Punctuation for College Writing:

Characters and Characteristics

Goals

• Learn the names and functions of English punctuation marks

• Practice using the marks in college-level writing contexts

• Ask and answer your questions• Enjoy ourselves while doing the above

Punctuation . . .

• Is based on grammar, not speech.

• Is not interchangeable—each markhas a role to play.

• Is used according to an author’s purposes.

Cast of Characters

The Basics:• period• apostrophe• question mark• exclamation pointControversial: capitals

The Advanced:• quotation marks• square brackets• dash• ellipsis• commaControversial: italics

The Intermediates:• colon• semicolon• hyphen• parentheses

Period: The Sentence Sheriff

The sentence sheriff says, “Stop. This idea about your subject is finished. You’d better have a new subject and action before you proceed further.”

Periods end sentences, including indirect questions:

I wondered whether I would be late or not.

It was a question if she would be on time.

Periods are used in abbreviations:

For example, Mr. Mrs. Ms. Dr. B.A.i.e. e.g. etc. a.m. p.m.

Note: When an abbreviation ends a sentence, use only one period.

We returned from our fact-finding mission at 2:35 a.m.

Apostrophe: The Placeholder

The apostrophe takes the place of a letter or letters in contractions or marks the place for the idea of “has” in possessive cases.

Apostrophes are used for possessive nouns:He tended to obsess over his cell phone’s apps and features.

Her article presents an overview of Marx’s teachings (314).

The beach’s sand was burning hot.

Use just an apostrophe when a noun is plural and ends in -s: Both my bicycle tires’ rims were bent.

In instances of joint possession, use -’s or -s’ on the last noun only: I haven’t tried Ben and Jerry’s new flavor.

For individual possession, put -’s on both:Hernando’s and Maria’s expectations of marriage couldn’t have been more different (315).

Question Mark: The Scientist

A scientist inquires, wanting to know more.

A question mark is for direct questions:The interviewer demanded, “Where were you, and what did you know?”

Polite questions (as in a business letter) and indirect questions take a period:

Would you please send me five copies of Edward Lear’s Complete Nonsense with an invoice.

I was asked who would be attending with me at the conference.

Questions in a series may be written with question marks, even when not complete sentences:

Where would I go at this time of night? To my friend’s house? To a hotel? To my mother-in-law?

Exclamation Point: The Wrestler

The exclamation point is for shouting and cries of shock or delight.

For a calm, restrained academic discussion, don’t invite the wrestler.

“Grrr!”

Controversial 1: Capitals

Most consider capitals an element of mechanics rather than punctuation.

Capitals are used for official identification and at the start of a sentence, like the start of a journey.

Capitals

• Titles as (or part of) names: Madam Prime Minister, Dr. Jekyll, Ms. Janssen, Aunt Judy, Mom and Dad

• Beginning of sentences: We hold these truths to be self-evident . . .• Titles of works: Schindler’s List, Of Mice and Men, The Warrior

Woman, “A Little Less Conversation”• All proper nouns, including course titles, regions and other

geographical names, historical periods: Geography 206, the Southwest, the Middle Ages

Never to merely emphasize

Mini Quiz: The Basics

2. I wonder what we’re having for dinner tonight?

1. This mark is used when a character yells or cries out.

3. Dr Welbys medical license has expired .

4. I’m majoring in fire science; my first class is fire science 100 on Tuesday nights.

Add, Delete, No Error, or Revise:

The Colon: A Fanfare

After a complete independent clause, a colon signals a formal entrance of a list, an appositive, or a quotation.

IC: a list, an appositive, or a quotation.

I have three essentials for a day in the sun: a hat, sunscreen, and water.

My roommate is guilty of two of the seven deadly sins: gluttony and sloth (312).

Consider the words of John F. Kennedy: “Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country” (312).

FYI: IC stands for “independent clause,” which is a subject and verb (predicate) that function as a complete sentence.

IC:IC (if the second IC explains)Faith is like love: It cannot be forced (312).

Note: a capital after a colon is APA format; for CMS or MLA, use lowercase letters.

Other uses of the colon: a salutation in a formal letter, a ratio, title and subtitle, and between city and publisher in documentation

Dear Sir or Madam:

The ratio of women to men was 2:1.

The Glory of Hera: Greek Mythology and the Greek Family

Boston: Bedford, 2005

The Semicolon: The Hybrid

The semicolon has qualities of a period, a comma, and a colon.

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Toyota_Prius.jpg

IC; IC.Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice. –H.L. Mencken (307)

IC; transitional expression, IC.Transitional expressions (TE) include

• conjunctive adverbs: besides, consequently, subsequently, next, now, etc.,

• transitional phrases: as a result, for example, in fact, on the other hand, and so on.

IC; subject, TE, predicate.Most singers gain fame through hard work and dedication; Evita, however, found other means (308).

