When do i underline book titles

The APA Publication Manual is an example of one style guide that continues to promote the use of underlining over italics. It is not recommended, but at the end of the day, it is a personal choice. You might you choose to use underlining instead of sticking to the more professional method of italics.

If so, it is important that you remain consistent. Remain consistent throughout a series if what you are writing is a continuous publication - such as a blog, magazine, or series of books. The world will tell you that italics are the way to go. Despite this, some professors and other educators may still appreciate the old ways.

Even if every other source is telling students to italicize, they must adhere to the specific guidelines for their assignment. If the instructions created by your professor tell you to underline your titles, it is acceptable to do so. If you choose to follow the more popular guidelines of italicizing, you may wonder when it is acceptable to underline something.

There are some instances where underlining certain pieces of text is acceptable and even encouraged:. If you choose to use underlining in any context, it is important to note that punctuation should not be underlined. You may find that your underlined word is the last within a sentence, the last before a comma, or something similar. This rule goes back to the days of typewriters.

If a punctuation mark were to be underlined on a typewriter, it would simply be obscured by the underline and become useless. The answer is even more confusing: sometimes. When the title of a book is being discussed within some sort of text, then there are three points of focus that must be placed on that title to determine how it should be identified.

If at all possible, whenever a book title is being discussed in dialogue or text, then the full-length of that title should be italicized. For example: Have you recently read To Kill a Mockingbird? This is because it starts the title and the punctuation mark is not part of the title.

Only book title components receive the italicized font. If your computer, word processor, or typewriter will not insert italicized text into the document, then it would be considered acceptable to still underline the book title. You should also note that these guidelines apply to titles that appear in a text and are surrounded by other words. Should you italicize it?

See the examples below:. Punctuating titles can cause trouble for some writers, but the rule is actually quite simple: If the punctuation is part of the title, include it in the italics or quotation marks. In the first sentence, the title itself is a question, so the question mark is italicized as part of the title. In the second sentence, however, the title is not a question; rather, the sentence as a whole is a question. Therefore, the question mark is not italicized.

The rules for emphasizing titles may seem straightforward, but there are exceptions. I am percent in agreement with you. I am a strict grammarian — certainly not the best, but pretty good and take it seriously as a graduate of a major university Journalism school. We appreciate that you say you are in agreement with us, but you might want to review the rules again, because some of your statements reveal beliefs that are incorrect. You could start with the parentheses in your email to us the period should be outside, not inside.

Current style manuals recommend italicizing book titles and magazine names and using quotation marks around articles and chapters. Thank you for your insight Jane. Grammar Ericson, I have never seen a period placed after quotation marks nor have I ever seen a semicolon follow the word also. Yes, both sentences are punctuated incorrectly but there is another error as well. According to The Chicago Manual of Style 8. A single episode in a television or radio series is set in roman and enclosed in quotation marks.

Using quotation marks to delineate the two words in question in the second sentence is acceptable. Do manuals and handbooks go by this rule as well? The name of the manual is Drainage Design Manual. What if I wanted to write about a specific volume and mention a specific table?

How would it look like within the text? If it is a published manual or handbook, it should go by the same rule. The title is written Drainage Design Manual. If the specific volume or table has a title, the title is enclosed in quotation marks.

If it has a number, it would be referred to as vol. Should the section title, Getting Started, be in ital or quotation marks? Should Part One and Part Two be in ital? Thanks for this, it helped a lot. Just want to know if this sentence is grammatically incorrect. And also if the book is in quotation marks or italics. Since the book was written in the past, we recommend using was written.

Book titles are italicized. Is this assumption correct? The Chicago Manual of Style recommends that general titles of websites are written without quotation marks or italics. Titled sections, pages, or special features on a website should be placed in quotation marks.

Please note that not all style manuals follow the same rules. Examples: Overstock. Song titles and lyrics are both enclosed in quotes. AP Stylebook recommends slashes at the end of each line of lyrics and capitalization of the word starting each line. If you are wanting to write this using the convention for song lyrics, there should be a space after the first slash to separate it from the next line of lyrics.

The slash after smiles would indicate that another line of lyrics follows. Also, every time is two words:. How would one write a store name, then? The names of punctuation marks are not proper nouns and do not require capitalization.

Also, Rule 1 of Commas recommends using commas to separate words and word groups with a series of three or more. I have created a new rule for the use of Quotation Marks. I believe it would be appropriate for you to incorporate this rule in your publications. With the advent of computers, and their lack of flexibility regarding data entry, quotation mark rules must allow for all writing punctuation to remain outside the quotation marks. The rule that the period should be inside the quotes was probably created because it looked better on the written page, but it is not true to the spirit of a quote.

When using computers, the quotation would be frequently rendered inaccurate if the punctuation is included inside the quotes. I hope you will incorporate my new rule in your grammar documentation, and encourage others to do the same. The Chicago Manual of Style does agree with your recommendation if quotation marks must be used. Its rule 7. A single treatment may be applied across different types of elements. In general, avoid quotation marks lest they be interpreted as part of the element they enclose.

