How does a staccato dot affect the way a note is played?

In musical notation, a staccato dot is a symbol placed above or below a note to indicate that it should be performed in a staccato style.1

This instruction directs the performer to play the note in a short, detached, and noncontinuous manner. Rather than allowing the sound to flow smoothly into the next note—a style known as legato—the staccato mark requires the tone to be cut short, resulting in an abrupt or disjointed effect.2