abbreviations - Usage of "p." versus "pp." versus "pg." to denote page numbers and page ranges


At the risk of saying something foolish, I won't attempt to answer the question myself. I understand that all three synchronically more or less equivalent and substitutable, but it would be quite nice to know the traditional usage notes on the abbreviations.



Answer



As far as I know, pg. is not an acceptable form, at least in formal writing. The correct forms are p. for a single page, and pp. for a range.


In many cases, actually, you don't need any of them. Quite commonly you'll find references in the form volume:page(s), like 5:204 or 8:99–108 (or, for works of a single volume, something like Blah Blah Blah 108).


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