If quotation marks must be used, any punctuation that is not part of the quoted expression should appear outside the quotation marks. Normally, we would italicize the name of the play, but since it is included within a book title which should also be italicized , how does one differentiate the two?

I am the author of a book that includes affirmations. These are not quoted from another source. At the beginning of each chapter, I 1 initially state the affirmations, and 2 often insert the affirmations throughout the book for emphasis.

How are quotations handled in this instance? Should the period be placed inside the quote, or outside? Would italics be in order for either instance? Quotation marks should be used in direct quotations to surround the exact words of a speaker or writer, or to surround titles of articles, chapters, and other shorter works.

Regarding the use of italics, titles of books, journals, plays, and other freestanding works are italicized. Overused, italics quickly lose their force. Seldom should as much as a sentence be italicized for emphasis, and never a whole passage. I simply cannot wrap my senses around placing the end-of sentence punctuation within a quote, if the quote appears at the end of the sentence. What do you do, if you make an exclamatory sentence that ends with a quoted question?

In my letter, should I have placed the exclamation marks within the quotation marks, right after the question mark? The placement of question marks with quotation marks follows logic as opposed to periods, which always go inside the quotation marks in American English. The question Will you marry me? Only one form of punctuation is used at the end of a sentence.

The first word in a complete quotation should be capitalized, even in midsentence. A comma is used to introduce a direct quotation. Also, use commas to set off the name, nickname, term of endearment, or title of a person directly addressed. I am trying to start a business. I am writing an employees manual that will only be distributed in soft copy, and it will be around pages long. Is the title, Drivers Guide, grammatically acceptable? Specifically, does it need an apostrophe?

The title of your handbook should be italicized. Regarding the apostrophe, the Chicago Manual of Style 7. About titles of books and quotation marks, what is the style for famous works such as the I Ching, Analects of Confucius, Baghavad Gita, and so on?. Names of manuscript collections take no quotation marks. When writing the title of a book with a subtitle on the same line and the subtitle begins with an article a, the, an, etc , is the article capitalized?

A space follows the colon. The subtitle, like the title, always begins with a capital letter. Thanks so much for all of the great detail here! What about the title of a monthly newsletter? When I refer to the newsletter on my website or in other articles, I have been using italics for the title. If the newsletter is going to contain more than one article and it will be broken down in article-like sections, you should italicize the title.

Also italicized? The names of ballets and modern dance works are printed in italics, such as Swan Lake. I am working on revisions to the Facilities Use Policy for my church and would like to know if this title should be italicized, in quotes, or capitalized when referenced in the text of the policy or elsewhere. In the policy I also refer to other documents, e.

What about the different sections of the policy? Legal documents and forms should not have quotation marks or italics but should be capitalized. In writing a letter to patients and reference the Liver Transplant Waitng List. Should this be capitalized? How do I capitalize the title of a book.

Capitalize other words within titles, including the short verb forms Is, Are, and Be. Since the word it is a pronoun, capitalize that as well. Also, our blog Titles of Books, Plays, Articles, etc. What about in a novel, a title as part of the dialogue? Do you italicize the name of a book? Yes, the title is italicized.

What if the name of a book is a part of my own book report title? Will I need to italicize the name of the book in my title? Thanks for any help. How should I construct a title for a event shown in a picture. I want to convey the time period, locally, state, and event name. There are no punctuation rules that specifically relate to titles.

It is used for periods of time when you might otherwise use to. Since your question is not clearly stated, I will take a guess and answer it the best we can. The answer depends on what kind of program it is. Plays and television programs are italicized. If it is a class or course of study, it should not be underlined or italicized, but it should be capitalized. Brochures or pamphlets should be treated like book titles and italicized.

Since it is a title, it should be capitalized. If this is a meeting or conference, it should be enclosed in quotation marks. If not, an article belongs in quotation marks. If it is a quotation, use single quotation marks around the title of the article. Italics are not used for the title of an article in either case. If you are writing a book with a question as the title, do you punctuate title? For instance, if the book is titled Who is George Washington by John Doe, on the title page, would it be correct to write:.

Thank you for your help! Simile used in different situation has different effect. In other words, am I right if I write like this? Your first sentence is not grammatically correct. It could be written Similes used in different situations have different effects. Your second sentence is incomplete as written. Your last sentence is correct as written.

Similes used in different situations have different effects. We assume you will be adding at least one more simile in order to illustrate different situations and effects. Thanks for your advice. Your advice is really useful. I think I will consult your website another time. Thanks again. The names of websites are not placed in quotation marks or italics.

You may use italics and quotes throughout an article as outlined in our blog Titles of Books, Plays, Articles, etc.

