Title Case Rules in APA, MLA, and Chicago

By Case Modify Editorial · Published May 5, 2025 · Updated October 25, 2026

Compare how major style guides capitalize titles before you submit papers or publish client work.

APA Style (7th edition)

APA uses title case for paper titles, heading levels, and reference titles. Capitalize major words; lowercase short conjunctions (and, but, or), short prepositions (of, to, in), and articles (a, an, the) unless they are the first word or follow a colon.

MLA Style (9th edition)

MLA title case capitalizes the first and last words and all principal words. Lowercase articles, coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions regardless of length unless they start the title or follow a colon. Always verify against your instructor’s local rules.

Chicago Manual of Style

Chicago distinguishes headline-style (title case) and sentence-style capitalization. Headline-style lowercases articles, coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions regardless of length (with exceptions after colons and for hyphenated compounds used adverbially or adjectivally).

Practical workflow for students

Draft your title in sentence case, open the free Title Case Converter and pick APA 7, MLA, or Chicago, then manually fix hyphenated terms, species names, and legal citations. Software will not know your course’s exceptions—keep a personal cheat sheet.

Frequently asked questions

Are APA and MLA title case identical?

No. They differ on prepositions, conjunctions, and subtitle rules. Always cite the edition your assignment requires. Use the matching preset on the Title Case Converter, then proofread.

Should headings match reference title case?

Usually headings and bibliographic titles follow the same guide within a paper, but journal-specific rules may override—check the target publication.

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