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Some people use the Oxford comma (also known as the Harvard or serial comma). This is a comma before "and" or "or" at the end of a series, regardless of whether it is needed for clarification purposes. For example: X, Y, and Z (with an Oxford comma) X, Y and Z (without an Oxford comma)
The serial comma (for example the comma before and in "ham, chips, and eggs") is optional; be sensitive to possible ambiguity arising from thoughtless use or thoughtless avoidance, and be consistent within a given article. Avoid comma splices. Picture captions should not end in a full stop (a period) unless they are complete sentences.
The comma-free approach is often used with partial quotations: The report observed "a 45% reduction in transmission rate". A comma is required when it would be present in the same construction if none of the material were a quotation: In Margaret Mead's view, "we must recognize the whole gamut of human potentialities" to enrich our culture.
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"Use commas to separate elements in a series, but do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series. Put a comma before the concluding conjunction in a series, however, if an integral element of the series requires a conjunction: I had orange juice, toast, and ham and eggs for breakfast.
Place a full stop (a period) or a comma before a closing quotation mark if it belongs as part of the quoted material; otherwise put it after: The word carefree means "happy". But: She said, "I'm feeling carefree. " (Please do so irrespective of any rules associated with the variety of English in use.) read more ...
This sentence is a bit different; however, a comma is necessary as well. Using commas to offset certain adverbs is optional, including then, so, yet, instead, and too (meaning also). So, that's it for this rule. or; So that's it for this rule. A comma would be appropriate in this sentence, too. or; A comma would be appropriate in this sentence too.
Serial comma The so-called Oxford or serial comma is the optional last comma in a list in phrases such as "ham, egg, and chips". Many writers always use a serial comma, others only to avoid ambiguity or to improve the reading of a sentence. Wikipedia has no preference between these two styles. jguk 09:16, 7 May 2005 (UTC)