Since a period ends a statement, we know to put the period at the end of a sentence. But we still have one point to clarify: in quotations and dialogue, does the period go outside or inside the quotation marks? You may have seen it outside in a few books, inside in many others.
The confusion comes from what other English-speaking countries do. They often put the period outside the quotation mark. In the United States, that’s incorrect. We always want the period inside the quotation marks.
At times, Christian writers want to quote Scripture, followed by the reference and translation ID in parentheses. “The way of the LORD is a stronghold to the blameless, but destruction to evildoers” (Proverbs 10:29 ESV). Be sure to put the period after the parentheses, not inside the quotation marks. Why? The reference in parentheses is part of the statement about the quoted words, so the period belongs at the end.
After the period, type only one space, which has been the rule for thirty years. Using two spaces shows our age and ignorance, a carry-over from the old days when typewriters required two spaces.
Thanks for this info. I knew it was proper to put the period at the end of the parentheses, but was unsure about how to write the reference. I really appreciate your web site with the many words of advice.