grammar/punctuation questions

[crussell]

Hello,
Question 1
Should the comma go inside or outside of the period. I was always taught to put it inside, but so many times I see it ouside. ??

..."individuals who lose their jobs due to a facility shutdown or layoff, persons who have previously maintained a stable employment history, but face structural barriers to reemployment".

Question 2
Servon, Clark, & Kays, found that micro-enterprise programs offers opportunities for employment and training.

Servon, Clark, & Kays offer - ????

Question 3
I have never seen its with an apostrophe after the 's'. This is how it was used ..To research job loss in six counties along the I-95 corrdiro in rural South Carolina and its' effect on rural communities. Is this correct???

Thanks so much.

[David L.]

1. I think you mean the period (full stop). You are correct.
2. You are correct. Also, there should be no comma after Kays.
3. No - you are correct.
his,her,my its - its is the possessive form of it.

[mykwyner]

1. In American English, the period always goes inside of the close-quote mark ["]. Bob said, "Sit down, please." Sometimes a question mark can go outside the quotation mark if the entire statement is a question. Did Bob say, "Sit down, please"?

2. The verb offers has to agree with its subject, programs.

Servon, Clark, & Kays found that micro-enterprise programs offer opportunities for employment and training.

3. Its' would never be considered correct usage.

[crussell]

Thank you both very much -- you answered all my questions.

Cindy R.