Know Your Capitals!

Capitalization counts. A lot. It helps important words like names and titles stand out, and because folks are used to reading material with capitalization, they get lost if it isn’t there.

We’re not sure why some folks don’t capitalize, but yep, we need it done. TV.com submission moderators might fix one or two missed words, but otherwise it’s going to get sent back with a request to capitalize correctly.

The one thing that almost never gets capitalized at TV.com is... everything. Exclamations marks are almost always sufficient to indicate yelling, and italics should be used for emphasis. Names, titles, etc., are not upper-capped per TV.com policy.

So what gets capitalized?

The First Word of Sentences

With every new sentence, capitalize the first letter of the first word. If you’re quoting then capitalize the first word of the quotation unless you’re quoting a phrase.

Improper Capitalization: according to Bob Jones, “the movie was the best he ever saw.”
Proper Capitalization: According to Bob Jones, “The movie was the best he ever saw.”

Improper Capitalization: According to Newsweek, Bob Jones is “The best actor of the decade.”
Proper Capitalization: According to Newsweek, Bob Jones is “the best actor of the decade.”

The Pronoun “I” and its contractions

Improper Capitalization: i went to the zoo and i saw the panda bears. i’d pay $100 to see them again.
Proper Capitalization: I went to the zoo and I saw the panda bears. I’d pay $100 to see them again.

First and last names

Examples: Gene Hackman, Lassie, Flipper, Will Smith

Cities, counties, states, continents, states, planets, geographical features

Examples: Alaska, Juneau, Asia, Lake Erie, Mars, Mount Everest, Calloway County

Nationalities, languages, references to continents and their people

Examples: Spanish, French, Mexican, Dutch, Asian, North American, Esperanto

Days, months, and holidays – NOT seasons

Examples: Wednesday, March, Fourth of July, but not summer, winter, fall, spring

Titles with names, family relationships with names, titles used as a name

Examples: Doctor Smith, Mayor Jones, Aunt Ida, Grandpa Smith, Dad (when used as a name)

When a title or family relationship isn’t used as a name, don’t capitalize.

Improper Capitalization: My Dad went to the zoo.
Proper Capitalization: My dad went to the zoo.

Improper Capitalization: The Mayor cut the ribbon at the zoo.
Proper Capitalization: The mayor cut the ribbon at the zoo.

Titles with directions

Examples: North America, Southern California, East Bronx

When a direction isn’t used as a name, don’t capitalize.

Improper Capitalization: He went North to Alaska.
Proper Capitalization: He went north to Alaska.

Brand names, businesses, organizations

Examples: Intel, Ivory Soap, Xerox, Dole, Kentucky Fried Chicken, United Way

Titles of magazines, books, newspaper, movies, TV shows, and songs

Small words (“articles”) like a, an, and the are not capitalized unless they’re the first word. Neither are conjunctions: and, but, or, for, nor.

Examples: The Day the Earth Stood Still, “Frosty the Snowman,” Life Magazine, TV Guide

Historical Events

Examples: World War II, the Normandy Invasion

Religious Terms

Buddhism, Hindu, Catholic, Jewish, Christmas, Easter, Passover, the Bible

Abbreviations of proper nouns

NASA, LAPD, FBI, ACLU

Scholarly terms when used as a title

Improper Capitalization He got a A in science 101.
Proper Capitalization: He got a A in Science 101.

Improper Capitalization: He took a Painting seminar.
Proper Capitalization: He took a painting seminar.

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Next column: A Matter of Timing!

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