Introduction: Why Punctuation Matters
Introduction: Why Punctuation Matters
Welcome to Module Three: Correct Use of Punctuation. Why is punctuation important in transcription? Punctuation gives meaning to the words. A transcriber needs to type accurately what the speaker wants to convey. A punctuation error can often completely change the intended meaning of a sentence. Let's take a look at the picture below and read the featured article's subtitle. Do you think the sentence conveys clearly what it actually means? What's missing? If you had a good laugh after reading the sentence, then you totally get what is missing. A simple comma can alter the meaning big time.
Read the sentences below and try to differentiate the meaning of one from the other. The first sentence sounds scary-it's like from a horror movie or something. In the second sentence, we added a comma after the word "eat," and the sentence becomes an invitation from someone. Do you think that's possible? Can the murderer actually protest his innocence after his death? That sounds impossible, don't you think?
To correct the sentence, we place a period after the word "innocence" and a comma after the word "after." Now let's take a look at another hilarious example. In this sentence, the punctuation marks are not correctly used. We give the correct meaning to this sentence by using the correct punctuation. So, can you see the big difference now? If punctuation is not used correctly, it completely changes the meaning of the sentence. Sometimes punctuation is taken for granted in transcription, when in fact it plays a huge role.
Section One: The Period
Section One: The Period
Rule number one: Always place the period inside the quotation mark.
Rule number two: Place the period outside a single quote.
Rule number three: If single quotation marks are used inside quotation marks, place the period before the final single quotation mark.
Rule number four: If a sentence ends with a question mark or exclamation point, the period is omitted.