0C. Punctuation (General Rules)
As noted in the Introduction, punctuation for the description of moving image material is based on ISBD:
Precede each area by a period, space, dash, space (. --) unless the area begins a new paragraph.
Precede or enclose each occurrence of an element of an area with standard punctuation prescribed at
The head of each section of this online help.
Precede each mark of prescribed punctuation by a space and follow it by a space, except for the comma, period, hyphen, and opening and closing parentheses and square brackets. The comma, period, hyphen, and closing parenthesis and square bracket are not preceded by a space; the hyphen and the opening parenthesis and square bracket are not followed by a space.
Precede the first element of each area, other than the first element of the first area or the first element of an area beginning a new paragraph, by a period, space, dash, space (. -- ). When that element is not present by a period, space, dash, space (. -- ) instead of the prescribed preceding punctuation for that element.
Indicate conjectural data, data that could not be verified, but is judged to be probable, with brackets ( [data] ). If the data is judged to be questionable, but the determination is made to include it in the description, indicate this determination with a question mark following the data and enclose the data and question mark in brackets ( [data?] ). Indicate the omission of part of an element by the ellipsis (...). Precede and follow the mark of omission by a space. Omit any area or element that does not apply in describing an individual item; also omit its prescribed preceding or enclosing punctuation. Do not indicate the omission of an area or element by the mark of omission.
When an element ends with an abbreviation followed by a period or ends with the ellipsis and the punctuation following that element either is or begins with a period, omit the period that constitutes or begins the prescribed punctuation.
When punctuation occurring within or at the end of an element is retained, give it with normal spacing. Prescribed punctuation is always added, even though double punctuation may result.
0C. Example B
See also:
