Priya Kapoor
When writing, it can be tricky to remember whether to use quotation marks or italics (or underlines) for titles. The general rule is that quotation marks are used for short works such as articles, poems, songs, essays, or short stories, while italics are used for larger works such as books, movies, music albums, and periodicals. For example, if you are referencing a song title, use quotation marks, but if you are referencing a music album, use italics. The same rule applies to paintings and photographs.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| General rule for short works | Quotation marks |
| General rule for larger works | Italics |
| MLA style | Quotation marks for items that are part of or excerpted from a larger work |
| MLA style | Italics for stand-alone work |
| Individual works of art | Underlined or italicized |
| Titles of photographs | Quotation marks |
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What You'll Learn
Quotation marks for short works
Quotation marks are used to set apart the titles of short works, including articles, poems, songs, essays, and short stories. The use of quotation marks or italics depends on the style guide related to the audience, format, publication, or medium. For instance, the MLA style uses quotation marks for items that are part of or excerpted from a larger work, such as song titles or poems, and italics for stand-alone works like books, albums, or movies. The AP style, on the other hand, uses quotation marks for titles of creative works like books, movies, songs, and TV shows.
The Chicago style uses quotation marks for shorter works, such as poems, articles, and chapters, and italics for longer works, including books and periodicals. Generally, short-form works like poems, songs, and short stories use quotation marks, while long-form works like books, films, or stage plays use italics.
Quotation marks are also used to indicate the titles of creative works and highlight specific terms or phrases, often emphasizing tone. They are employed to draw attention to words or language in your writing. For instance, direct quotes use quotation marks to indicate the exact words from a source. Indirect quotes, which restate or paraphrase ideas, do not require quotation marks.
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Italics for larger works
When referring to the title of a work of art, such as a painting, it is generally acceptable to use either italics or quotation marks. However, there is a preference for using italics for titles of larger works. This is a widely accepted style convention, and many style guides recommend using italics for titles of longer works, including books, movies, periodicals, and art such as paintings and sculptures.
The Modern Language Association (MLA) style, commonly used in humanities and cultural studies, provides a useful trick to distinguish between titles that should be italicised and those that should be placed in quotation marks. The "big and little" trick suggests that "big" things, such as books, are italicised, while "little" things, like chapters, are placed in quotation marks. This distinction is based on the idea that larger works are standalone pieces, while shorter works are often part of a larger whole.
Another way to remember this distinction is to think of "art" as an acronym, where "a" stands for albums, "r" represents reports, and "t" signifies titles of longer works like books and movies. This helps to emphasise that titles of larger works are typically italicised.
It is worth noting that some style guides, such as APA, may use quotation marks for all types of works, including longer ones. However, in reference lists, APA omits quotation marks for articles and chapters. Therefore, it is always advisable to consult the specific style guide relevant to your field or publication to ensure consistent and accurate formatting.
In summary, when referring to the title of a painting, using italics is generally preferred, treating it as a larger work of art akin to a sculpture or a book. However, specific style guides may offer nuanced recommendations, and it is essential to consult those guidelines for standardised academic or professional writing.
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Underlining as an alternative to italics
When it comes to punctuating titles, there are a few different styles that can be used, and it is essential to maintain consistency within the same document. Traditionally, underlining and italics have been used interchangeably to emphasise specific words or phrases. However, with advancements in word processing and printing technology, the use of italics has become more prevalent and accepted.
Underlining is typically reserved for handwritten or typed documents, while italics are favoured for computer-generated texts. The APA Publication Manual, for instance, continues to insist on underlining. Nevertheless, it is advisable to consult with an instructor or refer to a style guide specific to your audience, format, publication, or medium before making a choice.
In general, longer works, such as books, magazines, films, albums, and paintings, are either italicised or underlined. On the other hand, shorter works, including book chapters, articles, poems, songs, and TV episodes, are usually enclosed in quotation marks. For instance, the title of a painting like "The Starry Night" would be enclosed in quotation marks, while a longer work such as *Mona Lisa* would be italicised or underlined.
It is worth noting that the use of italics or underlining is not applied to major religious texts, books of the Bible, or classic legal documents. Additionally, when referring to the titles of newspapers, the article "the" is not italicised or underlined, even when it is part of the title, as in "the New York Times."
While underlining and italics serve similar purposes, it is generally advised to avoid combining them within the same text or document. This ensures consistency and clarity in your writing.
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MLA style
When citing a painting in MLA style, you should follow this format:
> Artist's Last Name, Artist's First Name. Title of Artwork OR description. Year of creation, Museum, City.
For example:
> Leutze, Emmanuel. Washington Crossing the Delaware. 1851, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.
If the artist is unknown, begin with the title. You can leave out the city if it is part of the museum or collection name. At the end of the entry, you may include the format (e.g. Oil on canvas, Photograph, etc.). For untitled artworks, provide a generic description and do not italicize or capitalize each word.
When citing a painting viewed online, follow the same format but replace the name of the museum with the name of the website (not italicized), followed by a comma and the city where the museum is located. If the painting is available online, include the URL. For instance:
> Artist’s Last Name, Artist’s First Name. Title of Artwork OR description. Year of creation, Museum, City, Website Name, URL.
If you viewed the artwork on the museum's website, treat the name of the website as the container and include the website's publisher and URL at the end of the citation. Omit publisher information if it is the same as the website name.
Note that in MLA format, original paintings require either underlining or italics.
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Publication-specific formatting
Another example is the APA style, which uses quotation marks for all types of work. However, in the reference list for articles and chapters, quotation marks are not used.
The Chicago style is another commonly used format, but it is less clear whether this style uses quotation marks or italics for titles of paintings. It seems that this style guide may offer more flexibility, allowing writers to choose between quotation marks or italics, as long as consistency is maintained throughout the text.
Additionally, some publications may have their own in-house style guides that dictate whether to use italics or quotation marks for titles. For example, the Grammarly blog recommends using italics for classic art, including paintings, which differs from the MLA style.
Therefore, it is important to consult the specific style guide or publication guidelines that are relevant to your work to ensure that you are using the correct formatting for titles of paintings. Consistency is crucial, so maintaining adherence to the chosen style guide throughout your text will ensure your work is presented professionally and effectively.
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Frequently asked questions
You can use either quotation marks or italics for a painting title, depending on the style guide you are following. Generally, quotation marks are used for short works, while italics are used for longer works.
Yes, there are specific styles like APA, MLA, and Chicago that provide guidelines for when to use quotation marks or italics in titles.
Quotation marks are primarily used to show speech or to indicate a direct quote, while italics are used for emphasis or to set off a title of a longer work.
Yes, some style guides, like MLA, suggest that for longer poetic works that are often published on their own, such as "The Odyssey," you can use italics instead of quotation marks.
If you are not following a specific style guide, use your discretion. Consider the length of the work and whether it is a standalone piece or part of a larger group. Individual paintings are usually underlined or italicized, while photographs, which are often smaller in size, are placed in quotation marks.
