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As much as I found about how to use small caps, I can't seem to find when and why it should be used. I used to use small caps for names, e.g. 

... we use a \textsc{Taylor}-approximation to show ...

But is that even correct, are there other uses for \textsc? Furthermore, should I capitalize "approximation" as well? I would appreciate some insights on this.

jjstcool
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    It's an aesthetic/style thing, unless you are expected to follow some typograpahic conventions. Some European conventions put authors' and editors' names in small caps; some North American legal style guides put the titles of books in small caps. Other people like to use small caps in headings; others like to use them for acronyms; others again for abbreviations. In novels or fiction, sometimes they are used for "shouting" in place of full capitals. When I have complete freedom, I tend only to use them (sometimes) for a certain heading level when there's more than one level in play. – jon Oct 19 '15 at 23:46
  • Acronyms. Centred section titles, for instance. Also headers look much nicer in small caps the uppercase. – Bernard Oct 19 '15 at 23:46
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    personally I use them for abbreviations. They are not actually read as a word. Those abbreviations need to be written in capitals. Having capitals in the flowing text looks stupid and you can sport them from a mile away. That is what I use small caps for. And I might have used them in the odd chapter style. – nonsense Oct 19 '15 at 23:48
  • Ok thanks, so you think it is not appropriate for scientists. I should rather just write "Taylor-approximation"? – jjstcool Oct 19 '15 at 23:51
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    I use them for some headings in some documents, sometimes for some abbreviations and for the letters immediately following a lettrine. I also sometimes use them in diagrams because they ensure consistent height/depth in nodes (for people's names, for instance). – cfr Oct 19 '15 at 23:53
  • This is really off-topic here. The 'how?' is on topic. The 'when?' or 'why?' is not within the remit of this site. – cfr Oct 19 '15 at 23:54
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    Writing surnames in caps and small caps I'd tend to associate with French style more than anything else, in English mostly just acronyms and some titles. – David Carlisle Oct 19 '15 at 23:55
  • Ok thanks. Furthermore you are right, this may be off-topic, I don't know how to migrate it. – jjstcool Oct 19 '15 at 23:59
  • Off topic; but a common use is for subheadings. – musarithmia Oct 20 '15 at 00:10
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    I'm voting to close this question as off-topic. It should be migtated to GraphicDesign, were also questions to typography are answered. – Mensch Oct 20 '15 at 00:42

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