{"id":1149,"date":"2026-07-07T10:14:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T04:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/?p=1149"},"modified":"2026-07-20T10:33:07","modified_gmt":"2026-07-20T05:03:07","slug":"capitalization-academic-writing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/","title":{"rendered":"Capitalization in Academic Writing: Rules and Examples"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Capitalize proper nouns, official names, languages, organizations, and the first word of every sentence.<\/li><li>Use lowercase for common nouns, academic disciplines, most diseases, statistical methods, and chemical elements, unless style conventions require otherwise.<\/li><li>Pay attention to discipline-specific conventions, especially for gene names, drug names, diseases, and astronomical terms.<\/li><li>Maintain consistent capitalization across the entire manuscript, including headings, tables, figures, and references.<\/li><li>When in doubt, consult the style guide of your target journal or institution, as publisher-specific house styles may override general English rules.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Contents<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"#_Toc234071476\">Why Capitalization Matters<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234071477\">General Rules of Capitalization<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234071478\">Common Capitalization Mistakes<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234071479\">Quick Reference Table<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234071480\">Sentence Case vs Title Case<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234071481\">Scientific Names of Organisms<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Capitalization is one of the simplest aspects of English grammar, yet it is frequently applied incorrectly in academic writing. Inconsistent capitalization can make a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-good-research-paper\/\">research paper<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/what-is-a-dissertation-best-practices\/\">dissertation<\/a> appear unprofessional, distract reviewers, and even create ambiguity. While most journals and universities follow standard English capitalization rules, they also have discipline-specific conventions and house styles that authors should follow consistently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide explains the rules of capitalization in academic writing, highlights common mistakes, and provides examples from the social sciences, biomedical sciences, and physical sciences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Why_Capitalization_Matters\" >Why Capitalization Matters<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#General_Rules_of_Capitalization\" >General Rules of Capitalization<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_1_Capitalize_the_First_Word_of_Every_Sentence\" >Rule 1: Capitalize the First Word of Every Sentence<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Correct\" >Correct<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Incorrect\" >Incorrect<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_2_Capitalize_Proper_Nouns\" >Rule 2: Capitalize Proper Nouns<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Correct-2\" >Correct:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Incorrect-2\" >Incorrect:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_3_Capitalize_Official_Department_and_Course_Names\" >Rule 3: Capitalize Official Department and Course Names<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Example\" >Example<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_4_Do_Not_Capitalize_Academic_Disciplines\" >Rule 4: Do Not Capitalize Academic Disciplines<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Exceptions\" >Exceptions:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Example-2\" >Example:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_5_Capitalize_Languages\" >Rule 5: Capitalize Languages<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_6_Capitalize_Official_Study_Names\" >Rule 6: Capitalize Official Study Names<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Correct-3\" >Correct:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Correct-4\" >Correct:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_7_Capitalize_Specific_Geographic_Regions\" >Rule 7: Capitalize Specific Geographic Regions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-19\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Correct-5\" >Correct:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-20\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_8_Capitalize_Names_of_Tests_and_Instruments\" >Rule 8: Capitalize Names of Tests and Instruments<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-21\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Examples\" >Examples<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-22\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Correct-6\" >Correct:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-23\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_9_Capitalize_Trade_Names_but_Not_Generic_Drug_Names\" >Rule 9: Capitalize Trade Names but Not Generic Drug Names<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-24\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Correct-7\" >Correct:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-25\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_10_Most_Disease_Names_Are_Lowercase\" >Rule 10: Most Disease Names Are Lowercase<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-26\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_11_Gene_Versus_Protein_Names\" >Rule 11: Gene Versus Protein Names<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-27\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Example-3\" >Example:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-28\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_12_Chemical_Elements_and_Compounds\" >Rule 12: Chemical Elements and Compounds<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-29\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_13_Planetary_and_Astronomical_Terms\" >Rule 13: Planetary and Astronomical Terms<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-30\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rule_14_Statistical_Terms\" >Rule 14: Statistical Terms<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-31\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Common_Capitalization_Mistakes\" >Common Capitalization Mistakes<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-32\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Tips_for_Maintaining_Consistency\" >Tips for Maintaining Consistency<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-33\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Quick_Reference_Table\" >Quick Reference Table<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-34\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Sentence_Case_vs_Title_Case\" >Sentence Case vs Title