Proper names standing at the beginning of a chapter, occasionally even of a paragraph, are sometimes spelled in capitals or small capitals. If small capitals are used the initials of the name are put in full capitals.
Until within a comparatively short time tables of contents were often set in small capitals. At the same time it was customary to give a fairly full synopsis of the contents of each chapter under the chapter head. The result was a very monotonous page, dull, dense, hard to read. It is much better and now more common to use small caps for the chapter heads and ordinary text type for abstracts, using dashes or dots to separate the phrases in the synopsis and beginning each phrase with a capital.
The following reproduction of a part of a page from the table of contents of DeVinne’s Modern Methods of Book Composition shows this method of treatment.
| CONTENTS | ||
| Chapter | Page | |
| I | Equipment | 1 |
| Types...Stands...Cases...Case-racks. | ||
| II | Equipment | 39 |
| Galleys and galley-racks...Compositors’ implementsBrass rules and cases for labor-saving rule and leadsDashes and braces...Leads...Furniture of wood andof metal...Furniture-racks...Quotations and electrotypeguards. | ||
| III | Composition | 75 |
| Time-work and piece-work...Customary routineon book-work...Justification...Spacing and leadingDistribution...Composition by hand and machineProper methods of hand work...Recent mannerisms. | ||
| IV | Composition of Books | 111 |
| Title-page...Preface matter...Chapter headings andsynopsis...Subheadings...Extracts...Notes and illustrations...Runningtitles and paging at head or at footPoetry...Appendix and index...Initials...Headbands,etc. | ||
Where chapter synopses are not given, ordinary text type may be used for the table of contents.
The following reproduction of the table of contents of DeVinne’s Correct Composition shows this method of treatment.
| CONTENTS | ||
| chapter | page | |
| Preface | vii | |
| I | Spelling | 5 |
| II | Abbreviations | 33 |
| III | Compound Words | 61 |
| IV | Figures and Numerals | 76 |
| V | Italic | 94 |
| VI | Capital Letters | 108 |
| VII | Division of Words | 128 |
| VII | Small Capitals | 145 |
| IX | Extracts and Letters | 157 |
| X | Notes | 171 |
| XI | Indention | 182 |
| XII | Spacing | 198 |
| XIII | Quotation-marks | 209 |
| XIV | Subheadings | 230 |
| XV | Punctuation | 241 |
| XVI | Proof-reading | 294 |
| XVII | About Copy | 327 |
| XVIII | Errors of the Press | 345 |
| Appendix | 359 | |
| Index | 447 | |
Small capitals are best for subheads when of not more than two lines. If the subheads are longer it is best to use lower-case.
Signatures and credits are often put in small capitals. It is usually, however, better to use italics for the purpose. There is no need of a dash to connect the name with the quotation. When two or more quotations from the same author are used as mottoes, with reference to the works from which they are taken or the occasion on which they were said, the name of the author may be put in small capitals in a separate line, the name of the book or speech in italics, and the occasion in smaller roman type.
Numerous signatures to a document or petition, such as the Mayflower Compact or the Declaration of Independence, are often set in columns using capitals for the initials and small capitals for the rest of the name. Full capitals are too large for the purpose.