Ever stumbled upon the conundrum of whether ‘also’ deserves a capital letter in a title? It’s a common speed bump on the road to perfecting your title. Capitalization rules are not just about proper nouns and the first letter of a sentence; they extend to the art of titling your work, whether it’s an essay, article, or book. Different style guides have varied rules, and mastering them can be tricky. Unlock the secrets of title capitalization and polish your writing to shine among the pros. Get ready to dive into the world of APA, MLA, Chicago, and AP styles and learn how to give your titles the treatment they deserve.
When crafting a title, you might wonder if the word ‘also’ should be capitalized. According to the notable style guides—Chicago, MLA, APA, and AP—the answer is yes. The term ‘also’ must be capitalized in a title since it’s not a preposition or a conjunction, even though it is just a four-letter word. So, remember to emblazon ‘Also’ in your headlines.
When you write a title, you may wonder if you should capitalize small words like ‘also’. In title capitalization, not all words get a capital letter. Here’s a quick guide to help you with this.
Chicago, MLA, APA Styles
In Chicago, MLA, and APA styles, title capitalization rules are quite similar. They suggest to capitalize:
- First and last words
- Nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs
- Subordinating conjunctions (like ‘although’ or ‘because’)
However, you should not capitalize:
- Articles (a, an, the);
- Coordinating conjunctions (and, but, for);
- Prepositions (like ‘on’, ‘over’, ‘under’, ‘with’)
The word ‘also’ is an adverb, so in these styles, you do capitalize ‘also’ in a title, no matter where it appears.
AP Style
For the AP style, known for journalism and news writing, the rule is a bit different. AP style only capitalizes words with four or more letters. Since ‘also’ has four letters, it still gets capitalized. Always remember, AP style focuses on consistency and brevity, which is why this rule is in place.
Here are some examples to see the rule in practice:
- Chicago/MLA/APA: “Eating Healthy: Also an Economic Choice”
- AP: “Eating Healthy: Also a Smart Decision”
Remember, style guides may update over time, so it’s smart to check the latest version if you’re unsure.
Conclusion
Remember, when you craft titles, little words like ‘also’ don’t usually get the big letter treatment. Follow the title capitalization rules of your chosen style guide—whether it’s APA, MLA, Chicago, or AP. Each guide has its specifics, but generally, ‘also’, since it has only four letters and is considered a conjunction, typically remains lowercase. Keep this in mind next time you’re adding that extra touch to your titles. Your grasp on the details shows your commitment to polished writing. Thank you for reading, and may your titles always make the perfect impression!
Want to learn about more specific capitalization rules for words?
