In English-language punctuation, a serial comma (also called a series comma, Oxford comma, or Harvard comma) is a comma placed immediately after the penultimate term (i.e., before the coordinating conjunction, such as and or or) in a series of three or more terms.
What style uses the Oxford comma?
American Psychological Association Style (APA) does use the Oxford comma.
Is the Oxford comma APA Style?
APA uses the serial (or Oxford) comma in lists of three or more items (i.e., Groucho, Harpo, and Zeppo).
Does MLA style use Oxford comma?
Even in a poorly written sentence, the Oxford comma ensures that the meaning is clear. The Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), Chicago Manual of Style (CMS), and Oxford University Press all support the Oxford comma.
Is Oxford comma British or American?
The Oxford comma did not actually originate at Oxford University in England. One can trace its origin in English guides from the early 20th century. The Oxford comma is “correct” in American Standard English but does not exist in other languages, nor is it mandatory in British or International English.
Why is the Oxford comma so controversial?
This practice is controversial and is known as the serial comma or Oxford comma, because it is part of the house style of Oxford University Press.” There are cases in which the use of the serial comma can avoid ambiguity, and also instances in which its use can introduce ambiguity.
What is AP Style grammar?
Associated Press (AP) style is the go-to English style and usage guide for journalism and news writing, such as magazines and newspapers. AP style dictates basic rules for grammar and punctuation, as well as specific styles for numbers, spelling, capitalization, abbreviations, acronyms, and much more.
Does APA 7th edition use Oxford comma?
Yes, APA language guidelines state that you should always use the serial comma (aka Oxford comma) in your writing. This means including a comma before the word “and” at the end of a list of three or more items: “spelling, grammar, and punctuation.” Doing this consistently tends to make your lists less ambiguous.
What is APA format?
APA is the style of documentation of sources used by the American Psychological Association. This form of writing research papers is used mainly in the social sciences, like psychology, anthropology, sociology, as well as education and other fields.
How do you cite Oxford in APA?
A reference for a dictionary would be: Organization Name. (date). Title of dictionary [in italics], Retrieved date, from [URL] [for online dictionaries] or place of publishing followed by a period and URL if retrieved from a URL.
How do you cite Oxford in MLA format?
The MLA Style Center
Follow the MLA format template and begin with the headword (as it appears) as the title of the source. Note that this may include parts of speech. “Heavy, Adj. (1) and N.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, 2015, www.oed.com/view/Entry/85246?
Does MLA use commas or periods?
According to the MLA format template, periods appear in a works-cited-list entry after the author, after the title, and at the end of each container string. Elements within a container string—Title of Container, Contributors, Version, Number, Publisher, Publication Date, and Location—are separated by commas.
Does MLA use comma?
Use a comma between the last name and the title of the source if both appear in the parenthetical citation. The parenthetical information should not repeat information given in your text (e.g., if you mention the author’s name in your text, you do not include it in the citation).
Why don t British people use the Oxford comma?
Despite being named after a British University, the Oxford comma (the comma used before “and” in lists (e.g., I like wookies, ewoks, and droids)) is not considered standard in UK English because only one style guide (Oxford) recommends it.
What is the difference between UK and US spelling?
The main difference is that British English keeps the spelling of words it has absorbed from other languages, mainly French and German. Whilst American English spellings are based mostly on how the word sounds when it is spoken.
What style of punctuation do Americans tend to use?
American English puts commas and periods inside the quotation marks. The UWSC says that American people write it “this way.”
Why do people hate Oxford commas?
Many opponents of the Oxford comma claim that it makes a piece of writing sound more pretentious and stuffy, and that it can make things seem cluttered and redundant. Many magazine publishers renounce its use as well, because sentences loaded with commas take up valuable page space.
Why don t lawyers use the Oxford comma?
Use of the Oxford comma is mostly a matter of preference and varies by region and profession. Lawyers should use the Oxford comma to help avoid ambiguity. Three ambiguities may arise without this comma: Whether the two final items in a list are one combined element or separate.
Why is the Oxford comma going away?
The serial comma, dubbed the Oxford comma because of its use by writers and editors based at the University of Oxford, had been waning in popularity. For example, most journalists in Canada and the U.S. who follow the AP or CP stylebooks do not use it.
Are AP and APA style the same?
The APA format, a writing format used by the American Psychological Association, is widely used in psychological papers. The APA citing format is one of the most popular, however, in some cases, especially those associated with professional journalism, will have you use AP (Associated Press) format.
What is the difference between AP Style and MLA style?
MLA (Modern Language Association) format is used for humanities and literature works. APA (American Psychological Association) is used for technical and scientific works. Each writing style is formatted to make citations for that specific field easier.