ellipses. [5.26]

What is title case?

Title or headline case is when you capitalize nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, subordinating conjunctions, and the first word of a title. Don't capitalize prepositions, coordinating conjunctions, the to in infinitives, or articles. [2.90]

What about titles in languages other than English?

Capitalize only the first letter of the first word of the title and words normally capitalized in prose. [2.91]

For additional guidance, consult the MLA handbook.

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DEALING WITH TITLES IN MLA FORMAT by Dr. Harold William Halbert

The conventions of properly marking a title in MLA style can seem confusing, but the basic issues deal with 1) capitalization and 2) marking the title.

Capitalization :

The standard conventions for capitalizing a title in MLA style are straightforward:

• The first letter of every word is capitalized except for articles, coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions.
• Articles ("a," "an," and "the"), coordinating conjunctions ("for," "and," "nor," "but," "or," "yet," and "so"), and prepositions (words such as "on," "above," "below," "to," "throughout," etc.) are NOT capitalized.
• The first word is always capitalized, regardless of if it is an article or preposition.

Note that sometimes writers encounter titles that do not follow these conventions while conducting research. Databases often capitalize the entire title of an article or book, while other types of "styles" (like the AP style or the APA style) only capitalize the first word. You must change the capitalization of the title to MLA style if you reference the title of a work in your paper.

Marking the Title :

There are three possible ways to mark a title: the use of italics, quotation marks, or no mark at all. The following general rules of thumb may help writers conceptualize the difference between the three demarcations:

• Italicize large works or works that contain other works.
• Use quotation marks on shorter works.
• Do not mark sacred texts or political documents such as laws, acts, treaties, or declarations.

The following chart offers specific types of texts and their demarcations:

Note that underlining and italics signify the same type of mark when writing by hand. MLA style requires italics, though, when typing.

Your Own Title:

Your own title for papers and other writings should follow the MLA rules on capitalization. Do not use italics, underlining, or quotation marks on it. Instead, it should appear centered one single-spaced line below the identification information and one single-spaced line above the first line of the paper. Do not increase the font size.

Titles in Titles :

If a title contains another title within it, confusion can occur. Follow the following rules to avoid confusion:

• An underlined title in an underlined title requires that the line be removed from internal title (example: Understanding The Sun Also Rises).
• A quoted title inside a quoted title requires the use of single quotation marks around the internal title (example: "The Dandy in Cather's 'Paul's Case'").

Home / Guides / Capitalization

Capitalization

Capitalization rules depend on what academic citation or paper-formatting style you are using. Most academic style manuals use two main capitalization styles: sentence-style capitalization and title-style capitalization (also called “headline-style”). However, style manuals differ on when to use the two capitalization styles.

Below are specific capitalization best practices for MLA format (9th ed.), APA 7 format , and Chicago/Turabian style.

Sentence-Style Capitalization

• the first letter of the first word of a sentence
• names and initials for people
• names for days and months
• proper nouns
• adjectives formed with proper nouns (e.g., Freudian psychoanalysis)
• the subject pronoun I
• titles that come directly before a person’s name (e.g., President Biden)

Sentence-Style Capitalization Examples:

In the text:

Professor Jones assigned two essays this month, one on the Civil War and one on Abraham Lincoln.

Use sentence-style capitalization for source titles in reference lists when following APA 7 style:

A consensus statement on trauma mental health: The New Haven competency conference process and major findings

Title-Style Capitalization or Headline-Style Capitalization

• the first word of the title
• the last word of the title
• other major words
• Articles, such as a , an , and the
• Conjunctions , such as for , and , not , but , or , or yet (FANBOYS)
• Prepositions , such as against , between , in , of , or to

Title-Style Capitalization Example:

Use title-style or headline-style capitalization for source titles in the text when following APA 7, MLA 9, or Chicago styles, and for source titles in the references in MLA 9 or Chicago:

A Consensus Statement on Trauma Mental Health: The New Haven Competency Conference Process and Major Findings

• For additional details and examples of how to style a title in MLA 9, see the guide for formatting a book title .
• the first letter of the first word following a colon if what follows the colon forms a complete sentence
• names of racial and ethnic groups (Asian, Black, White, Native American, etc.)
• titles that come directly before a person’s name (President Lincoln, Dr. Smith, etc.)
• trade names and brand names that begin with a capital letter
• university departments, academic institutions, official academic course titles
• disease and disorder names
• job titles or positions when the title follows a name or is used generically (e.g., “Abraham Lincoln was president”)
• therapy and treatment names
• theories, concepts, models, statistical procedures
• When writing a source title in the body of your essay in APA style, use title case.
• When writing a source title in the reference list in APA style, use sentence case.
• For additional details and examples of how to style a title in APA 7, see the guide for formatting a book title .
• a proper noun
• a quotation
• two or more complete sentences
• job titles or positions directly before a name (Nurse Smith, Director Miller, etc.)
• legislative and deliberative bodies’ full names (e.g., the United States Congress)
• titles that come directly before a person’s name
• When writing a source title in the body of your essay or in the references/bibliography in Chicago/Turabian style, use title case.
• For additional details and examples of how to style a title in Chicago/Turabian, see the guide for formatting a book title .

