User:Zoeannl/Project guideline/Proofreader’s Guide/Dashes, Hyphens, and Minus Signs

There are generally four such marks you will see in books:

Hyphens. These are used to join words together, or sometimes to join prefixes or suffixes to a word. Leave these as a single hyphen, with no spaces on either side. Note that there is a common exception to this shown in the second example below.

En-dashes. These are just a little longer, and are used for a range of numbers, or for a mathematical minus sign. Proofread these as a single hyphen, too. Spaces before or after are determined by the way it was done in the book; usually no spaces in number ranges, usually spaces around mathematical minus signs, sometimes both sides, sometimes just before.

Em-dashes & long dashes. These serve as separators between words—sometimes for emphasis like this—or when a speaker gets a word caught in his throat——! Proofread these as an em-dash (from the pull-down menu) if the dash is as long as 2-3 letters (an em-dash) or use {{bar}} for a custom length. {{bar|3}} looks like this———. Don't leave a space before or after, even if it looks like there was a space in the original book image.

If used within a template, an em-dash needs to be placed in curly brackets or it interferes with the template.

E.g.

{{sc|Vol 1.{{—}}a}}

Vol 1.—a

Deliberately Omitted or Censored Words or Names. If represented by a dash in the image, proofread these as an equivalent length {{bar}}. When it represents a word, we leave appropriate space around it like it's really a word. If it's only part of a word, then no spaces—join it with the rest of the word.

See also the guidelines for end-of-line and end-of-page hyphens and dashes.

Examples—Dashes, Hyphens, and Minus Signs:

• Page:The Gradual Acceptance of the Copernican Theory of the Universe.djvu/138

Original Image:	Correctly Proofread Text:	Type
semi-detached	semi-detached	Hyphen
three- and four-part harmony	three- and four-part harmony	Hyphens
discoveries which the Crus- aders made and brought home with	discoveries which the Crusaders made and brought home with	Hyphen
factors which mold char- acter—environment, training and heritage,	factors which mold character—environment, training and heritage,	Hyphen & Em-dash
See pages 21–25	See pages 21-25	En-dash
It was –14°C outside.	It was -14°C outside.	En-dash
X – Y = Z	X - Y = Z	En-dash
2–1/2	2-1/2	En-dash
—A plague on both your houses!—I am dead.	—A plague on both your houses!—I am dead.	Em-dashes
sensations—sweet, bitter, salt, and sour— if even all of these are simple tastes. What	sensations—sweet, bitter, salt, and sour—if even all of these are simple tastes. What	Em-dashes
senses—touch, smell, hearing, and sight —with which we are here concerned,	senses—touch, smell, hearing, and sight—with which we are here concerned,	Em-dashes
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun—!	It is the east, and Juliet is the sun—!	Em-dash
how a—a—cannon-ball goes———"	how a—a—cannon-ball goes{{bar|3}}"	Em-dashes, Hyphen, & Long Dash
"Three hundred———" "years," she was going to say, but the left-hand cat interrupted her.	"Three hundred{{bar|3}}" "years," she was going to say, but the left-hand cat interrupted her.	Long Dash
As the witness Mr. ——— testified,	As the witness Mr. {{bar|3}} testified,	Long Dash
As the witness Mr. S—— testified,	As the witness Mr. S{{bar|2}} testified,	Long Dash
the famous detective of ——B Baker St.	the famous detective of {{bar|2}}B Baker St.	Long Dash
“You ——— Yankee”, she yelled.	"You {{bar|3}} Yankee", she yelled.	Long Dash
“I am not a d—d Yankee”, he replied.	"I am not a d—d Yankee", he replied.	Em-dash