The Great Comma Debate

The question of whether to use a comma before the conjunction in a simple series is hotly contested among writers of different ilks. Many academic writers claim that a serial comma is required before the conjunction, while writers for periodicals and newspapers tend to agree that the serial comma before the conjunction should be omitted. What do the ultimate authorities say? Which is correct?

“Expect it tomorrow, next Monday, or a week from today.”

OR

“Expect it tomorrow, next Monday or a week from today.”

Authorities say:

The Chicago Manual of Style, Strunk and White’s Elements of Style, MLA style and APA style all say to use the comma before the conjunction, clearly separating every item in the list. Legal writing authorities require every comma to be present in a series, arguing that the absence of the comma can completely change the context of a sentence – an important consideration in the legal field.

The AP Stylebook indicates that commas should be omitted before a conjunction in a series, arguing that the conjunction itself separates the item. AP Stylebook editors claim that this isn’t a ‘change’ perse, but that this has been their stance on serial commas since the AP Stylebook first appeared in its current incarnation in 1977.

You can identify a writer by the way he uses a comma.

As the distinctive guidelines indicate, it’s fairly easy to tell the field in which a writer works most frequently. Simply look at how the writer uses a serial comma. The writer that includes the comma before the conjunction probably works in an academic or formal publication field, as the authorities that cite this rule are used primarily in these fields.

The writer that omits the comma, however, likely spends most of his time working in the field of periodicals or consumer publications, as many magazines and newspapers use the AP Stylebook for style guidelines.

The jury says:

Ultimately, it appears that the answer to the great comma debate depends on personal preference and publication style guidelines. Both usages could theoretically be correct, depending on which authority you cite. Tempers swell over this important question, though, so if you defend your position too staunchly, be prepared for a heated debate. At least now you have a basis for your argument, but you may just have to agree to disagree.