When I first joined The Daily Illini, I was excited to take my first step into the world of journalism and writing. I was shocked, however, to find that my trusty friend the Oxford comma would not be joining me.
The Associated Press style of writing is what most newspapers adhere to, including The Daily Illini. A large spiral-bound book details grammatical rules that a writer must follow to stay in line with the AP standard. And within this book is a clear directive: Avoid the Oxford comma.
For those who are unaware, the Oxford, or serial, comma is the one used before a conjunction in a list of three or more phrases or words. For example, “I ate mangoes, peaches, and pineapples,” compared to “I ate mangoes, peaches and pineapples.” The former utilizes the Oxford comma and the latter rejects it, but both remain grammatically correct.
The confusion can present itself in certain scenarios. The LA Times presents two situations that support either side. In a sentence like, “I met with my professors, Tina and John,” the lack of an Oxford comma can create confusion. Are the professors referring to Tina and John, or a separate group of people also included in the meeting?
On the other hand, a sentence like, “I met with my professors, Tina, and John,” allows the Oxford comma to be the source of confusion. The professor could either be Tina or another individual in the meeting.
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The debate of this comma boils down to preference. Other styles of writing, like The Chicago Manual of Style, support the use of the Oxford comma. And individual writers certainly have their preferences.
Public support is split too. In a poll from FiveThirtyEight, 57% of Americans supported the use of the Oxford comma, while 43% were against it. And while the majority prefer the benefit the Oxford comma can bring, the split is still even enough to create a clear debate.
Even the Associated Press editors had to weigh in, explaining in an email that the Oxford comma technically can be used in their style, but is only preferred for certain situations.
So why discourage it in the first place? One possibility is that when newspapers were entirely physical, printing presses tried to save ink by any means possible. This could mean cutting down on wordiness, limiting long sentences and eliminating unnecessary punctuation, including the Oxford comma.
But in a world where the press has become an almost entirely digital endeavor, the same rules that could save newspapers money no longer apply.
The AP style guide is a constantly updating book, being published every other year with new rules and guidelines for an ever-changing world. The time is right for a new edition, one that can guarantee the right of individual newspapers to decide on their use of the Oxford comma.
As long as consistency is maintained, papers should be allowed to pick and choose their stance, since there are benefits and drawbacks to either system.
I love using the Oxford comma in my personal writing, but as a member of The Daily Illini, I’m willing to sacrifice it to maintain consistency with my organization. But in the future, rather than by rule, writers should be able to make that distinction by choice.
Amartya is a freshman in LAS.