Case<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-35\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Capitalization_in_Article_Titles\" >Capitalization in Article Titles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-36\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Capitalization_in_Subheadings\" >Capitalization in Subheadings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-37\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Capitalization_in_Table_Titles\" >Capitalization in Table Titles<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-38\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Examples-2\" >Examples<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-39\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Capitalization_in_Table_Column_Headings\" >Capitalization in Table Column Headings<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-40\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Capitalization_in_Figure_Captions\" >Capitalization in Figure Captions<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-41\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Examples-3\" >Examples<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-42\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Capitalization_After_a_Colon\" >Capitalization After a Colon<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-43\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Sentence_Case\" >Sentence Case<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-44\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Title_Case\" >Title Case<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-45\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Scientific_Names_of_Organisms\" >Scientific Names of Organisms<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-46\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Rules\" >Rules<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-47\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Examples-4\" >Examples<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-48\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/#Taxonomic_Ranks\" >Taxonomic Ranks<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Capitalization_Matters\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc234071476\">Why Capitalization Matters<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Proper capitalization helps readers:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Identify proper nouns and official names<\/li><li>Distinguish specific entities from general terms<\/li><li>Improve readability<\/li><li>Maintain consistency throughout a manuscript<\/li><li>Demonstrate attention to detail<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Although capitalization errors rarely lead to manuscript rejection on their own, they can contribute to a negative impression of writing quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"General_Rules_of_Capitalization\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc234071477\">General Rules of Capitalization<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Capitalize<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Do Not Capitalize<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Beginning of a sentence<\/td><td>Common nouns<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Proper nouns<\/td><td>General disciplines<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Official organization names<\/td><td>Generic job titles<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Countries and cities<\/td><td>Seasons<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Languages<\/td><td>Most disease names<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Days and months<\/td><td>Compass directions used generally<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Specific course names<\/td><td>Generic course subjects<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_1_Capitalize_the_First_Word_of_Every_Sentence\"><\/span>Rule 1: Capitalize the First Word of Every Sentence<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every sentence begins with a capital letter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Correct\"><\/span>Correct<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Participants completed the survey.<\/li><li>Results indicated a significant association.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Incorrect\"><\/span>Incorrect<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>participants completed the survey.<\/li><li>results indicated a significant association.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_2_Capitalize_Proper_Nouns\"><\/span>Rule 2: Capitalize Proper Nouns<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Proper nouns refer to specific people, places, organizations, institutions, or products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Capitalize<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Do Not Capitalize<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Harvard University<\/td><td>universities<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>World Health Organization<\/td><td>health organizations<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Amazon River<\/td><td>rivers<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>India<\/td><td>countries<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>European Union<\/td><td>political unions<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Correct-2\"><\/span>Correct:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Students from the <strong>University of Delhi<\/strong> participated.<\/li><li>Samples were obtained from <strong>Mayo Clinic<\/strong>.<\/li><li>&nbsp;<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Incorrect-2\"><\/span>Incorrect:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Students from the <strong>university of Delhi<\/strong> participated.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_3_Capitalize_Official_Department_and_Course_Names\"><\/span>Rule 3: Capitalize Official Department and Course Names<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Capitalize official names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Correct:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Department of Psychology<\/li><li>School of Nursing<\/li><li>Introduction to Organic Chemistry<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not capitalize when referring generally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Example\"><\/span>Example<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>the psychology department of a university<\/li><li>an organic chemistry course<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_4_Do_Not_Capitalize_Academic_Disciplines\"><\/span>Rule 4: Do Not Capitalize Academic Disciplines<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Academic fields are generally lowercase unless derived from proper nouns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>biology<\/td><td>Biology<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>chemistry<\/td><td>Chemistry<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>sociology<\/td><td>Sociology<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>economics<\/td><td>Economics<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Exceptions\"><\/span>Exceptions:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>English<\/li><li>French<\/li><li>Latin<\/li><li>Arabic<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Example-2\"><\/span>Example:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>She studies biology and English.