Regarding other words, the answer is very much up to the author. For a good example of how an author chose a mixture of quotation marks and italics, see our blog Word Nerds: Verbal custodians trapped in a time warp. Whether you continue to italicize a word or not depends on the context. If you continue to use the word in the same context, you should continue to place it in italics. There is no hard and fast answer to this.

I have a title for an academic thesis with a foreign term right in the middle of it. Everything will be in caps. WHat to do about the foreign terms, italics or not? We do not know why your title would be in all caps, but in regard to foreign terms The Chicago Manual of Style 7. If a foreign word becomes familiar through repeated use throughout a work, it need be italicized only on its first occurrence.

If it appears only rarely, however, italics may be retained. In my case, the two rules are 1 to italicise foreign words, and 2 to use roman font within quotation marks for the title of an article. So what does one do with a journal article that is in a foreign language? I think one would not capitalise except for the first letter, since the rule of the source language should obviously be followed for capitalisation, otherwise the meaning might be altered. In American English, the title of an article is enclosed in quotation marks.

For example:. If the chapter has a title at the beginning, you may put it in quotation marks or italicize it, but your use of single quotation marks is incorrect. So glad I just discovered your blog. In case it matters, I am citing according to the Bluebook for legal citation.

The Chicago Manual of Style recommends italicizing the names of newspapers. When ending a sentence with quotation marks around one word, is the period inside the quotation mark? In American English the period and the comma always go within the quotation marks. The dash, the semicolon, the question mark and the exclamation point go within the quotation marks when they apply to the quoted matter only. Your sentences are punctuated correctly. Is it proper to put thoughts in italics or quotation marks?

Direct internal dialogue can either be italicized or enclosed in quotation marks. Our blog Internal Dialogue: Italics or Quotes? OR Please let this child graduate , she contemplates.

Should a title of a book be italicized when it is following a quoted paragraph from the book, for the purpose of introducing an article? In other words this is not running text nor is it a quotation set off within the text; rather, it appears as an extract before the beginning of the article.

None of which are currently italicized. Thanks for your help! Since it is not running text, you may wish to treat your paragraph the way you would an epigraph. The following are two examples of epigraphs from The Chicago Manual of Style:. Oh, what a tangled web we weave, When first we practice to deceive! It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice. R and grammar are incorrect and rude.

Please folks, if you have not yet taken college level English to learn to argue or even a high school debate class, please do so. I have always placed the punctuation inside the quotation marks; any other application looks awkward to me.

Thank you all very much. I enjoy the discussion. You are welcome. Although we certainly appreciate our readers visiting our Facebook page, we do not make it a requirement. I have been going through the various posts looking for the answer to my question, but alas, have not found it.

Reports can follow different formats, such as MLA or Chicago style. It is important to find out which format is required for the report you are doing. For example, in MLA format, the title of a website is italicized when you are citing it. Chicago Manual of Style says no italics. They both agree on putting a website article in quotation marks. Other information may also be required. Now that we have digital means of adapting language, it is beneficial to evolve it more logically.

There is no need for typesetter rules, nor any other conventions that were a result of technological limitations, or stylings. I personally, and logically use the following method: punctuation within the quotation marks only when the punctuation belongs to the quoted text, and punctuation outside of the quote when it belongs to the non-quoted text.

The same logic that is used with parenthesis. You will be at home in countries that follow British English rules. American English, however, still requires that periods and commas always go inside the closing quotation mark. Thank you for this wonderful site and all of your great work! Speaking as a paranoid grammar geek, it is comforting to have a place to which one can turn for insight and affirmation.

Please know that you provide an invaluable service, regardless of what some rather snarky readers might post! We do not give recommendations for titles of books. However, we do advise that you read and study our rules of capitalization and punctuation. When you do decide on a title, italicize it. Does the length of a stageplay affect how it is formatted in text? In specific, when one is referring to a one-act play, should it be italicized or placed in quotes in the same way that a longer stageplay would be?

Thank you. When using punctuation after an italicized title, am I correct in NOT italicizing the punctuation? Did you enjoy the book Sheila the Great? Italics do not include punctuation marks next to the words being italicized unless those punctuation marks are part of the actual title. Am I correct in thinking that periods are not used in titles if the title is just a sentence fragment? There may be options for how the title may be written, but since you did not provide an example of what you are talking about, we are unable to say for sure.

Why do newspapers put movie and book titles in quotes? Is this different for newswriting? As our blog states, most newspapers follow The Associated Press Stylebook , which has its own rules because italics cannot be sent through AP computers. In addition to catalogs, this category includes almanacs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, gazetteers, handbooks and similar publications. Do not use quotation marks around such software titles as WordPerfect or Windows.

Those packets that kids get in school and all. Rules for titles of packets of information are not specifically mentioned by the style guides. Here are two examples:. They needed something outside of them to hold them in place. Since the blocks for quotation marks were full height, they could do the job.

Oh, now I see someone has already provided a variation of my typesetting origin for end punctuation of quotations. Sorry for the redundancy.