The MBU Style of capitalization favors the "down" style (one that minimizes capitalization) similar to the AP Stylebook's preference.

Such words as federal, state, and municipal are not capitalized except when they are part of formal titles. Such words as city, state, country, and village are capitalized only when they refer to the actual government.

In bulleted copy introduced by a colon, capitalize the first word and use punctuation only if the items constitute complete sentences.

In titles and headlines that contain hyphened compound words, all component words should be capitalized.

CAPITALIZE

1. All proper nouns
2. Months and days of the week
3. A noun used in forming an essential part of a proper name; but lowercase when used informally (except the University).
4. President and other formal titles when they precede the name; but lowercase when the title follows the name or stands alone.
   • Example: President Alton Lacey; Dr. Alton Lacey, president of Missouri Baptist University; the president
5. The first word of a direct or indirect quotation when it is a complete sentence
6. Formal names of educational institutions and the major divisions
   • Example: Missouri Baptist University; Business Division
7. Academic degrees when cited completely and formally; but do not capitalize when used informally.
8. Abbreviations of academic degrees. Note that these abbreviations take periods. (i.e., B.S., B.A., Ph.D.)
9. Names of firms and corporations, churches, clubs, societies, associations, leagues, unions, institutions, and groups formally organized as committees; but do not capitalize in formal references.
10. Street, avenue, boulevard, etc., when preceded by a name
11. In titles and headings, all principal words except internal articles and prepositions. When referring to titles of periodicals, do not capitalize the articles that precede them. The same rule applies to the names of schools and colleges and to the names of companies, committees, and institutions; the article is not capitalized.

DO NOT CAPITALIZE

1. Titles standing alone or following names, with the exception of specific named professorships
2. The names of academic subjects (except proper nouns such as English)
3. The words university, school, college, department, committee, etc., when standing alone (unless used as a proper noun replacement for Missouri Baptist University)
4. The names of particular courses of study
   • Example: communications
5. Times of day (i.e., noon, midnight)
6. The word black when used to indicate race. Please note that African American is currently the preferred term. See Race Notations for more information.