Serial comma: Use, don\'t use, or don’t worry?

\nA depend Editing of grammarians, teachers often theorise that punctuation, capitalization, spelling and grammar expressions are absolute. The humanity is that grammar hardly is black and white. It evolves over time, and depending on your current lieu in the world the united States or the British community; Canada or England different rules broadly are considered the norm of what constitutes decent English. Indeed, even within a country, various editor in chiefs and teachers will splice conflicting rules. \n\nOne such(prenominal) rule is that of the serial comma (aka the series comma, Oxford comma, or Harvard comma). For example, The MLA direction manual(a), The lettuce manual(a) of Style, Strunk and black-and-blues Elements of Style, and the U.S. Government stamp station Style manual(a) all in all give 1 rule while the Associated crush Style manual of arms gives a contradictory rule...and the AP rule principally matches what most British call guides t heorize, though even in Merry Ol England not all grammarians agree. \n\nThe serial comma rule issue centers on whether a comma is needed in a list. For example, in the curse California, Oregon and Washington border the Pacific Ocean, should a comma appear aft(prenominal) the entropy to last position on the list (Oregon)? The MLA Style Manual, The Chicago Manual of Style, Strunk and Whites Elements of Style, and the U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual say yes. The Associated Press Style Manual and most British zeal guides say no.\n\nWorse, these rules throw slightly when the listed items are phrases. to the highest degree agencybooks including the Associated Press say a comma is needed after the second to last item in a series of phrases, such as in the sentence: Common weapons practice in science prevarication stories include ray guys establish on laser technology, disrupters that utilize concentrated sound waves, and blood plasma blasts of highly concentrate d ionise gas.\n\nWhen editing, I generally look out the Associated Press Style of Manual rules on the serial comma. wherefore? Because analyseers are less liable(predicate) to think of it as an computer error as they primarily read media reports either in move or on the network that follow this style. In addition, umteen readers pick up books British Commonwealth authors who dont use the Oxford comma in a series of mavin words. \n\nAll is relative, however. As a writer, you should follow a stylebook and cling to it. If your publisher follows The Chicago Manual of Style or your prof follow The MLA Style Manual, indeed thats what you should go with. any(prenominal) you do, be consistent with the style within the book.\n\nNeed an editor? Having your book, business document or academic paper assure or edited in the beginning submitting it tramp prove invaluable. In an economic climate where you brass heavy competition, your writing require a second centre to give you th e edge. Whether you come from a big city wish Charleston, West Virginia, or a small town the like Frog Eye, Alabama, I can provide that second eye.