Punctuation and Mechanics

periods

Periods most often serve as end punctuation (after sentences), but they are also used with abbreviations
and in other specialized contexts

Uses of periods Examples

End of a complete sentence
Initials with an author’s name
Reference-list abbreviations
After figure captions
Latin abbreviations
U.S. when used as an adjective
Abbreviation for inch
Decimal points in fractions
Periods end most sentences.
C. S. Lewis
Ed., Vol. 6, pp. 34–38, Rev. ed.
Figure 3. Student use of computers.
i.e., e.g., vs., p.m.
U.S. government, U.S. economy
in. (distinct from the preposition in)
2.45 ml, 33.5 lb

Commas
Commas are internal forms of punctuation, most often used to separate elements within sentences.
However, they also serve a few other purposes.

Uses of commas Examples

Three or more items in a series men, women, and children
Set off nonessential information The room, which was well lighted, was on the
south corridor.
Clauses of a compound sentence The first survey was a failure, but the second one
was a success.
Years with exact dates May 25, 2010, the experiment began. But May
2010, the
experiment began.
Years within in-text citations (Armstrong, 2009); (Romines, 2010)

Numbers of 1,000 or larger 11,205 students, 1,934 books [see “Number

Style,” pages 51– 52, for exceptions]
semicolons

In APA style, semicolons serve two purposes, one related to compound sentences and one related to
elements in a series.

Uses of semicolons Examples

Join clauses of a compound sentence when no Males responded positively; females responded
coordinating conjunction is used negatively.

Separate elements in a series when the elements The test groups were from Fresno, California; St.
contain commas Louis, Missouri; and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Colons

Colons serve five distinct purposes in APA style. A complete sentence must precede the colon, and if the
explanatory material that follows a colon is a complete sentence, the first word is capitalized.

Uses of colons examples

Introduce a phrase that serves as an explanation
or illustration
Introduce a sentence that serves as an
explanation or illustration (the first word of the
clarifying sentence is capitalized)
Separate elements in a ratio
Separate the place of publication and publisher in
a reference list entry
Separate the numbered section and page number
in a reference-list entry for a newspaper.
Two words triggered the strongest reactions:
preferential and special.
The results are quickly summarized: The
experiment was a failure.
The ratio was 3:10.
Didion, J. (2005). The year of magical thinking.
New York, NY: Vintage Books.
Page, C. (2010, April 16). One very big thumbs
down. The Chicago Tribune, p. 1 :19.

Dashes

Formed by typing two hyphens (with no spaces before and after) or using the em-dash feature of your
word-processing program, dashes serve a few selected purposes; however, they should be used
sparingly in academic writing. Also note that if a title contains a dash, the word that follows the dash is
capitalized.

Uses of dashes Examples

Indicate a break in the thought of the sentence
Insert a series of elements that contain commas
The national heritage of participants—they
identified themselves— proved less important
than researchers anticipated.
Universities in two small cities—Terre Haute,
Indiana, and Bloomington, Illinois— offer similar
programs in psychology.