What is the proper form for a book title on the internet?

[KidsHappen]

I noticed in the book challenge thread that some people underline, others italicize and still others bold. I asked my children and got all three answers. I can't remember right now and honestly don't want to look in up at 1:00 in the morning. If I wait until tomorrow, I am sure I will forget.

[melissel]

It depends. AP style would have you cite the title in quotation marks: "Pride and Prejudice"

 

The Chicago Manual of Style would have you italicize: Pride and Prejudice

 

And when I was in grade school, we were taught that book titles were underlined: Pride and Prejudice

 

So it just really depends on which way you were taught. I don't think any style guide would have you bold titles, but it's just casual "conversation" online, so it doesn't really matter.

[Ellie]

And when I was in grade school, we were taught that book titles were underlined: Pride and Prejudice

 

So it just really depends on which way you were taught. I don't think any style guide would have you bold titles, but it's just casual "conversation" online, so it doesn't really matter.

The reason we underline is that it's directions, so to speak, to the printer to make that text italicized. IOW, if you were writing a book, by hand or on a typewriter, you'd underline any text that should be italicized when the book is typeset and printed. With the advent of computer typesetting, there's no reason to underline any longer, as we can italicize words.

 

Now, the APA style guide requires underlining, not intalicizng. But unless you're in writing a paper in college, I don't think you need to be constrained by that, lol.

[melissel]

The reason we underline is that it's directions, so to speak, to the printer to make that text italicized. IOW, if you were writing a book, by hand or on a typewriter, you'd underline any text that should be italicized when the book is typeset and printed. With the advent of computer typesetting, there's no reason to underline any longer, as we can italicize words.

 

Now, the APA style guide requires underlining, not intalicizng. But unless you're in writing a paper in college, I don't think you need to be constrained by that, lol.

 

Oh, that makes sense, thanks for explaining! I didn't start working in publishing until the advent of computer typesetting, and even then I didn't have anything to do with actual printing (I work for an Internet company) so I never knew that.