Title Case and Sentence Case

1 The Benefits of Using the Correct Case

English has an advantage over (for example) German that isn’t obvious at first glance. This advantage is the two different ‘cases’ or ‘styles’ available when writing. These are title case and sentence case. Why is this an advantage? It is an advantage because it allows the reader to scan pages and documents very quickly and see what is a heading, sub-heading, clickable option etc… even if font sizes etc. don’t change. The reader can automatically blend out the ‘fluff’ (bylines and other extra info) and spot what is important.

I didn’t realise this myself until I started thinking about this for the ILIAS English language files and looking at what other software does. Based on what I saw, I am sure that many of the software companies out there don’t realise it either. In an effort to be trendy and relaxed, some of them are sacrificing this clarity and writing everything in sentence case (or mixing them without a care in the world… shudder!).

2 When to Use Title Case in ILIAS

So when should we use title case in ILIAS?

Title case should be used for all headings, tabs, subtabs, settings and options that can be clicked or selected. For radio button or checkbox options, this only applies to options to the left of a checkbox or radio button.

        Engage Warp Speed for All ILIAS Installations  [ ]

         Steady at Half Impulse                                      [ ]

3 When to Use Sentence Case in ILIAS

Sentence case should be used for everything else: Info lines, notifications and options to the right of check boxes or radio buttons.

3.1 Radio Buttons / Checkboxes

For text that is to the right of a radio button or check box, sentence case should be used in all cases. Please note: this is a change (as of 01.09.25) based on my ongoing work in the Test and Assessment language files. Previously I suggested that title case should be used if a radio button option had an info line - but this leads to some ugly results in some objects.

Above is an example from a current mockup of the language files for the Test and Assessment Object. Please note that everything to the left of the radio buttons is in title case, and everything to the right of the radio buttons is in sentence case.

4 The ILIAS Style

So - how do we make sure that things don't get ugly? Because extra-long sentences (the sort that would make a Professor of German Literature weep tears of joy) written in title case are ugly and unwieldy. For that please keep the following guideline in mind:

Keep things that need to be in title case (headings, tabs, subtabs, settings and options to the left of checkboxes and radio buttons) as short as possible. The heavy lifting should be done in the info lines or options to the right of checkboxes or radio buttons.

Shorter Options (in title case) with info lines (in sentence case) that explain what the option means.

So instead of:

        Initiate the Self-Destruction Process for This Installation [ ]

This would be better:

        Initiate Self Destruct                                                          [ ]

         Implement the self destruct process for this installation. Please note: the ILIAS Society is not responsible for the fiery destruction that will ensue.

The previous guideline in ILIAS for English language options, settings etc. was basically 'short options' in title case, 'long options' (sentences) in sentence case. This makes sense. Longer sentences in title case can look... a bit odd. But, unfortunately, the mix of title case and sentence case for the same function on a page, for example - the titles of input fields - also looks odd. That is why the mantra 'short options with bylines where necessary' makes for a more pleasant and consistent user experience. It might look good on a t-shirt too.

For more information on style and keeping ILIAS intuitive and easy to read, see: Keep it Short, Keep it Simple.

5 Capitalisation: A Special Note Regarding ILIAS Objects and Features

When writing official ILIAS documentation, bug reports, feature requests and witty remarks on the walls of toilets, we should stick to the following Special Rules for Documentation and Technical Writing - basically, Objects and other official ILIAS functions/features should be capitalised. I have multiple objects in front of me right now - a pencil sharpner, a harmonica, a book of letters written by Voltaire and a little key thing for letting the air out of radiators. These, however, are just random objects. Not ILIAS Objects. Note the capitalisation? ILIAS Objects are important!

However.... We don't need to bamboozle, befuddle or bewilder anyone with what may look to outsider to be eccentric 19th-century capitlisation! For infolines (formely, incorrectly called 'bylines'), notification e-mails, etc. we should avoid such capitalisation.

Simply put: In infolines, notifications and system e-mail texts/templates, use sentence case and do not capitalise ILIAS Objects or features.