1. Puntuation A guide to excellent punctuation usage

2. A crucial topic Punctuation Guide (Taken from UNSW Learning Centre; but sections on the semi-colon, the comma and ellipsis have been re-written / reworked.) Good punctuation is crucial for successful academic writing. Many students use little punctuation in their essays beyond commas and full stops. But to be restricted to just two forms of punctuation mark, when writing your essay, is like building a house using only a hammer and a saw: you can do it; but not very well. By learning to use more, or all, of the available forms of punctuation you will be able to communicate and express your ideas, and arguments, more clearly.

3. The evil comma splice Further, if you follow the rules closely, you will learn how to eliminate the most common writing error in English, the comma splice. This is a bit of grammatical engineering which is … e.g. I went to the shop, I wanted to buy an ice- cream. Why is this wrong? Think about it.

4. Full stop (. ) Full stops have three distinct uses: 1. To mark the end of a sentence – The cat is completely black. 2. To indicate abbreviated words a full stop indicates an abbreviation, unless first and last letters of the word are shown. – The teacher will be Mr John Smith (B. Sci.). 3. To punctuate numbers and dates – All assignments should be submitted by 6. 6. 04.

5. Different styles Some say that … If an abbreviation contains the first and last letters of a word, you don’t need to use a full stop at the end: Mr Ltd Dr Others prefer using full stops e.g. Mr. and Mrs.

6. This is a colon (:) Colon ( : ) A colon can be used: 1. To indicate that a list, quotation or summary is about to follow; – Buy these things: a packet of peanuts, two loaves of bread and a kilogram of steak. – Writing the assignment is not easy: to begin with you have to do a lot of research. 2. To separate an initial sentence/clause from a second clause, list, phrase or quotation that supports the first in a particular way. – The television set, as the icon of the information age, represents the realisation of a dream for humankind: that knowledge and experience can be transmitted and shared across the boundaries of time and space.

7. Semi-colons solve the comma splice Semi-colon ( ; ) A semi-colon: Separates two complete sentences that are, however, closely linked. I went to the shop; I wanted to buy an ice-cream. WHY USE A SEMI-COLON? BECAUSE IT IS TAKING THE PLACE OF A CONJUNCTION! I went to the shop because I wanted to buy an ice-cream. “I went to the shop” and “I wanted to buy ice-cream” are both complete sentences on their own. They both have finite verbs (“went” and “wanted to buy”) so you can’t join them with a commas You can only join them with a conjunction (“because”, “and”, “since” etc.) OR a semi-colon, which can take the place of a conjunction.

8. Get your head around this … Look at this example: Don't go near the lions; they could bite you. Here we have two sentences that are complete in themselves (“Don’t go near the lions” + “they could bite you”.) To link them, we need a conjunction like “because” or a semi-colon. If you put a comma between them, then you have used the dreadful comma splice. The semicolon can be replaced by a full stop, but the direct link between the two parts is then lost. Don’t go near the lions. They could bite you. = OK, BUT NO LINK IS MADE. The semi-colon creates a link through the understanding that it is replacing a conjunction like “because” or “as”.

9. The semi-colon also … Serves as a second level of punctuation in a series of words or phrases which already have commas making some internal divisions. e.g. We went to McDonald’s and ordered a burger with fries, onion rings, cheese, bacon and beetroot ; lettuce, tomato and capsicum were not considered. Here the semi-colon separates two distinct lists.

10. Comma, Commas have a vital role to play in longer sentences, separating information into readable units. 1. A single comma ensures correct reading of a sentence which starts with a longish introductory element. – When Australia celebrated its sesquicentenary in 1938, there was a little of the confidence or enthusiasm of the centennial celebrations of 1888.