How to Put Book Titles in an Essay (MLA, APA, Chicago)
Summary
This guide covers the basic rules of how to write a book title in an essay and discusses how MLA, APA and Chicago styles differ. The basic rule is to use italics for full-length works and quotation marks for shorter works that are contained within other works; each style provides rules for capitalization, italics and reference list formatting. The article also discusses the treatment of “edge cases” like sacred texts, titles of titles, multi-volume works and non-English works. Examples from each style are provided for clarification. The article also includes a list of common formatting mistakes, so writers can avoid them. Overall, understanding how do you state a book title in an essay given by a specific instructor should help writers format book titles correctly and consistently.
The Quick, Correct Way to Handle Book Titles in Academic Writing
If you’re unsure how to write a book title in an essay, use this rule: italicize the titles of standalone, full-length works (books) and put the titles of parts of larger works (chapters, essays, short stories) in quotation marks. After that, use the style you are assigned to use for capitalization of the names and references. See MLA on titles, APA on italics and sentence case, and Chicago on religious text for official wording. Helpful primers: Purdue OWL (MLA), APA Style-Italics, and Chicago Manual of Style.
Start with the Assigned Style (MLA, APA, or Chicago)
● MLA (Humanities). In the body of your essay, book titles are italicized and capitalized in Title Case. The Works Cited keeps the title italicized as well. A concise library guide summarizing MLA’s rule: books/websites in italics; chapters/articles in quotation marks.
● APA 7 (Social Sciences). In your text, book titles are italicized and appear in Title Case. In the reference list, the title remains italicized but switches to sentence case (capitalize only the first word of the title/subtitle and proper nouns). See APA’s official pages on italics and sentence case.
● Chicago (History/Many Presses). In running text, italicize book titles; put parts (chapters, essays) in quotation marks. Chicago also notes that names of sacred texts (e.g., Bible, Genesis) generally appear in roman (non-italic) type.
If your instructor provides custom guidance, follow that first.
Core Rules You’ll Use When You Put Book Titles in an Essay
1. Italics vs. quotation marks
a. Italics: books, long poems/plays, standalone reports, newspapers/journals, websites as whole works.
b. “Quotation marks”: chapters, essays in edited collections, short stories/poems, and journal/newspaper articles. A reliable primer is OWL’s literature formatting page.
2. Capitalization
a. Title Case is used by MLA and Chicago in the essay text. APA uses Title Case in text as well.
b. Use sentence case for title in the APA reference list, even though it is italicized.
3. Punctuation around italicized titles
a. If punctuation is part of the title, it stays italic (e.g., Oh, the Places You’ll Go!).
b. If punctuation is added by you (e.g., a comma after the title), it isn’t italicized. (See Chicago’s italics & quotation guidance for nuance.)
4. When italics aren’t possible
a. Handwriting or constrained platforms? Underline the book title as the accepted fallback—confirmed by MLA Style Center.
Edge Cases That Trip Students Up
Titles within titles.
If a sentence or heading contains another title, style the embedded title by the normal rule (book = italics; chapter/article = quotes). For headlines or systems that can’t render italics, prioritize clarity and your instructor’s preference. (Many campus MLA guides document this.)
Sacred texts.
In Chicago style, names like Bible or Qur’an are typically capitalized but not italicized in running text; multiple library guides echo the rule.
Series and multi-volume works.
Italicize the series title and the individual book titles when referring to them as works; apply your style guide’s consistency rules in notes/references. A quick OWL reference on “other sources” offers examples of containers vs. parts.
Non-English titles & transliteration (APA).
APA requires that the original non-English title remains in italics, and that, at your instructor’s request, a translation or transliteration must also be supplied. Most university APA guides include a summary of this information as well as reference formats.
Copy-and-Paste Examples (By Style)
MLA (in-text):
● In Beloved, Morrison explores how memory shapes identity.
● The chapter “Two Women” reframes the novel’s moral center. (See MLA basics on in-text handling of titles.)
APA 7 (in-text + references):
● In Thinking, Fast and Slow, Kahneman (2011) distinguishes two modes of thought.
● Reference list entry: Kahneman, D. (2011). Thinking, fast and slow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux. (Note the sentence case.)
Chicago (notes & bibliography—footnote):
1. Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011), 45.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When You Put Book Titles in an Essay
● Mixing italics and quotes on the same title. Don’t write “The Great Gatsby”—books = italics; parts = quotes.
● Using Title Case in APA references. APA references require sentence case for book titles.
● Italicizing sacred texts in Chicago. Keep them in roman type and capitalize appropriately.
● Forgetting the handwritten exception. If italics aren’t available, underline (don’t bold).
FAQ: How Do You State a Book Title in an Essay
Do you italicize book titles in an essay?
Yes. Italicize full-length works (books) in your essay’s body text; use quotation marks for short works (chapters, essays, short stories).
Do you put book titles in quotes or italics?
Use italics for books and “quotation marks” for parts of books (chapters) and short works.
How do you write a book title in MLA?
Italicize and use Title Case in both the body text and the Works Cited.
How do you write a book title in APA?
APA style book title that is mentioned in the text should be italicized and in Title Case. The title in the reference list should be italicized but in sentence case.
Are book titles underlined or italicized when handwriting?
The book titles should be underlined if you cannot italicize them (per MLA style).
Do you italicize the Bible or other sacred texts (Chicago)?
Most of the time, you would say the name (e.g., Bible) but capitalize it. Any mention in running text should be in roman type (no italics).
Are book titles italicized in MLA?
A: Yes. MLA italicizes full book titles. If you're unsure how to write a book title in an essay, MLA guidelines state that you should italicize the title and capitalize all major words. For example: To Kill a Mockingbird, The Great Gatsby, Beloved.
Edit Ethically, Polish Clearly (with an Internal Link)
Always follow your course policy and cite sources accurately. To refine tone and clarity—without altering meaning or encouraging shortcuts, Try GPT Humanizer. It helps smooth phrasing, unify capitalization/punctuation around titles, and keep your writing readable and consistent.
Now you know how to put book titles in an essay.
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