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How to use Titles in the MLA Style

Hannah berry (ph.d.).

• Published on 11/24/2023
• Updated on 12/12/2023

This article aims to provide a detailed guide of MLA title guidelines, offering insights into the effective use of titles in sources such as books , webpages , journals , and articles. By delving into the systematic application of title case, lowercase usage, and specific exceptions.

• Title Case : Capitalize the first, last, and major words, including those following hyphens and after a colon in subtitles.
• Lowercase Rules: Keep prepositions, and coordinating conjunctions in lowercase, except capitalize ‘A’ if it’s the first word.
• Connecting Words: Maintain lowercase for common connecting words, ensuring a consistent appearance in the MLA style.
• Subtitle Exception: Capitalize the first word in a subtitle for consistency in MLA title formatting.

UNDERSTANDING TITLE CASE IN THE MLA STYLE

Title case in the MLA style follows specific rules. Start with the capitalization of the first word of the title, the last word, and all principle words including those that follow hyphens in compound terms such as nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, subordinating conjunctions.

Refer to the MLA format page for formatting guidelines to use for different types of titles and and use the MLA citation generator to create citations. Explore a range of features offered by TypeCite’s citation machine , including cite journals in APA , as well as APA book citations  and APA webpage generator .

RULE FOR CAPITALIZING SUBTITLES

When a subtitle is introduced by a colon, question mark, full stop, em dash, or exclamation mark, the first word is also capitalized.

HOW TO USE LOWERCASE FOR MINOR WORDS

Following MLA title rules means keeping prepositions and coordinating conjunctions, often classified as minor words in lowercase. Words such as ‘a’, ‘an’, and ‘the’ are always written in lowercase. This also applies to common connecting words like ‘and’ and ‘but’. 

One thing to remember is that the word ‘a’ is written in lowercase unless it is the first word of the title.

This includes terms such as ‘and’, ‘to’, ‘for’, ‘in’, ‘at’, ‘on’, ‘of’, ‘with’, ‘but’, ‘against’, ‘between’, ‘nor’, ‘so’, ‘yet’, ‘if’, ‘by’, ‘off’, ‘per’, ‘up’, and ‘via’. This practice underscores the commitment to a standardized and consistent appearance of titles in accordance with the MLA style.

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Through a nuanced understanding of title case usage, including the capitalization of major words and the consistent rendering of minor words in lowercase, writers contribute to the overall clarity and uniformity expected in scholarly discourse.

Hannah Berry has lectured at several colleges and teaches at the WEA. Besides publishing extensively, she has taught citation skills and written multiple style guides.

Learn how to cite in MLA

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MLA 9th Edition

How to format your paper, sample mla papers, additional resources.

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Title Page Setup

Title page requirements.

On the top, left-hand side of the first page of your paper write:

• Your Professor's Name
• Your Course Name and Number
• The Date of your Paper written in day, month year format (see example below)

Kevin Bacon

Professor Brown

English 1010

10 November 2023

Beneath the information listed above write the title of your paper, centered on the page, using standard capitalization rules for titles, and do not bold or italicize your title unless you are including the title of another work that would otherwise be italicized. Standard MLA capitalization rules include capitalizing the first and last word in the title and all "important" words.  This excludes articles (a, an, the, etc.), conjunctions (and, but, or, etc.), prepositions (as, of, to, between, against, etc.), and "to" when used as an infinitive, unless they begin or end the title.  

The Use of Symbolism in A Tale of Two Cities

After the title begin the text of your paper, making sure it is left-aligned and that the first line is indented.

Note on group papers:

If you are writing a group paper, MLA suggests creating a separate title page at the beginning of your paper with the same information listed above.

**Check with your professor to see if they want a different title page set-up. Title page set-up may vary depending on the preferences of your professor.**

Running Header

Starting with your first page, add your last name followed by page number (e.g., Chen 2) at the top right corner of the page in the header. 

