Capitalization: Do's and don'ts

By Dick Thien
Chips Quinn Writing Coach

Note: This discussion is restricted to the most common errors in capitalization. See The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual for a fuller treatment and a cross-reference list of 30 categories.

1. Do NOT capitalize the seasons of the year.

EXAMPLES: winter, summer, spring, fall

2. Do NOT capitalize directions.

EXAMPLES: north, south, east, west, western Nebraska, northern Michigan.

3. DO capitalize directional words and other descriptive words when the region is widely known by such a designation:

EXAMPLES: Southern California, the Lower East Side of New York, the Far West, the Great Plains.

4. DO capitalize the names of governmental bodies, agencies, businesses, institutions and the like, and, on first reference, use formal names.

EXAMPLES: Senate Revenue Committee, Johnstown Unit 5 School Board, Pennsylvania Department of Education, Ford Motor Co.

Note: As a rule, spell out in full all names in a title. Exception: Company, corporation, limited and incorporated when used at the end of a firm's name.

EXAMPLE: Ford Motor Co.

5. On second reference, do NOT capitalize shortened versions of formal names.

EXAMPLES: the committee, the school board, the department, the company (except Ford)

6. DO capitalize political parties and their adherents.

EXAMPLES: the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, the Communist

Party.

7. Do NOT capitalize words describing a political theory, as opposed to a political party.

EXAMPLE: Although he was registered as a Democrat, he thought more

like a fascist than a democrat (here, meaning one who espoused Jeffersonian

ideals rather than belonging to a party).

8. Do NOT capitalize areas of study unless the word is a proper noun of itself.

EXAMPLE: engineering, history, English, French, mathematics

9. DO capitalize holidays.

EXAMPLES: Christmas, Memorial Day, Valentine's Day.

MISCELLANEOUS

10. Acronyms: With a few exceptions spelled out in the AP Stylebook, use the full name of an organization or firm on first reference. Example: Write out, on first reference, National Organization for Women rather than using the acronym NOW.

Do NOT follow the full name of the organization with its acronym in parentheses.

No: The National Organization for Women (NOW)
Yes: The National Organization for Women

On second reference, use acronyms sparingly, if at all. Generic words like agency, group or organization usually are clearer to the reader.

With certain exceptions (U.S. and U.N. prominent among them), do NOT use periods in acronyms or other letter abbreviations.

No: G.M.C., N.C.A.A.
Yes: GMC, NCAA

11. In AP style, the abbreviation U.S. may be used as an adjective but not as a noun.

Yes: The United States is more than 200 years old. The U.S. mail is not to be tampered with.

12. In AP style, the abbreviation TV (note capital letters and absence of periods) is acceptable as an adjective or in such cases as cable TV. As a rule, do not use the abbreviation as a noun.

13. When using a shortened form to indicate a decade, put the apostrophe BEFORE the numbers to indicate that numbers have been omitted, rather than AFTER, where an apostrophe would falsely indicate a possessive form.

No: The Roaring 20's
Yes: The Roaring '20s

SPELLING WORDS

benefited, benefiting
definite
superintendent
yield

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