411 REFERENCE · Wikibooks
Rhetoric and Composition/Parentheses
Reference material by Wikibooks contributors. This retains its source identity and is not 411 news reporting.
What Do Parentheses Do?
Parentheses can be used to enclose an interjected, explanatory, or qualifying remark, mathematical quantities, etc. The words placed inside the brackets are not necessary for the interrupted sentence to be complete.
Setting off incidental/accompanying information
Examples:
Be sure to call me (extension 2104) when you get this message.
Copyright affects how much regulation is enforced (Lessig 2004).
Enclose numbers and letters that label items listed in a sentence
Hyphens and Dashes Capitalization