Handbook of style in use at the Riverside Press/Punctuation
PUNCTUATION
In the following pages we have noted the preference of The Riverside Press in matters of punctuation that come up frequently. Where the punctuation of a manuscript is consistent, and when the sense of the text is not affected, the punctuation should not be changed.
Unless directions to the contrary are given, all punctuation marks should be printed in the same style or font of type as the word or letter immediately preceding them. In italics, where an abbreviation is used, with a semicolon, colon, exclamation, or interrogation point immediately following, do not use an italic mark; as, Ibid.; et seg.; where quotes follow an italic word, and the punctuation mark properly falls outside the quotes, do not use an italic mark,
The Period
Use after abbreviations, with the exception of chemical symbols, the format of books, the phrase per cent, and roman numerals.
Use between hours and minutes in time indications, and for decimal points: 8.30 p.m.; 18.5.
Omit after running-heads, centred headlines, cut-in heads, and box-heads in tables.
Omit in title-page and other display matter unless especially directed to retain.
Use an en leader instead of a period in tabular composition unless the thin period is necessary to gain space.
The period is always placed inside quotation marks; and inside parentheses when the matter inclosed is an independent sentence, otherwise outside.
The Exclamation
Is used—
After interjections and all words, phrases, and sentences that express great surprise, strong emotion, or forcible command.
Generally in parentheses, to express sarcasm, or contempt.
Inside the quotation marks when part of the quotation; otherwise outside.
The Interrogation
Is used—
After every sentence or expression asking a direct question.
Inclosed in parentheses, to express doubt or uncertainty.
Inside the quotation marks when it is a part of the quotation; otherwise outside,
The Colon
Is used—
Before statements or specifications introduced by a general statement, or by such words as thus or as follows.
Before a long and formal quotation.
Before a series of details in apposition with some general term; as, The three families into which mankind is divided: Caucasian, Mongolian, and Negro.
After the salutatory phrase at the beginning of a letter, if, for special reasons, this phrase is not run in. The usual office practice is to run such salutatory phrase in, with a comma and an em dash, the body of the letter following.
After the introductory remark of a speaker, addressing the chairman or the audience.
Between the place of publication and the publisher’s name in literary references; as, Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Inside the quotation marks when it is a part of the quotation; otherwise outside.
The Semicolon
Is used—
In a compound sentence, between clauses that are not joined by a conjunction; as,—
- “The army was made up of various elements, —more or less cöordinate: dismounted cavalry, called the ‘horse infantry’; zouaves, in their picturesque red jackets and baggy trousers; artillerymen; and a few troops of cavalry.”
Between clauses of a compound sentence that form a series dependent on the opening words of the sentence; as,—
- “I shall relate how the settlement was … defended against foreign and domestic enemies; how, under that settlement, the authority of law and the security of property … never before known; how our country … rose to the place of umpire …; how her opulence and her martial glory grew together.”
The Semicolon is used—
Between clauses of a compound sentence that are joined by a single conjunction, when a more decided pause than a comma would furnish is desirable; as,—
- “They found it a barbarous jargon; they fixed it in writing; and they employed it in legislation, in romance, and in poetry.”
To separate two or more coordinate members of a sentence, when those members have commas within themselves.
“Soon his face grew black; his eyes, strangely altered, turned in his head; he uttered a cry, staggered, and fell.”
To separate two members of a sentence when a comma would not make the relation between them clear.
“They had established the Calvinistic doctrine, discipline, and worship; and they made little distinction between popery and prelacy, the Mass and the Book of Common Prayer.”
To separate members of a sentence that are complex, or loosely connected, or that contain commas.
“The defendant filed a plea of justification, alleging that the plaintiff was asking for election to a public office of responsibility; that his moral character was of such a nature as to make his election a great injury to the public, and that the public good required an open discussion of his character, and also of his ability and integrity; that the defendant, in criticizing his character, was acting within his rights, so long as he did not pervert or grossly exaggerate facts or accuse the plaintiff falsely; that,” etc.
Before as, namely, thus, and similar connectives, when these words introduce examples, illustrations, or particulars.
“The plaintiff charges that the defendant has failed in the performance of his contract in these particulars; namely:” "Names of special creeds and confessions of faith; as, Apostles’ Creed, etc.”
Always outside quotation marks.
The Comma
Is used—
To separate proper names belonging to different individuals or places; as, To John, Smith was always kind.
To separate two numbers. In 1911, 100 in the shade was common over the Northern States early in July.
To separate a direct quotation, maxim, or similar expression, from the preceding part of the sentence, Grant nobly said, “Let us have peace.”
