Proper title citation

Please, please, please put this old English fanatic’s mind at ease!

Poems, short stories, chapters, and articles versus books, magazines, newspapers, and movies

How on earth can we remember how to set these titles apart from the rest of our writing?

It is easier to remember when you are handwriting pieces, because you need not get confused with italicizing.

Anything you underline can be italicized in typed pieces.

First, let’s look at what we call these pieces.

Some folks called “Girl” a book or novel when writing about it.

REALLY?

As I toss each of these items on the floor, please tell me what they each are.

OK – now for citing them in writing.

Which ones can you hang on a clip?

Chapters Poems Short stories

Articles

Which ones need something more substantial to rest on?

BooksMagazines

Newspapers

SO, extend this to your writing:

The shorter pieces need “clips” only to hold them separately from your writing. Visually, this looks like quotation marks:

“Girl”

“Black Eye of the Month Club”

“Forgiving Our Fathers”

The longer, heavier pieces need something more solid to hold them, like a table. Visually, this looks like underlining:

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The New York Times

Hot Rod

Make sense?So, here’s the practice:

What would you do with each of these titles?

A Wizard of Earthsea

Because Russian Guys Are Not Always Geniuses

The New Yorker

Jobless Rate Hits 10.2% With More Underemployed

Here’s what they should look like:

A Wizard of Earthsea

“Because Russian Guys Are Not Always Geniuses”

The New Yorker

“Jobless Rate Hits 10.2% With More Underemployed”