What does square brackets mean in citation?
What does square brackets mean in citation?
The MLA Style Center Normally, when you quote from a source, your reader is to assume that any styling, such as italics or punctuation in the quotation, is in the original text. But, as the MLA Handbook (sec. 1.3. 6) explains, square brackets are used to indicate material you have added.
How do you use square brackets in citations?
Use square brackets, not parentheses, to enclose material such as an addition or explanation you have inserted in a quotation. If you want to emphasize a word or words in a quotation, use italics. Immediately after the italicized words, insert “emphasis added” within square brackets as follows: [emphasis added].
What are square brackets used for in literature?
Use square brackets to include words within a quote that are not part of the original quote. For example, if a quoted passage is not entirely clear, words enclosed in square brackets can be added to clarify the meaning.
Can I use parentheses in APA 7?
There are several uses for parentheses that are particular to APA style: To refer to tables or figures. Use parentheses to encase referrals to tables or figures.
What does [] mean in a sentence?
Square brackets (also called brackets, especially in American English) are mainly used to enclose words added by someone other than the original writer or speaker, typically in order to clarify the situation: He [the police officer] can’t prove they did it.
What is [] in writing?
Brackets are symbols that we use to contain “extra information”, or information that is not part of the main content. Brackets always come in pairs—an “opening” bracket before the extra information, and a “closing” bracket after it. There are two main types of bracket: round () and square [].
Why are [] used in sentences?
How do you do parentheses in APA?
Use parentheses
- The patterns were significant (see Figure 5).
- (When a complete sentence is enclosed in parentheses, place punctuation in the sentence inside the parentheses, like this.)
- If only part of a sentence is enclosed in parentheses (like this), place punctuation outside the parentheses (like this).
What do words in [] mean?
When writers insert or alter words in a direct quotation, square brackets—[ ]—are placed around the change. The brackets, always used in pairs, enclose words intended to clarify meaning, provide a brief explanation, or to help integrate the quote into the writer’s sentence.
Why are square brackets used in APA style?
APA Style uses square brackets to describe works. The descriptions serve various purposes, including the following: identifying the context in which a work was published or presented (e.g., dissertations and theses, conference presentations)
What are the rules for brackets in APA?
Exception 1: Do not use brackets if the material can be set off easily with commas without confounding meaning: Exception 2: In mathematical material, the placement of brackets and parentheses is reversed; that is, parentheses appear within brackets. (adapted from the sixth edition of the APA Publication Manual, © 2010)
How to use parentheses and brackets in references in APA style?
Using parentheses and brackets in APA Style references 1 Parentheses. APA Style uses parentheses in references to present supporting information important for a work’s identification and retrieval. 2 Square brackets. APA Style uses square brackets to describe works. 3 Choosing parentheses or brackets.
How do you use brackets in an essay?
Brackets can also be used with quotes to explain how you changed the quote from the original source. For example, you might write “Spider webs are 2.5 times stronger [emphasis added] than the average human hair.” Another place brackets can be used is in a reference entry, such as with this entry for a podcast:
