Java tutorial
//package com.java2s; import java.util.ArrayList; import java.util.Collection; import java.util.Iterator; public class Main { @SuppressWarnings({ "unchecked", "rawtypes" }) public static void UpperCaseItems(Collection collection) { //Basic iterator ... cannot modify collection using this method. Iterator iterator = collection.iterator(); while (iterator.hasNext()) { Object object = iterator.next(); if (object instanceof String) { System.out.println(((String) object).toUpperCase()); //object = ((String) object).toUpperCase(); doesn't actually change the underlying object. } } //old school for loop ... can modify collection. This is not a structural change to the collection, just a change to the members. Structural collection changes in a loop is not recommended. if (collection instanceof ArrayList) { for (int i = 0; i < collection.size(); i++) { Object object = ((ArrayList) collection).get(i); String item = ((String) object); ((ArrayList) collection).set(i, item.toUpperCase()); } } } }