FORMAL WRITING GUIDE

Compiled by: Tiffany Joy C. Miranda, LPT

 REFERENCES
TH
(APA 7 Edition)
In-text Citations
Author type Parenthetical Citation Narrative Citation

One author (Gonzalez, 2019) Gonzalez (2019)

Two authors (Gonzalez & Jones, 2019) Gonzalez and Jones (2019)

Three or more authors (Gonzalez et al., 2019) Gonzalez et al. (2019)

Group author with abbreviation: (American Psychological Association American Psychological Association
[APA], 2020) (APA, 2020)

First citation (APA, 2020) APA (2020)

Group author without abbreviation (University of California, 2020) University of California (2020)

No author (“New drug,” 1993) -

In-text Citations
● Citations in Text with no page numbers
○ (Myers, 2000, para. 5)
○ (Beutler, 2000, Conclusion section, para.1)
● Citation of a work discussed in another (secondary) source:
○ In general it is expected that you seek out and use the
original source of the information. However, this is not always
practical. To cite a secondary source, do the following.
○ In the Text:
■ Seidenberg and McClelland’s study (as cited in Coltheart,
Curtis, Atkins, & Haller, 1993)
● Then, reference Coltheart, Curtis, Atkins, & Haller.
REFERENCE LIST
● Double-spaced, both between references and within references.
● ½ inch hanging indent for references with more than one line.
● Citations are in alphabetical order by the first letter of the entry.
● Font type and size:
○ 11-point Calibri
○ 11-point Arial
○ 12-point Times New Roman
○ 11-point Georgia
● Margin: 1 inch on all sides.
● Font and size are consistent throughout the page.
● Blue ink from links is removed.
● Minimum of 5 references.
● Flush left
BOOKS
● By a Single Author

Talty, S. (2009). The illustrious dead: The terrifying story of how typhus killed
Napoleon's greatest army. Crown Publishers.

● By Two or More Authors

DiFonzo, N., & Bordia, P. (2007). Rumor psychology: Social and organizational
approaches. American Psychological Association.

● By a Corporate (Group) Author

American Sociological Association. (1975). Approaches to the study of social

structure. Free Press.

● Edited Book

Rhodewalt, F. (Ed.). (2008). Personality and social behavior. Psychology

Press.
EBOOKS
● With a DOI

Gillam, T. (2018). Creativity, wellbeing and mental health practice. Wiley

Blackwell. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74884-9

● Without a doi (Cite the same as a print book)

Lauwers, J., Opsomer, J. & Schwall, H. (Eds.). (2018). Psychology and the
classics: a dialogue of disciplines. De Gruyter.

● From a website

Sanger, M. (2000). Woman and the new race. Bartleby.com.

http://www.bartleby.com/10 13/ (Original work published 1920).
CHAPTERS IN BOOKS
CHAPTERS IN BOOKS
Levi-Strauss, C. (1971). Totem and caste. In F. E. Katz (Ed.), Contemporary
sociological theory (pp. 82-89). Random House.
JOURNALS
NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES
● Newspaper Article
○ Online From a database (note: do not include database URL
or name)
○ From a website, with no author:
It’s subpoena time. (2007, June 8). New York Times.
https://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/08/opinion/08fri1.html
● Print

Jones, S. (1997, October 19). Hit-and-run suspect commits suicide.

New York Times, p. 17.
NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES
● Magazine Article
○ From a database or print

Kluger, J. (2010, November 1). Keeping young minds healthy. Time,

176(18), 40-50.
● From a website
Heid, M. (2015, August 12). You asked: Why do I blush so much?
Time. http://time.com/3992760/blushblushing/
WEB SITES
● Blog posts

Selingo, J. (2014, June 22). Reimagining the undergraduate

experience: 4 provocative ideas. Next.
http://chronicle.com/blogs/next/2014/06/22/reimagining-th
e-undergraduate experience-4-provocative-ideas/
● Notes:
○ If the author's full name is not listed, use their screen name
without brackets
○ If the author is a group or a company, do not us a full stop
between the author's name and the screen name
OTHER SOURCES
● Charts, Tables and Graphs

(If you are reproducing a graphic, chart, or table, from some other source, you must
provide a special note at the bottom of the item that includes copyright information. If
you are submitting your work for publication or if your work is a dissertation or
master’s thesis you should also submit written permission along with your work. If
your work is a paper submitted for course work, permission is not necessary. In either
case, begin the citation with “Note.”)

Example:

Note. From “Experiences of peer aggression and parental attachment are correlated
in adolescence,” by R.M. Earl and N.R. Burns, 2009, Personality and Individual
Differences, 47, p. 751. Copyright 2009 by the authors. Reprinted with permission.

● If permission is not sought, substitute “Permission not sought” in place of

“Reprinted with permission.”
STATUTE REFERENCING
Example:

The Revised Penal Code, Act No. 3815, § 27, (December 8, 1930)
(Phil.),
https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1930/12/08/act-no-3815-s
-1930/
Explanation:

Name of the law, Act. no, § Article no. (Include the section if there is
and enclose it with parenthesis), (Date of enactment) (Country),
link
ENCYCLOPEDIA/DICTIONARY
In-text citation: (Author’s Surname, Year)

Example:
Graham, G. (2019). Behaviorism. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford encyclopedia
of philosophy (Summer 2019 ed.). Stanford University.
https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2019/entries/behaviorism/

Explanation:
Author. (date). Title of the entry. (In Editor if there is). Name of the
encyclopedia (edition if given and is not first edition). Link

Note: When there is no named author for the entry, treat the
dictionary/encyclopedia as an edited book and move the editors to the author
position.
20+ AUTHORS
Example:

Gaur, A., Augustyn, A., Zeidan, A., Batra, A., Zelazko, A., Eldridge, A.,
McKenna, A., Tikkanen, A., Field, A., Gadzikowski, A., Schreiber, A.
B., Escamilla, B., Duignan, B., Blythe, B., Dodds, C., Rosenberg,
D., Das, D., Carlson, D., Mahajan, D., … Chauhan, Y. (2015, October
16). Tempera Painting. Encyclopedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/art/tempera-painting

Note: If you have 20 authors, cite them all. But if you have more than 20,
you stopped at 19th author, followed by ellipsis (...) (no ampersand) and
to the last author.
NO AUTHOR REFERENCING
Explanation:

Title. (date). Website. link

Notes:
1. Please assess if the website if it has really no author or if it a group
author (cue is they have an acronym, e.g. World Health Organization
[WHO]).
2. Research papers will not allow references without authors.
NO AUTHOR REFERENCING
Example:

World Health Organization. (2022, November 23). Weekly

epidemiological update on COVID-19 - 23 November 2022.
https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/weekly-epidemiol
ogical-update-on-covid-19---23-november-2022
Explanation:

Group author. (date). Title. Website name (if the website name is the
same as the group author, remove this part). Link
YOUTUBE REFERENCING
In-text citation: (Author’s Surname/Group name, Year)

Example:
World Health Organization (WHO). (2018, September 17). Adolescent
health and the importance of sexuality education [Video file].
YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gp99Cn2xqK8&ab_chann
el=WorldHealthOrganization%28WHO%29

Explanation:
Author (publisher of the video, not the speaker in the video. do not
be confused) . (year, month date of publication). Title[Video file].
YouTube. link
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCEMENT
Example:

Department of Education. (2022, October 17). Issuance of

Amendatory DepEd Order to DO 34, s. 2022. GOVPH.
https://www.deped.gov.ph/2022/10/17/on-the-issuance-of-a
n-amendatory-deped-order-to-do-34-s-2022/
Explanation:

Name of Government Department, Agency or Committee. (Year of

Publication, Month Day). Title of document: Subtitle if given
(edition if given and is not first edition). Publisher Name. URL
THESES/DISSERTATIONS
Example:

Davis, P. M. (2010). Access, readership, citations: A randomized

controlled trial of scientific journal publishing. (Publication No.
3429815) [Doctoral dissertation, Cornell University]. ProQuest
Dissertations and Theses Global.
Explanation:

Author. (Year). Title (Publication No. if present) [Doctoral

dissertation/Doctoral thesis/Master's dissertation/Master's
thesis, Institution Name]. Database/Archive Name. URL
PERSONAL COMMUNICATION
In-text citation 2 ways:

1. According to / As stated by First name initial. Second name initial (if

there is). Surname [their lines here] (personal communication, Month
date, year of the interview)
2. [text] (First name initial. Second name initial (if there is). Surname,
personal communication, Month date, year of the interview)
Note: Since it is unpublished, there is NO REFERENCING.
PUBLISHED COMMUNICATION
Note: Always credit the interviewee as the author.

In-text citation:
a. Interviewee lastname, (Year)
b. (Interviewee lastname, year)

Reference list:
Example: I am the interviewee.
a. article:
Miranda, T. (2023, April 24). Title of the article. Website. Link
b. from podcast or any media that is not in print:
Miranda, T. (2023, April 24). Title of the article [Interview]. Website.
Link
REFERENCE ORDER (SAME YEAR AND AUTHOR)
If ever you come across with same author but he or she has multiple works
published on the same year, consider adding “a,” “b,” or “c” after the year of
publication depending on how many works you need to reference.

In-text citation:
Example: I am the author.
Miranda, (2023a)
(Miranda, 2023b)

Reference list:
Last name, First name initial. Second name initial (if s/he has). (Yeara). Title of
the work. Website. Link
REFERENCE ORDER (STARTS WITH NUMBER)
In this case, follow the first letter of the number when spelled out.

