When do I capitalize the first letter of a quotation?

Whether you capitalize the first letter of a quotation depends on how the quotation fits into your sentence. Capitalize the first letter of a quotation,… Read More

Should I reproduce a quotation in all caps in my essay?

In general, yes, you should reproduce quotations as they appear in the source. If a quotation appears in all caps in your source, most of… Read More

How should I style academic degrees?

Spell out or abbreviate academic degrees in your prose: The requirements for the associate of arts degree have been updated on the department website. The… Read More

How do I style the names of amusement rides?

Like proper names of other types of physical structures, such as buildings, proper names of amusement rides are capitalized like titles but are not italicized… Read More

How do I style abbreviations like LOL in a title?

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary spells LOL (as well as BTW, TMI, and other abbreviations used in text messaging) with capital letters. In a title, the term… Read More

Are scientific laws, theories, and terms capitalized?

Scientific laws, theories, and terms are lowercased except when preceded by a proper adjective. Read More

In the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook, why are names of seasons styled lowercase in works-cited-list entries?

The ninth edition of the MLA Handbook aims for stylistic consistency in prose and works-cited-list entries. Since seasons are styled lowercase in prose (e.g., My favorite seasons… Read More

How should the title of an opera waltz be styled?

An opera waltz, like any portion of a larger musical work, is styled roman, in quotation marks. The Chicago Manual of Style explains, “Titles of… Read More

How should I capitalize the title of a handout?

Capitalize the title of a handout title style; that is, “capitalize the first word, the last word, and all principal words” (MLA Handbook 67). Below… Read More

Is the particle al- or el- at the start of an Arabic last name capitalized in a works-cited-list entry?

In general, no. The MLA’s guidance on Dutch particles applies to Arabic last names prefixed by al- and el- except that al- and el- are… Read More