Capitalization
Consult a dictionary
to determine the normal capitalization for most words. For a list
of dictionaries, see Reference Works .
For information on specific capitalization schemes, see the following
sections:
- When to capitalize the first letter of a list item, see Lists.
- How to capitalize abbreviations, see Abbreviations/Acronyms.
- When to capitalize after a punctuation mark, see Colon, Hyphens and Dashes, and Semicolon.
In Text
Capitalize proper nouns (personal names, geographical names, organizations, etc.). However, many terms that are derived from or associated with proper nouns are not capitalized. See The Chicago Manual of Style for more detailed information.
President A. B. Cee of XYZ Corporation
but A. B. Cee, president of XYZ Corporation
English standard units
but plaster of paris
U.S. Department of Defense
but executive branch of the federal government
The official names of departments, projects, and programs should be capitalized appropriately.
University and National Laboratory Programs department
Law department
Partnering for Total Quality program
Point-of-Use Ultrapure Water Monitoring project
Titles
Capitalize the first letter of the first word and other significant words in a title. Do not capitalize the following:
- Articles (a, an, the)
- Conjunctions (and, but, or)
- Prepositions of fewer than five letters (in, with, for)
- The to in an infinitive
In a hyphenated compound, capitalize the second element if it is NOT a four-letter preposition.
How to Use the System
Physical Vapor Deposition of Metals
In-House Tools
Contaminant Levels Within the System
Contamination-Free Manufacturing