Is it valid to use em dashes in formal writing? My teacher said it's informal to use em dashes under any circumstances, so I just wanted to make sure. I've gone through several related questions in here but there is no direct answer.
This was my sentence: 'In fact, as shown in latest statistics, 12.5% of America’s citizens are African Americans—who most of them are descendants of enslaved people—and they are all treated equally.' It was in a paragraph about slavery.
Best Answer
Em dashes can be used if allowed by your style guide (but don't use them too often). For example, this is what APA says:
In contrast, there are also sources that advise against using the em dash in formal texts: