Capitalization

What words should be capitalized?

Capitalize the following:

1. First word of every sentence
2. First word of a quotation when introduced by someone's name and a verb of attribution (eg. says, asks, writes, observes, notes).
   • Example: Woolf writes, "The wonder is that I 've any clothes on my back."
   • Example: "How did one judge people, think of them?" Lily asks.
3. Words in a title except for short prepositions (to, at, on, by, about etc.), short connecting words, or a, an, the, when the title appears in the text of the paper.
   • For titles appearing in parenthetical citations or in the reference section of a paper, consult the rules of the reference style you are following for your paper: MLA, APA, Chicago style, or others.
   • Example: To the Lighthouse
   • Example: A Room of One's Own
4. Proper Nouns, that is the specific names of people, places, languages, ethnicities, nationalities, or words derived from them, such as Marxism from the name Marx.
   • Examples: Uncle Sam, Ireland, Latin, Latina, Irish
5. Months, days of the week and holidays
   • Examples: March, Thursday, Labour Day, Thanksgiving
6. Title of a Relationship if it takes the place or is used as a person's name. No capital is necessary if the relationship is just being identified.
   • Example: Mum, Dad, Grandpa, Aunt Jane    
   • Example: my mother, my father, my grandfather    
7. People’s Titles when used in conjunction with their names, but not otherwise.
   •  Examples:
     • Dr Veri was called in for consultation.
       •  Another doctor was called in.
     •  They sailed along the St. Lawrence River.
       • They sailed along the river.
     •  I go to Trent University.
       •  I go to university.
8. Periods of time when the reference is to a specific historical era that has been given a name.
   • Example: the Age of Reason, the Middle Ages, the Depression