Parentheses

Jared Aragona

Parentheses: Use parentheses properly to indicate secondary material.

 

Use parentheses to de-emphasize proper digressions:

It was the December 21 (appropriately the winter solstice) when Margot first arrived on the scene.

Please note that parenthetical asides are not always appropriate for formal college writing.

 

Use parentheses to set off abbreviations to be used later in the text.

The Center for Native and Urban Wildlife (CNUW) is one of Scottsdale Community’s College’s treasures.

 

Use parenthesis for in-text citations, not brackets or braces.

“In a real sense, these tools made our ancestors” [Leakey 124].  Incorrect

“In a real sense, these tools made our ancestors” {Leakey 124}.  Incorrect

“In a real sense, these tools made our ancestors” (Leakey 124).  Correct

 

The MLCKRB (Master List Code Key and Rule Book): An English Grammar & Style Handbook by Jared Aragona, CC BY 4.0

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Parentheses Copyright © by Jared Aragona is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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