Example:
Filipino fashion: Its evolution and influence in the Filipino culture. (2021,February 7).
Barong Tagalog Store. https://barongtagalogstore.com/2021/02/07/filipino
-fashion-its-evolution-and-influence-in-the-filipino-culture/

5 Filipino designers you should know. (2023, May 16). Something Curated.
https://somethingcurated.com/2023/05/16/5-filipino-fashion-designers-you-
should-know/

Ganal, F. M. (2018, June 12). The evolution of Filipino fashion: The rich history of our
national dress. PEP. https://www.pep.ph/lifestyle/fashion/37633/the-
evolution-of-filipino-fashion-the-rich-history-of-our-national-dress
CAPITALIZATION
Capitalization
1. The first letter of the first word of a sentence.
2. The pronoun I.
3. Proper Nouns
a. Company names
Example: He works for Duke Power Company.
b. Brand names
Example: Do you want Pepsi?
c. Internet is considered as a proper noun.
d. Religions
Example: Christianity
Capitalization
d. Festivals
Example: Christmas
e. Capitalize God when it refers to the deity
Do not capitalize god if that god is no longer worshiped.
f. Special Events
Example: January is African American History Month.
g. Holidays
Example: I am going camping over Labor Day weekend.
4. Proper Adjectives
Example: American show
Capitalization
5. People’s Titles
Example: Mr. Mrs., Dr.
6. Titles of Books, Movies, and TV Shows
Note: Capitalize the important words
7. Days of the Week and Months of the Year
8. School Subjects
Note: Do not capitalize subjects in school unless they are the title of
a specific class.
Example: Martha’s favorite subject is math.
She is taking Advanced Math 3 this year.
Capitalization
9. Geographic regions of countries
Note: Do not capitalize north, east, west or south when they do not
refer to a part of the country.
Example: I live on the north side of town.
The North won the U.S. Civil War
10. First word in the quoted material
11. Abbreviations
PUNCTUATIONS
Semicolon
a. Use a semicolon to link independent clauses without a
coordinating conjunction.

Exercise: Some people deny that global warming is a problem most

scientists disagree with them.

Answer: Some people deny that global warming is a problem; most

scientists disagree with them.
Semicolon
b. Used to separate a series of elements of phrases if they contain
commas.

Exercise: In his analytical thesis on the Ninth Symphony, the Author decided to
include information about Beethoven’s father, Johann, who was his first music
teacher, Christian Gottlob Neefe, his important teacher in Bonn, and Guilietta
Guicciardi, his fiancée.
Answer: In his analytical thesis on the Ninth Symphony, the Author decided to
include information about Beethoven’s father, Johann, who was his first music
teacher; Christian Gottlob Neefe, his important teacher in Bonn; and Guilietta
Guicciardi, his fiancée.
Semicolon
c. Is placed outside quotation marks.

Example: Sheryl told them, “You might be scared when you watch this
movie”; still, I don’t think it’s scary enough to prevent you from watching
it.
Semicolon
d. A semicolon is used between clauses joined by conjunctive
adverbs or by phrases like for example, in fact, for instance.

Exercise: The problem of the absences has become acute in fact it is

just an agenda for faculty consideration.

Answer: The problem of the absences has become acute; in fact, it is

just an agenda for faculty consideration.
Colon
a. Use colon after an independent clause to introduce a list.
Example: This box contains your new computer equipment: a
keyboard, a monitor, a printer, and a mouse.
Notes:
1. First letter after the colon should be small case.
2. Use comma instead of colon if you wish to use transitional words
such as namely, for example, for instance, and however.
3. Don't use a colon to separate sentence elements that belong
together, such as an action verb from its objects or a linking verb
from its complements.
Colon
b. Use a colon after an independent clause to introduce an idea.

Exercise: I have a great suggestion let’s go to the beach on Sunday.

Answer: I have a great suggestion: let’s go to the beach on Sunday.

Colon
c. Use colon after the greeting in formal or business letters.

Example: Dear Principal:

Note: Use comma if it is a personal letter.

Colon
d. Colon is used to introduce a formal quotation.

Example: The president opened the meeting emphasizing few words:

“We are beginning a period of expansion in which all of you will play a
key role.”

Note: Use colon if the introducing statement is an independent clause.

However, use a comma if the introducing statement uses speaking
verbs, such as said, stated, mentioned, agreed. Speaking verbs are
verbs to denote that the someone has said something and you quote it.
Example: Romulo (1975) mentioned, …
Colon
e. If a complete sentence follows a colon, the first word of that sentence
should be capitalized.

Example: The dictator was overthrown: The cruelty of his methods and the
corruption of his government were finally exposed.