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_5_Capitalize_Languages\"><\/span>Rule 5: Capitalize Languages<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Languages are always capitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>English<\/td><td>english<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mandarin<\/td><td>mandarin<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Spanish<\/td><td>spanish<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_6_Capitalize_Official_Study_Names\"><\/span>Rule 6: Capitalize Official Study Names<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Official study or project names are proper nouns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Correct-3\"><\/span>Correct:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Framingham Heart Study<\/li><li>UK Biobank<\/li><li>Human Genome Project<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>General references remain lowercase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Correct-4\"><\/span>Correct:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>We conducted a cohort study.<\/li><li>Participants were recruited for a clinical trial.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_7_Capitalize_Specific_Geographic_Regions\"><\/span>Rule 7: Capitalize Specific Geographic Regions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Capitalize recognized regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>South Asia<\/li><li>Middle East<\/li><li>Western Europe<\/li><li>Arctic Ocean<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Do not capitalize general directions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Correct-5\"><\/span>Correct:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>northern India<\/li><li>western coast<\/li><li>southern region<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_8_Capitalize_Names_of_Tests_and_Instruments\"><\/span>Rule 8: Capitalize Names of Tests and Instruments<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Official assessment tools are capitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Examples\"><\/span>Examples<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Beck Depression Inventory<\/li><li>Mini Mental State Examination<\/li><li>Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>General descriptions remain lowercase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Correct-6\"><\/span>Correct:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>a depression questionnaire<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_9_Capitalize_Trade_Names_but_Not_Generic_Drug_Names\"><\/span>Rule 9: Capitalize Trade Names but Not Generic Drug Names<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Generic Name<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Brand Name<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>ibuprofen<\/td><td>Advil<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>acetaminophen<\/td><td>Tylenol<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>metformin<\/td><td>Glucophage<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Correct-7\"><\/span>Correct:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Participants received ibuprofen.<\/li><li>Participants received Advil.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_10_Most_Disease_Names_Are_Lowercase\"><\/span>Rule 10: Most Disease Names Are Lowercase<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Disease names are usually lowercase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Correct<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>diabetes<\/li><li>influenza<\/li><li>tuberculosis<\/li><li>malaria<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Exceptions occur when a proper noun is included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Parkinson disease<\/li><li>Alzheimer disease<\/li><li>Crohn disease<\/li><li>Lyme disease<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_11_Gene_Versus_Protein_Names\"><\/span>Rule 11: Gene Versus Protein Names<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The general convention is as follows: human genes (uppercase and italic), human proteins (uppercase), mouse genes (first letter only uppercase and italic) and mouse proteins (uppercase).&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>p53 protein<\/td><td><em>p53<\/em> protein<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>BRCA1 protein<\/td><td><em>BRCA1 protein<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Example-3\"><\/span>Example:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Mutations in <em>TP53<\/em> were associated with poor clinical outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_12_Chemical_Elements_and_Compounds\"><\/span>Rule 12: Chemical Elements and Compounds<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Chemical element names are lowercase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Correct<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>hydrogen<\/li><li>oxygen<\/li><li>nitrogen<\/li><li>carbon<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Chemical symbols use capitals according to standard notation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Correct<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>H<\/li><li>O<\/li><li>Na<\/li><li>Fe<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_13_Planetary_and_Astronomical_Terms\"><\/span>Rule 13: Planetary and Astronomical Terms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>General terms remain lowercase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>planet<\/li><li>galaxy<\/li><li>star<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Specific names are capitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Earth<\/li><li>Mars<\/li><li>Jupiter<\/li><li>Milky Way<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rule_14_Statistical_Terms\"><\/span>Rule 14: Statistical Terms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Statistical methods are generally lowercase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Correct<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>analysis of variance<\/li><li>linear regression<\/li><li>logistic regression<\/li><li>principal component analysis<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Abbreviations remain capitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>ANOVA<\/li><li>ANCOVA<\/li><li>MANOVA<\/li><li>PCA<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Capitalization_Mistakes\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc234071478\">Common Capitalization Mistakes<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Biology Department<\/td><td>biology department (unless official name)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Professor john smith<\/td><td>Professor John Smith<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Western coast of India<\/td><td>western coast of India<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>The Questionnaire<\/td><td>the questionnaire<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Clinical Trial<\/td><td>clinical trial<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Analysis Of Variance<\/td><td>analysis of variance<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>World health organization<\/td><td>World Health Organization<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>The University<\/td><td>the university (unless part of the official name)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Tips_for_Maintaining_Consistency\"><\/span>Tips for Maintaining Consistency<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Decide whether you are following American or British English conventions.<\/li><li>Follow the capitalization rules of your target journal or university style guide.<\/li><li>Capitalize only official names and proper nouns.<\/li><li>Avoid capitalizing words for emphasis.<\/li><li>Use the same capitalization style throughout tables, figures, headings, and appendices.<\/li><li>Check abbreviations carefully because many depend on capitalization.<\/li><li>Verify capitalization in references, as citation styles have specific rules for titles.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Quick_Reference_Table\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc234071479\">Quick Reference Table<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Always Capitalize<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Usually Lowercase<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>First word of a sentence or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/title-research-paper\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">title<\/a><\/td><td>Academic disciplines<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Countries<\/td><td>Diseases (except those with proper nouns)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Cities<\/td><td>Seasons<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Languages<\/td><td>Statistical methods<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Organizations<\/td><td>Common nouns<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Universities<\/td><td>Generic department names<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Official project names<\/td><td>Chemical element names<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Brand names<\/td><td>Generic drug names<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Gene symbols (following convention)<\/td><td>General scientific terms<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sentence_Case_vs_Title_Case\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc234071480\">Sentence Case vs Title Case<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Sentence Case<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Title Case<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Capitalize only the first word, proper nouns, abbreviations, and the first word after a colon.<\/td><td>Capitalize most major words, including nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and pronouns. Minor words such as articles and short prepositions are usually lowercase unless they are the first or last word.<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Common in scientific journals and APA headings<\/td><td>Common in books, reports, and Chicago style headings<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Example: <em>Factors influencing vaccine acceptance among older adults<\/em><\/td><td>Example: <em>Factors Influencing Vaccine Acceptance Among Older Adults<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> Always follow your target journal&#8217;s or institution&#8217;s style guide rather than choosing a capitalization style yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Capitalization_in_Article_Titles\"><\/span>Capitalization in Article Titles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Journal titles generally use either sentence case or title case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Examples<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Sentence Case<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Title Case<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Effects of sleep deprivation on working memory<\/td><td>Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Working Memory<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Social media use among adolescents during the pandemic<\/td><td>Social Media Use Among Adolescents During the Pandemic<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Machine learning approaches for protein structure prediction<\/td><td>Machine Learning Approaches for Protein Structure Prediction<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Capitalization in Section Headings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Sentence Case<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Title Case<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Introduction<\/td><td>Introduction<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Literature review<\/td><td>Literature Review<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Materials and methods<\/td><td>Materials and Methods<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Results<\/td><td>Results<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Discussion<\/td><td>Discussion<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Conclusion<\/td><td>Conclusion<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Notice that single-word headings appear identical in both styles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Capitalization_in_Subheadings\"><\/span>Capitalization in Subheadings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Subheadings should use the same capitalization style as major headings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Correct Examples<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Sentence Case<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Title Case<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Participant recruitment<\/td><td>Participant Recruitment<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Statistical analysis<\/td><td>Statistical Analysis<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Data collection procedures<\/td><td>Data Collection Procedures<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Limitations of the study<\/td><td>Limitations of the Study<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Incorrect Examples<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u274c Participant Recruitment<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u274c statistical Analysis<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u274c DATA COLLECTION PROCEDURES<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mixing capitalization styles within the same document creates an inconsistent appearance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Capitalization_in_Table_Titles\"><\/span>Capitalization in