Is Saying Music or Art in a Sentence Capitalized
by Chelsea Lee
Dear Mode Experts,
I am writing a paper in APA Style, and I have a question about the capitalization of a specific give-and-take. Tin can you tell me how to capitalize it? Likewise, I demand to know what the proper APA Manner spelling of the discussion is. Thanks for your aid!
— Wally in Washington, DC
Love Wally,
Your offset stop in answering questions well-nigh the capitalization or spelling of a specific word in an APA Way paper should exist the dictionary. APA uses Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2005) as its standard reference for capitalization and spelling, along with the APA Dictionary of Psychology for psychology-related terms. Along with the guidance provided in the Publication Manual (see pp. 101–104 for capitalization rules), follow the capitalization and spelling y'all see in those dictionaries for words in your APA Style paper. If more 1 option for capitalization and spelling is provided, use the first entry.
Now, you might wonder, why is it helpful to look upwardly a word in a dictionary if you want to know how to capitalize it and non but how to spell information technology? Well, information technology'due south helpful because the dictionary tells you whether a word is a proper noun (i.e., a specific person, place, or thing), and proper nouns are capitalized in English language and therefore in APA Way (encounter Publication Manual sections 4.16 and iv.xviii). Their opposite, regular or "common" nouns (which refer to general persons, places, or things), are lowercase in English and thus in APA Mode as well.
What to Capitalize
Here are some examples of different types of (capitalized) proper nouns, along with some (lowercased) regular or mutual noun corollaries:
| Noun blazon | Proper name example | Mutual noun instance |
| Author or person | Freud, Skinner, von Neumann | the author, the investigator, the mathematician |
| Company, establishment, or agency | American Psychological Association, University of Washington, Department of Sociology | the association, a university, a folklore section |
| Production | Advil, Xerox, Prozac (brand names) | ibuprofen, photocopy, fluoxetine (generic names) |
| Test or inventory | Beck Low Inventory, Child Behavior Checklist | a low inventory, a behavior checklist |
| Website or database | PsycINFO, Facebook, Survey Monkey, Internet | a database, a social media page, a website, online |
| Periodical (periodical, magazine, newspaper) | Periodical of Counseling Psychology, Time, The Washington Post | a psychology periodical, a mag, a newspaper |
| Software, program, or app | SPSS, Mplus, Davis's Drug Guide for iPhone | statistical software, a computer program, a mobile app drug guide |
| Legal materials (statutes, acts, codes, bills, regulations, constitutions, etc.; see alsoPM Appendix vii.1 and the Legal Bluebook) | Americans With Disabilities Human action, FDA Prescription Drug Advertising Rule, U.Due south. Constitution | antidiscrimination laws, drug ad legislation, a constitution |
Along with the proper nouns listed in the tabular array above, yous should also e'er capitalize:
- the first word of a sentence,
- the first word afterwards a colon when what follows the colon is an independent clause,
- gene names in a factor analysis (come across section iv.20),
- most nouns when they are followed by numerals or letters (due east.g., Table i, Figure 2, Console A; see section 4.17), and
- words in an interaction when there is a multiplication sign between them (eastward.g., Historic period x Sex outcome; see section iv.xx).
What Non to Capitalize
This section provides some examples of what not to capitalize—especially the types of words that writers tend to capitalize by error. Notation that proper nouns (such as personal names) inside these terms usually retain their capitalization.
| Noun type | Instance |
| Model | five-factor personality model, associative learning model |
| Theory or philosophy | behaviorism, psychoanalytic theory, Freudian theory |
| Therapy or technique | client-centered therapy, cognitive behavior therapy |
| Concept | object permanence, confirmation bias, correlation |
| Disease/disorder | major depressive disorder, depression, Alzheimer's illness, obsessive-compulsive disorder |
| Hypothesis | goose egg hypothesis, experimental hypothesis |
| Status or group in an experiment | control group, experimental group, no-information grouping |
| Variable (for factors in a factor analysis, see above) | the historic period variable, the effect of gender |
| Statistical procedure or test | analysis of variance, t test, standard difference |
| Academic bailiwick/subject field | social psychology, nursing, English, Spanish, business organization |
| Police force (scientific; for legal, run into to a higher place tabular array) | law of symmetry, Newton's three laws of motion |
Again, the dictionary corroborates this mode of capitalization, so if you have questions, showtime there.
Departing Thoughts
Capitalization is a large topic, and this post covers merely some of the basics. For more on the capitalization of specific words in APA Mode, including copious specifics, exceptions, and examples, meet the Publication Transmission (pp. 101–104). In hereafter posts, we will cover capitalization in author names, source titles, the reference list, abbreviations, and more than. If in that location is an area of capitalization that you would like to hear more about, delight leave us a note in the comments section.