Note: Use colon to separate two independent clauses, if the second independent
clause illustrates, explains, paraphrases, or expands the idea of the first independent
clause. Hence, capitalize the first letter of the second independent clause. On the
other hand, use semicolon if the two independent clauses are closely related.
Here is my trick: if you are unsure how close the two clauses are, you may use
semicolon and make sure to write the first letter of your second clause in small case.
hehe
Colon
e. Bulleted list.
○ There are 3 ways to properly use colon in a
bulleted list.
Colon (bulleted list)
01. Items that are complete sentences. If bulleted items are complete sentences,
begin each item with a capital letter and finish it with a period or other appropriate
punctuation. The following example demonstrates this format as well as how to
include a citation for the information in the bulleted list.

Example:
Infants often display prosocial behavior—that is, behavior intended to help others—when
interacting with their parents, as demonstrated in the following examples (Hammond &
Drummond, 2019):
● Infants are happy to participate in normal household chores, such as cleaning up.
● Infants often display positive emotions when following parents’ behavioral requests,
such as not touching the stove.
● Infants will try to help others who seem like they need help with simple tasks, such as
carrying multiple objects.
Colon (bulleted list)
02. Items that are words or phrases. If bulleted items are words or phrases
(but not complete sentences), begin each item with a lowercase letter
(except words such as proper nouns).

There are two options for the punctuation of bulleted lists when the items
are words or phrases. The following examples demonstrate both options
as well as how to integrate in-text citations into bulleted lists.

The first option is to use no punctuation after the bulleted items

(including the final one), which may be better when the items are shorter
and simpler.
Colon (bulleted list)
Example:

Poor sleep quality has been linked with the following symptoms:
● higher levels of negative mood
● physical symptoms such as insomnia
● stress
● use of medications
● persistent psychological distress (Glozier et al., 2010; Lund et
al., 2010)
Colon (bulleted list)
03. Items that are words or phrases. The second option
is to insert punctuation after the bulleted items as
though the bullets were not there, which may be better
when the items are longer or more complex.
Colon (bulleted list)
Example:

Young adults have many motivations for texting on their smartphones:

● social connection, in which people text as a way to connect with others;
● escapism, in which people text to get away from dull or uncomfortable situations
such as waiting in line;
● distraction, in which people text to distract themselves while having a conversation
with someone or being in a meeting;
● audacity, in which people text to get a response from someone, such as to break
up with them or ask them on a date;
● nurturing, in which people text to foster relationships by saying things like “good
morning” or “I love you”; and
● driving, in which people text while in their vehicle (Schroeder & Sims, 2018).
Hyphen
a. To syllabify words at the end of a line when the word runs over
to the beginning of the next line.

b. Connects individual words to form a compound word.

Example: mid-life crisis

c. Hyphen with prefixes ex-, self-, and all-.

Example: She shares custody with her ex-husband.

Hyphen
d. Hyphen words that could be misunderstood.

Example: My socks are mixed up; I will re-pair them later.

e. Hyphen words which prefix ends and the base word begins
with the same vowel.
Example: It is they, not America, who have become
anti-intellectual.
Em Dash (creative/informal writing)
a. Interrupts the flow of a sentence and sets a separate thought
off from the rest of a sentence.

Exercise: If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, use the two Bs

method back off and breathe in because otherwise you might panic.

Answer: If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, use the two Bs

method—back off and breathe in—because otherwise you might
panic.

Note: Two dashes for emphasis just like parenthesis.

Em Dash (creative/informal writing)
b. Dashes are used to censor words.

Example: Carved into the dresser drawer was a faded inscription:

“Made for Kristina, by your de—ted sailor.”
Em Dash (creative/informal writing)
c. To amplify words.

Example: He is afraid of two things—spiders and senior prom.

Notes:
● Use dash to suggest stronger emotions in informal writing.
However, for formal writing, use colon, parenthesis, or comma
instead.
● In formal writing, excessive use of dash suggests writer’s laziness
or lack of vocabulary and choppy writing (since dashes are for
strong interruptions).
En Dash (creative/informal writing)
a. En dash suggests to/through or ranges.

Example:
1. The teacher assigned pages 101–181 for tonight’s reading
material.
2. The scheduled window for the cable installation is 1:00–3:00pm.
3. The 2015–2016 fiscal year was the most profitable year for the
new business.
Parentheses
a. Parentheses enclose explanatory material, supplemental
material, or any added information that could clarify the text it
refers to.
b. Parentheses can be used in text references.
c. Parentheses can be used to set off a list of elements.

Example: The green screen on your left indicates (1) the wind speed,
(2) the outside temperature, (3) the atmospheric pressure, and (4)
the humidity ratio.
Brackets
a. Use to enclose editorial comments and corrections.

Example: Lisa said, “[I] can’t believe that he [Brad Pitt] is here!”

Note: Use [sic] to denote the error in the quoted material. Place it
right after the mistake.

Example: The child said, “I love the movie Catwomen [sic].”

