APA Title Case Rules: A Complete Guide for the 7th Edition
APA Style has two modes of capitalization: title case and sentence case. Knowing which one applies — and to which words — is one of the most common stumbling blocks for students and researchers. This guide covers the APA 7th edition title case rules in full, with examples you can reference immediately.
APA Title Case: The Core Rule
In APA title case, capitalize the following words:
- The first word of the title or subtitle
- The first word after a colon or em dash
- Major words: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns
- Words with four or more letters (including prepositions like "with," "from," "over")
Do not capitalize these words (unless they are the first word or appear after a colon):
- Short conjunctions: and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet
- Articles: a, an, the
- Short prepositions (3 letters or fewer): at, by, in, of, on, to, up, as
APA Title Case Examples:
✅ "The Emotional Lives of Teenagers: Understanding Adolescent Mental Health"
✅ "How Social Media Affects Sleep in College Students"
✅ "A New Approach to the Treatment of Chronic Pain"
✅ "On the Nature of Human Consciousness"
❌ "The Emotional Lives Of Teenagers" (capitalize "of"? No — it's 2 letters)
❌ "how social media affects sleep in college students" (sentence case — wrong for titles)
Where APA Title Case Is Required
APA 7th edition uses title case in specific locations. It does not use title case everywhere — this is the key distinction most students miss.
Use Title Case For:
- Titles of works cited in the text: "In her book The Brain That Changes Itself, Doidge argues..."
- Titles of periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers) in the reference list
- Headings at Level 1 (centered, bold) in your paper
- Titles of tables and figures in your paper
Use Sentence Case For:
- Titles of articles and book chapters in the reference list
- Titles of books and reports in the reference list
- Headings at Levels 2–5 in your paper
APA Heading Levels and Capitalization
| Heading Level | Format | Capitalization |
|---|---|---|
| Level 1 | Centered, Bold | Title Case |
| Level 2 | Flush Left, Bold | Title Case |
| Level 3 | Flush Left, Bold, Italic | Title Case |
| Level 4 | Indented, Bold, ends with period | Title Case |
| Level 5 | Indented, Bold, Italic, ends with period | Title Case |
Note: APA 7th edition updated Level 3 and 4 heading formats from the 6th edition. All five heading levels now use title case.
Common APA Title Case Mistakes
Mistake 1: Using Title Case for Article Titles in References
This is the most frequent error. In your reference list, article and chapter titles use sentence case — only the first word and proper nouns are capitalized. Many students apply title case everywhere because it "looks more formal," but APA specifically prohibits this.
Reference list — article title (sentence case):
Smith, A. B., & Jones, C. D. (2022). The relationship between sleep quality and academic performance in undergraduate students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 114(2), 345–360.
In-text title mention (title case):
In "The Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Academic Performance in Undergraduate Students," Smith and Jones (2022) found...
Mistake 2: Capitalizing Short Prepositions
Do not capitalize: at, by, in, of, on, to, up, as, or. These stay lowercase unless they open the title. Do capitalize: With, From, Over, Into, Until, Against, Between (four or more letters).
Mistake 3: Not Capitalizing After a Colon
Always capitalize the first word after a colon in a title, regardless of what part of speech it is.
Correct: "Mindfulness in Practice: A New Framework for Reducing Stress"
Incorrect: "Mindfulness in Practice: a New Framework for Reducing Stress"
Mistake 4: Capitalizing Species or Chemical Names
Genus and species names follow biological naming conventions even in APA titles. Capitalize the genus, lowercase the species: Homo sapiens, not Homo Sapiens.
Quick Reference: Capitalize or Not?
| Word Type | Examples | Capitalize? |
|---|---|---|
| First word of title | Any word | Always yes |
| First word after colon | Any word | Always yes |
| Nouns | memory, study, children | Yes |
| Verbs | analyzes, improves, shows | Yes |
| Adjectives | cognitive, social, chronic | Yes |
| Adverbs | significantly, deeply | Yes |
| Prepositions ≥4 letters | with, from, over, into | Yes |
| Articles | a, an, the | No (unless first) |
| Short conjunctions | and, but, or, nor | No |
| Short prepositions | at, by, in, of, on, to | No (unless first) |
APA vs. Chicago vs. MLA: Key Differences
All three major academic style guides use title case, but they differ in one main area: how long a preposition must be before it gets capitalized.
- APA: Capitalize prepositions of 4 or more letters (With, From, Over)
- Chicago: Capitalize prepositions of 5 or more letters (Until, Between, Against)
- MLA: Capitalize all prepositions — no length threshold
For most academic writing in the social and behavioral sciences, APA is the standard. If you're writing in the humanities, Chicago or MLA is more likely required. Always confirm with your instructor or the target journal's submission guidelines.