Q: When “etc.” falls at the end of a question, how should it be punctuated?
When "etc." falls at the end of a question, would it be punctuated with only a question mark (etc?), or with a period followed by the question mark (etc.?)?
Generally, in American English, if "etc." is used in the middle of a sentence, it is followed by a comma. However, if the word "etc." appears at the end of a sentence then the period (which is part of "etc.") serves as the final punctuation mark. On the other hand, if "etc." or any other abbreviation ending with a period appears at the end of a question, then you must use both punctuation marks (etc.?)
Related reading:
When writing scientific articles, the best thing is to avoid the problem altogether and never use "etc". Be scientifically more specific, and for example write "..........and other criteria".
