Where To Put Period After Quote And Citation
Introduction
Using quotes and citations in your writing is a great way to support your arguments and show that you have done your research. However, it can be confusing to know where to put the period after the quote or citation. In this article, we will explore the different rules for placing periods in various scenarios.
Periods After Quotes
When you include a quote in your writing, you should always place the period after the closing quotation mark. For example:
"I have a dream," Martin Luther King Jr. said.
In this sentence, the period comes after the closing quotation mark because it is the end of the entire sentence, not just the end of the quote.
Periods After Citations
When you include a citation in your writing, you should always place the period after the citation. For example:
According to a study by Smith and Jones (2019), "students who get enough sleep perform better in school."
In this sentence, the period comes after the citation because it is the end of the entire sentence, not just the end of the citation.
Periods After Quotes and Citations Together
When you have a sentence that includes both a quote and a citation, the placement of the period can be a bit tricky. There are two scenarios to consider:
Scenario 1: The Quote Comes First
If the quote comes first in the sentence, you should place the period after the closing quotation mark, but before the citation. For example:
"Students who get enough sleep perform better in school," according to a study by Smith and Jones (2019).
In this sentence, the period comes after the closing quotation mark because it is the end of the quote, but before the citation because it is not the end of the entire sentence.
Scenario 2: The Citation Comes First
If the citation comes first in the sentence, you should place the period after the citation and then place the closing quotation mark after the period. For example:
According to a study by Smith and Jones (2019), "students who get enough sleep perform better in school."
In this sentence, the period comes after the citation because it is the end of the entire sentence, and then the closing quotation mark comes after the period because it is the end of the quote.
Conclusion
Knowing where to place the period after a quote or citation can be confusing, but following these rules will ensure that your writing is clear and grammatically correct. Remember to place the period after the closing quotation mark for quotes, after the citation for citations, and in the appropriate place for sentences that include both.