Table Titles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Table titles are usually placed above the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Many scientific journals use sentence case, whereas some publishers prefer title case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Examples-2\"><\/span>Examples<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Sentence Case<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Title Case<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Table 1. Demographic characteristics of study participants<\/td><td>Table 1. Demographic Characteristics of Study Participants<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Table 2. Comparison of treatment outcomes<\/td><td>Table 2. Comparison of Treatment Outcomes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Capitalization_in_Table_Column_Headings\"><\/span>Capitalization in Table Column Headings<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Column headings should be concise and consistent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Age (years)<\/td><td>AGE (YEARS)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Mean score<\/td><td>Mean Score (unless title case is required)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Sample size<\/td><td>Sample Size (unless title case is required)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Standard deviation<\/td><td>Standard Deviation (unless title case is required)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Avoid using ALL CAPS for table headings unless specifically required by the publisher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Capitalization_in_Figure_Captions\"><\/span>Capitalization in Figure Captions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Figure captions are typically written in sentence case, regardless of the capitalization style used for headings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Examples-3\"><\/span>Examples<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Figure 1. Relationship between social support and life satisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Figure 2. Histological appearance of liver tissue after treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Figure 3. Crystal structure of the synthesized compound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Capitalization_After_a_Colon\"><\/span>Capitalization After a Colon<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The rule depends on the capitalization style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sentence_Case\"><\/span>Sentence Case<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Capitalize the first word after a colon only if it begins a complete sentence or is a proper noun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Title_Case\"><\/span>Title Case<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Major words following a colon are capitalized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Academic Writing: Principles and Best Practices<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Scientific_Names_of_Organisms\"><\/span><a id=\"_Toc234071481\">Scientific Names of Organisms<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The scientific (Latin) names of organisms follow <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/importance-of-binomial-nomenclature-in-life-science-research\/\">binomial nomenclature<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Rules\"><\/span>Rules<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Capitalize the <strong>genus<\/strong> name.<\/li><li>Write the <strong>species<\/strong> name in lowercase.<\/li><li>Italicize both genus and species.<\/li><li>After the first mention, the genus may be abbreviated.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Examples-4\"><\/span>Examples<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><em>Escherichia coli<\/em><\/td><td><em>escherichia coli<\/em><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><em>Homo sapiens<\/em><\/td><td><em>Homo Sapiens<\/em><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><em>Arabidopsis thaliana<\/em><\/td><td><em>Arabidopsis Thaliana<\/em><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><em>Canis lupus<\/em><\/td><td><em>canis lupus<\/em><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><em>E. coli<\/em> (after first mention)<\/td><td><em>E.Coli<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cultures of <em>Escherichia coli<\/em> were incubated for 24 hours. Subsequent experiments used <em>E. coli<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Taxonomic_Ranks\"><\/span>Taxonomic Ranks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Taxonomic ranks above the genus level are generally capitalized but <strong>not italicized<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Taxonomic Rank<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Kingdom<\/td><td>Animalia<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Phylum<\/td><td>Chordata<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Class<\/td><td>Mammalia<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Order<\/td><td>Primates<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Family<\/td><td>Hominidae<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Genus<\/td><td><em>Homo<\/em><\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Species<\/td><td><em>Homo sapiens<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Key Takeaways Capitalize proper nouns, official names, languages, organizations, and the first word of every sentence. Use lowercase for common nouns, academic disciplines, most diseases, statistical methods, and chemical elements, unless style conventions require otherwise. Pay attention to discipline-specific conventions, especially for gene names, drug names, diseases, and astronomical terms. Maintain consistent capitalization across the [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":1443,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_ayudawp_aiss_exclude":false,"_ayudawp_aiss_summary":"While most journals and universities follow standard English capitalization rules, they also have discipline-specific conventions and house styles that authors should follow consistently. This guide explains the rules of capitalization in academic writing, highlights common mistakes, and provides examples from the social sciences, biomedical sciences, and physical sciences. Follow the capitalization rules of your target journal or university style guide.","_ayudawp_aiss_summary_provider":"extractive","_ayudawp_aiss_summary_hash":"6dd444460751637aeae6934107876a8151b6862c"},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Capitalization in Academic Writing: Rules and Examples - Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Understand rules of capitalization for academic writing, especially gene and protein names, binomial nomenclature, and sentence vs title case.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/capitalization-academic-writing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Capitalization in Academic Writing: Rules and Examples - 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