Use a persons full name the first time they are introduced, and then all following references should only use their. Learning ap style, which loathes commas, has been a challenge as a comma happy english major. However, if the comma is necessary for clarity or if an integral part of the series includes a conjunction, it should be added. The ap stylebook is written for newspapers, and in. The chicago manual of style and the mla and apa style guides recommend using the oxford comma. The oxford comma goes by many names, including the serial comma and the harvard comma, and is an issue of quite a bit of anxiety for some. Miscommunications can cost millions and result in humiliation, misunderstandings or worse. Ap stylethe style guide that newspaper reporters adhere todoes not require the use of the oxford comma. One of these is its neglection of the oxford comma. The premiere grammar ruling for journalists says we dont need the oxford comma. The oxford comma the style recommended by oxford university press and chicago manual of style is the last comma in a series, the comma before the final and or or. The associated press has a stylebook with rules and standards used primarily in journalistic and news writing. The ap stylebook still recommends the comma before the final and in a simple series, but the new entry clarifies that there are instances where the oxford comma is needed for. Do you know the big differences between ap, apa, chicago, and mla styles.
May 01, 2019 ii suspect a good deal of the insistence around the oxford comma has its roots in classism. This serial comma is popularly called the oxford comma. Associated press style, which is followed by many news outlets, says not to use it. This style guide is mainly used in most longform publishing. Oxford comma is by far the most common question, or maybe thats a complaint. Only the associated press stylebook recommends against the oxford comma. It helps with clarity, and court cases have even been decided based on. In a list of three or more items, use a comma after the penultimate item. Last week the ap updated its style guide and sortabutnotquitekilled the rule on hyphens. Ap style tells you not to use it, so, a lot of print media doesnt use it such as the new york times, the wall street journal and. Today the ap stylebook is updated annually usually in june. People who care about grammar love the serial comma, aka the oxford or harvard comma.
It is also required by the chicago manual of style and mla style. May 29, 20 the new ap stylebook will not end the oxford comma debate. How to use commas in associated press style pen and the pad. Nov 16, 2011 there are 11 simple rules that govern the comma in ap style. The exception is with sentences that require it for clarity. Spell out all numbers up to 10, then use numerals after that book titles belong in quotation marks. I would like a coffee with sugar, creamer and whipped topping. The new stylebook emphasizes that clarity is the bottom line. Ap style does not use the oxford comma, so do not use a comma before the last item in a simple series. Ap style used to be to use he when gender is not known. Your oxford comma just make jfk a stripper, and that sentence would be more.
Apr 21, 2017 the oxford comma is, however, commonly used in both academic writing and book publishing, and amusing examples of what can happen when you omit the oxford comma abound. Why you dont need the oxford comma as told over brunch. Although it is sold as a guide for reporters, it has become the leading reference. At this time we have reason to believe the killings were gangrelated and carried out by adherents of both the ap and chicago styles, part of a. The following are simple examples of serial commas. The new ap stylebook will not end the oxford comma debate. First, there are style guidelines that indicate to use the oxford comma, and there are. Ap style, the oxford comma, and communication the daily. Its mobile optimized so you can use it on your desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet. The exotic dancers, bob ross and bill nye walk into a bar. Last christmas i bought my daughter claire an entertaining book on. This joke has long been used as an example by language students in support of the oxford comma.
Some style guides prescribe its use chicago manual of style, elements of style, apa, etc while others proscribe its use associated press stylebook. If i meant that jfk, stalin and some ladies working their way through college were all coming to the party, i would write. Ap stylebook, also known by its full name the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law, is an english grammar style and usage guide created by american journalists working for or connected with the associated press to standardize mass communication. This book is dedicated to my parents, ayn rand and god. Something about it seemed a little off to me, and i finally realized what irked me about it. Only the associated press stylebook recommends against the oxford. Use of the oxford comma is stylistic, meaning that some style guides demand its use while others dont. Its amazing how passionate people are about their punctuation. Nov 18, 2019 newspapers, which follow ap style, do not use oxford commas unless required to avoid confusion. Mar 15, 2017 an oxford comma changed this court case completely. It always appears before the coordinating conjunction. The oxford or serial comma is the final comma in a list of things.
For the purposes of this response, ill call it the serial comma. Oxford style requires the use of the comma to avoid confusion, hence the name oxford comma. No need to overwork the comma and use it for a simple series. Do you know the big differences between ap, apa, chicago. Strippers, jfk, and stalin illustrate why you should use. Ive been reading that ap is saying now that you only use the serial comma when it affects the meaning of the sentence. May 18, 2017 may 29, 2017, would have marked john f.
An oxford comma changed this court case completely cnn. No newspaper is going to be shut down because they added an oxford comma in a sentence or wrote a date incorrectly. Oct 31, 2019 the lack of a comma after jfk makes the implications unclear, meaning it needs to be there for the sentence to make complete sense. What are some of the most commonly asked questions you receive andor most common mistakes you see in ap style usage. Strippers, jfk, and stalin illustrate why you should use the. Ap style is to not include a comma before the conjunction in a simple series like the flag is red, white and blue.
