A Capital Idea  

In a recent straw poll of members of the American Medical Writers Association, a number of professional staff and freelance writers and editors cited “rampant capitalization” as one of their chief irritants. 

Here are two rules of capitalization often abused.

1. Capitalize only proper nouns, not common, or generic, nouns.

• master of science degree not Master of Science Degree 

• Socratic method, not Socratic Method

• business course, not Business course, but Business 101

• Apple computer, not Apple Computer 

• financial management, not Financial Management

• the American Marketing Association, but the association

• the Endicott Building, but the building

• the Board of Directors, but the board or the directors

• Human Resources Department, but the department

• University of Minnesota, but the university

• Americans with Disabilities Act, but the act

• The Woodie Award, but the award

• Lane County in Oregon, but the county in the state of Oregon

2. Capitalize a person’s title when it precedes the name, but not when it follows the name or stands alone.

• Chief Executive Officer Jack Withers, but Jack Withers, chief executive officer, or the chief executive officer

•  Marketing Director Susan Miles, but Susan Miles, marketing director, or the marketing director

• Dean of Academic Affairs Pat Williams, but Pat Williams, dean of academic affairs, or the dean of academic affairs