—Chelsea
More Posts on Capitalization
- How to Capitalize Author Names in APA Manner
- How to Capitalize and Format Reference Titles in APA Style
- Title Case and Judgement Case Capitalization in APA Style
Source: https://blog.apastyle.org/apastyle/2012/02/do-i-capitalize-this-word.html
Do I Capitalize This Word?
Dear Style Experts,
I am writing a paper in APA Style, and I have a question about the capitalization of a specific word. Tin can y'all tell me how to capitalize it? Also, I demand to know what the proper APA Style spelling of the give-and-take is. Thanks for your help!
— Wally in Washington, DC
Dear Wally,
Your showtime cease in answering questions about the capitalization or spelling of a specific give-and-take in an APA Style newspaper should be the dictionary. APA uses Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2005) as its standard reference for capitalization and spelling, forth with the APA Lexicon of Psychology for psychology-related terms. Forth with the guidance provided in the Publication Transmission (come across pp. 101–104 for capitalization rules), follow the capitalization and spelling you meet in those dictionaries for words in your APA Way paper. If more than than one selection for capitalization and spelling is provided, use the start entry.
At present, you might wonder, why is it helpful to look up a discussion in a dictionary if y'all want to know how to capitalize it and not merely how to spell information technology? Well, information technology's helpful considering the dictionary tells you whether a give-and-take is a proper noun (i.e., a specific person, identify, or affair), and proper nouns are capitalized in English and therefore in APA Style (meet Publication Transmission sections iv.16 and 4.18). Their opposite, regular or "common" nouns (which refer to general persons, places, or things), are lowercase in English and thus in APA Fashion besides.
What to Capitalize
Here are some examples of different types of (capitalized) proper nouns, along with some (lowercased) regular or common noun corollaries:
Noun type
Proper substantive example
Common substantive example
Writer or person
Freud, Skinner, von Neumann
the author, the investigator, the mathematician
Visitor, establishment, or agency
American Psychological Association, Academy of Washington, Department of Sociology
the association, a university, a sociology department
Product
Advil, Xerox, Prozac (brand names)
ibuprofen, photocopy, fluoxetine (generic names)
Test or inventory
Beck Depression Inventory, Kid Behavior Checklist
a depression inventory, a beliefs checklist
Website or database
PsycINFO, Facebook, Survey Monkey, Internet
a database, a social media folio, a website, online
Periodical (journal, magazine, newspaper)
Journal of Counseling Psychology, Time, The Washington Post
a psychology journal, a magazine, a newspaper
Software, program, or app
SPSS, Mplus, Davis's Drug Guide for iPhone
statistical software, a estimator plan, a mobile app drug guide
Legal materials (statutes, acts, codes, bills, regulations, constitutions, etc.; see alsoPM Appendix 7.i and the Legal Bluebook)
Americans With Disabilities Act, FDA Prescription Drug Advertising Rule, U.Southward. Constitution
antidiscrimination laws, drug advertisement legislation, a constitution
Forth with the proper nouns listed in the table above, yous should also always capitalize:
What Non to Capitalize
This section provides some examples of what not to capitalize—especially the types of words that writers tend to capitalize by error. Notation that proper nouns (such equally personal names) within these terms usually retain their capitalization.
Noun type
Example
Model
5-cistron personality model, associative learning model
Theory or philosophy
behaviorism, psychoanalytic theory, Freudian theory
Therapy or technique
client-centered therapy, cognitive beliefs therapy
Concept
object permanence, confirmation bias, correlation
Affliction/disorder
major depressive disorder, depression, Alzheimer'southward illness, obsessive-compulsive disorder
Hypothesis
nada hypothesis, experimental hypothesis
Condition or group in an experiment
control grouping, experimental group, no-information group
Variable (for factors in a factor analysis, run across above)
the age variable, the result of gender
Statistical procedure or test
analysis of variance, t test, standard divergence
Academic subject/discipline
social psychology, nursing, English, Spanish, business concern
Law (scientific; for legal, meet above table)
law of symmetry, Newton's three laws of move
Again, the dictionary corroborates this manner of capitalization, then if you have questions, start there.
Departing Thoughts
Capitalization is a big topic, and this post covers but some of the basics. For more on the capitalization of specific words in APA Style, including copious specifics, exceptions, and examples, see the Publication Manual (pp. 101–104). In future posts, we will encompass capitalization in writer names, source titles, the reference list, abbreviations, and more. If there is an area of capitalization that you lot would like to hear more about, delight leave us a note in the comments section.
—Chelsea
More Posts on Capitalization