The oxford comma or serial comma is a comma placed between the last two items in a series of three or more. After so many years of using the oxford comma, it now looks incorrect if i do put it in. One comma makes the difference between an awkward road trip with two people and a potentially hilarious road trip with four people. 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. Whoever told you the and takes the place of the comma was wrong. In the sentence, we invited the strippers, jfk and stalin, the absence of an oxford comma creates the possibility that jfk and stalin are the strippers. The lingofy proofing button appears in your browsers tool bar so you can check copy for local or ap style issues while using online writing platforms such as wordpress, blogger or constantcontact. Commas in a series ah yes, lastly, but definitely not least, the oxford or serial comma.
My degree is in communications and i learned ap style. The first style book to recommend using the serial comma came out in 1905 in england. This image, courtesy of the gloss, illustrates why. Ap stylethe style guide that newspaper reporters adhere todoes not require. But sometimes a picture is worth many words, as this cartoon by. More than a few have told us they started their career as journalists using ap style in the newsroom. The oxford commaalso called the serial comma and the harvard commais a regular source of confusion and angst. There are cases in which the use of the serial comma can avoid ambiguity see resolving ambiguity and also instances in which its use can introduce ambiguity see creating ambiguity. What they are and how to use them site title english grammar and use are the ap associated press and chicago manuals.
Yet people are often taught that they should always use it or never use it. It is important to note that the ap style guide is just that. The oxford university press sparked a war back in 1892 that continues to this day with as many on both sides of the line protesting their side as the right one. The oxford comma occurs before the and in the following sentence. This example from the 1934 style book of the new york herald tribune shows how a comma before and can result in a lack of clarity. Turabian and mla do use the oxford comma in their style guides i believe. Ap style thats the associated press stylebook, which many.
Business insider is a rare publication that insists on the serial comma, since our editorinchief learned to love it in his days at yale and on wall street. Questions about the oxford comma are the most common. Ap and apa both spell out numbers below 10 and use numerals for numbers 10 and over. The nooxford comma rule applies only to simple series when its not needed for clarity or accuracy. Proponents of the oxford comma say its necessary to avoid potential ambiguity. This entry now refers to the entry on they, them, their. Although the normal style is to avoid the serial comma, use one if it is. The oxford comma is massively overrated business insider. May 07, 2009 the associated press was founded more than 150 years ago and now has thousands of employees working in more than a hundred countries for a readership that numbers in the millions. Apr 20, 2016 it covers much more than the ap stylebook, which generally covers only common words and their usage. Ive always wondered why its called the oxford comma. Jan 23, 2016 its not clear whether that means two strippers plus jfk and stalin, for a total of four people, as in the left panel below, or whether the strippers are jfk and stalin, as in the right panel.
There are several distinctions that are made in the chicago manual of style. Newspapers, which follow ap style, do not use oxford commas. Further, using the oxford comma ensures there is no miscommunication. When he had tired of the mad pace of new york, he moved to. The lack of a comma after jfk makes the implications unclear, meaning it needs to be there for the sentence to make complete sense. Mar 01, 2016 the comma after creamer is the oxford comma. On september 28, 2009 the associated press released the first mobile edition of the stylebook for the iphonethe ap stylebook app. However, we cannot give the comma a gold watch and say goodbye. Despite years of arguing in classrooms and on the internet, some people still do not recognize the importance of this punctuation. Here are a few clarifications from textbroker for where we stand on these issues. Make sure youre punctuating the story you want people to read. The habit that many an english teacher probably propelled you to develop. Its the comma that comes before the final item in a list of three or more. Apr 10, 2015 citizens protest starbucks following arrest of two african american men.
You know youre a nerd when you have a favorite style rule. Its not as though all the experts advocate for the oxford comma, though. Zuckerbergs congressional hearing reignites zucc meme. Sep 21, 20 the oxford comma is massively overrated. Posts about ap style comma written by rosepoint publishing.
Learning ap style, which loathes commas, has been a challenge as a. The comma between jfk and stalin is the oxford comma. A comma is used to separate an introductory clause or phrase from the main clause. However, other periodicals such as the atlantic and the new yorker use the oxford comma, as do many book publishers. Strippers, jfk, and stalin illustrate why you should use the serial comma. The serial comma is also commonly known as the oxford comma, as it is widely believed to have been introduced as a grammatical rule by horace hart of the oxford. We invited two strippers, jfk, and stalin clearly corresponds to the left panel. In recognition of this centennial anniversary, the associated press presents jfk. In 20, associated press publishers celebrated the book s 60th anniversary edition numbers are no longer used. The first reason why you dont need the oxford comma is a basic one. The oxford or serial comma is one of the more divisive parts of the english language even more so than the singular they, and it looks like the hyphen will be relegated to the same battlefield. People seem to either love or hate the oxford comma, and the ap stylebook is part of the latter group. Like, using the stripper example, yall know that theres no way jfk or stalin would be strippers. The sentence, we invited the strippers, jfk and stalin, is a prime example.
