Oxford Comma - college essays

[Anonymous]

Just be consistent!

[Anonymous]

Why you should always use the Oxford comma, ripped from today’s headlines lol:

U.N. court ICC issues arrest warrants for Israel's Netanyahu, former defense chief and a Hamas leader

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/icc-arrest-warrants-israel-benjamin-netanyahu-yoav-gallant-hamas-mohammed-deif/

[Anonymous]

People who don’t use the Oxford comma are monsters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People who don’t use the Oxford comma are monsters.

I was going to say pretentious ignorami, but monsters is acceptable.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:People who don’t use the Oxford comma are monsters.

I was going to say pretentious ignorami, but monsters is acceptable.

Wait why is it pretentious NOT to use it? Seems pretentious to add it where it is not required.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Both of my kids (college age) use the Oxford comma.

Same. Our family are staunch Oxford comma stans. It's was a core part of our parenting!

Hear, hear.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why you should always use the Oxford comma, ripped from today’s headlines lol:

U.N. court ICC issues arrest warrants for Israel's Netanyahu, former defense chief and a Hamas leader

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/icc-arrest-warrants-israel-benjamin-netanyahu-yoav-gallant-hamas-mohammed-deif/

!!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why you should always use the Oxford comma, ripped from today’s headlines lol:

U.N. court ICC issues arrest warrants for Israel's Netanyahu, former defense chief and a Hamas leader

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/icc-arrest-warrants-israel-benjamin-netanyahu-yoav-gallant-hamas-mohammed-deif/

!!!!!

In that example, the Oxford comma is necessary for clarity.

If I write “Please buy eggs, milk and strawberries” the Oxford comma is not necessary to understand me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Both of my kids (college age) use the Oxford comma.

+1 as a current college student. It was taught to me as the correct way to write. Commas were engrained in me to the point a writing professor a couple years back let me know about my overuse of them.

[Anonymous]

Prediction: the Oxford comma will become standard again, and those who don’t use it will be the equivalent of today’s two-spacers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Prediction: the Oxford comma will become standard again, and those who don’t use it will be the equivalent of today’s two-spacers.

Only because it’s a rigid rule that doesn’t require thinking, so it’s better for the unwashed masses. Smart people understand when it’s required and when it isn’t.

[Anonymous]

Only autists and anti-intellectuals care about this one way or the other.

Use whichever is unambiguous.

Filling your writing with comma-separated lists is bad writing.

Use bullet points for technical writing, and use your words for essays.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Prediction: the Oxford comma will become standard again, and those who don’t use it will be the equivalent of today’s two-spacers.

Only because it’s a rigid rule that doesn’t require thinking, so it’s better for the unwashed masses. Smart people understand when it’s required and when it isn’t.

Both are rigid rules that don't require thinking. Smart people write whatever is unambiguous, and don't fret over two equally good alternatives

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When applying to Oxford, yes. Otherwise, it doesn't matter.

Or Harverd!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Would never occur to me to think Oxford/serial comma = parent edited it; in fact, if anything I think the Oxford comma is coming back into fashion and that people our age use it less.

Count me as another editor who is pro-serial comma. It never hurts to use it and sometimes is important for clarity. Why bother to determine case by case when you could just use it all the time and not worry?

But I also agree that it doesn’t matter at all in terms of admissions. Pick an approach and go with it. The most important thing is clarity and consistency.

"For teaching me about the Oxford comma, I owe a debt of gratitude to my father, Jeff Steele, and several anonymous DCUM posters."