Result
No. "Or" is a coordinating conjunction, and all six major style guides keep it lowercase in the middle of a title. It is capitalized only as the first word, the first word of a subtitle, or the last word in guides that capitalize last words.
"Or" by Style Guide
| Style guide | "Or" mid-title | Why |
|---|---|---|
| AP | Lowercase | Conjunctions of three or fewer letters stay lowercase |
| APA | Lowercase | Short conjunctions stay lowercase |
| Chicago | Lowercase | One of the five lowercase coordinating conjunctions |
| MLA | Lowercase | Coordinating conjunctions stay lowercase |
| AMA | Lowercase | Coordinating conjunctions stay lowercase |
| Bluebook | Lowercase | Conjunctions of four or fewer letters stay lowercase |
Examples in Chicago Style
- Love It or List It
- Now or Never
- Title Case or Sentence Case for Headings
- Trick or Treat
Notice "Love It or List It": the pronoun "It" is capitalized while "or" stays lowercase. Short words do not all follow the same rule.
Alternative Titles With "Or"
Older works sometimes have a second, alternative title introduced by "or," such as Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, or What You Will. Publishers style these differently: some lowercase "or" after the comma, some capitalize it. When you cite such a work, keep the form your source uses.
Related Words
The other coordinating conjunctions, "and", "but", and "for", are also lowercase in every guide. "So" and "yet" are the exception in Chicago.
"Or" in Sentence Case
APA reference lists, many news sites, and most UI text use sentence case instead of title case. There, only the first word and proper nouns get capitals, so "or" is lowercase unless it starts the title: "Title case or sentence case for headings." Pick one of the two styles for a whole set of headings rather than mixing them.
Quick Answers
Should "or" be capitalized in a title?
No. "Or" is a coordinating conjunction, and every guide keeps it lowercase mid-title.
Is "or" capitalized in APA?
No. APA lowercases short conjunctions, including "or."
Is "or" capitalized at the start of a subtitle?
Yes. The first word after a colon is capitalized in every guide.