The Oxford Comma To Use or Not to Use

Deanna Brown IST 511 Writing Workshop September 30th, 2013

Also known as the serial comma

What is the Oxford Comma?

Used before the coordinating conjunction Debate for and against its use Ambiguity Consistency with semi-colon

First Example
She will have chocolate, vanilla or strawberry ice cream She will have chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry ice cream.

Clarifying Ambiguity
Those are her uncles, Jack and Bob.

Those are her uncles, Jack, and Bob.

Distinction
I ate ham and eggs, toast and jam and pie and ice cream. I ate ham and eggs, toast and jam, and pie and ice cream. There are three pineapples, two coconuts and one mango. There are three pineapples, two coconuts, and one mango.

Conclusion
Used before coordinating conjunction when listing three or more Advantages and disadvantages Usage is personal preference

References
Editor: Jones, B. (2011, June 30). Twitter Oxford comma commotion punctuated by fact. USA Today. Retrieved September 30th, 2013 from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/offbeat/2011-06-30-Oxford-comma-rule-change-Twitter_n.htm Holmes, L. (2011, June 30). Going, Going, And Gone?: No, The Oxford Comma Is Safe For Now. National Public Radio. Retrieved September 30th, 2013 from http://www.npr.org/blogs/monkeysee/2011/06/30/137525211/going-going-and-goneno-theoxford-comma-is-safe-for-now Nichol, M. (2013, May 21). The Rationale for the Serial Comma.DailyWritingTips. Retrieved September 30th, 2013 from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url/ Nordquist, R. (Date Unknown). What is the Oxford (or serial) comma?. About.com. Retrieved September 30th, 2013 from http://grammar.about.com/od/grammarfaq/f/QAoxfordcomma.htm Images References Eats, Shoots and Leaves [Electric Image]. Retrieved September 30, 2013 from http://www.amazon.com/Eats-Shoots-Leaves-Tolerance-Punctuation/dp/1592402038
frimminjimbits. (February 8th, 2012). Grammar Mistakes We Make Nauseous [Electric Image]. Retrieved September 30, 2013 from http://frimminjimbits.blogspot.com/2012/02/grammar-mistakes-we-make-1-nauseous.html The Elements of Style Cover [Electric Image]. Retrieved September 30, 2013 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wikiFile:Elements_of_Style_cover.jpg