Using quotation marks to signal titles and definitions

Quotation marks are used to enclose the titles of short poems, short stories, articles, essays, songs, sections of books, and episodes of television and radio programs.

Dover Beach moves from calm to sadness. [poem]

Walker’s Everyday Use is not just about quilts. [short story]

The White Stripes released ten different versions of The Denial Twist. [song]

The Atlantic published an article titled Illiberal Education. [article]

In the chapter called Complexion, Richard Rodriguez describes his sensitivity about his skin color. [section of book]

The Nature episode Echo of the Elephants denounces ivory hunters. [television series episode]

Use italics rather than quotation marks for the titles of television series, books, magazines, and other longer works.

Definitions are sometimes set off with quotation marks.

The French phrase idée fixe means literally fixed idea.