Deciding if the word “of” in a title is capitalized can be mind-boggling at first. But the answer to “is of capitalized in a title?” is quite simple. You only capitalize “of” if it is the first word of a title or subtitle or the last word.
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Title Capitalization Rules Per Style Guide
The capitalization of the word “of” depends on the style guide your teacher of follow asked you to follow. The good news is that most style guides have similar rules with regard to the preposition “of.”
Tip: The first letter of a word is always capitalized.
Chicago Manual of Style
When following Chicago style, you will not capitalize “of” and other prepositions. Does that mean “of” is always in lowercase? You can capitalize if it is the beginning or last word of the title. If “of” is also the first word after a subtitle, make sure to capitalize it too.
American Medical Association (AMA)
For the American Medical Association or AMA, the general rule is to capitalize major words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs). Since “of” is a preposition, it should be in lowercase – unless it’s the first and last word of a title.
Tip: Coordinating conjunctions, two-letter verbs, and articles are not also capitalized in AMA.
American Psychological Association (APA)
With APA Style’s title case rules, you should not capitalize “of” and other short prepositions. Conjunctions that are three letters or less and articles are also not capitalized according to the APA style guide.
Associated Press Style (AP Style)
The Associated Press Stylebook also does not capitalize the word “of.” Like AMA and CMOS, the only exception to this rule is if it is the first and last word of a title. You should also capitalize “of” if it’s the first word of a subtitle.
Modern Language Association (MLA)
With MLA Style or the Modern Language Association, “of” is not capitalized in a title if it appears in the middle of a title. Like CMOS, AMA, and AP, the MLA handbook mentions that “of” is capitalized if it is the first and last words of a title.
The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage
How about in the New York Times Manual of Style? The short answer is “of” is not capitalized in the middle of a title. NY Style only capitalizes nouns, pronouns, verbs, and other words that are four letters or more.
Wikipedia Manual of Style
In the Wikipedia Manual of Style, the word “of” is also not capitalized if it does not appear in the first or last word of a title. However, keep in mind that prepositions that are five letters long are capitalized.
Bluebook
Bluebook follows the same pattern as previous style guides; “of” is also not capitalized. According to Bluebook, prepositions that are fewer than four letters in length are in lowercase.
When Should You Capitalize “Of?”
Since “of” is not a major word, you will capitalize it when it is the first or last word in a title. Another time you can capitalize “of” is when it is following a quotation mark or a colon. In short, you will not find yourself capitalizing “of,” as it is a minor word.
When Should You Not Capitalize “Of?”
If “of” does not meet the requirements previously listed (first or last word or following a colon or quotation), “of” will not be capitalized in a title.
Final Thoughts
And there you have it; major style guides do not capitalize the word “of” unless it’s the first word of the title. You should also capitalize it if it’s the first word of a subtitle. If “of” appears at the end of a title, you should also capitalize it as well.
If you’re still feeling unsure, use a title capitalization tool. It can automatically adjust your title in any style guide to the correct capitalization.
