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!
Use a semicolon. Semicolons are used to separate two independent clauses.
So it would something like:
"In the nineteenth century, the middle class participated in revolutions to establish liberalism; one way was through literature, and through the revolutions of 1848.
The beginning of your thesis sounds a little awkward though-try rewording it.
Is your thesis about how the middle class established liberalism or about how they participated in a lot of revolutions and as a result liberalism was established?
The last part about the revolution of 1848 is too vague. What did that do? Was it also about liberalism?
Ok, I'll edit it. Thank you!
Elle is right ... are you sure you mean liberalism? Or maybe you mean liberty?
1848 ... where?
When it comes to the use of punctuation in a formal essay, parentheses should generally be avoided. Parentheses are typically used in more informal writing, such as emails or personal notes. In a formal essay, you should opt for punctuation marks that maintain the coherence and clarity of your writing.
In your case, since you are listing the ways the middle class participated in revolutions, you could use commas to separate the different elements of the list. This will help maintain the flow of your sentence and make it easier for the reader to understand. Here's how you could rephrase your thesis statement:
"In the nineteenth century, one way the middle class participated in revolutions was by establishing liberalism. Another way was through literature, and they also played a role in the revolutions of 1848."
By using commas to separate the different ways, you can effectively convey your points without relying on parentheses. Remember to revise the rest of your essay for consistency and clarity to ensure a strong and cohesive argument.