Editors and other professional grammarians prefer the oxford comma. So to all english teachers, users of ap style, college students everywhere, grammarians, and vampire weekend, i care about the oxford comma. Spiralbound book, updated each spring 2019 ap stylebook. Mar 12, 20 for the record, the editors bible in australia, the australian government style guide, recommends against using the oxford comma except when it is necessary to ensure clarity p. In sutcliffes book, he names it the oxford comma because horace hart. May 08, 2014 if youre writing a nonfiction book, you need a tightlaced style. We invited the strippers, jfk, and stalin, id firstly remove the oxford comma. We recognize there is spirited debate on this, almost as much as on the oxford comma.
However, chicago style or the chicago manual of style, which is commonly used by book publishers, academics and trade publications does require an oxford comma. Ap style thats the associated press stylebook, which many journalists live by does not use an oxford comma. The chicago manual of style, which is followed by most book. Its updated throughout the year and valuable onlineonly resources, including ask the editor, topical guides and pronunciation guide, expand on the print book s guidance. He interviewed merle haggards two exwives, kris kristoferson. Learning ap style, which loathes commas, has been a challenge as a commahappy english major. Great for listing, pontificating, and winning court cases. A full suite of products to help you stay in style, whether on your desktop, laptop, smartphone or tablet. Even following aps yearly updates of the stylebook, theyve stated via their twitter account that they generally dont use the oxford comma in a simple series. From the set of all possible strippers, we have the two specific strippers jfk and stalin.
With the first sentence you may need to stop and think are jfk and stalin strippers. I packed a deck of cards, pretzels, and three novels. While ap style is largely sound, there are a few rules that are quite subjective. A huge reason for this is that the all mighty associated press stylebook that a majority of professional publications abide by doesnt recognize the use of the oxford comma. Newspapers, which follow ap style, do not use oxford commas unless required to avoid confusion. The style guide that journalists and newspapers adhere to does not require the oxford comma. Why i stand by the oxford comma virginia personal injury. And heres a short ted talk on the oxford comma debate. A daily chronicle of the white house years, which examines the 1,036 days that the young, dynamic president and first lady jackie kennedy resided at 1600 pennsylvania ave.
Strunk and white simply say that a comma is to be used after each item except the last. Ap wants hyphens to literally go the way of the oxford comma. Associated press style basics journalists resource. The bureau had just sent on the news wires an insert telling of the warm reception given jfk and his wife jackie on arrival at dallas love field. I dont think i can ever let go of the oxford comma even if ap style says to. The new york times and other premiere media outlets dont use oxford commas. Using the oxford comma is the best way to ensure your audience understands your meaning. Though some writers are fans of the oxford comma, ap style does not generally include its use. Check out our dissenting opinion, why the oxford comma is pretentious. A serial comma simply means that a comma will separate each element in a series of three or more, even before the coordinating conjunctions and and before or. I once loved the serial comma, too, until a recent realization caused me to look closer. Either ap style must change to meet the needs of language, or newspapers should exercise leniency with its use in the name of communication.
However, since the introduction of ap style in 1953, this bit of punctuation has been in peril. Well have you know cnn adheres by ap style, which does not include the mark. More often than not, if we cant make sense without it in the paper, the sentence gets changed. Broadly speaking, the oxford comma is the final comma in a list of things, usually located before the and in the sentence. Five updates to the 2017 associated press stylebook. Usually, whether or not an oxford comma is used is a matter of style and not of material. New yorklaw enforcement officials confirmed friday that four more copy editors were killed this week amid ongoing violence between two rival gangs divided by their loyalties to the the associated press stylebook and the chicago manual of style. That final comma before the and in a list is called an oxford comma, or serial comma. The oxford comma assures clarity when used properly. The 2019 edition of the associated press stylebook and briefing on media law includes more than 200 new or revised entries, with chapters covering data journalism, business, fashion, food, religion and sports terms, as well as media law, news values, punctuation, social media, polls and surveys and a new chapter on health and science. Ap stylebook online is a searchable, customizable resource for writers and editors. The oxford comma is extremely overrated business insider. The graduate center uses the oxford or serial comma, even though ap style does not. All of my english teachers taught me the proper use of the penultimate comma and i choose to honor my education and continue to not just include the oxford comma but embrace it.
Sep 19, 2011 ive blogged before about the usefulness of the oxford comma in avoiding inadvertent confusion. Ap style is designed to address the challenges of the organizations large size and readership. The guidelines help writers present clear and concise information with consistent structure to keep readers focused. Perhaps its called a harvard comma when the sentence is about how much yale sucks and an oxford comma when the sentence is about bad teeth. Wwe wrestler awkwardly introduces herself to memedom. However, there are clear areas where ap style fails in its goal to facilitate consistency, clarity, accuracy, and brevity. Believe it or not, sometimes even the glorified oxford comma can contribute to linguistic confusion. In contrast, inclusion of an oxford comma renders the meaning unambiguous.
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