If you are writing a group paper, start your header on the second page of your paper after the title page. Add all students' last names followed by the page number at the top right corner of the page. If all last names do not fit in a single line in the header, you may just include the page number.

To add running headers in Microsoft Word on a PC device:

• Open the "Insert" tab in the top application window
• Click "Page Number", hover over insert on "top of page" and select preset option "plain number 3," which will insert automatic page numbering in the top-right corner of each page
• Next to the page number, type your last name and add a space
• Select the entire text of the header you just created and change the font size and style to match that of the rest of your paper (usually Times New Roman font size 12)
• Click "Close Header and Footer" to continue writing and/or editing the rest of your paper

Add 1 inch margins on all sides.

To add 1-inch margins in Microsoft Word on a PC device:

• Open the "layout" tab in the top menu
• Open the "Margins" option on the left of the menu
• Select the "Normal" preset option to add 1" margins on all sides and pages of your paper

Text Size, Style, and Spacing

Font style & size.

Unless specified by your instructor, MLA recommends choosing an easy-to-read typeface set to 11 pt, 12 pt, or 13 pt. This includes:

• Times New Roman

To set the font style and size using Microsoft Word on a PC device:

• Select all text in your paper
• In the drop-down menu of font styles in the "font section" of the "Home" top menu tab find and select an appropriate font
• In the number drop-down menu next to the font style, type or select an appropriate font size

Line Spacing

Double-space your text.

To make your paper double-spaced in Microsoft Word on a PC device:

• Click the "paragraph settings" button in the bottom right corner of the "Paragraph" section in the "Home" tab of the application menu
• In the pop-up menu that appears, in the "Indents and Spacing" tab, find "line spacing" and change it to "Double"
• Check the box next to "Don't add space between paragraphs of the same style
• Click "Okay"

MLA Headings should be

• Center-aligned
• Written in 12pts font
• Double spaced above the first line of the paper or essay

Works Cited Page

Your works cited page should...

• Start on a new page at the end or your paper or project
• Have "Works Cited" written at the top-center of the page
• List all sources referenced throughout your work in alphabetical order by author last name (or title if there is no author or creator)
• Use 0.5" hanging indents for all references longer than 1 line of text

To add hanging indents to your works cited page in Microsoft Word on a Windows device:

• Select all of your citations
• In the pop-up menu that appears, in the "Indents and Spacing" tab, find "Special" under "Indentation" and change it to "Hanging"

See Purdue OWL's  Sample MLA Works Cited Page  for an example of how your works cited page should look.

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Capitalization Rules in MLA Style: Crafting Titles That Appeal

Mastering mla style: crafting captivating titles with proper capitalization..

Adhering to specific rules and guidelines is paramount when crafting titles in academic writing. In this blog, we will delve into the intricacies of capitalization rules in MLA style , shedding light on what words should and should not be capitalized. Let us explore the nuances of creating titles that adhere to MLA’s stringent requirements.

MLA Capitalization Rules: The Basics

Key Takeaways:

• Follow MLA guidelines meticulously when capitalizing titles.
• Proper capitalization enhances the professionalism of your work.

In academic writing, precision and attention to detail are crucial. MLA (Modern Language Association) style sets forth specific rules for capitalizing titles, which must be followed to ensure your work maintains its credibility.

What Words Are Not Capitalized in an MLA Title?

• Articles (a, an, the), prepositions (in, on, under), and conjunctions (and, but, or) are typically only capitalized if they appear at the beginning of the title.
• Capitalize prepositions of four or more letters (e.g., “Through” and “About”).

One of the key principles of MLA capitalization rules is that certain words should not be capitalized in titles. These include articles (a, an, the), prepositions (in, on, under), and conjunctions (and, but, or). However, it is important to note that if any of these words appear at the beginning of the title, they should be capitalized. Additionally, prepositions with four or more letters, such as “Through” or “About,” should be capitalized.

Is “Through” Capitalized in a Title in MLA?

• The word “Through” is capitalized in an MLA title if it appears at the beginning or has four or more letters.

The capitalization of “Through” in an MLA title depends on its placement and length. If “Through” is the first word of your title or contains four or more letters, it should be capitalized.

MLA Title Page and Title Format: Getting It Right

• MLA title pages should be formatted according to specific guidelines.
• Follow the prescribed format to create a professional-looking title page.

In addition to capitalization rules for titles, MLA style dictates how your title page and title should be formatted . Follow these guidelines meticulously to ensure your work meets the highest academic standards.

Are Prepositions Capitalized in Titles in MLA?

• Prepositions are generally not capitalized in MLA titles, but there are exceptions.
• Prepositions with four or more letters should be capitalized.

The question of whether prepositions should be capitalized in titles often arises. Generally, prepositions should not be capitalized in MLA titles, but there are exceptions. Prepositions with four or more letters should be capitalized according to MLA style.

How to Cite a Book Title in MLA In-Text

• Properly cite book titles in MLA in-text citations.
• Follow the format and guidelines to maintain consistency and accuracy in your references.

Citing book titles in MLA in-text citation is crucial to academic writing. Ensure you follow the prescribed format and guidelines to maintain consistency and accuracy in your references.

Conclusion: Crafting Captivating MLA Titles

• Mastering MLA capitalization rules is essential for academic writing.
• Pay attention to detail to create titles that adhere to MLA style.

In conclusion, mastering MLA capitalization rules is essential for crafting titles that meet academic standards. Paying attention to detail and following the specific guidelines for capitalization will enhance the professionalism and credibility of your work.

Creating titles that shine in academia requires precision and adherence to established rules. By following MLA capitalization rules diligently, you can ensure that your titles meet the requirements and make a lasting impression on your readers.

Feel free to explore our blog for more insights into academic writing and MLA style. Your participation and engagement are always welcome as we explore into scholarly writing.

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How should I capitalize the title of a handout?

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 .

Capitalize the title of a handout title style; that is, “capitalize the first word, the last word, and all principal words” ( MLA Handbook 67). Below are some examples:

Commonly Misspelled Words Errors Found during Testing Fire Drill Procedures How to Search the Web

Since these handouts are stand-alone works, they are styled in italics. A handout that is part of a larger work would be styled in quotation marks—a book chapter, for example:

“Hierarchy” (a chapter from Caroline Levine’s book  Forms )

For more on handouts, including handouts without titles, read our posts on class handouts and material from course packs .

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

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What to Capitalize in a Title: APA Title Capitalization Rules

Which words do you capitalize in a title?

Have you ever been confused about which words to capitalize in the title of your manuscript ? You have probably seen titles where only the first word is capitalized (so-called “sentence case”), titles where all words seem to be capitalized (“title case”), and also titles that look like combinations of the two. And you might have wondered where there is any general rule to all this. 

The answer is that, no, there is not really one general capitalization rule, but there are several style-dependent capitalization guidelines you can rely on, and the journal you plan to submit to will tell you (in their author instructions ) which one they want you to apply to your manuscript before submission. Just like you format your manuscript and reference list following APA or MLA formatting rules, you apply the respective style guide to capitalize your title, headings, and subheadings . In this article, we will first explain the general rules on what types of words to capitalize (e.g., nouns, articles, and conjunctions) and then look at the APA and MLA style guides in particular and their specific variations of those rules.

Research Paper Title Capitalization Rules

According to most style guides, all proper nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs in titles of books and articles are to be capitalized. Some elements of titles are, however, never capitalized, such as articles (except articles at the beginning of a title), and some, such as conjunctions, can or cannot be capitalized, depending on the specific style guide variation. In the following, we will outline the general rules for all the different words in your title so that you can orient yourself easily to the different style guides and adapt your title quickly when necessary. 

Capitalizing Nouns and Pronouns in Titles

Nouns (including formal names of people, organizations, and places) and pronouns are easy to format, as all style guides agree that they should always be capitalized using title case capitalization. 

Capitalizing Articles in Titles

The rules for articles are also simple, as all major style guides agree that articles should be lowercase in titles—unless they represent the first and/or last word in the title:

In the latter example, the first “the” is capitalized because it is the first word of the title, while the second “the” is lowercase as articles usually are. Note that the same rule regarding article capitalization applies to subtitles as well.

Capitalizing Conjunctions in Titles

Conjunctions are a slightly more complicated case, as style guides differ on whether to capitalize them or on which conjunctions to capitalize. According to some guides,  conjunctions of three letters or fewer are to be written in lowercase while longer ones should be capitalized. Other style guides, however, state to write all conjunctions in lowercase, or make exceptions for specific conjunctions such as “yet”, “so”, and “as”. It is therefore always necessary to look up the specific rules of the target journal before submitting a manuscript—and have a look at our sections on APA and MLA style below. The following examples are, however, fairly universal:

Capitalizing Prepositions in Titles

Capitalization rules for prepositions are equally ambiguous and depend on the specific style guide you follow. Prepositions of four letters or more are often capitalized, while according to some style guides, all prepositions are written in lowercase, no matter their length. Sometimes, for example, when following the Chicago Manual of Style , capitalization depends on how a preposition is used in a title and whether it does indeed function as a preposition. According to this rule, prepositions are capitalized when they are used “adverbially or adjectivally” in prepositional phrases (as in “How to Back Up a Computer”), but not when used otherwise.

