brackets
The pair of square marks, [ ], that enclose words added to quoted material by someone other than the original speaker or writer. They are also called square brackets.
Brackets enclose words that a writer adds to or changes in a quotation, such as a clarifying word, a substituted word, or a change in capitalization. They tell the reader that the enclosed words are not the original speaker’s: “She [the governor] signed the bill on Monday.” Brackets also replace parentheses inside material that is already in parentheses. See also brackets: editorial insertions and nested material. Each use of brackets has its own entry, listed under Brackets.
Examples
Use“They [the council members] voted against the plan.” (The brackets show that the clarifying words come from the person quoting, not the speaker.)
UseThe study ran for two years (see the summary [page 4] for details). (Brackets replace parentheses inside a parenthetical.)