Titles

Documents

Traditionally, the titles of documents in English are given maximal capitalization. That is to say, capitalize the first word and all nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs. Do not capitalize articles, conjunctions or prepositions.

Exemple adequatThe Strategic Plan for Teaching and Learning


However, the first word of a subtitle after a colon is generally capitalized, whatever part of speech it may be (see also Other uses in the section on punctuation).

Exemple adequatStrategic Planning: An Approach to the Future


Remember, too, that when writing individual titles, you can often exercise a certain amount of personal judgement. A short title, for example, may look better if words that are often lowercased are capitalized.

Exemple adequatAll About Erasmus


In the headings of document sections, however, use sentence-style capitalization (first word and proper nouns) instead of title-style capitalization (first word and all nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs), although the exact style will also depend on the number of levels of hierarchy. Capitalize the first word, but lowercase the rest, including the first word after a colon (except for those words that would normally be capitalized in running text).

Exemple adequatTeaching vision

Exemple adequatStrategic goals: a necessary evil

Exemple adequatCore teaching values and the Dublin Declaration


The first element of a compound word is always capitalized in a title; the second element is also capitalized unless it is an article, a preposition or a coordinating conjunction.

Exemple adequatThe Role of Computer-Assisted Translation in the Internationalization of European Universities

Exemple adequatGreater European Integration Gets the Thumbs-up from Catalan-Speaking University Students


Second elements that are hyphenated to prefixes are capitalized only if they are proper nouns.

Exemple adequatCompetences: A Comparison between Pre- and Post-Erasmus Students

Exemple adequatPost-examination Opening Times for University Libraries


Publications

Capitalize and set in italics the titles of all sorts of published works (books, theses, audiovisual material, journals, paintings, etc.).

Exemple adequatthe book Landscapes: A Guide to University Architecture

Exemple adequatthe thesis Fabrication of Bulk and Interdigitated Solar Cells

Exemple adequatthe film American Beauty

Exemple adequatthe Pink Floyd album Dark Side of the Moon

Exemple adequatthe journal Analytical Chemistry

Exemple adequatSalvador Dalí’s painting The Persistence of Memory

Exemple adequatHarold Pinter’s play The Birthday Party


However, only capitalize the first word of the titles of articles, chapters and other sections of a publication, and enclose them in inverted commas.

Exemple adequatThe research group wrote the article entitled “The dynamics of charge carriers.


Exemple adequatBefore the next class, please read the chapter “Revising prose structure and style.


For other issues of use of italics, see the explanation about the titles of books, journals and other publications in Italics.
Darrera actualització: 7-9-2023
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Recommended citation:
«Titles» [en línia]. A: Llibre d’estil de la Universitat de Barcelona. Barcelona: Universitat de Barcelona. Serveis Lingüístics. <https://www.ub.edu/llibre-estil/criteri.php?id=2336> [consulta: 29 març 2024].
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