Periods, Exclamation Points, and Question Marks

Oh my!

Use a period to

• signal the end of an idea; just make sure it is a complete idea
• punctuate sentences and bulleted/numbered lists; just make sure they are complete sentences and bulleted/numbered lists
• end abbreviated words (Dr. for Doctor, St. for Street)
• separate lowercase abbreviated letters (e.g., p., pp., et al.)
• ensure you are correctly applying a citation style’s format

Periods relative to quotation marks:

• Periods appear within quotation marks: He heard her sing “Somewhere over the Rainbow.”         

Question marks relative to other punctuation:

• Question marks appear inside quotation marks, parentheses, or brackets only when part of the quoted or parenthetical material:
  • He asked, “Do you believe in ghosts?”
  • That dog (or is it a wolf?) is gonna be huge!
• Question marks appear outside quotation marks when the question is not part of the sentence: Did he really ask me if “I believed in ghosts”?
  • Why didn’t he ask for the time off until today (Tuesday)?
  • “What do you suppose he had in mind,” inquired Newman, “when he said, ‘You are all greater fools than I thought’?”

Use an exclamation point

• sparingly. Do not use an exclamation point in academic writing unless it already exists in a quotation.

Exclamation points relative to other punctuation

• Exclamation points appear inside quotation marks, parentheses, or brackets when part of the quoted material:
  • He sang the Beatles’ “Help!” more than any other song.
  • The article “Midway!” posed some thoughtful points.

Periods, Exclamation Points, and Question Marks Links

• The Punctuation Guide
• Short video (2:51): "Three ways to end a sentence," Khan Academy
• Exercises: "Three ways to end a sentence," Khan Academy
• Video (17:71): "The Art of Asking Questions," TED, Dan Moulthrop