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I need to quote a title which contains both an ellipsis and question mark. I am unsure how I should punctuate the sentence. Note that because of a particular style guide, I must also italicise the title rather than use quotation marks. For example, one may write:

In Smith's article, What is... a Cobordism?, he discusses...

How should I properly quote the title?

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    However you like. Or, you might like to ask at Writing.
    – curiousdannii
    Commented Mar 2, 2015 at 9:10
  • May I ask why the question is downvoted? I'm asking about the proper use of punctuation, in a manner that seems on-topic based on other questions with the tag.
    – user1997744
    Commented Mar 2, 2015 at 9:12
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    "Proper" according to who? Do you have a particular style guide you need to follow? If not, do it however you like, there are no real rules of punctuation.
    – curiousdannii
    Commented Mar 2, 2015 at 9:28
  • In passing - I would prefer “In his article What is... a Cobordism?, Smith discusses …”
    – Anton Sherwood
    Commented Sep 26, 2023 at 19:56

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There is no universally binding set of rules, but consider the following:

An ellipsis is a set of three periods ( . . . ) indicating an omission. Each period should have a single space on either side, except when adjacent to a quotation mark, in which case there should be no space.

Ellipses - The Punctuation Guide

This resource well explains the basis upon which its guidance in general rests.

most stylists should find the way you did it in your question to be just fine.

Some may dislike your ?,. Even more my ?,. But many authorities and guides are loosening rules or advice against multiple consecutive punctuation marks in favor of practices that are often seen as aligning with the logic of what's being communicated.

... [W]hen the question mark is part of a title of work, a syntactically necessary comma is retained.

Have you read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, the Philip Dick novel that inspired the movie Blade Runner?

“Is He Living or Is He Dead?,” by Mark Twain, is one of my favorite stories.

When the question mark in the title comes at the end of a sentence that would itself require a question mark or period, the additional question mark or period is omitted.

Have you read Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?

I have not read Mark Twain’s “Is He Living or Is He Dead?”

Question Mark - The Punctuation Guide

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    The ellipsis only needs a space before and after it if it is there to indicate the location of text which has been deliberately omitted (i.e. to show that the sentence in which it occurs has been cited with alterations); but it doesn't need one if the ellipsis is being used merely to stimulate curiosity or suspense.
    – Erik Kowal
    Commented Mar 2, 2015 at 9:42
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    An ellipsis is a set of three periods ( . . . ) indicating an omission. Each period should have a single space on either side, except when adjacent to a quotation mark, in which case there should be no space. thepunctuationguide.com/ellipses.html
    – Jim Reynolds
    Commented Mar 2, 2015 at 9:53
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    I've just consulted Wikipedia's summary of the topic. There, I found described a number of different style-guide prescriptions. These are, as one might expect, at variance. In the circumstances, I think that perhaps curiousdannii's view (see their comment under the question) is the most pragmatic one. So my own assertion represents my own approach, but otherwise, people, do what you like! :)
    – Erik Kowal
    Commented Mar 2, 2015 at 10:04
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    @Erik Kowal If you follow an omission-signifying ellipsis directly by a suspense-generating one, is it best to put one in italics?
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Mar 2, 2015 at 10:42
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    I keep thinking about OP's What is... . . . . . .
    – Edwin Ashworth
    Commented Mar 2, 2015 at 10:51

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