A semicolon may also be used between items in a series containing internal punctuation:

Classic science fiction sagas are Star Trek, with Mr. Spock and his large pointed ears; Battlestar Galactica, with its Cylon Raiders; and Star Wars, with Han Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Darth Vader (308).

The Hyphen: The Linker

Connects two or more words functioning together as one kind of word.

Hyphens link two or more words functioning together as an adjective before a noun:

Mrs. Douglas gave Toshiko a seashell and some newspaper-wrapped fish to take home to her mother (339).

Freida Pinto is not yet a well-known actress in the U.S.

Hyphenated words may be written in a series:Do you prefer first-, second-, or third-class tickets? (340).

Other Uses of the Hyphen Fractions and compound numbers (21–99): one-fifth, two-thirds, twenty-three, fifty-six, ninety-nine

Prefixes all-, ex-, and self-, and the suffix -elect:I met my ex-patriot friends in the all-encompassing category of the self-help books section.

Always check a dictionary for suspected compound words.

Parentheses: The Whisperers

Used when a phrase is outside of the important elements of a sentence.

Use parentheses to enclose supplemental material, minor digressions, afterthoughts, and letters or numbers labeling items in a series.

After taking her vital signs (temperature, pulse, and blood pressure), the nurse made Becky as comfortable as possible (328).

There are several things which could end a sentence: (1) a period, (2) a question mark, or (3) an ellipsis.

In MLA-formatted research documents, the parenthetical citation is placed at the end of a sentence containing information paraphrased or directly quoted from a source.

When reading a text, Diana Hacker advises us to “Note details that surprise, puzzle, or intrigue you” (58).

However, the citation may also occur at a natural clause break in the sentence: Hacker goes on to say, “[T]he views of an expert can contribute to the force of your argument” (71), but you should always lead the reader through your own logic and only use experts to illustrate your point.

Mini Quiz: The Intermediates

1. What is the main difference between the use of a colon and that of a semicolon?

2. One fifth of all writers think they are great, but ninety-nine percent of their readers know if they are.

3. When asked if we want to know a secret (and who among us doesn’t, many of us will lean closer to the speaker.

Add, delete, or no error:

Now for the Advanced Marks!

Quotation Marks: The Gossips

Gossips pass on the words or information of others.

So I said, “Blahdee blahdee blah.”And she said, “No!”And I said, “Yes!”

Enclose direct quotations with quotation marks whether spoken or written

Jaimie walked into the kitchen. “Hey, can I ask you a question?”“Shoot,” I said, drying my hands.“What’s the difference between ‘pretense’ and ‘pretentious’?”“The first is a noun, the second an adjective.”

“Shakespeare change[d] nouns into verbs (film and champion), verbs into nouns (dawn and scuffle), verbs into adjectives (hush), or adjectives into nouns (accused)” (McQuain and Malless ix).

Put quotations around the titles of short works:

• Newspaper and magazine articles• Poems• Short stories• Songs• Episodes of television and radio programs• Chapters or subdivisions of books

An intriguing title in the radio series This American Life is episode 67: “Your Dream, My Nightmare.”

Quotes may be used around words discussed as thingsThe words “accept” and “except” are frequently confused (320).

Other Punctuation with Quotation Marks

Periods and commas go inside end quotes, whether single or double quotes

“This is a stick-up,” said the well-dressed young couple. “We want all your money” (320).

Colons and semicolons go outside quotation marksHarold wrote, “I regret that I am unable to attend the fundraiser for AIDS

research”; his letter, however, contained a substantial contribution (321).

Put question marks and exclamation points inside quotation marks unless they apply to the sentence as a whole. (The two here are from Hacker, page 321.)

Contrary to tradition, bedtime at my house is marked by “Mommy, can I tell you a story now?”

Have you heard the old proverb “Do not climb the hill until you reach it”?

In MLA, a quoted question with a parenthetical citation still ends with a period

Rosie Thomas asks, “Is nothing in life ever straight and clear, the way children see it?” (77).

Other Quote Punctuation, cont’d

Quotations in Sentences

Formal introduction IC: “Quotation.”Morrow views personal ads in the classifieds as an art form: “The personal ad is like a haiku of self-celebration, a brief aolo played on one’s own horn” (322).

He said or she said expressions take a commaStephen Leacock once said, “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it” (321).

Blended quotations use either a comma or nothing, depending on the sentence structure

The future champion could, as he put it, “float like a butterfly and sting like a bee” (322).Charles Hudson noted that the prisoners escaped “by squeezing through a tiny window eighteen feet above the floor of their cell” (322).

Quotations in Sentences, continued

Quotations at the beginnings of sentences take a comma, unless they require a ? or !

“I love lemon drops,” said Grandma, looking at me wistfully.

“Why were you late?” I asked, dreading the answer.

