Do you underline the title of a play in an essay?

Amelia Patel | 2023-06-09 06:26:25 | page views:1522
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Charlotte Taylor

Studied at the University of Lagos, Lives in Lagos, Nigeria.
As an expert in the field of writing and formatting academic essays, I can provide you with a comprehensive answer regarding the proper way to handle titles in your writing. The rules for underlining or italicizing titles can vary depending on the style guide you are following. However, I will give you a general guideline that is commonly accepted in many academic contexts.
When you are writing an essay and you need to refer to a play, the title of that play should be treated with a specific formatting style. Traditionally, titles of longer works, such as books, full-length plays, films, and longer musical compositions, are underlined or italicized to distinguish them from the rest of the text. This helps to organize the information and make it clear to the reader which parts of your text are titles of works.

Step 1: English Answer

In the context of writing an essay, the title of a play is typically italicized rather than underlined. This is in line with the most widely used style guides, such as the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA), which have transitioned from underlining to italicizing for titles of longer works. Here's a more detailed breakdown:


1. Italicize the title of a play when you are citing it within the text of your essay. This is the current standard for most style guides.
2. Use quotation marks for the titles of shorter works, such as poems, short stories, and individual episodes of a television series.
3. For titles within titles, use single quotation marks around the title of the shorter work within the italicized title of the longer work.
4. If you are using a style guide that is specific to your field or institution, always adhere to its rules. For instance, the Chicago Manual of Style might have different recommendations.
5. When in doubt, consult the most recent edition of the style guide you are required to follow or ask your instructor for clarification.

It's important to note that while underlining was a convention in the era of typewriters, where italics were not easily produced, it has become less common with the advent of word processing software that makes italicizing straightforward.

Step 2: Divider


2024-05-12 21:05:49

Isabella Young

Studied at the University of Amsterdam, Lives in Amsterdam, Netherlands.
Underlining or Italicizing Titles. Titles of longer written works are underlined or italicized. Longer written works include books, full-length plays, films, longer musical compositions, and periodicals.
2023-06-15 06:26:25

Isabella Parker

QuesHub.com delivers expert answers and knowledge to you.
Underlining or Italicizing Titles. Titles of longer written works are underlined or italicized. Longer written works include books, full-length plays, films, longer musical compositions, and periodicals.
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