Style guides that encourage the use of the Oxford comma: Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style, the MLA Style Manual, The Chicago Manual of Style, APA style, and the U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual all adopt the Oxford comma in their house style.
Does the AP Style Guide Use Oxford comma?
The use of the Oxford comma is stylistic, meaning that some style guides demand its use while others don’t. AP Style—the style guide that newspaper reporters adhere to—does not require the use of the Oxford comma.
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.
Does Harvard style use the Oxford comma?
The serial comma, also known as the Oxford comma or the Harvard comma (because the Oxford and Harvard University Press style guides require it), is the final comma before the coordinating conjunction “and” in a list of three or more items.
Why does AP Style not use the Oxford comma?
But when following AP Style, you wouldn’t include a comma there. The reason, Fogarty says, is because AP Style was developed for use in newspapers. Back in ye olde days when print was king, every space counted. So the style gods decided that a simple series made sense without that last comma.
Does Chicago style use the Oxford comma?
Oxford style is usually associated with the “Oxford comma”—the comma before the conjunction in a series of three or more (like the one before “and” in “apples, oranges, and pears”). But this comma has also always been Chicago style.
Who uses the Oxford comma?
“In British practice there’s an Oxford/Cambridge divide … In Canada and Australia the serial comma is recommended only to prevent ambiguity or misreading.” “The so-called ‘Oxford comma’ is an optional comma that follows the penultimate item in a list of three or more items and precedes the word ‘and’ …
Does MLA citation have a 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).
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.
Do MLA citations have a comma?
Additionally, if the author’s name is not mentioned in the sentence, format your citation with the author’s name followed by a comma, followed by a shortened title of the work, and, when appropriate, the page number(s):
Is Oxford comma allowed in APA?
APA uses the serial (or Oxford) comma in lists of three or more items (i.e., Groucho, Harpo, and Zeppo).
What is the difference between Harvard and APA?
The key difference between APA and Harvard referencing is that APA referencing style is mainly used to cite education, social and behavioral science related academic work whereas Harvard Referencing style is mainly used for academic scientific writing.
Does the New York Times use the Oxford comma?
It is much more widespread in the United States, although American news organizations tend to leave the second comma out (that includes The New York Times, whose style guide advises that it should not be used unless a sentence is otherwise confusing without it).
Is the Oxford comma correct SAT?
On the SAT, the Oxford comma is required.
2. Use commas to separate three or more items in a series.
| Example 9 | |
|---|---|
| Correct: | After college, James had three options: get a job, apply to graduate school, or become a criminal. |
Is the Oxford comma pretentious?
The blue-blood punctuation mark, named after the Oxford University Press, acts as a social signifier, a sieve for the bookish and studious (and, perhaps, pretentious). It suggests personality traits that extend far beyond punctuation preferences. There are other ways of doing this in your Tinder profile, of course.
Should Oxford commas be used in technical writing?
In engineering, technical, and scientific writing, the use of this comma is essential because in these fields, ambiguity can be hazardous, costly, and confusing (if not irritating).
Is Oxford and Chicago referencing same?
The major difference between Oxford and Chicago referencing is that the Oxford citation includes the endnotes or footnotes. The Chicago referencing style includes both the in-text and detailed references at the end. The complete citation is provided the first time when the source is used.
What is the difference between Chicago and AP style?
Chicago style reflects its book-publishing heritage, stressing completeness over compactness. While the most recent edition of AP is 420 pages, Chicago has more than twice as many pages with much more dense type. The end result of all those additional pages and content is more guidelines, examples and authority.
What is the punctuation of Chicago style?
According to The Chicago Manual of Style, commas and periods are almost always placed before a closing quotation mark, “like this,” rather than after, “like this”. This traditional style has persisted even though it’s no longer universally followed outside of the United States and isn’t entirely logical.
Is Oxford comma more professional?
The argument for the Oxford comma
If you’re following a stylebook to write a paper or article, be sure to check its policy for commas. The Chicago Manual of Style is pro-Oxford comma, while the Associated Press Stylebook is decidedly against it as a rule—but will allow it for the sake of clarity.
Do APA citations have a comma?
Citations in the body of the paper –
When the author’s name is not cited in-text, the author’s last name should be included in the parentheses along with the date, separated by a comma.