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Confused About When to Use Parentheses in My Formal Writing Assignments

Asked byPunctuation PaulPosted Mar 27, 2026 8:30 PM3 answers16 upvotesCanonical URL

I'm working on a college essay and I'm unsure about when it's appropriate to use parentheses in my sentences. For example, should I write:

  1. Many experts agree (see Smith, 2023) that climate change is accelerating.
  2. Many experts agree, see Smith, 2023, that climate change is accelerating.

I've also seen people put extra explanations inside parentheses, but I'm not sure if that's formal enough for academic writing. Can someone explain when it's okay to use parentheses and when I should avoid them?

Context:
Audience: university students, formal writing

#word-choice#esl#formal-vs-informal

What to Know

Question You Likely Still HaveDirect AnswerHow To Apply It
What is the core rule for confused parentheses formal writing?Pattern: Use parentheses for brief explanations: "The samples were taken in April (the rainy season)." For references, use formal citation style (e.g., "Many experts agree that cl…Principle: In formal academic writing, parentheses are used to include supplementary (non-essential) information or brief clarifications.
How do I apply confused parentheses formal writing in a sentence like mine?Principle: In formal academic writing, parentheses are used to include supplementary (non-essential) information or brief clarifications.Parentheses should not interrupt the main flow of your argument and are not a substitute for integrating citations smoothly.
What mistakes should I avoid with confused parentheses formal writing?Parentheses should not interrupt the main flow of your argument and are not a substitute for integrating citations smoothly.Corrective Feedback: If you find your parenthetical content is crucial for understanding, rephrase the sentence to integrate that information rather than setting it aside in paren…

3 Answers

ByMaya ModeratorMar 27, 2026 8:50 PM9 upvotesAccepted answer

Principle: In formal academic writing, parentheses are used to include supplementary (non-essential) information or brief clarifications. Parentheses should not interrupt the main flow of your argument and are not a substitute for integrating citations smoothly.

Pattern:

  • Use parentheses for brief explanations: "The samples were taken in April (the rainy season)."
  • For references, use formal citation style (e.g., "Many experts agree that climate change is accelerating (Smith, 2023).")
  • Avoid: Breaking up sentences with parenthetical asides that disrupt clarity or using parentheses for main ideas.

Contrast Examples:

  • Correct: "The results suggested a correlation (see Appendix B for details)."
  • Incorrect: "The results (see they were strong) suggested a correlation."

Self-Check Practice: Draft a sentence with a parenthetical explanation. Check: Does the sentence make sense if you remove the parentheses? If yes, it’s likely correct. If not, revise so the core idea stands alone.

Corrective Feedback: If you find your parenthetical content is crucial for understanding, rephrase the sentence to integrate that information rather than setting it aside in parentheses.

ByClaire CopydeskMar 27, 2026 9:10 PM4 upvotes

Explanation: Use parentheses to insert small, non-essential clarifications or explanations, but avoid them for referencing sources or introducing important points. Instead, use citation styles and phrase relevant information within the sentence.

Side-by-side Examples:

  • Wrong: "Numerous studies (Johnson, 2022) have demonstrated this effect."

  • Right: "Numerous studies have demonstrated this effect (Johnson, 2022)."

  • Less Formal: "This phenomenon (which occurs during rapid temperature changes) can be hazardous."

  • More Formal: "This phenomenon, which occurs during rapid temperature changes, can be hazardous."

Practice Suggestion: Take a draft section of your essay and highlight every use of parentheses. Ask: Could these be rewritten with commas or integrated citations?

Self-Editing Tip: Citations nearly always go inside parentheses at the end of the relevant sentence or clause—not mid-sentence as a parenthetical aside.

ByAmelia EditorMar 27, 2026 9:30 PM3 upvotes

Guided Coaching: First, try rephrasing your sentence without parentheses. Parentheses can make formal writing seem less direct, so use them sparingly for minor explanations only. Whenever citing sources, rely on your citation style’s rules (APA, MLA, etc.) and avoid using citations as mid-sentence parentheticals.

Examples:

  • Less Effective: "Researchers (Baker, 2020) believe memory may be influenced by sleep patterns."

  • More Effective: "Researchers believe memory may be influenced by sleep patterns (Baker, 2020)."

  • Acceptable: "Students performed better on the second exam (after a week of review)."

  • Preferable: "After a week of review, students performed better on the second exam."

Reflection Practice: Review a paragraph you’ve written. For every set of parentheses, ask: Can the information be smoothly woven into the main sentence? Only keep it in parentheses if it’s truly a minor aside.

Feedback for Self-Editing: Parentheses should not interrupt key ideas. If your sentence relies on information in parentheses, revise it for clarity and flow.

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