 |
| Oxford Comma meme by 9LoLs.com |
To use or not, the Oxford rule
I'm usually fine without the serial comma- aka Oxford comma or Harvard comma- and write without it unless special circumstance seems to require it or when directed as a rule in some form by a project leader. Usually, no one else worries about it at all.
Most U.S. English styles suggest to use the 'extra' serial comma to avoid confusion, while U.K. English discourages its [Oxford Press] use except in special cases of further clarification needed.
Perhaps most commonly, the AP (Associated Press) [American multinational co-op] style matches the influence of U.K. English rules (most-naturally, I'd say), discouraging serial comma use. Because the Associated Press is a major style influencer in the bulk of English writing we see today, we're thus most-familiar with their rule.
In order for everyone to get along, we should recognize that with most writing, original flexibility is wide open while certain other cases demand a style more rigid in its delivery in order to convey the most-wanted impact or understanding of a message or story.
REF:
AP.org
Wikipedia contributors. "Associated Press." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 4 Feb. 2015. Web. 12 Feb. 2015.
Editor. "AP Stylebook FAQ." AP Stylebook, 2015. Web. 12 Feb. 2015. https://www.apstylebook.com/?do=ask_editor&pg=faq
