{"id":1178,"date":"2026-07-12T09:22:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-12T09:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/?p=1178"},"modified":"2026-07-06T09:24:39","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T09:24:39","slug":"apostrophe-academic-writing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/","title":{"rendered":"Using Apostrophes in Scientific Writing: Examples, Tips, Rules"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Apostrophes are small punctuation marks that can have a significant impact on clarity and professionalism. In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/how-to-write-a-good-research-paper\/\">research papers<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/what-is-a-dissertation-best-practices\/\">dissertations<\/a>, they are used much less frequently than in general writing because academic style favors precision, objectivity, and formal language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This guide explains when apostrophes should and should not be used in research papers, theses, dissertations, grant proposals, and scientific reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242121\">Why apostrophes matter<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242122\">The two main uses of apostrophes<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242123\">Apostrophes for possession<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242124\">Contractions in scientific writing<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242125\">Apostrophes and abbreviations<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242126\">Apostrophes in species names<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242127\">Apostrophes in units and symbols<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242128\">Common Mistakes in Apostrophe Usage<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242129\">Apostrophe versus Prime Sign (\u2032)<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242130\">Quick editing checklist for apostrophe usage<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#_Toc234242131\">Key takeaways<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242121\">Why apostrophes matter<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Correct apostrophe usage helps readers distinguish between:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Possession<\/li><li>Contractions<\/li><li>Plurals<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Misusing apostrophes is one of the most common punctuation errors in manuscripts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242122\">The two main uses of apostrophes<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Use<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Showing possession<\/td><td>the patient&#8217;s symptoms<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Forming contractions<\/td><td>don&#8217;t, it&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In scientific writing, contractions are generally avoided, so most apostrophes indicate possession.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242123\">Apostrophes for possession<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3>Singular nouns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Add <strong>&#8216;s<\/strong> to singular nouns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>the author&#8217;s hypothesis<\/td><td>the author hypothesis<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the participant&#8217;s response<\/td><td>the participants response<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the cell&#8217;s membrane<\/td><td>the cells membrane<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the specimen&#8217;s weight<\/td><td>the specimen weight<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>Examples<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The patient&#8217;s blood pressure was monitored continuously.<\/li><li>The virus&#8217;s genome was sequenced.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The sample&#8217;s temperature increased rapidly.<\/li><li>The detector&#8217;s sensitivity improved.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The participant&#8217;s responses were coded.<\/li><li>The teacher&#8217;s observations supported the findings.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>Singular nouns ending in s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most scientific style guides recommend adding <strong>&#8216;s<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Preferred<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Also seen<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>James&#8217;s experiment<\/td><td>James&#8217; experiment<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Harris&#8217;s model<\/td><td>Harris&#8217; model<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Follow your journal&#8217;s preferred style consistently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Plural nouns ending in s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Add only an apostrophe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>the researchers&#8217; conclusions<\/td><td>the researchers&#8217;s conclusions<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the patients&#8217; records<\/td><td>the patient&#8217;s records (if multiple patients)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the students&#8217; essays<\/td><td>the student&#8217;s essays<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>Examples<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The researchers&#8217; interpretation differed from previous studies.<\/li><li>The patients&#8217; outcomes were assessed after six months.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>Irregular plural nouns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Add <strong>&#8216;s<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>children&#8217;s development<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>women&#8217;s health<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>men&#8217;s attitudes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>people&#8217;s perceptions<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>Examples<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Children&#8217;s nutritional status improved significantly.<\/li><li>Women&#8217;s participation increased over time.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>Possessive pronouns do NOT use apostrophes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is among the most common mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>its<\/td><td>it&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>yours<\/td><td>your&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>theirs<\/td><td>their&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>ours<\/td><td>our&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>whose<\/td><td>who&#8217;s (unless meaning &#8220;who is&#8221;)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>Examples<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 The instrument reached its maximum operating temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2718 The instrument reached it&#8217;s maximum operating temperature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Its versus it&#8217;s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the most frequently confused pair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Word<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Meaning<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>its<\/td><td>belonging to it<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>it&#8217;s<\/td><td>it is or it has<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>Correct<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The protein lost its function.<\/li><li>It&#8217;s important to calibrate the equipment.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4>Incorrect<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The protein lost it&#8217;s function.<\/li><li>Its important to calibrate the equipment.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4>Quick test<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Replace <em>it&#8217;s<\/em> with <em>it is<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the sentence still makes sense, use <strong>it&#8217;s<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Whose versus who&#8217;s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Word<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Meaning<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>whose<\/td><td>possessive<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>who&#8217;s<\/td><td>who is<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Researchers whose data met the criteria were included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u2714 Who&#8217;s responsible for the laboratory inventory?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Apostrophes with names<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Add <strong>&#8216;s<\/strong> to most names.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Newton&#8217;s laws<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Darwin&#8217;s theory<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fisher&#8217;s exact test<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Pearson&#8217;s correlation coefficient<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>Examples<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Newton&#8217;s second law explains acceleration.<\/li><li>Fisher&#8217;s exact test was used for small sample sizes.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>Apostrophes with organizations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Organizations can be possessive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The university&#8217;s ethics committee approved the study.<\/li><li>The journal&#8217;s guidelines were followed.<\/li><li>The laboratory&#8217;s equipment was upgraded.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>Compound nouns<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Add the apostrophe to the final word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>the editor-in-chief&#8217;s decision<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>my PhD supervisor&#8217;s recommendation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the director of research&#8217;s comments<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>Joint possession<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When two people own something together, add the apostrophe only to the last name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Smith and Jones&#8217;s study<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If each owns something separately, both receive apostrophes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Smith&#8217;s and Jones&#8217;s laboratories<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>Time and measurement expressions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Time expressions often take possessive apostrophes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>one year&#8217;s follow-up<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>two weeks&#8217; notice<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>three months&#8217; observation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>five years&#8217; experience<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Participants completed one year&#8217;s follow-up.<\/li><li>The study involved three months&#8217; observation.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>Scientific terminology that uses apostrophes<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Some scientific terms traditionally contain apostrophes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Examples<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Parkinson&#8217;s disease<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Alzheimer&#8217;s disease<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hodgkin&#8217;s lymphoma<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Euler&#8217;s equation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fourier&#8217;s law<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Hooke&#8217;s law<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Avogadro&#8217;s constant (older usage varies)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Always follow the terminology preferred by your target journal or discipline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242124\">Contractions in scientific writing<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Formal scientific writing usually avoids contractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Informal<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Formal<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>don&#8217;t<\/td><td>do not<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>can&#8217;t<\/td><td>cannot<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>isn&#8217;t<\/td><td>is not<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>doesn&#8217;t<\/td><td>does not<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>weren&#8217;t<\/td><td>were not<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>we&#8217;ve<\/td><td>we have<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Less formal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>We didn&#8217;t observe any differences.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Preferred<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>We did not observe any differences.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242125\">Apostrophes and abbreviations<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Possession is acceptable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>DNA&#8217;s structure<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>MRI&#8217;s limitations<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PCR&#8217;s sensitivity<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, many editors prefer rewording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>DNA&#8217;s structure<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Use:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>the structure of DNA<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>This often sounds more formal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242126\">Apostrophes in species names<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Scientific names themselves do not use apostrophes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><em>Escherichia coli<\/em><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><em>Arabidopsis thaliana<\/em><\/td><\/tr><tr><td><em>Drosophila melanogaster<\/em><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Possession is expressed normally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><em>E. coli<\/em>&#8216;s growth rate<\/li><li>the growth rate of <em>E. coli<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The second construction is generally preferred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242127\">Apostrophes in units and symbols<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Units never take apostrophes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>10 kg<\/td><td>10 kg&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5 cm<\/td><td>5 cm&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>20 