The child is pertaining to “Catwoman.” Hence, you write [sic] right
after the error. Always check the grammatical and spelling errors
before you quote.
Brackets
b. Brackets can also be used to replace a set of parentheses
within a set of parentheses.

Example: During his trial, Fidel Castro stated, “None of you are
entitled to condemn, you’ll see, history will absolve me!” (See Fidel
Castro’s speech “History Will Absolve Me” [October 16, 1953].)
Comma
a. To separate two independent clauses joined by any of the
following conjunctions: and, but, for, or, yet, so, and nor.

Exercise: The men remained in the kitchen and the women

went out to the garden.

Answer: The men remained in the kitchen, and the women went
out to the garden.
Comma
Note: Do not use comma to join only two compound elements,
such as compound subjects and predicates, or compound
objects of prepositions. Compound elements are joined with
words such as and, but, and or.

My job involves training salespeople, and observing them in

the field.

My job involves training salespeople and observing them in

the field.
Comma
b. To separate a dependent clause clause from the main clause
the follows.

Exercise: Even though the concert was great we had to leave

early.

Answer: Even though the concert was great, we had to leave

early.
Comma
Note: Do not use comma to join an independent clause
followed by a dependent clause.

I’ll buy a new car and a new house, if I win the lottery.

I’ll buy a new car and a new house if I win the lottery.
Comma
c. To separate an introductory element from the main clause
of a sentence.

Exercise: Running as fast as he could Chris finished second in

the marathon.

Answer: Running as fast as he could, Chris finished second in

the marathon.
Comma
d. After a wide range of introductory words, including yes, no,
oh, and well, at the beginning of a sentence.

Exercise: No I can’t tell you why she left so suddenly.

Answer: No, I can’t tell you why she left so suddenly.

Comma
e. To separate an appositive phrase from the rest of the
sentence.

Exercise: Erin likes that dress which she bought at a Macy’s sale
because it fits so well.

Answer: Erin likes that dress, which she bought at a Macy’s sale,
because it fits so well.
Comma
f. To separate declarative elements from a clause that poses a
question.

Exercise: She is depending on those grades isn’t she?

Answer: She is depending on those grades, isn’t she?

Comma
g. To separate group of numbers, the different elements of an
address, and the date from the year.
Note: A comma is not used to separate month and year.

Exercise: Barbara and I lived at 123 Chestnut Street Brgy. San

Roque Marikina City for roughly 10 years.

Answer: Barbara and I lived at 123 Chestnut Street, Brgy. San

Roque, Marikina City for roughly 10 years.
Comma
h. To separate interrupting elements from the rest of a
sentence.

Exercise: When John finishes his degree which would be some

kind of a miracle he plans to start his own business.

Answer: When John finishes his degree, which would be some

kind of a miracle, he plans to start his own business.
Comma
i. Placed at the end of the greeting of a personal letter and at
the end of the closing.

Exercise: Answer:
Dear Ms. Ciron Dear Ms. Ciron,
Sincerely yours Sincerely yours,
Comma
j. To separate numbers composed of four or more digits
(except for years).

Exercise: The company made more than ₱8 000 000 in the last
fiscal year.

Answer: The company made more than ₱8,000,000 in the last

fiscal year.
Comma
k. To separate direct quotations from the rest of the of a
sentence.

Exercise: Mr. Wilson told me “There is no gain without some

loss.”

Answer: Mr. Wilson told me, “There is no gain without some

loss.”
Comma

l. To separate the person or persons being addressed from

the rest of the sentence.

Exercise: Jack turn down the volume on the TV.

Answer: Jack, turn down the volume on the TV.

 Comma

m. To separate items in a series.

Exercise: We bought apples plums and a bushel of tomatoes.

Answer: We bought apples, plums, and a bushel of tomatoes.

Comma
n. Such as can be used to introduce an example or examples.
Use a comma before such as.

Exercise: This summer I want to learn to cook Italian food such

as lasagna spaghetti and linguine.

Answer: This summer, I want to learn to cook Italian food, such

as lasagna, spaghetti, and linguine.
Comma
Note: Do not use comma in such as if it is used as a restrictive
clause.

Foods, such as fries and burger are not healthy for you.

Foods such as fries and burger are not healthy for you.
Italicized
a. Used to indicate:
i. titles of books;
example: Gone with the Wind
ii. newspapers;
example: Manila Bulletin
iii. magazines/journals/pamphlets;
example: PEP.ph
Italicized
a. Used to indicate:
iv. plays;
example: Les Misérables
v. lengthy poems;
example: Biag Ni Lam-ang
vi. comics/manga/graphic novels;
example: Darna
Italicized
a. Used to indicate:
vii. software;
example: Windows 11
viii. paintings;
example: Spoliarium
ix. sculpture;
example: David (by Michelangelo)
Italicized
a. Used to indicate:
x. movies/tv series/radio shows; and
example: Titanic
xi. genus/species references.
example: Drosophila melanogaster
Italicized

b. Used to set off foreign words adapted into English.

