More True Confessions of a Legal Writing Professor: Unlike Belly Buttons, Commas and Periods with Quotation Marks Cannot Be Innies or Outies

Abstract

This, at times, irreverent, tongue-in-cheek article is about how law students are increasingly placing periods and commas outside quotation marks, which is incorrect. First, the article addresses the rules for placement of periods and commas with quotation marks and the rationale underlying these rules. Second, the article then covers the British rule for these same punctuation issues. Third, the article addresses the rules for placement of other punctuation, such as semicolons, colons, question marks, and exclamation marks with quotation marks.