Capitalizing Adjectives and Adverbs in Titles     

Rules for capitalizing adjectives and adverbs , like nouns, are unproblematic, as they are capitalized across style guides. 

Capitalizing Verbs in Titles      

Verbs are another easy case and are also always capitalized, according to all style guides. 

Title Case Rules by Style Guide

Apa title case rules   .

APA (American Psychological Association) style is most commonly used for scholarly articles in the behavioral and social sciences. The APA guidelines on when to capitalize a title include the following rules:

MLA Title Case Rules  

The Modern Language Association (MLA) Handbook , used primarily to write papers and cite sources within the liberal arts and humanities, promotes the following rules for when to capitalize a title or header:

Additional Rules for Title Capitalization 

As we have stressed several times throughout this article, it is crucial to always check the specific rules of the target journal and/or the rules of the style guide the target journal wants you to follow—note that these can sometimes conflict with each other, in which case the journal rules override the style guide. Apart from the two common style guides we explained here, APA and MLA , there are several others that have their own rules, such as the Chicago Manual of Style , the American Medical Association (AMA) Manual of Style , or the Associated Press Stylebook , an American English grammar style and usage guide originally developed for AP writers but now used widely across journalistic fields. There is even a specific set of rules for the capitalization of titles of Wikipedia articles !

One capitalization rule that might not necessarily be mentioned in such style guides but is relevant for some academic/scientific fields is that when the Latin name of a species is mentioned, the second portion of the name must be written in lowercase, even when the rest of the title follows title case rules.

Another capitalization rule you might need when describing research experiments is that both elements of spelled-out numbers or simple fractions should be capitalized in title case:

Lastly, no matter your personal preference, make sure you always write the titles of books and articles exactly as they are written on the original document/in the original version, even if they do not seem to follow common capitalization rules.

Correct Capitalization in Your Title with Professional Editing    

If you are even more unsure now how to capitalize your title or find the author instructions of your target journal confusing (which can happen, since those sets of rules have often grown organically over a long period of time and, as a result, can lack consistency), then you might want to make use of professional English proofreading services , including paper editing services —your professional academic editor will figure such details out for you and make sure your manuscript is in the correct format before submission.

If you need more input on how to write and perfect the other parts of your manuscript, then head over to the Wordvice academic resources website where we have many more resources for you.

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Capitalization in Titles and Headings

Published on December 22, 2015 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on July 23, 2023.

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Table of contents

The three heading capitalization styles, capitalize proper nouns (names) no matter what, consistency, consistency, consistency, other interesting articles.

First, you can capitalize every significant word.

The list of what is considered significant is quite long; it generally includes all nouns , pronouns , adjectives , verbs , and adverbs .

You may find it easier to instead focus on what usually isn’t considered significant (and thus not capitalized, unless it happens to be the first word in a heading):  articles (a, an, the),  prepositions (examples: by, for, in),  conjunctions (examples: and, or, because).

Finally, the third possibility is to use a combination of the other two options. For instance, you could use option 1 for the chapter headings and option 2 for lower level headings.

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Formal names of people, organizations, and places are capitalized no matter what style you use. For instance, North America is capitalized throughout the above examples.

In this regard, note that specific models, theories, and schools of thoughts are not considered proper nouns. The only component that needs to be capitalized is the scholar’s name, when relevant.

Which option should you choose? If you are following the APA style , the rules are clear. Essentially, you should use title case for APA headings level 1 to 5. MLA also has specific requirements for formatting headings .

If you are free to decide, we recommend option 1 or 2. Why? One reason is that it’s easier, you just won’t have to make so many judgment calls about what to capitalize. A second is that using a lot of capital letters may make the text difficult to follow, especially in longer headings.

Whatever option you choose, the most important thing is to use effective headings that are capitalized consistently throughout your entire document. This applies not only to the main chapters of your dissertation, but also to any supporting materials that come before and after (including the abstract, table of contents, lists of tables/figures, acknowledgements, reference list, and appendixes ).

To make sure that no inconsistencies have snuck through, take a very careful look at your table of contents . Seeing all of the headings together will make any anomalies very apparent. This is especially true if you have used Microsoft Word to automatically generate this list.

Also take care that other aspects of your dissertation layout and formatting are consistent in relation to headings.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Sarah's academic background includes a Master of Arts in English, a Master of International Affairs degree, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science. She loves the challenge of finding the perfect formulation or wording and derives much satisfaction from helping students take their academic writing up a notch.

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