● coup de grâce ● prix fixe

● je ne sais quoi ● pro bono
● persona non grata ● verboten
Italicized
Note: Some foreign words, however, are not italicized, because they
have been integrated into English and are commonly used. Proper
names and places in foreign languages are never italicized.

● bazaar ● Musée du Louvre

● cappuccino ● Keukenhof
● casino ● Königssee
● chauffeur ● Museu do Amanhã
Italicized
c. Used to identify court cases

● People of the Philippines v. Hernandez

● Benjamin S. Abalos, Sr. v. Hon. Leila de Lima
Italicized
d. Used in algebraic expressions.

● X - Y = 23
Italicized
e. Used for the names of spacecraft, satellites, and ships.

Sputnik is launched into orbit this morning from a

base in Kazakh SSR.
Double Quote
a. Used for the title of a short work.

Exercise: The Raven is the the title of a poem written by Edgar

Allan Poe.

Answer: “The Raven” is the the title of a poem written by Edgar

Allan Poe.
Double Quote
b. Used to indicate direct quotations.

Exercise: She said, there they go again, as the children raced

back outside to play.

Answer: She said, “There they go again,” as the children raced

back outside to play.
Double Quote
c. Used to indicate part of a larger work.

Exercise: When business mergers no longer work was an article

published in the New Yorker.

Answer: “When Business Mergers No Longer Work” was an

article published in the New Yorker.
Double Quote
d. Used to emphasize certain, often ironic words.

Exercise: I agree, the theater play was so entertaining that I

slept through most of it.

Answer: I agree, the theater play was so “entertaining” that I

slept through most of it.
Double Quote
e. Used to indicate the direct comments of a speaker or
remarks taken from written material.

Exercise: In an article from last week’s Economist, I read that

10% of the world’s population controls 90% of the wealth.

Answer: In an article from last week’s Economist, I read that

“10% of the world’s population controls 90% of the wealth.”
Double Quote
Note: Always put a period or comma inside the quotation
marks.

The bride quietly answered, “I do.”

The bride quietly answered, “I do”.

Double Quote
Note: Place a question mark or exclamation mark inside the
quotation marks if it is part of the quotation. If not, place the
punctuation mark outside the quotation marks.

Did you watch “The

Tonight Show?”
“You’re late”! she shouted.
Did you watch “The
“You’re late!” she shouted.
Tonight Show”?
Double Quote
Notes:
1. Capitalize the first letter of the direct quote if it is a
complete sentence.
2. Do not capitalize the first letter when the quoted
material is a fragment, phrase, or a piece of the
original sentence.
3. Do not capitalize the second part of the quotation if
the quote is interrupted middle of the sentence.
Single Quote
a. Used to enclose a quotation within a quotation.

In his speech, Charles brought up interesting point: “If Adam

wrote that ‘the subjects of every state ought to contribute
towards the support of the government, as nearly as possible,
in proportion to their respective abilities,’ then why are people
clamoring for a flat tax?”
Block Quote (40 words or more)
Format quotations of 40 words or more as block quotations:
● Do not use quotation marks to enclose a block quotation.
● Start a block quotation on a new line and indent the whole block 0.5 in.
from the left margin.
● Double-space the entire block quotation.
● Do not add extra space before or after it.
● If there are additional paragraphs within the quotation, indent the first
line of each subsequent paragraph an additional 0.5 in.
● Either (a) cite the source in parentheses after the quotation’s final
punctuation or (b) cite the author and year in the narrative before the
quotation and place only the page number in parentheses after the
quotation’s final punctuation.
● Do not add a period after the closing parenthesis in either case.
Block Quote
Block quotation with parenthetical citation:

Researchers have studied how people talk to themselves:

Inner speech is a paradoxical phenomenon. It is an

experience that is central to many people’s everyday lives,
and yet it presents considerable challenges to any effort to
study it scientifically. Nevertheless, a wide range of
methodologies and approaches have combined to shed light
on the subjective experience of inner speech and its
cognitive and neural underpinnings. (Alderson-Day &
Fernyhough, 2015, p. 957)
Block Quote
Block quotation with narrative citation:

Flores et al. (2018) described how they addressed potential

researcher bias when working with an intersectional community
of transgender people of color:

Everyone on the research team belonged to a stigmatized

group but also held privileged identities. Throughout the
research process, we attended to the ways in which our
privileged and oppressed identities may have influenced the
research process, findings, and presentation of results. (p.
311)
Period
a. Used to end a declarative sentence or imperative sentence.
The period stands inside quotation marks.

They are going to the mall.

Hand me the book next to you, please.
Hand me the book next to you, please.
Braces { }
a. Set off information from the rest of the sentence.
b. In formal writing, braces enclose:
○ math equations;
○ 2{1 + [4(2 + 1) + 3]}
c. music chords;
○ He played his favorite chords {c, e, g} {e, g, c2}
{g, c2, e2} as he tried to write a love song.
Braces { }
d. computer programming commands; and

e. or lists of equal choices.

○ Choose a color {red, white, blue, pink} to paint
the wall.

Note: Do not use “and” when using braces.

Ellipses
Indicate the omission of unused parts of a
quotation by ellipses:
a. 3 dots (...) - to indicate an omission between a
sentence.

Example: With a malice toward none; with charity

for all … let us thrive on to finish the work we are
in to bind up the nation’s wounds … Abraham
Lincoln.
Ellipses
b. 4 dots (. ...) - to indicate an omission at the end of
the sentence.

Example: Smartphones have revolutionized the

ways in which we interact. … we can now send a
text or a direct message through social media. …

Note: There should be a space before and after the

ellipses. Spaces between period is acceptable as per apa.
Ellipses Rules in Formal Writing
a. Ellipses points are usually not used to indicate the omission
of words that precede the quoted portion. However, in some
formal contexts, especially when the quotation is introduced
by a colon, ellipsis points are used.

Original: Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address ends with a stirring

call for national resolve that “government of the people, by the
people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”

Ellipsis: His final words define the war's purpose in democratic

terms: "... that government of the people, by the people, for the
people, shall not perish from the earth."
Ellipses Rules in Formal Writing
Notes:
● Ellipses points following quoted material are omitted
when the quoted material forms an integral part of a
larger sentence.
Example: She maintained that it was inconsistent
with "government of the people, by the people, for
the people."
● We can use an ellipsis in the start, middle, or end of a
sentence.
Ellipses Rules in Formal Writing
Notes:
● Ellipses points following quoted material are omitted when the
quoted material forms an integral part of a larger sentence.
Example: She maintained that it was inconsistent with
"government of the people, by the people, for the people."
● We can use an ellipsis in the start, middle, or end of a sentence.
● Beware of the excessive use of ellipses as it may be seen as
biased.
● Never delete words that are central to the original meaning.
● When using an ellipsis to omit part of a quote, be sure to pick
the right spot. It’s best to remove a part that leaves the
remaining sentence grammatically correct, as if nothing had
been cut at all.
Ellipses Rules in Formal Writing
b. Punctuation used in the original that falls on either side of
the ellipsis points is often omitted, but it may be retained
if it helps clarify the sentence structure.

Original: “How many times could Coach Hardy watch Miller slide
into second that way? The brawny first baseman swung a big bat
and showed hustle on the base path, but he was a
season-ending injury waiting to happen. The human body can
bend, but bend it enough and it will break! What a season that
must have been for Hardy. He did not yet know what we do now:
Miller survived his reckless running all the way to the World
Series.”
Ellipses Rules in Formal Writing
b. Punctuation used in the original that falls on either
side of the ellipsis points is often omitted, but it may
be retained if it helps clarify the sentence structure.

Ellipsis: “How many times could Coach Hardy watch Miller

slide into second that way? … The human body can bend,
but bend it enough and it will break! … He did not yet know
what we do now: Miller survived his reckless running all the
way to the World Series.”
Ellipses Rules in Formal Writing
c. If a complete sentence or several sentences precede an
omission, we will use a period before the three-dot ellipsis
mark, resulting in four total dots (periods).

Original: “Smartphones have revolutionized the ways in which we

interact. Where once we had to visit or call our neighbors to
communicate with them, we can now send a text or a direct message
through social media. We can also more easily block or avoid them.
We can find information for ourselves where once we may have had to
consult with experts much more often. We can program our television
and our thermostat and even spy on our neighbor using available
apps. Yes, we have become a bit smarter and more efficient, but are
we any more human?”
Ellipses Rules in Formal Writing
c. If a complete sentence or several sentences precede an
omission, we will use a period before the three-dot
ellipsis mark, resulting in four total dots (periods).

