Technical Style: Punctuation

1. Technical Style: Punctuation Unlocking the mysteries!

2. The punctuation you use most: commas, semi-colons; colons: The supporting players: hyphens- dashes-- quotation marks“x” parentheses( ) Technical Style: Punctuation

3. Commas separate certain words. • items in a series: • I bought onions, peppers, celery, and beans. • Do you have to put a comma before the final “and” in a series? • main clauses joined with a coordinating conjunction: • The data were conclusive, and the results were correct. The coordinating conjunctions arethese: and, yet, so, for, but. • coordinate adjectives: • The sparkling,valuable, antique crystal . . .

4. Commas mark modifying phrases. • modifying phrases and clauses (non-restrictive information): • The table in the corner, which had just been overturned, was set upright again. • introductory phrases: • Having searched the literature, we then set about synthesizing our material.

5. Commas indicate whether information is restrictive (essential to meaning) or not. • Non-restrictive clauses are surrounded by commas (or dashes). Think of the commas as little hinges: if the enclosed phrase is cut from the sentence, would the meaning really change? • The three model runs, all performed on Saturday, produced varying results. • Restrictive information should have no surrounding commas because this info. is vital to the meaning of the sentence. • The three model runs performed on Saturday produced varying results.

6. Why do we need commas to tell us whether a word/phrase is restrictive? • Under what circumstances should the name “Margaret” be enclosed in commas? • Lynn’s sister,Margaret,was impressed. • This is correct ONLY if Lynn has only one sister. • The meaning does not change if the name Margaret is taken out of the sentence (the name is non-restrictive). • The commas tell us Lynn has only one sister and her name is Margaret.

7. What’s the difference between Which and That? • He buried the evidence that was incriminating. • He buried the evidence, which was incriminating. • The presidential candidate gave an acceptance address that was a sure sign he would run an aggressive campaign. • The presidential candidate gave an acceptance address, which was a sure sign he would run an aggressive campaign. • Generally, use a comma before “which.”

8. Do not do this! • Don’t use a comma alone to join two independent clauses: • The equipment was broken,the students were refusing to come to class. • Don’t let one comma chop a subject off from its verb or verbs: • The final criterion,acceptability addresses the approval of the public. and ,

9. Punctuate these! • John who should have known better erased all the disks on the computer • Any employee who works overtime this week may have Friday off.

10. Semi-Colons: Their most important role • Link two independent clauses • The evidence was convincing;nevertheless, the jury found him innocent. • In this use, semi-colon may always be replaced by a period. Use this test!

11. Semi-colons . . . • Join independent clauses that either donot have a conjoining word ordo have a conjunctive adverb (transitional word). • Without a conjoining word: • The evidence was convincing; the jury found him innocent. • Use this form only when the conceptual link is strong enough between the two independent clauses that you need no linking word. • With a conjunctive adverb: • The evidence was convincing;nevertheless, the jury found him innocent.

12. That’s two independent clauses . . . • Semi-colon comes before the conjunctive adverb. Comma comes after the adverb. • Examples of these adverbs: finally, however, moreover, similarly, therefore, thus, nevertheless • incorrect: The manager was late to the meeting, however the assistant was on time. • correct: The manager was late to the meeting; however, the assistant was on time.

13. Conjunctive adverbs are not the same as subordinating adverbs! • Subordinatingwords link parts of a sentence together by subordinating one of the clauses (or turning it into a dependent clause): Examples: after, although, because, since, when, while • incorrect: The manager was late to the meeting. Becausethe plane was late. • correct: The manager was late to the meeting because the plane was late.

14. This is a comma splice. • The doctor prescribed a different medication, however it’s not helping. • How do we correct it? ;

15. Semi-colons also . . . • Separate elements that contain interior commas or some visual complexity (e.g., formulae): • I bought celery, carrots, and beans; fish, chicken, and beef; and rice and potatoes.

16. Colons: one main role • Colons introduce lists: • Item a • Item b • Colons can also link two main clauses if the second restates, defines, or illustrates the first: • No one was surprised by her promotion: she was by far the best candidate.

17. Lists • Introduce most lists with a colon. Do not use a colon between a verb or preposition and its object: • Wrong: The criteria were: cost, quality, and service. • Right: We used the following criteria: cost, quality, and service. • Use a complete sentence to introduce a list.

18. Punctuate these. • Before the close of business please order the following two boxes of staples a desk blotter and a ream of copier paper. • We can consider competing for that project but we already have too much work. • No one was surprised by her promotion she was by far the best candidate. • Cash flow is our most pressing problem consequently Mr. Edwards will make it the focus of his speech.

19. Too many bullets spoil the document! • Blah blah blah blah • blah blah blah • blah blah • blah blah • blah blah • blah blah • blah blah

20. Vertical Lists • Use bullets carefully – don’t overuse. • Use when all elements in list are equally important and have no special rank, sequence, or significance. • Consider using when listed items are long (more than one line) but are not prioritized. • Make a vertical list of one or two-word items only on rare occasions. • “The work reported here is divided into two sets of experiments, each focused on a different topic: • permeable membranes • non-permeable membranes

21. Vertical Lists (non-bulleted) • Use numbers or lowercase letters, followed by a period. • If each item is complete sentence, you may use period after each; otherwise, use no ending punctuation: The hydroponic system included the following components: 1. a sealed reservoir 2. an aquarium vibrator air pump 3. an automatic household timer

22. Lists Within a Sentence • Do not introduce list with a colon when the list is short (three or fewer items, or one-word items): correct:The elements in the test included zinc, lead, and tin. • You may use numbering to separate items within the list: The sequence of testing proceeded according to published standards: 1) take soil borings, 2) dry in oven, 3) analyze chemical composition. • Lists within sentences are not as emphatic as vertical lists. But be careful of overusing vertical lists.

23. Join compound words used as modifier before a noun: blue-green sea Join a prefix to a word: self-conscious Join confusing units: six-foot lockers six foot-lockers Usually join written out fractions and numbers between twenty-one and ninety-nine Hyphens . . .

24. Dashes . . . • Set off interruptions, long appositives, strong reversals: • The work of three researchers– Zhang, Barnett, and Liu– was particularly influential. • Use two hyphens to make an em dash (to distinguish it from a hyphen).

25. Quotation Marks • Set off direct quotations and titles of sections or parts of a longer work: • He said, “I can no longer remain here.” • His last article, “The Influence of Uncertainty in Risk Calculations,” was published in Risk Analysis. • Generally, commas and periods go inside ending quotation marks; semicolons and colons go outside.

26. Punctuate this . . . • He stated in his speech we will attempt to revise our quality processes.

27. Parentheses(the shy notation) • Try not to use them (they only invite skipping over). • (Certainly, don’t put any useful information inside them.) And never put a whole sentence inside them!