======= Date Modified 24 Oct 2011 09:47:50 =======
Please don't laugh!! [Edit, spelt 'please' wrong :$]

When you have a quotation in the sentence, and the quote effectively finishes that sentence, where do you put the inverted commas - just before the full-stop or after?

Is it:

Smith (2010) states that "the final stages of a PhD are extremely stressful". OR
Smith (2010) states that "the final stages of a PhD are extremely stressful."

I just noticed that I have it both ways in my thesis:-(

the first one IMO - I suppose you could also have...

Smith (2010) states that "the final stages of a PhD are extremely stresfull.".

but I thin its uneccessary

Thanks Sneaks :-)

Sorry Sneaks I disagree! If the quote ends with a full stop then it should go inside the quotation marks. If it doesn't, then outside IMO.... and two full stops is just plain wrong! :p

See, I'd think the full stop within the quotation marks the end of Smith's sentence, rather than the end of Ady's - if that makes sense? I'm no expert though lol

I would agree with Timefortea but I've also heard that you should only put the full stop inside the inverted commas if you are quoting an entire sentence, and not just part of it. So in your example, I think the first version you gave looks better. However, I think that most style guides dictate how to deal with this also. I know there are definitely different conventions for placing commas inside or outside of quotation marks and it's purely based on which style you are following.

I'm dreading going through and tweaking all the little inconsistencies like this that I know my thesis has. Good luck!

======= Date Modified 24 Oct 2011 11:24:32 =======
======= Date Modified 24 Oct 2011 11:23:47 =======
:$

That was my thinking Timefortea and I started to get worried when I tried to reason it out for myself. Given that I am nearly at the end of my PhD, my 'reasoning' capacities are at an all time low! I am proofing my *** thesis for the zillionith time and picked up that about 90% of the time I have the closing inverted commas inside the full stop but occasionally have it outside. I suppose like most things I should just be consistent but which to do...?


Edit :and thanks to Redapple too :-)
Edit 2: a helpful user so your first star(up)

well, if you have lots of different versions, I'd leave it - give your examiners SOMETHING to moan about as the rest, I'm sure, is perfect :-)

I'm slowly adapting to the idea that a full stop goes outside brackets (like so). Purely because the full stop is the terminator of the sentence. However, other terminators do roam around (do you see what I mean?) But I don't know - I think your second example looks neater and I really don't like the idea of two full stops.

Eh, who knows? Make a rule and stick to it.

I googled it and it appears there are US and UK conventions although I'm not in UK ;-) so am not sure what to do. Having said that language setting on my laptop keeps spontaneously changing to French :-s

Am now editing thesis to make sure it's consistent; either 100% correct or 100% incorrect :-(

Hi Ady, not sure if it helps, but here is the argument in favour of the 2nd option (pp.91-92): http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=PN_8vUWwXp0C&printsec=frontcover&dq=legal+writing+in+plain+english&hl=en&ei=sbM6TpbiKoPC8QPciPHsAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=91&f=false In case it does not open on those pages:), it says:" Bring the sentence to an end and put the citation after."

Agreed with Rina, second option as per my sups feedback!!

======= Date Modified 25 Oct 2011 08:41:27 =======
Gulp, amended them so they're all per my first option, at least they're consistent! If I have time I will change them again to the second option. All I can say is that whatever the punctuation, that the final stages of a PhD ARE incredibly stressful :-(

Thanks for the link Rina - I actually have that book but never thought to look at it:$

According to Fowler & Fowler (authors of "The King's English" and honorary patron saints of English grammar) either is acceptable, although the first option is more accurate. Good choice! ;-)