Final answer:
In MLA style, capitalize the first and last words of titles and all principal words, but not short articles, conjunctions, or prepositions unless they are the first or last word or exceed four letters. Use italics for long works and quotation marks for short works. Always verify capitalization rules with reliable sources.
Step-by-step explanation:
When capitalizing titles in MLA style, you should capitalize the first and last words of the title and subtitle, along with all other significant words. However, certain words such as articles (e.g., a, an, the), coordinating conjunctions (e.g., for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so), and prepositions should generally not be capitalized unless they are the first or last word or exceed four letters.
When it comes to italicizing or placing quotation marks around titles, longer works like books and films are italicized, whereas shorter works like articles and poems are typically enclosed in quotation marks. For documents using MLA style, remember to always check a reliable source if you are unsure about whether to capitalize a specific word in a title.
In titles, prepositions that are four or more letters in length should be capitalized if they are emphasized. This rule applies to titles of books, articles, stories, plays, poems, films, and other works. For example, the title 'The Journey Beyond the Mountains' follows the rule by capitalizing the preposition 'Beyond' because it is four letters long and is emphasized in the title. However, shorter prepositions like 'in', 'of', or 'with' would not be capitalized unless they are the first or last words in the title. It is important to consult the specific documentation style being used for further guidance on capitalization in titles and subtitles.