Perhaps the most common questions we get are related to capitalization. AER style prefers to use lowercase more often than not. When in doubt, don’t capitalize. But see the specific instructions below. Capitalization should never be used to signify importance (ego-based capitalization).
Proper nouns (e.g., John Smith, Calgary, Bow River).
Personal titles when they come before a name (e.g., Ms. Jones, Minister Talbot).
But: Distinguish between generic occupational titles (company president Wiggins) and formal titles preceding names (President Wiggins).
Full, formal name of an AER business unit (e.g., Corporate Services, Authorizations, Editing & Corporate Standards).
Note that although we use the terms “division” and “branch” to describe the top two tiers of the organization, they are not used in the org chart, nor are lower levels formally defined. So we no longer include those descriptors in the business unit names, and if they are included, they are not capitalized.
Names of AER field centres, regional offices, and operational areas (see the Contact Us section of our website for a full list and a map).
The Bonnyville Field Centre will be closed on this date.
Submissions can be sent to the Fort McMurray Regional Office.
Field Operations East received 25 submissions.
But in a signature or business card block, include the comma:
John Smith
Field Operations, East
FieldOpsEast@aer.ca
Official ministry names (e.g., Ministry of Energy and minister of Energy).
But: the energy minister, the municipal affairs minister
Where the government body rather than the place is meant, words such as city and province are capitalized when used as part of the name (e.g., “I work for the City of Calgary” but “I live in the city of Calgary”).
The plural form of a common noun in cases such as the Bow and Elbow Rivers.
The first letter of most words in headings and titles of published documents, including words after a colon and the first and last words always (see Chicago Manual of Style 8.160 for exceptions and examples). Exceptions include the following:
Sailing Up and Down the St. Lawrence
Happenings In and Around Town
John Diefenbaker: The Early Years
Geographical terms only when they are used as proper nouns or political entities.
the North (but, he went north); the West; western Canada; North Korea (but northern Korea)
A degree after a person’s name (e.g., Lois Lane, Doctor of Philosophy).
Names of formal AER programs, like “Licensee Management Program” and “Inventory Reduction Program.” But when the name gets abbreviated, lowercase “program” (e.g., “LLR program”).
Names of AER forms, but don’t capitalize the word “form” unless it is part of the formal title
Fill in the Statement of Concern form.
You must submit a completed Alberta Oilfield Waste Form.
Common nouns (e.g., industry or the company, or entities such as the federal government, the province, and the city). This applies even when referring to specific mines or projects (e.g., “the Muskeg River mine” and “Imperial’s Kearl expansion project”).
Position or job titles in running text (e.g., the president, the chair, the board of directors, the minister, the intervener, and any director, manager, or other title).
Numbered sections, appendices, figures, requirements, etc. in running text, with the exception of the terms Part, Division, and Schedule in legislation.
See section 2 for more information. This is shown in figure 1.
See appendix 2, figure 1.
See Part 4 of the Public Lands Act.
The at the beginning of the title of a published work if it is not part of the title.
For further details, check the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
But: This clipping is from The Edmonton Journal.
The first letter of defined terms that would not otherwise be capitalized—for example, environmental impact assessment (EIA).
The first letters of key words or all letters of a word or sentence for emphasis.
Generic references to plans, like “emergency response plan” or “risk mitigation plan.”
Academic degrees and areas of study.
A bachelor of arts degree in Canadian history
But: The second-year course, Canadian History 210
Common plant and animal names, except where a part of the name is a proper noun (Siberian tiger) or when it’s a breed or brand (Holstein cattle, McIntosh apples). This point is often debated, over bird names particularly—ornithologists capitalize them; dictionaries and most publications do not. Check a Webster’s or Oxford dictionary if unsure. In binomial nomenclature—the use of Latin words to name living things—the genus name is capitalized but the species name is not (Homo sapiens).
See the Alberta Geological Survey style guide for capitalization of technical terms in the field of geology.