What do you know about writing a thesis statement? To start with, a thesis is a claim or argument which you defend through your research. But what is the writing format of the thesis? Is a thesis capitalized?
It’s the first few lines, probably one to three sentences, in the introduction of an essay that clearly states what the reader will read on. Besides, it is what will give your writing focus and direction. For this, the statement is brief, concise, and debatable.
Is Thesis Capitalized?
A thesis is not capitalized because it will not appear professional or academically presentable. Only words that are allowed to be capitalized should be.
Remember, a word can only be capitalized if it falls under the rules of capitalization in English grammar. If you write your thesis in capital letters, it will not look like an academic piece of writing.
Let us guide you on how to write thesis statements in an essay by teaching you the steps to write a good essay. This is important even if it seems obvious.
Can you Capitalize Thesis Statements?
A thesis statement should not be capitalized because it is against basic academic writing standards. You write your thesis statement in typical prose keeping in mind the capitalization rules.
From my experience, capitalizing a thesis statement looks odd and sounds like informal shouting, which is not academically sound.
Instead of capitalizing, just write your thesis statement in a clear way using normal font. You only need to keep in mind that your thesis has clearly stated your topic and the main idea of your topic.
Also, give a reason that supports your opinion and, if possible, include an opposing viewpoint to your main idea.
If you are unsure whether to capitalize or not, always be guided by what your institution has provided—the guide you were given to follow.
In addition, ask yourself if it’s necessary to capitalize.
Another reason why you do not need to capitalize is the length factor. A good thesis statement should be one sentence long, which should fit well into the introduction paragraph. Capitalizing it will make it look odd.
Words to Capitalize in Thesis or Research Writing
By capitalization, we refer to capitalizing the first letter of a word and not every letter of the word. In research and academic writing, capitalization is a controversial topic.
Although there is a general rule of thumb concerning this, there are different opinions for the same.
To be on the safe side, only capitalize when necessary. If otherwise done, capitalization can look awkward. What are the words to capitalize in your thesis or general research writing?
1. The First Word of Each Sentence
A sentence begins with a capital letter, always!
2. Proper Nouns
A proper noun is a naming word—for example, names of people, companies, places, organizations, etc. In a sentence, John and Rachel visited the University of Pennsylvania, the Department of Social Sciences.
3. The First Word in a Quote
Use capital letters for the first word in a quote when the quote is a complete sentence. However, if the quoted sentence is partial, do not capitalize it.
4. Adjectives of Proper Nouns
Capitalize adjective words derived from proper nouns—for example, American writer.
5. Religious Names
These are the names of the Bible, the Quran.
6. Titles before Names
Examples; Mr. Smith, Miss Walter, Mrs. Jones.
7. Planet Names
Even though it is unusual to capitalize sun, moon, and earth, other planets’ names are capitalized. Like Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn.
Instances when to Capitalize Words in Academic Writing
Capitalization is a rule in English grammar, and every rule in grammar has a motive. Capitalization shows the importance of a specific word by distinguishing it from the rest, giving a particular meaning.
The following are instances when you should capitalize words in academic writing
Capitalize Words According to Their Meaning
Capitalize the word Internet when you use it as a noun. For example, “We searched the Internet to write our project.” However, the same word is not capitalized when used as an adjective; for example, “My neighbor is an internet provider.”
The word Department is capitalized when it is used to refer to a specific department. For instance, the English Department, but not when used generally like; the government departments.
Capitalize Days and Months
Use capital letters on days of the week, months, and holidays. However, do not capitalize seasons; they are not proper nouns.
Words in a Title
Capitalize the first word and all other words in titles of books, articles, etc. However, exclude conjunctions and short prepositions.
Titles and Positions
People’s titles and positions are capitalized when they precede their names. Conversely, do not capitalize titles when they are not used to address a person directly. For example, the governor will be in office today to sign the papers.
The Word “I.”
The word “I” is capitalized even when used along with its contractions. Examples include I’ll and I’ve, among others.
Time Periods and Events
Capitalize words depicting periods and events
Signature Line of a Letter
Capitalize the titles of the signature line of a letter. For example, Faithfully, Sincerely. At times, words are capitalized according to personal preference and writing style.
For instance, titles such as chancellor, president, queen, king, and prime minister are not written in the capital letter when used alone. However, when a specific name accompanies such titles, they are always capitalized.
When Not to Capitalize
- Do not capitalize the first word of items in a list following a colon. For example, I have one true love: my only son.
- Do not capitalize when writing plural nouns. For example, “Seven presidents attended the event.”
Check out some examples of social media thesis statements to explore this issue more and get more insights on the tips of writing good thesis statements.