To separate month and year, and similar time divisions. November, 1910.
Before and, or, and nor, connecting the last two links in a sequence of three or more. Tom, Dick, and Harry.
Before the abbreviation etc.
Before not, introducing an antithetical clause. The quarrel was brought on, not because either really cared much about the matter in dispute, but because of a latent antagonism between them.
Before of, in connection with residence or position, except in cases in which the place name practically has become a part of the person’s name. Mr. Jones, of New York; Philip of Anjou.
After a participial clause, especially if it contains an explanation of the main clause. Being very tired, John did not hear him.
After here and there and now and then when they introduce contrasted clauses. Here, we have a complete and rounded argument; there, a loose, badly constructed, unintelligent view, badly expressed.
After such words as again, now, why, and the like, when they introduce a sentence, and refer, not to any particular word, but to the whole proposition.
Before and after parenthetical clauses not inclosed in parentheses. The increase of wealth and the extension of trade produced, together with immense good, some evils from which poor and rude societies are free.
To indicate the omission of a word or words,—the repetition of which is not essential to the meaning,—unless the construction is smooth enough to dispense with the comma. In Massachusetts the legislature meets annually; in Ohio, once in two years.
To point off sums consisting of five figures or more. In tabular work, where the figures in the column run up to five or more, use the comma with four figures also. The comma is never used in piece fractions.
Followed by an em dash, after the salutatory phrase at the beginning of a letter, if run in with the body of the letter; but if for special reasons the phrase is not run in, a colon and an em dash should be used.
Between chapter and verse in the citation of Scripture passages, using Roman numerals (small caps) for the chapter. Gen. viii, 16-18; Luke iv, 4; Exod. i, 22.
Inside the quotation marks, always.
Do not use a comma where and, or, and nor serve to connect the links in a brief and close-knit phrase. A man good and noble and true. I do not remember who wrote the stanza whether—it was Shelley or Keats or Moore.
Do not use a comma before a parenthesis or bracket, except in quoted matter.
The Apostrophe
Is used—
As the sign of the possessive case; is attached to nouns only, and never to the pronouns, his, hers, its, ours, or theirs. With nouns in the singular number and those in the plural not ending in s, the apostrophe precedes the s; as, boy’s glove, men’s manners. The apostrophe follows the s with plural nouns ending in s; as, boys’ skates. In forming the possessive case of proper nouns in the singular number ending in s, or the s sound, add the s, save in the few cases where the additional s makes an objectionable hissing sound; as, Moses’ law; Jesus’ death; for conscience’ sake; Adams’s works; Dickens’s sons. Use the apostrophe only in the ancient proper names ending in es; as, Ceres’ rites; Xerxes’ fleet; Aristides’ exile; Thucydides’ History.
To show the omission of figures in dates; as, the gold-seekers of ’49; the boys of ’61.
To mark the omission of a letter or letters in the contraction of a word. Use a 5-em space in such forms as it’s, ’tis, ’t was, ’twill, ’t would, he ’ll, I ’d, you ’d, etc.; but use no space where the apostrophe stands for the omission of a letter in the middle of a word, as, ain’t, can’t, don’t, shan’t, won’t.
In such phrases as, Cross your t’s; dot your i’s.
The Dash
Use an em dash with a colon or a comma, where quoted matter following begins a new paragraph, but not where the matter is run in.
The Dash
Two dashes are frequently used as equivalent to parentheses; the author’s choice should be consulted.
In connecting consecutive numbers, omit the hundreds from the second number; if the next to the last figure in the first number is a cipher, repeat this in the second number. Use an en dash. For example, pp. 224–29; 1904–09.
Use an en dash as a hyphen in a line consisting of capitals.
Set the em dash off from the text with 5-em spaces. No spaces are used with an en dash.
Use an em dash where a sentence is interrupted or ends abruptly.
Use a 2-em dash to indicate the omission of the whole or a part of a word or name which it is not desired to print in full.
Quotation Marks
Double quotation marks are used for primary quotation; for a quotation within a quotation, single; going back to double for the third, to single for the fourth, etc. The marks should be separated by a thin space from the adjacent letters or marks of punctuation. No space is needed, however, between a comma or period and the apostrophes closing the quotation.
Quote—
A word or phrase accompanied by its definition; as, “Drop-folio” means a page number at the foot of a page.
An unusual, technical, or ironical word or phrase in the text, whether or not accompanied by a word like so-called, directing attention to it.
A word or phrase to which attention is particularly directed; as, The words “liberty” and “freedom” and “the people” fall glibly from the lips of the demagogue.