mL<\/td><td>20 mL&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>Apostrophes are NOT used for plurals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Never use apostrophes simply to make a word plural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>tables<\/td><td>table&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>figures<\/td><td>figure&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>assays<\/td><td>assay&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>samples<\/td><td>sample&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>Plurals of abbreviations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most style guides do not use apostrophes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Less preferred<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>PCRs<\/td><td>PCR&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>MRIs<\/td><td>MRI&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PhDs<\/td><td>PhD&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>RCTs<\/td><td>RCT&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>Plurals of numbers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>No apostrophe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>the 1990s<\/td><td>the 1990&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>three 7s<\/td><td>three 7&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the 2000s<\/td><td>the 2000&#8217;s<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242128\">Common Mistakes in Apostrophe Usage<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>it&#8217;s role<\/td><td>its role<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the student&#8217;s participated<\/td><td>the students participated<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>three sample&#8217;s<\/td><td>three samples<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>researchers finding&#8217;s<\/td><td>researchers&#8217; findings<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the journals policy<\/td><td>the journal&#8217;s policy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>patient&#8217;s were enrolled<\/td><td>patients were enrolled<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>PCR&#8217;s were performed<\/td><td>PCRs were performed<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242129\">Apostrophe versus Prime Sign (\u2032)<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the apostrophe (\u2019) and the prime sign (\u2032) look similar, they serve entirely different purposes. In scientific writing, using the correct character is important because many journals and publishers distinguish between them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Apostrophe (\u2019)<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Prime sign (\u2032)<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Indicates possession or contractions<\/td><td>Indicates units, derivatives, labels, or mathematical notation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Punctuation mark<\/td><td>Mathematical or scientific symbol<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Example: the author&#8217;s data<\/td><td>Example: 35\u2032, f\u2032(x)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>When to use the prime sign<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<h4>1. Minutes of angle<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The prime sign denotes <strong>arcminutes<\/strong> in angular measurements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Meaning<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>45\u00b0 30\u2032<\/td><td>45 degrees, 30 arcminutes<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>18\u2032<\/td><td>18 arcminutes<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The telescope was aligned within <strong>2\u2032<\/strong> of the target position.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4>2. Minutes of time<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The prime sign also represents <strong>minutes<\/strong> when expressing time in certain scientific disciplines, especially astronomy and navigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>12\u2032 30\u2033<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5\u2032<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h4>3. Feet and inches<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Outside academic writing, the prime sign is widely used for feet and inches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>6\u2032 2\u2033<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5\u2032 10\u2033<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Although this notation is common, many scientific journals prefer SI units (meters or centimeters) instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4>4. Mathematics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>The prime sign commonly indicates derivatives or modified variables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Meaning<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>f\u2032(x)<\/td><td>First derivative<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>y\u2032<\/td><td>Derivative of y<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>x\u2032<\/td><td>A transformed or related variable<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>A\u2032<\/td><td>A modified point or object<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The function <strong>f\u2032(x)<\/strong> reached zero at the critical point.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h4>5. Physics and engineering<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Prime symbols distinguish related quantities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>T\u2032<\/li><li>V\u2032<\/li><li>E\u2032<\/li><li>P\u2032<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These often represent transformed, corrected, estimated, or secondary variables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4>6. Molecular biology and genetics<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Prime notation identifies the orientation of nucleic acid strands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>5\u2032 end<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>3\u2032 end<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5\u2032\u21923\u2032 direction<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Example<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>DNA polymerase synthesizes DNA in the <strong>5\u2032\u21923\u2032<\/strong> direction.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3>Do not substitute an apostrophe for a prime sign<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Many word processors automatically insert an apostrophe when a prime sign is intended. While they may look similar in some fonts, they are different Unicode characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>5\u2019 end<\/td><td>5\u2032 end<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>f\u2019 (x)<\/td><td>f\u2032(x)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>45\u00b0 30\u2019<\/td><td>45\u00b0 30\u2032<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6\u2019 2\u201d<\/td><td>6\u2032 2\u2033<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Likewise, do not use the prime sign where an apostrophe is required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Incorrect<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Correct<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>the researcher\u2019s data<\/td><td>the researcher&#8217;s data<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>the patient\u2019s symptoms<\/td><td>the patient&#8217;s symptoms<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>It\u2019s important<\/td><td>it&#8217;s important<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3>How to insert the prime sign<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most equation editors and scientific writing software include the prime sign as a mathematical symbol. In Microsoft Word, you can insert it through <strong>Insert \u2192 Symbol<\/strong> or by typing <strong>2032<\/strong> and pressing <strong>Alt + X<\/strong> (Windows). In LaTeX, use the apostrophe character in math mode (for example, f'(x)), which is rendered as a proper prime symbol.