Final answer:
Capitalization and punctuation rules are vital in writing, especially when using colons, titles, and direct quotations. Capitalize the first word after a colon and in titles, use punctuation to clearly indicate quotations, and indent extended quotations. Always attribute sources correctly with proper citation including author names and page numbers.
Step-by-step explanation:
Capitalization and Punctuation in Writing
Capitalization and punctuation rules are essential for clear and accurate writing. When using a colon, it is customary to capitalize the first word after the colon if it begins a complete statement or a direct quotation. This practice also applies to titles and subtitles; capitalize the first word of the title, the first word after the colon in a subtitle, and any proper nouns. Furthermore, it is important to use proper punctuation, such as quotation marks, to delineate direct quotations within your text. This helps attribute the original author correctly and avoids plagiarism. Signal phrases, often followed by a comma, introduce these quotations effectively into your writing. Additionally, ensure that capitalization within titles follows the convention of capitalizing important words while leaving articles, coordinating conjunctions, and prepositions in lower case unless they are at the beginning or end of the title.
Indenting quotations in your writing serves to present extended quotations clearly. When you introduce a long quotation with a sentence ending in a colon, you indent the quotation without using quotation marks. Always remember to include the page number after the quotation to adhere to academic citation standards.
When dealing with author names and article titles, provide the author's last name followed by their first name and any middle initials without including professional titles, and always end with a period. Titles and subtitles of articles should be given in full, separated by a colon, with significant words capitalized and the title enclosed in quotation marks, ending with a period inside the closing quotation mark.