When should I use periods?

  • At the end of a sentence

…And they lived happily ever after.

  • For the initials of a name

Harrison, H. F.

  • When using U.S. and U.K. as adjectives

She is a U.S. citizen

  • For Latin abbreviations

e.g., i.e.,

  • For era designations

B.C.E., B.C., A.D., C.E.

 

When should I not use periods?

  • When abbreviating states of provinces.

 Washington DC; BC; NY

  • For acronyms and abbreviations

APA, IQ, NBA

  • For abbreviation of academy degrees

PhD, EdD, MD, PsyD, LCSW.

  • After URL in a text

You may find this information at andreschinchin.com

  • After measurement abbreviation

cm, hr, kg, min

* use a period to abbreviate inches in.

Adapted from: (APA, 2020, pp. 154-57)

 

Exercise

 

Sources

The American Psychological Association. (2020).  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 7th edition.