Mechanical Conventions

1
Mechanical Conventions

• Capitalization
• Abbreviations
• Numerals
• Italics

2
Capitalization

• Capitalize the first letter of
• Proper nouns
• Titles of persons
• First, last, and all major words in titles and
  subtitles
• First words

3
1. Proper nouns, their abbreviations, plus words
derived from proper nouns

• Proper nouns are specific names of
• Persons, places, and things
• homer simpson alice cooper
• winnipeg the pas crystal city queenston
  street
• boyd building red river college st. vital
  mallpacific ocean sales department
• british texan vancouverite
• The deity, religions, religious followers, sacred
  books
• protestant buddhism bible

H
S
A
C
W
T
P
C
C
S
Q
B
B
R
R
C
S
V
M
P
O
S
D
B
T
V
B
B
P
4
Proper nouns

• Continents
• asia north america
• Nationalities, races
• spanish asian english japanese
• Months, holidays, days of the week
• june labour day sunday

A
A
N
A
E
J
S
J
L
D
S
5
Proper nouns

• But not terms used with proper nouns unless part
  of the specific name
• american border colgate toothpaste
• our high school reunion labour day weekend
• red and assiniboine rivers
• Also, not words used in specific measurements
• 5 feet 2 inches 12 metres 200 kg
• Also, not names of seasons
• summer holidays winter sports
• Also, not former proper nouns
• french fries china

A
C
L
D
R
A
6
Proper nouns

• Also, not names of flowers, plants, trees,
  chemical elements, birds, animals
• rose poinsettia juniper bush oak
• sodium chloride trinitrotoluene
• blue jay bald eagle dachshund
• Unless derived from proper nouns
• shasta daisy georgia pine
• american eagle scottish terrier shih tzu

S
G
A
S
S
T
7
Proper nouns

• Trade names
• xerox vim honda
• But not former trade names
• aspirin kleenex
• School subjects only if names of languages
• french spanish history mathematics
• Particular courses
• philosophy 101 communication 2
• Programs
• computer analyst/programmer
• health information technologist

X
V
H
F
S
P
C
C
A
P
H
I
T
8
Proper nouns

• Directions only if in reference to specific
  section of a country or the world or as part of
  name of a major world division
• north pole south america the wild west
• But not when in reference to points on the
  compass
• southern manitoba east of the rockies
• Words accompanying letters, figures, Roman
  numerals (except words like page, line )
• route 90 chapter 6 invoice no. 469
• grade 3 room E316

N
P
S
A
W
W
M
R
R
C
I
N
G
R
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2. Titles of persons

• Titles of persons when used as part of a proper
  name
• mr. downing professor black dr. laura
• I asked director jones to attend.
• But not when used alone
• The dean is in a meeting.
• High-ranking government officials, religious
  officials preceding, following, or replacing
• president bush father morand
• jean cretien, prime minister,
• The governor general spoke at lunch.

M
D
P
B
D
L
D
J
P
B
F
M
J
C
P
M
G
G
10
Titles of persons

• Low-ranking government officials, business people
  only when immediately preceding
• mayor murray dean billings
• glen murray, mayor of winnipeg,
• faith mackling, assistant director,
• Usage varies with titles of important public
  figures when used alone
• We saw the prime minister on TV.
• The premier was interviewed by the journalist.

M
M
D
B
G
M
W
F
M
P
M
11
Titles of persons

• Family relationships
• Only when immediately preceding and used as parts
  of proper nouns, or when replacing them
• I heard aunt martha speak fondly of mother.
• I admire my uncle allan.
• Not when preceded by possessive pronoun
• This is my uncle, allan.
• Our grandmother still loves to cook.

A
M
M
A
U
A
12
3. First, last, and all major words in titles and
subtitles of works of art, literature

• Minor words articles, prepositions, and
  coordinating conjunctions only if first or last
• on being average in defense of the meek
• Second part of hyphenated term only if it is a
  major word
• a three-part solution to perfection
• my pre-retirement strategy
• Titles of chapter titles plus other major
  divisions
• excellence in business communication discusses a
  great web site in revising business messages.

O
B
A
I
D
M
A
T
S
P
M
P
R
S
E
B
C
W
R
B
M
13
4. First words

• Sentence or sentence substitute
• this stuff is easy. right?
• Quoted sentence
• I fell in love when he said, my rich aunt left
  me a million dollars.
• Unless blended into sentence introducing it
• I started to worry when he added and Im giving
  it all to charity.
• Unless second part of interrupted quote
• Dont worry, he said, because I consider you a
  charity case.

T
R
M
14
First words

• Sentence within parentheses
• Allan blames you. (frankly, I dont believe him.)
• Unless parentheses within another sentence
• The meal was great (she had some help, though).
• After a colon
• Only if it begins an independent clause
  (optional)
• He had only one choice he had to leave.
• Capitalize if it begins a formal rule, a long
  independent clause, or a series of independent
  clauses
• I love Thumpers mothers advice if you cant
  say somethin nice, dont say nothin at all.

F
H
I
15
First words

• Items in a vertical list (bulleted or numbered)
• our needs are few
• food for nourishment
• clothing
• shelter for protection from the elements
• Each line of poetry unless poet does not
• all the worlds a stage
• and all the men and women merely players
• Salutation, complimentary closing
• my dear Mr. Black and Ms. White
• cordially yours,

O
F
C
S
A
A
M
C
16
B. Capitalize all letters in

• Abbreviations for proper nouns
• CBC CAP RRC
• Some abbreviations are not capitalized, some have
  periods see discussion of abbreviations
• kg a.m. e.g. A.D. B.C.
• Call letters of radio and television stations
• CJOB CKND
• Acronyms
• NATO OPEC

17
B. Capitalize all letters in

• Codes for provinces and states
• MB ND
• Chemical symbols
• Some lower-case letters and subscript numbers
  included
• NaCl TNT H2O
• IOU, SOS, I (pronoun), Oh (interjection)