Using Brackets [ ]
There are only two general reasons to use brackets (see examples in red below), and neither one is used very often.
- To show that you have inserted something into a quotation that was not in the original.
- To add parenthetical information to material that is already inside a parenthesis
Example 1:
According to Smith, "The year 2007 brought an alarming [italics added] rise in new HIV/AIDS case."(2008, p. 33).
Example 2:
After being admitted to a new treatment center (Eagleville Hospital and Rehabilitation Center[EHRC]), Mr. Smith began to show signs of improvement.