Formatting En dashes in References: A Comprehensive Guide for Academic Writers.
In academic writing, referencing plays a crucial role in establishing the credibility of the work. Correct formatting of references is essential to ensure that the reader can easily access the sources cited. One such formatting concern is the use of en dashes in references. This article aims to provide a detailed guide on the proper use of en dashes in references, following the common citation styles.
What is an En Dash?
An en dash (–) is a punctuation mark that is longer than a hyphen but shorter than a hyphen-minus. It is primarily used to indicate a range of numbers, dates, or other items. In references, an en dash can be used to separate the names of authors or to indicate page ranges.
参考文献的格式 Using En Dashes in References.
1. Author Names: In references, an en dash is often used to replace the conjunction "and" when listing multiple authors. For example, in the MLA style, if there are three or more authors, the first author's name is followed by an en dash and then the last author's name, with "et al." added at the end. Example: "Smith, J. – R. Johnson, et al. (2023). Title of the article. Journal Title, Volume, pp. XX-YY."
2. Page Ranges: En dashes are commonly used to indicate a range of pages in a book or article. For instance, in the Chicago style, the page range is enclosed in parentheses and separated by an en dash. Example: "Author's Last Name, First Name. (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), pp. XX–YY."
3. Year Ranges: Sometimes, an en dash is used to indicate a range of years, especially when citing multiple works by the same author published in different years. Example: "Author's Last Name, First Name. (Year1–Year2). Title of the Work. Publisher."
Common Citation Styles and Their En Dash Guidelines.
1. APA (American Psychological Association): In APA style, en dashes are not typically used in references. Instead, parentheses and commas are used to separate authors' names and page ranges.
2. MLA (Modern Language Association): MLA style uses en dashes to replace "and" when listing multiple authors, especially when there are three or more authors. For page ranges, MLA recommends using parentheses and an en dash.
3. Chicago/Turabian: The Chicago/Turabian style prefers the use of en dashes for page ranges, enclosing them in parentheses. For author names, it follows the same rules as MLA, using an en dash to replace "and" when listing multiple authors.
Conclusion.
Correct formatting of references is crucial for academic writing. En dashes play a significant role in this formatting, particularly when it comes to indicating author names and page ranges. By following the guidelines provided in this article and consulting the specific
citation style manual, writers can ensure that their references are accurately formatted and meet the requirements of their chosen citation style.
发布评论