I have an essay and this is one part of my thesis...

"In the nineteenth century, some ways the middle class participated in revolutions was by establishing liberalism, one way was through literature, and through the revolutions of 1848."

I wasn't sure if the "one way was through literature" should be in parenthesis or something else. I was thinking that parenthesis were too informal, but I am not positive. Would parenthesis work in this formal essay or should I use commas or some other punctuation?

Thanks!

Never mind, I have received an answer to this, thank you

In a formal essay, it is generally recommended to use commas or other appropriate punctuation to introduce additional information rather than parentheses. Parentheses tend to be more informal and are typically used in less formal writing styles.

In your case, you can use commas to set off the phrase "one way was through literature" as additional information within the sentence. The revised sentence would look like this:

"In the nineteenth century, some ways the middle class participated in revolutions was by establishing liberalism, one way being through literature, and through the revolutions of 1848."

Alternatively, you can also use dashes or parentheses if the information is less significant or if you want to provide more emphasis on the additional clause. However, dashes are often used to set off more abrupt or dramatic interruptions, while parentheses are typically used for less important or explanatory information. Here's an example of using dashes:

"In the nineteenth century, some ways the middle class participated in revolutions was by establishing liberalism – one way being through literature – and through the revolutions of 1848."

Ultimately, the choice between commas, dashes, or parentheses depends on the specific style and tone you want to convey in your essay. Just ensure that whichever punctuation you choose is appropriate and maintains the formal tone of your writing.