Interrupted quotations use commas for explanatory words“A great many people think they are thinking,” wrote William James, “when they are merely rearranging their prejudices” (322).

. . . unless it is more than one sentence in succession“I was a flop as a daily reporter,” admitted E.B. White. “Every piece had to be a masterpiece—and before you knew it, Tuesday was Wednesday” (323).

Note: smart quotes “ ” versus straight quotes " '“Hi,” said the 5' 9¾" white rabbit. “Have you seen a little girl?”

A single straight quote for feet, straight double quotes for inches.

Quote Don’ts

Don’t use quotes with well-known slang, to distance yourself from cliché expressions, or to seem self-consciously ironic

The young “hipster” tried to be cute by using “air quotes.” NO!The young hipster tried to be cute by using air quotes.

Your own essay titles should not have quotes around them.

Square Brackets: Bodyguards

Bodyguards can get people safe passage by forcing their way in and holding back the crowd.

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Square Brackets

Brackets are placed around words or phrases inserted into direct quotations in order to clarify or make a sentence blend effectively into your writing.

Audubon reports that “if there are not enough young to balance deaths, the end of the species [California condor] is inevitable” (329).

Brackets are also most commonly used around “sic” to indicate an error in a source is being reproduced exactly.

“When your [sic] not sure how a word is spelled, look it up in a dictionary!” proclaimed an exasperated—and irony-impaired—blogger.

Use [sic] rarely—no one likes a language snob.

The Dash—The Drama Queen

The dash is all about dramatic breaks and shifts in thought. It takes skill and practice to use it effectively.

The DashUse a dash to set off parenthetical material that deserves emphasis

Everything that went wrong—from the peeping Tom at her window last night to my head-on collision today—we blamed on our move (327).

Set off appositives that contain commas to be clearer for readers.In my hometown the basic needs of people—food, clothing, and shelter—are less costly than in a big city like Los Angeles (328).

Other uses: a list, a rewording, or a dramatic shift in tone or thoughtAlong the wall are the bulk liquids—sesame seed oil, honey, safflower oil, [and]

maple syrup . . . (328).*Consider the amount of sugar in the average person’s diet—104 pounds per year,

90 percent more than that consumed by our ancestors (328). * Kiere took a few steps back, came running full speed, kicked a mighty kick—and

missed the ball (328).

*Could have used colons for more formality

Use a dash to set off an abrupt break or interruption and to announce a long appositive or summary (Strunk and White 9).

A dash is a mark of separation stronger than a comma, less formal than a colon, and more relaxed than parentheses.

His first thought on getting out of bed—if he had any thought at all—was to get back in again (9).

The rear axle began to make a noise—a grinding, chattering, teeth-gritting rasp (9).

Use a dash only when a more common mark of punctuation seems inadequate.

The Ellipsis: The Fade-out

Nothing says you’ve left something unsaid like an ellipsis—unless you’ve just lost your train of thought. . . .

The Ellipsis (plural: ellipses)

The ellipsis is a set of three spaced periods used to show an omission from a direct quotation. The sentence remaining must still be grammatical and have enough information to make sense.

Reuben reports that “when the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood rises over . . . 300 milligrams per 100, the chances of a heart attack increase dramatically” (320).

MLA now says brackets are unnecessary, but they help to distinguish insertions from ellipses in source material.

The Ellipsis, continued

If a whole sentence (or more) is left out, put a period BEFORE the ellipsis.

No need to start a quote with an ellipsis, but if the end of a final quoted sentence is left out, finish with an ellipsis.

Charles Lewis, director of the Center for Public Integrity, points out that “by 1987, employers were administering nearly 2,000,000 polygraph tests a year to job applicants and employees. . . . Millions of workers were required to produce urine samples under observation for drug testing . . .” (405).

The Comma: The Traffic Cop

The comma regulates the flow of clauses in a sentence.

A comma tells readers that one independent clause has come to an end and that another is about to begin.

IC, for/and/nor/but/or/yet/so ICNearly everyone has heard of love at first sight, but I fell in love at first

dance (Hacker 288).

Note: no commas in compound predicates!I ate a sandwich and drank some ginger ale.

A good money manager controls expenses and invests surplus dollars to meet future needs (Hacker 288).

Comma after introductory word group (usually act as adverbs—where, when, how, why—to IC)

Near a small stream at the bottom of the canyon, the park rangers discovered an abandoned mine (289).

Other intros describe the subject with participial phrases:Believing she had plenty of time, the student put off writing her paper until the night before it was due.

Or the intro is a transitional expression or an absolute phrase:Subsequently, the student’s paper was poorly organized and undeveloped,

her thesis having been invented on less than three hours’ sleep.

Commas divide separate items in a seriesBubbles of air, leaves, ferns, bits of wood, and insects are often found

trapped in amber (290). But . . .I was served ham, eggs, and macaroni and cheese.

Comma between coordinate adjectives not joined by “and”No comma between cumulative adjectives

Three large gray shapes moved slowly toward us (292).(Three(large(gray shapes)))

Use commas to set off nonrestrictive elementsNon restrictive or nonessential elements give the reader information, but they are not required for the reader to understand the noun or pronoun:

For camp the children need sturdy shoes, which are expensive (293).

The writer’s purpose often determines if info is restrictive or nonrestrictive

The dessert made with raspberries was delicious (294).The dessert, made with raspberries, was delicious (294).

The first example identifies which dessert out of two or more was delicious. The second sentence just adds incidental information about the only dessert discussed.

Other nonrestrictive clausesAdjective clauses: noun/pronoun, relative pronoun verbs . . .

Ed’s house, which is located on thirteen acres, was furnished with bats in the rafters and mice in the kitchen (Hacker 294).

Prepositional phrases or verbal phrases functioning as adjectives:

The helicopter, with its million-candlepower spotlight illuminating the area, circled above (295).

Appositives (as long as they are nonrestrictive)Darwin’s most important book, On the Origin of Species, was the result of many years of research (295).

Restrictive: The song “Vertigo” was blasted out of huge amplifiers (295).

Use commas to set off transitional and parenthetical expressions, absolute phrases, and contrasted elements

IC; TE, IC.

IC; SUBJECT, TE, PREDICATE.

Natural foods are not always salt free; celery, for example, contains more sodium than most people would imagine (297).

Parenthetical comments interrupt a sentence with additional info and seem like afterthoughts

The bass weighed twelve pounds, give or take a few ounces (297).Let’s see . . . if I remember correctly, your name is Hal.

Absolute phrases modify sentences with a noun and participial phrase at the beginning or end of sentences.

Elvis Presley made music industry history in the 1950s, his records having sold more than ten million copies (297).

Contrasted elements beginning with negatives, like not, never, unlike, etc., get commas:

Unlike Robert, Celia loved dance contests (298).

Other uses of the commaSet off nouns of direct address, the words “yes” and “no,” interrogative tags, and mild interjections

Forgive us, Dr. Atkins, for having rolls with dinner.Yes, the loan will probably be approved.The film was faithful to the book, wasn’t it?Well, cases like these are difficult to decide. (Hacker 298)

Dates, addresses, titles, and numbersOn May 18, 1980, Mt. St. Helens erupted, turning daylight into dusk.Note: not for inverted dates or only month year

Elements of a place name, except zip codeJohn Lennon was born in Liverpool, England, in 1940.Please send the package to Greg Tarvin at 708 Spring Street, Washington,

Illinois 61571.

Title following name: Gregory House, M.D.Quantity numbers more than four digits long (at 4 it’s optional): 3500; 13,500; 535,555,535

Keep compound elements together!Marie Curie discovered radium and later applied her work on radioactivity to medicine (302). (compound predicate)Jake still does not realize that his illness is serious and that he will have to alter his diet to improve (302). (two subordinate clauses that . . . and that . . .)

No commas after “such as” or “like”Many dark bitter fruits, such as blueberries, cranberries, and black cherries, have healthful antioxidants.

No comma before “than,” parentheses, or an indirect quotation, and no comma after “although”

Although the air was balmy, the water was too cold for swimming (305).

At Nextel Sylvia began at the bottom (with only three and a half walls and a swivel chair), but within five years she had been promoted to supervisor

(305).

Samuel Goldwyn once said that a verbal contract isn’t worth the paper it’s written on (305).

Controversial 2: ItalicsAlso considered by many to be an element of

mechanics, rather than punctuation

Works as a signaling device for• Titles of long works• Emphasis• Names of transport vehicles• Foreign words• Words as things• Internal monologue

If unable to underline or italicize on a computer, use underscores before and after titles: I’m reading a critical analysis of _Some Like It Hot_.

Mini Quiz: The Advanced Marks

2. Not everyone has watched Everybody Loves Raymond or Everybody Hates Chris.

Add, delete, or no error:

3. Accepting the check for her lottery winnings, Juanita said that “she would give half the money to charity” (323).

4. Marina ran into the room, and grabbed her friend.

1. In a quoted passage of text, these show you are inserting a change for clarity or grammar.

5. On March 18, 2011 our office will move to 54 Pennsylvania Avenue, Arthursville MA 58374.

6. Ms. Podeski we value your business and your satisfaction is very important to us.

Works Cited

Hacker, Diana. A Writer’s Reference. 6th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008.

McQuain, Jeffery and Stanley Malless. Coined by Shakespeare: Words and Meanings First Penned by the Bard. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, 1998.

Strunk, William and E.B. White. The Elements of Style. 4th ed. San Francisco: Longman, 2000.