How do you use a dash in academic writing?

How do you use a dash in academic writing?

An em dash is used often in prose or academic writing to set apart a thought, author’s commentary, or an aside from the main clause of the sentence. It is used to indicate a sudden shift in thought or can also be used to create emphasis to a comment.

How do you use an em dash in an essay?

We use the em dash to create a strong break in the structure of a sentence. We can use these dashes in pairs, as we would use parenthesesthat is, to enclose a word, or a phrase, or a clause (as we’ve done here)or they can be used alone to detach one end of a sentence from its main body.

Where do you use a dash in a sentence?

DashesTo set off material for emphasis. Think of dashes as the opposite of parentheses. To indicate sentence introductions or conclusions. To mark “bonus phrases.” Phrases that add information or clarify but are not necessary to the meaning of a sentence are ordinarily set off with commas. To break up dialogue.

How do I insert an em dash in Word?

To insert an em dash, click where you want to insert the em dash and then press Ctrl + Alt + – (minus sign on the numeric keypad).

What is the difference between a dash and a hyphen?

They might all look like lines on a page, but hyphens and dashes serve different purposes. To begin, a hyphen (-) is shorter than a dash (–). Hyphens join words together and dashes indicate range.

Do you use a semicolon to start a list?

Use a semicolon between items in a list or series if any of the items contain commas.