Though punctuation marks may be small and easy to overlook, they can have a large impact on the meaning of your sentences as well as how your writing project is received by others. We need to use proper punctuation in all of our writing projects, from essays for a course to emailed letters to prospective employers. Here are some general comments about punctuation:

• Punctuation helps facilitate reading and writing by indicating where pauses and stops should occur.
• Just as when we speak, our pauses and inflections indicate when we are making statements, asking questions, or adding parenthetical information. 
• Punctuation in writing provides the reader with the same indications that would be provided in speech.