Grammar, Punctuation and Capitalization - Handbook for Technical ...

Chapter 4. Capitalization Page 84Richard A. Culpepper, test director; the test directorBut, to indicate distinction, a common noun title after a name is capitalized (G.P.O. 1984):Ronald Reagan, President of the United States• In a document to a very specific audience, a common noun used as part of or in place of a personal name may becapitalized (Skillin et al. 1974). Thus, in a Langley memo, letter, or internal document, such titles as Director,Associate Director, Division Chief, and Branch Head may be capitalized.4.5.2. Geographic NamesThe names of particular regions, localities, countries, and geographic features are capitalized:• Names of geographic featuresNorthern HemisphereArctic CircleEquatorSouthern HemisphereNorth PoleTropic of CancerButequatorialpolar regionthe tropicsTropic of Cancer• Names of regions and localitiesMiddle EastSoutheast AsiaGulf States 6 North Atlantic States 6Great PlainsCorn BeltNorth and South (Civil War Period)Butwestern Virginiaeastern Gulf statesnorthern manufacturersnorthern MichiganDirections of the compass are capitalized only as a part of a name that has been established by usage to designateparticular regions.6 These are two examples of the divisions of the United States that are used by the Bureau of Census; see G.P.O.(1984) for a complete listing.