Index
Show Titles
Show titles always go in quotes when they are directly referenced as the title of the show. However, do NOT use the quotes if the phrase isn't directly referring to the show itself.
Example
- You're watching "Mythbusters."
- Who are the Mythbusters?
- On this episode of "Chopped," we have pineapple, salmon and peanut butter.
- I'm sorry. You've been chopped.
- We're back with more "Legendary Motorsport."
- Now we're headed to the Legendary Motorsport garage.
- When "Monsters Inside Me" returns ...
- They take over our immune systems, and for those infected, they are the monsters inside me
Even if a title placard is being shown on screen at the same time as a word play based on the composition title, the reference should be lowercase.
Show Segments
Put quotation marks around any direct reference to a segment that is a regularly occurring part of a show. Use title case capitalization.
Example
- And now it's time for the "Tip of the Week," brought to you by YETI Coolers, "Wildly stronger. Keep ice longer."
- "One More Thing" is brought to you by Key West, "Come and stay a while."
Slogans
Put quotation marks around slogans and catch phrases associated with a product or business.
Example
- This episode of "Sex Sent Me to the ER" is brought to you by ...
- Noah's Arcade, "Come bust a move where the games are played. It's chill. It's fresh. It's Noah's Arcade."
- Campbell's Soups and Sausages, "Ready, hot and creamy in an instant."
- Diet Pepsi, "You got the right one, baby."
- And M&M's Candy, "Melts in your mouth and in your hands because it's made from real chocolate."
Dialogue
Use quotations for any dialogue that is a quote.
Example
Correct:
I was like, "No way."
He said, "Bob, you don't know what you're talking about."
And I was thinking to myself, "I'm pretty sure that zombie sees you."
Incorrect:
I was like no way.
He said, Bob you don't know what you're talking about.
And I was thinking to myself I'm pretty sure that zombie sees you.
Punctuation
Periods and commas will almost ALWAYS go inside quotation marks unless a Reference Sheet or Job Trait says otherwise. All other punctuation goes inside the quotation marks ONLY if it's related to the quoted material. Otherwise place the punctuation outside of the quotations.
Example
Incorrect: He asked, "Is that true"?
Correct: He asked, "Is that true?"
Incorrect: Are you watching "Mythbusters?"
Correct: Are you watching "Mythbusters"?
Incorrect: And I was thinking to myself, "I'm pretty sure that zombie sees you", and then it definitely saw me
Correct: And I was thinking to myself, "I'm pretty sure that zombie sees you," and then it definitely saw me.
Correct: The jury returned and said, "We find the defendant" ... Oh, I'll tell you later.
Correct: I can't wait to see the new episode of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?"
Correct: He asked me, "What channel is that one show on?" but we had already sold the TV.
- Note that in the last two examples, the show title has a question mark, and the question phrase also has a question mark, so the symbols DO go inside the quotation marks.
Multi-sentence Quotations
Multi-sentence quotations go on one line. Do not break them up onto individual lines.
Example
Correct: So he said, "I went to the store. I got eggs and bacon. That's all my cat eats for breakfast."
Incorrect: So he said, "I went to the store."
"I got eggs and bacon."
"That's all my cat eats for breakfast."
Published Works
Put quotation marks around the names of all works of art and published work, including newspapers and magazines, except the Bible and books that are primarily reference, including almanacs, directories, dictionaries, encyclopedias, gazetteers, handbooks and similar publications. Note that this rule can still apply to news publications that have subjective opinion-based articles.
Example
"The Star-Spangled Banner"
"Annabel Lee"
"The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich"
"The Mona Lisa"
"Gone With the Wind"
"Of Mice and Men"
"The New York Times"
"TIME"
Podcast titles and video game titles are considered published works of art, and the same general rules apply.
Example
- Can we turn off the TV to listen to the new "Peninsula Obscura" podcast?
- Sure, but let me win this round of "Mortal Kombat" first.
- "Animal Crossing" was released as a government conspiracy to distract people from the incoming meteor.
Quotes Within Quotes
Quotes within quotes alternate between quotation marks and apostrophes.
Example
He said, "I had a dream where you asked me, 'Would you like to watch "Adventure Time" together?'"