Academic Writing: Title Formats

Choose the properly formatted title for this book.

• The COVID-19 Pandemic: The Deadly Coronavirus Outbreak

• The COVID-10 Pandemic: The Deadly Coronavirus Outbreak

• "The COVID-19 Pandemic: The Deadly Coronavirus Outbreak"

• THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: THE DEADLY CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK

Answer explanation

Books are long works. Titles of long works should be italicized.

Choose the correctly formatted title for this Netflix mockumentary.

• Death to 2021

• Death to 2021

• "Death to 2021"

• DEATH TO 2021

Answer explanation

Titles of TV series, films, and documentaries are italicized. These are considered long-form works.

Choose the properly formatted title of Episode 2 of this series.

• Pandemic is Now

• Pandemic Is Now

• "Pandemic Is Now"

• PANDEMIC IS NOW

Answer explanation

Episodes are considered short-form works, so their titles are enclosed in quotation marks.

Choose the signal phrase with the properly formatted title of this newspaper.

• In the top story of The Philippine Daily Inquirer ...

• In the top story of the Philippine Daily Inquirer...

• In the top story of "The Philippine Daily Inquirer"...

• In the top story of the "Philippine Daily Inquirer"...

Answer explanation

Names/titles of broadsheets, online newspapers, and magazines are italicized -- but only the full name, as in the case of PDI, which is written without a "the." However, The New York Times includes the word "the" in its title, so that should also be italicized.

Choose the opening statement with the correctly formatted article title.

• Abad wrote in Pandemic in 2021: How the Philippines responded to COVID-19, that...

• Abad wrote in Pandemic in 2021: How the Philippines Responded to COVID-19, that...

• Abad wrote in "Pandemic in 2021: How the Philippines responded to COVID-19," that...

• Abad wrote in "Pandemic in 2021: How the Philippines Responded to COVID-19," that...

Answer explanation

Article titles should be enclosed in quotation marks. Each word (apart from articles, conjunctions, and prepositions) should begin with an uppercase letter.

e.g., "Where Are You?" versus "When in Rome."

Choose the answer with properly formatted titles.

• In the song Goodbye in Bo Burnham's album Inside...

• In the song "Goodbye" in Bo Burnham's album "Inside"...

• In the song "Goodbye" in Bo Burnham's album Inside...

• In the song Goodbye in Bo Burnham's album "Inside"...

Answer explanation

Individual song titles are enclosed in quotation marks. Album names are italicized.

The main title of this anthology of short stories is _____.

• And We Came Outside and Saw the Stars Again

• AND WE CAME OUTSIDE AND SAW THE STARS AGAIN

• "And we Came Outside and Saw the Stars Again"

• And We Came Outside And Saw The Stars Again

Answer explanation

Book titles are italicized -- you already know that. All content words (nouns, pronouns, verbs, etc.) should begin with an uppercase letter. The first word of the title should start with an uppercase letter. Other articles, conjunctions, and prepositions begin with a lowercase letter.

Kate Starbird presented a paper at the COVID-19 and AI Virtual Conference. How would you write its title in your paper?

• COVID-19 Infodemic and Crisis Informatics

• COVID-19 Infodemic and Crisis Informatics

• "COVID-19 Infodemic and Crisis Informatics"

• COVID-19 INFODEMIC AND CRISIS INFORMATICS

Answer explanation

The titles of conference papers -- considered short works -- are enclosed in quotation marks.

How should you write the title of this YouTube video in your academic paper?

• COVID-19 and kids: How mRNA vaccines work

• COVID-19 and kids: How mRNA vaccines work

• "COVID-19 and kids: How mRNA vaccines work"

• "COVID-19 and Kids: How mRNA Vaccines Work"

Answer explanation

Follow title capitalization rules -- even when the actual title is written using different conventions.

How should you write the title of this podcast in an academic paper?

• The unequal effects of the pandemic

• The Unequal Effects of the Pandemic

• "The unequal effects of the pandemic"

• "The Unequal Effects of the Pandemic"