Defining Classes I - Absolute Java - page 182

where Expression can be any expression that evaluates to something of the Type_Returned
that is listed in the method heading. For example, the following is a complete definition
of a method that returns a value:

public String yourMethod()
{
Scanner keyboard = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.println("Enter a line of text");
String result = keyboard.nextLine();
return result + " was entered.";

}

Notice that a method that returns a value can do other things besides returning
a value, but style rules dictate that whatever else it does should be related to the
value returned.
A return statement always ends a method invocation. Once the return statement
is executed, the method ends, and any remaining statements in the method definition
are not executed.
If you want to end a void method before it runs out of statements, you can use a
return statement without any expression, as follows:

return in a
void method

return ;
A void method need not have any return statements, but you can place a return
statement in a void method if there are situations that require the method to end
before all the code is executed.

Method Definitions
There are two kinds of methods: methods that return a value and methods, known as void
methods, that perform some action other than returning a value.
Definition of a Method That Returns a Value

SYNTAX
public Type_Returned Method_Name(Parameter_List)
{

<List of statements, at least one of which
must contain a return statement.>

}

If there are no Parameters , then the parentheses are empty.