Only the grammophobes out there will actually care about this topic, but it is important to point out that many people evidently lack knowledge of this simple little rule: the period or comma always comes before the quotation mark.
In short: don’t write “something”. Write “something.”
While this sounds nitpicky, it shows a lack of proofreading, the ultimate sign of carelessness in a professional document.
Common mistakes like this imply several things:
a) the writer doesn’t know or can’t remember their grammar.
b) the writer forgot to proofread.
c) the writer doesn’t care.
Whether you’re a writer or not, it is your responsibility to your readers to present clean, error-free material. If you don’t proofread, that implies laziness. And while lazy writing is bad enough, not caring is worse. Now some might say “well, most people aren’t that observant, so it doesn’t matter anyways.” Perhaps. But not caring does suggest a lack of respect for your own work that isn’t lost on your readers. Never underestimate your reader or client. If they’re going to read or buy something from you, they want a product or service that inspires the most confidence.
After all, if you don’t care about your work, why should they?
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