As a general rule, we capitalize words sparingly.
Certain words are capitalized when used in specialized contexts, including in headlines, official titles, and in proper nouns such as language names. Capitals are not used as a mark of respect, nor does the use of lower-case imply a lack of respect.
For U of G-specific capitalization rules, see “Titles and Names.” For words not covered here, check the Canadian Oxford dictionary.
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Headlines
Use title case (capitalize initial letters, everything else lower case) in headlines: Prof Discovers Ways to Help Heart Failure Patients. Capitalize principal words in headlines (nouns, pronouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, and the first and last words of the title) as well as short verbs and nouns: Is, Are, Be, It, etc. Capitalize prepositions and conjunctions of four letters or more in headlines: With, Into, From.
Don’t capitalize articles (a, an, the) or prepositions and conjunctions of fewer than four letters: Food for Thought. Capitalize these short words (for, to, at, in) only when they appear as the first or last word in a title or when they appear immediately after a colon or semicolon.
Capitalize Food From Thought in a headline about the U of G project, but use lower case “from” in body copy and captions in reference to this specific project. Body copy: The Food from Thought team has received new funding. Headline: Food From Thought Team Receives Funding.
If a title contains hyphenated words, capitalize both words: New Book Tells Story of History-Filled Guelph Guitar (not: History-filled).
If a title is in French, only the first word is capitalized.
Titles of creative works
For titles of books, plays, movies, songs, academic papers, journal articles, theses, lectures and book chapters, follow capitalization rules as above for headlines when writing principal words and prepositions and conjunctions.
The University
On subsequent references to the University of Guelph, write the University
: the University has a rich history.
Phone extensions
Abbreviate and capitalize extension
in front of a phone number, and include commas before and after the extension: Call 519-824-4120, Ext. 56580, for more information.
Addresses
Capitalize street, road, etc., in addresses, but use lower case with plurals: She lives on College Avenue and works at Edinburgh and Stone roads.
Italics
Italicize titles of books, plays, movies, magazines, journals, newspapers, albums, songs, symphonies, artworks, video games, and TV and radio shows. Also names of ships, spacecraft, aircraft and trains. Also scientific names of organisms (Homo sapiens, E. coli).
Titles of academic papers and journal articles, book chapters, theses, courses, lectures and seminars, etc., are not italicized but are enclosed in quotation marks. Long sacred works such as the Bible and the Qur’an are not italicized. No italics for titles of academic papers or conferences/lectures/courses.
Government
Capitalize formal government titles when they precede a name: Premier Kathleen Wynne, President Donald Trump, Minister of Energy Glenn Thibeault, Mayor Cam Guthrie. But use lowercase when referring to a title generically: the minister of energy, the president, Dr. Slater, professor of anthropology.
Titles preceded by former, late, etc., are also lower case: former prime minister Joe Clark, late president Richard Nixon.
All references to the current Governor General and the Queen or King are capitalized: Governor General Mary Simon; King Charles.
Don’t capitalize government
in generic references to governments, but as official entities, they are the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada.
Capitalize Crown when referring to: Crown land, Crown attorney, Crown corporation
Full names of legislation are capitalized but not italicized: the Criminal Code, Consumer Privacy Protection Act, Bill C-27.
Geographical regions
Capitalize regions that are known as specific geographical areas: Western Canada, the North or Far North, the West (region of Canada or the world), East Coast, Niagara Escarpment, the Prairies, the Western Hemisphere.
Use lower case for derivatives of these specific areas or if the words indicate mere direction or position: southern or northern Ontario, the western provinces, the western world, eastern Europe, the east coast (the shoreline).
Arctic is capitalized both as a noun and as an adjective.
Indigenous Peoples is always capitalized
Seasons
Spring, summer, fall and winter are not capitalized.
Military
Canada’s military forces are capitalized: Canadian Forces, the Forces, Canadian Navy.
For other forces, use lower case when army, navy and air force are preceded by the name of the country: British air force, U.S. navy, German army.
Places
Capitalize city
only when referring to the incorporated entity: The City of Guelph has introduced a new bylaw. He lives in the city of Guelph.
Capitalize Earth when referring to the planet: The space shuttle returned to Earth. Otherwise, it’s lower case: earth science. Mars is the red planet, not the Red Planet.
Capitalize the official names of buildings and locations: War Memorial Hall, Johnston Green.
Province
No initial cap unless part of the formal governmental title: the Province of Ontario. Otherwise, province and provincial take lower case.
Numbers
Capitalize a noun followed by a number denoting place in a numbered series: Room 447, Day 1, Part 2, Grade 3, Phase 1, Act 2, Chapter 10. Use lower case in plural: phases 2 and 3, grades 9 to 12.
Page, paragraph, sentence, size, verse and line are all lower case when followed by a number.
Religion
All the names of religions are proper names and take an initial cap: Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Baha’i, etc.
Black People
Capitalize the word “Black” in referring to Black people: Black population, Black studies, Black person. Use lowercase for associated words such as Black studies program or Black heritage. Use caps for all words in a formal title: Guelph Black Students Association.
Web terms
Proper forms for web terms are as follows: email, website, internet, World Wide Web, online, homepage.
Organization names
In general, follow an organization’s convention for capitalization, punctuation: Loblaw Companies Ltd., eBay Inc., IKEA.
Proper/proprietary names
Proper names that have acquired independent meaning are lower case: french fry, brussels sprouts, scotch whisky.
Proprietary trade names are capitalized: Aspirin, Band-Aid, Frisbee, Kleenex, Plexiglas, Styrofoam, Velcro, Xerox. Use generic words instead of trade names when possible
Lower case vitamin and capitalize the type: vitamin A. Also: it’s Type 2 diabetes.