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3>Best practice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>Use the <strong>apostrophe (&#8216;)<\/strong> only for possession and contractions.<\/li><li>Use the <strong>prime sign (\u2032)<\/strong> for mathematical notation, derivatives, angular measurements, molecular biology notation (5\u2032 and 3\u2032), and similar scientific conventions.<\/li><li>Use the <strong>double prime sign (\u2033)<\/strong>, not a quotation mark (&#8220;), for arcseconds or inches when those symbols are required.<\/li><li>Check proofs carefully, as automatic formatting or font substitutions can accidentally replace a prime sign with an apostrophe or vice versa.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242130\">Quick editing checklist for apostrophe usage<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before submitting your manuscript, check the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>\u25a1 Is every apostrophe showing possession rather than an incorrect plural?<\/li><li>\u25a1 Have you avoided contractions unless required?<\/li><li>\u25a1 Have you distinguished <strong>its<\/strong> from <strong>it&#8217;s<\/strong> correctly?<\/li><li>\u25a1 Are plural possessives correctly punctuated?<\/li><li>\u25a1 Are possessive pronouns written without apostrophes?<\/li><li>\u25a1 Have you checked discipline-specific terms and journal style?<\/li><li>\u25a1 Are abbreviations pluralized without unnecessary apostrophes?<\/li><li>\u25a1 Are units, symbols, and scientific names free from incorrect apostrophes?<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2><a id=\"_Toc234242131\">Key takeaways<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table><thead><tr><td><strong>Rule<\/strong><\/td><td><strong>Example<\/strong><\/td><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Singular possession<\/td><td>the author&#8217;s manuscript<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Plural possession<\/td><td>the researchers&#8217; data<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Irregular plural possession<\/td><td>children&#8217;s health<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Possessive pronoun<\/td><td>its accuracy<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Contraction<\/td><td>it&#8217;s important<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Avoid contractions in formal writing<\/td><td>do not, cannot<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>No apostrophes for plurals<\/td><td>tables, figures, assays<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>No apostrophes in units<\/td><td>10 kg, 5 cm, 20 mL<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Prefer formal phrasing<\/td><td>the structure of DNA rather than DNA&#8217;s structure<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In scientific writing, apostrophes should be used sparingly and purposefully. Most appear in possessive constructions, while contractions are generally avoided. While <a href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/how-to-edit-proofread-dissertation-thesis-checklist\/\">proofreading your dissertation<\/a> or research paper, pay attention common confusions, especially <strong>its<\/strong> versus <strong>it&#8217;s<\/strong>. This will help produce manuscripts that are precise, professional, and consistent with academic style.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Apostrophes are small punctuation marks that can have a significant impact on clarity and professionalism. In research papers or dissertations, they are used much less frequently than in general writing because academic style favors precision, objectivity, and formal language. This guide explains when apostrophes should and should not be used in research papers, theses, dissertations, [&hellip;]","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_ayudawp_aiss_exclude":false,"_ayudawp_aiss_summary":"In scientific writing, contractions are generally avoided, so most apostrophes indicate possession. Before submitting your manuscript, check the following:. \u25a1 Is every apostrophe showing possession rather than an incorrect plural?. \u25a1 Have you avoided contractions unless required?. \u25a1 Have you distinguished its from it's correctly?. \u25a1 Are plural possessives correctly punctuated?. \u25a1 Are possessive pronouns written without apostrophes?. \u25a1 Have you checked discipline-specific terms and journal style?. \u25a1 Are abbreviations pluralized without unnecessary apostrophes?. \u25a1 Are units, symbols, and scientific names free from incorrect apostrophes?. In scientific writing, apostrophes should be used sparingly and purposefully.","_ayudawp_aiss_summary_provider":"extractive","_ayudawp_aiss_summary_hash":"911275ea478ef4fcc4c9522dc8838ac005c4a791"},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v20.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Using Apostrophes in Scientific Writing: Examples, Tips, Rules - Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn key rules of using apostrophes in a research paper\/thesis\/essay, especially for pluralization, and differences from the prime sign.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Using Apostrophes in Scientific Writing: Examples, Tips, Rules - Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn key rules of using apostrophes in a research paper\/thesis\/essay, especially for pluralization, and differences from the prime sign.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-12T09:22:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-06T09:24:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marisha Rodrigues\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marisha Rodrigues\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Marisha Rodrigues\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/60d7626072744221b2260692486b6ff1\"},\"headline\":\"Using Apostrophes in Scientific Writing: Examples, Tips, Rules\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-12T09:22:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-06T09:24:39+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/\"},\"wordCount\":1518,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"articleSection\":[\"Latest News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/\",\"name\":\"Using Apostrophes in Scientific Writing: Examples, Tips, Rules - Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-12T09:22:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-06T09:24:39+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn key rules of using apostrophes in a research paper\/thesis\/essay, especially for pluralization, and differences from the prime sign.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/apostrophe-academic-writing\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Using Apostrophes in Scientific Writing: Examples, Tips, Rules\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.editage.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"Educational Articles For Researchers, Students And Authors - Editage Blog\",\"description\":\"Get insightful educational articles from the world of academia for researchers, students and authors. 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