When punctuating a title at the end of a sentence, it is important to follow the guidelines set by the MLA Handbook. According to Section 1.2.1 of the eighth edition, a title and its subtitle should be separated by a colon and a space, unless the title ends with a question mark or an exclamation point. Additionally, any other punctuation should only be included if it is part of the title or subtitle itself.
For instance, let’s consider the title “The Art of Storytelling: Crafting Compelling Narratives.” In this case, the colon separates the main title, “The Art of Storytelling,” from the subtitle, “Crafting Compelling Narratives.”
However, it’s worth noting that not all titles are straightforward and may require additional consideration. For example, if the title already contains a colon or another form of punctuation, you should not add another colon at the end of the sentence. Instead, you should retain the original punctuation of the title.
To illustrate this, let’s take the title “To Kill a Mockingbird: A Timeless Classic!” If this title appears at the end of a sentence, you would not need to add another colon. The exclamation point at the end of the title serves as sufficient punctuation.
Furthermore, if a title ends with a question mark or an exclamation point, you should not add any additional punctuation after it. The question mark or exclamation point already signals the end of the sentence.
Let’s use the title “Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret” as an example. If this title is used at the end of a sentence, you would not need to add any extra punctuation. The question mark in the title indicates the end of the sentence.
When punctuating a title at the end of a sentence, remember to use a colon and a space to separate the title from its subtitle, unless the title already ends with a question mark or an exclamation point. Only include additional punctuation if it is part of the title or subtitle itself. It is important to follow these guidelines to ensure proper punctuation of titles in your writing.