Ellipsis: The professor’s closing words still lingered well after

the lecture had ended: “Smartphones have revolutionized the
ways in which we interact. … we can now send a text or a
direct message through social media. … We can find
information for ourselves where once we may have had to
consult with experts much more often. … we have become a
bit smarter and more efficient, but are we any more human?”
WRITING
Writing
1. Introduction must have a thesis statement as this will serve as a guide in the
organization of ideas and sentences.
2. Write in Standard English.
3. Write in third-person POV.
4. Avoid contractions.
5. Avoid exclamation marks unless they are part of a direct quotation.
6. Mention the full name of an institution or organization with the abbreviation in
parenthesis, in first mention. Thereafter, use the abbreviation.
7. Numbers from zero to nine should be spelled out while numbers 10 and higher should
be written in figures.
Note: For numbers lower than ten with decimal should be written in figures.
Example: 8.89%
Writing
8. Avoid using words like "I," "me," and "my." Consider making your sentences as neutral
as possible.
incorrect: I firmly believe that painting is…
correct: Painting is...
According to Quitaleg (2022), painting is…
9. Avoid rhetorical questions.
Explanation: I know that you, guys, are creative when it comes to writing; hence, the
use of numerous rhetorical questions. But please be reminded that writing a formal
paper is giving answers or giving light about an issue. You are redirecting your readers
to your point of view, to agree with you, and writing rhetorical questions might cause a
different perspective to your audience in a way you do not expect. If I may be honest,
these questions are useful in creative writing, but not for formal papers because it is
seen as a poor argument substitution.
Writing
10. Generally, citations are used in academic and formal texts.
11. No slang, colloquial, conversational, or informal language.
12. Avoid the word “very” as much as possible. Please research for the
appropriate corresponding word.
13. Avoid filler sentences. Be straightforward.
14. Be precise on the language.
15. Avoid giving claims if you cannot support it.
16. Check the parallelism in your sentences (subject-verb agreement).
17. Use % instead of the word “percent.” Use the word percent when
one-nine is spelled out.
Examples: one percent, 50%
 Writing
18. Utilize correct transitional devices to help you stay on track.
19. If the title has already a punctuation, do not add another punctuation.
20. For referencing titles it should be sentence case, the first letter in the
sentence should be capitalize. The first letter of the proper noun
should be capitalize. Capitalize the first letter of the subtitle (if the title
has a subtitle).
21. Always reference your in-text citations as well.
22. Always use comma for four digits or more, not spaces (except years).
23. Avoid idiomatic expressions.
24. Use the currency symbol in writing money.
Example: ₱
Writing
25. Italicizing in reference list. Always check what you are referencing. Example, if
it is a book or ebook, the title of the book should be italicized. If from
magazine or newspaper, the name of the newspaper/mag (and volume
number for magazine) should be italicized.

26. In-text citation, you do not need to put citations every sentence/
paragraph. If you quote directly from a source, then you need to do in-text
citation. Another trick is when paraphrasing a key point in more than one
sentence within a paragraph, cite the source in the first sentence in which it is
relevant and do not repeat the citation in subsequent sentences as long as
the source remains clear and unchanged.
 Writing
27. Avoid statements such as "according to my research," "according
to what I read," "according to a legitimate website,” and
“according to a reliable source.”
Explanation: If you did your research, prove it! You do not
have to tell your readers that "you researched" because basically
that is what we are doing. Simply state what you researched: the
name of the research, the data, the statistics, the claims.
28. Do not use the word "just" unless you are pertaining to fairness.
 Writing
29. Do not use etc., as such, many more, and so on. If you ran out of
options, then end it. Especially with the use of "etc," I personally
called it as the "end of thinking capacity," and we do not want our
readers to think that we did not research thoroughly, we are lazy
to enumerate, or we are not reliable.
30. Please look for synonyms for always, still, everybody (I view these
as conversational).
31. However is a word used to contradict the prior statement. It is not
a transition device to support your counterargument.
32. “Well” is an informal word.
 Writing
32. How to cite same author but different works. Look at the
publishing year. Works published earlier should comes first.
33. Use clear and concise sentences.
34. Avoid redundancies, wordiness, clichés, and highfalutin language.
35. Avoid excessive use of “there” and “it” structures.
36. Avoid “it” at the beginning of the sentence.
37. Be consistent with your pronoun’s point of view.
38. Avoid sexist language.
39. Use the appropriate level of formality.
References (on going)
Barrot, J. (2016). Academic reading and writing for senior high school. C & E Publishing Inc.
Miciano, M., & Miciano, R. (2015). Enhanced english engagements: Academic and professional purposes. Don Bosco Press, Inc.
The Bluebook. https://www.legalbluebook.com/bluebook/v21/tables/t2-foreign-jurisdictions/t2-33-philippines
https://libguides.css.edu/APA7thEd/ReferenceFormats
https://www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/apa-format/how-to-cite-a-interview-apa/#citing-a-published-interview
https://www.wordscoach.com/blog/formal-and-informal-words-in-english/
https://engdic.org/formal-and-informal-words/
Torres-Gouzerh, R. 2016. Intermediate English grammar for ESL learners (2nd ed.). McGraw Hill Education.
Collins, T. (2009). Correct your English errors: Avoid 99% of the common mistakes by learners of English. McGraw Hills.
Sandagan, L. (2016). Reading and writing skills. JFS Publishing Services.
https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/punctuation/grammar-braces-usage.html
https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/ellipses-definition-uses
https://www.grammarbook.com/blog/ellipses/ellipsis-four-dot-method/
https://www.cliffsnotes.com/study-guides/grammar/commas-semicolons-and-colons/problems-with-colons
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/lists/bulleted
https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/citations/quotations