APA title case capitalizes major words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns) and every word of four letters or more. Short articles, prepositions, and conjunctions stay lowercase unless they start the title or subtitle. The rules are in section 6.17 of the APA Publication Manual (7th edition).
Paste a title below to convert it to APA title case.
Result
APA 7 Title Case Rules
Capitalize:
- The first word of the title or heading, and the first word of a subtitle.
- The first word after a colon, em dash, or end punctuation in a heading.
- Major words: nouns, verbs (including linking verbs like Is and Are), adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns.
- Every word of four letters or more: With, From, Between, About.
- Both parts of a hyphenated major word: Self-Report, Meta-Analysis.
Lowercase (unless first in the title or subtitle):
- Articles: a, an, the.
- Short conjunctions: and, as, but, for, if, nor, or, so, yet.
- Short prepositions: as, at, by, for, in, of, off, on, per, to, up, via.
APA has no last-word rule. A short preposition at the end of a title stays lowercase: "What Dreams Are Made of." AP, Chicago, and MLA would capitalize it.
Where APA Uses Title Case and Sentence Case
| Where | Case |
|---|---|
| Paper title on the title page | Title case |
| Headings, all five levels | Title case |
| Table titles and figure titles | Title case |
| Titles of works named in your text | Title case |
| Article, book, chapter, and webpage titles in the reference list | Sentence case |
| Journal, magazine, and newspaper names in the reference list | Title case |
The reference list is where most points get lost. See APA reference title capitalization and APA 7 headings for the details.
Examples in APA Style
| Typed | APA title case |
|---|---|
| the effects of sleep loss on working memory | The Effects of Sleep Loss on Working Memory |
| stress and coping in nursing students: a longitudinal study | Stress and Coping in Nursing Students: A Longitudinal Study |
| a self-report measure of anxiety | A Self-Report Measure of Anxiety |
| using cognitive behavioral therapy to treat chronic insomnia | Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Treat Chronic Insomnia |
| a walk through the woods | A Walk Through the Woods |
In the reference list, the second title becomes sentence case: "Stress and coping in nursing students: A longitudinal study." The word after the colon keeps its capital.
How APA Differs From Other Styles
| Typed | AP | APA | Chicago | MLA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| gone with the wind | Gone With the Wind | Gone With the Wind | Gone with the Wind | Gone with the Wind |
| what dreams are made of | What Dreams Are Made Of | What Dreams Are Made of | What Dreams Are Made Of | What Dreams Are Made Of |
| notes on writing about sensitive topics | Notes on Writing About Sensitive Topics | Notes on Writing About Sensitive Topics | Notes on Writing about Sensitive Topics | Notes on Writing about Sensitive Topics |
Common APA Mistakes
- Lowercasing four-letter words such as "with," "from," and "that." APA capitalizes them.
- Capitalizing the last word because other styles do. APA keeps "of" or "to" lowercase at the end.
- Using title case for article and book titles in the reference list. Those take sentence case.
- Forgetting the second part of a hyphenated major word: "Self-Report," not "Self-report."
Quick Answers
Does APA capitalize words with four letters?
Yes. APA capitalizes every word of four or more letters, so "With," "From," and "Into" are capitalized.
Does APA capitalize the last word of a title?
Only if it is a major word or has four or more letters. APA has no special rule for the last word, so "of" or "to" at the end stays lowercase.
Does APA use title case in references?
Only for periodical names such as journals and newspapers. Titles of articles, books, chapters, and webpages use sentence case.
Are APA headings in title case?
Yes. All five heading levels in APA 7 use title case.
For any single word, see the full list of words that stay lowercase.