Titles of publications—books, plays, poems, pamphlets, and periodicals—mentioned in the text. In titles of periodicals, do not treat “the” as part of the name—print, “The following item is from the ‘Boston Herald’ of July 10”; “The last number of the ‘Atlantic Monthly’” Do not quote names of books of the Bible. See sections on Italics and Footnotes.
Cited titles of subdivisions, e.g., parts, books, chapters, etc., of publications. Titles of articles, lectures, sermons, etc.
Print names of all kinds of boats or ships, and titles of paintings and of sculpture, in plain roman type without quotes.
Poetical Extracts. The quotation marks should be ranged outside the capitals where the width of the page will allow it without turning over lines. In quoting poetical extracts of more than one stanza, the opening quotation marks should be used at the beginning of each stanza, the closing marks only at the end of the extract.
In sentences terminating in the close of a quotation and an exclamation point or an interrogation point, do not quote the punctuation mark unless it is part of the quotation:—
- How absurd to call this stripling a “man”!
But
- He cried out, “Wake up! something is going wrong!”
- Can we by any mistake call him a “man”?
But
- One is crazed by his “Now, then, where am I to go?”
Quotation marks should always include ellipses; also etc., when it otherwise would not be clear that etc. stands for an omitted part of the matter quoted.
Do not quote prose extracts set in a smaller type than the text or in italics.
Do not quote complete letters, having the date, address, and signature, unless especially directed.
Do not use quotation marks, or an apostrophe to show a contracted form, before a display initial letter at the beginning of a chapter.
Parentheses
Inclose in parentheses figures or letters used to mark divisions of a subject discussed in the text.
In text matter, if, following a direct quotation, the reference is given to the author, title of work, or both, inclose in parentheses. If the quotation is but a single sentence or phrase, join the parenthetical credit closely without other mark of punctuation; if the quotation consists of two or more sentences, punctuation mark should end the quotation. In the latter case, a period should follow the credit given to the source of the quotation inside the closing parenthesis. For example:—
“Birmingham had not been thought of sufficient importance to send a member to Oliver’s Parliament” (Macaulay, “History of England,” vol. i, p. 267). “Yet the manufacturers of Birmingham were already a busy and thriving race. They boasted that their hardware was highly esteemed, not indeed, as now, at Pekin and Lima, at Bokhara and Timbuctoo, but in London, and even as far off as Ireland. They had acquired a less honorable renown as coiners of bad money.” (Macaulay, ‘History of England,” vol. i, p. 267.)
A better practice is to give the credit as a footnote in such cases, and this is much more usual.
In direct quotations do not use parentheses to indicate matter interpolated by the editor, for explanatory or other purposes; brackets should be used always for such purposes.
Quotation marks should be included inside parentheses unless the parentheses are a part of the quotation.
Brackets
Inclose in brackets an explanation or note to indicate an interpolation in a quotation, to rectify a mistake, to supply an omission, and for parentheses within parenthetical matter.
Use brackets with such expressions as “To be continued,” at the end, and “Continued” or “Continued from,” at the beginning, of articles, chapters, etc.
Ellipses Marks
Are used—
To indicate the omission of one or more words.
To show ellipsis, use three periods separated by en quads. If the sentence ends with a period do not include this in the three points of the ellipsis. Where a whole paragraph or paragraphs, or in poetry a complete line or lines, are omitted, insert a full line of periods separated by 2-em quads. An ellipsis should be treated as a part of a quotation, and consequently should be inclosed in the quotation marks.
The Hyphen
Compound adjectives generally take the hyphen; as, a twelve-inch main, asked-for opinion, sea-island cotton, etc.
Use the hyphen where a present or past participle is combined with a noun or an adjective; as, soul-killing witches, sap-consuming winter.
Use the hyphen where above, ill, so, or well is joined with a participial adjective to form an epithet preceding a noun; as, above-mentioned book, well-dealing countryman; but, the book above mentioned.
Adverbs ending in -ly are not compounded with adjectives which they qualify; as, a nicely kept lawn.
When used adjectively, the expressions first-class, second-class, etc., are printed with the hyphen; as, a first-class passage; but, a man of the first class.
Use a hyphen when a present participle is united (1) with a noun, forming a new noun with a meaning different from that conveyed by the two words, taken separately; (2) with a preposition used absolutely, to form a noun: boarding-house, dining-room, sleeping-car, dwelling-place, stumbling-block; the bringing-on or the putting-off of difficulties.
In all cases not covered by the above rules the use of the hyphen is to be governed by the International Dictionary.