Discover the nuts and bolts of title capitalization with a deep dive into the tiny but mighty word ‘that.’ You might wonder whether this common conjunction deserves a capital letter when it sits in a headline. Should it stand tall or blend into the background? Different style guides like Chicago, MLA, APA, and AP have their own rules, sparking a great deal of confusion. Let this be your guide to mastering the art of proper title formatting, ensuring your writing looks polished and professional.
When capturing titles in certain writing styles, like MLA, APA, and Chicago, the word ‘that’ is generally capitalized. At the same time, it may be lowercased in AP style, provided it’s not the first or last word of the title. While these guidelines are widespread, remember to follow specific style guides closely. Capitalization can vary by writing style.
When crafting titles, you’re likely to encounter words like that. It’s a common conundrum: Should you capitalize these small words or not? The answer depends on the style guide you follow.
Chicago, MLA, APA, AP Style Guides
In Chicago style, conjunctions, articles, and prepositions, if they are four or more letters long, are typically capitalized. That, being only four characters, makes the cut and should be capitalized.
Following the MLA style, the advice is similar to that of Chicago: words with four or more letters should be capitalized. So here too, you’d capitalize that in a title.
The APA style has a unique approach, suggesting that all words of four letters or more should be capitalized. This includes words like that. However, APA also specifies that short words that are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs should be capitalized regardless of length. So, even within APA’s broader rules, that still gets capitalized.
When it comes to AP style, it’s a bit different. This style recommends capitalizing words with three or more letters, while all conjunctions and prepositions are kept lowercase if they are fewer than four letters. Therefore, in AP style, that remains lowercase.
Examples in Context
To see how that fits into these rules, let’s look at a title example for each style:
Chicago & MLA: The Cat That Roared Loudly at Midnight
APA: The Effect That Light Has on Sleep Patterns
AP: The Mystery That Never Was
Note how that is capitalized in Chicago, MLA, and APA style titles but remains lowercase in AP style. Always double-check the style guide relevant to your work to make sure you’re following the correct format.
Remember, consistency is key. Pick a style and stick to it throughout your document for a professional and polished appearance. Capitalization seems small, but it can make a big difference in the clarity and presentation of your title.
Conclusion
In conclusion, remember when you’re crafting titles, if you’re using the Chicago or MLA style, lowercase ‘that’ since it’s a conjunction with fewer than five letters. However, in APA or AP style, capitalize ‘That’ as it’s part of the title’s important words. Keep this rule handy for all your title-writing needs and you’ll have well-styled headers that match professional standards. Thanks for reading and applying these tips to elevate your writing game!
Want to learn about more specific capitalization rules for words?
