Marshall, I am a fan of the serial comma. One of my books is *Writing, Reading, and Research* (with the comma). It is more common in the US than the UK, although the *AP Style Book* advises against it. Wikipedia offers a very nice explanation <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_comma> of the controversy, including pros and cons. Dick On Fri, Sep 30, 2011 at 10:41 AM, Myers, Marshall <[log in to unmask]>wrote: > Dick,**** > > ** ** > > I thought the omission of the comma in a series like these was a > journalistic invention, a way to eliminate what could be an unnecessary > comma.**** > > ** ** > > So the Oxford comma predates the journalistic practice?**** > > ** ** > > Marshall**** > > ** ** > > *From:* Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto: > [log in to unmask]] *On Behalf Of *Dick Veit > *Sent:* Thursday, September 29, 2011 2:36 PM > *To:* [log in to unmask] > *Subject:* the Oxford comma**** > > ** ** > > You might enjoy this cartoon<http://www.outsidethebeltway.com/oxford-comma-cartoon/>about the "Oxford comma," the controversial comma that precedes the > conjunction in a series of three or more items: "eat, drink, and be merry" > (as opposed to "eat, drink and be merry"). It is also called the "Harvard > comma" and the "serial comma." The cartoon could provoke discussion in a > college writing class--perhaps a bit racy for high school. > > Similar is the famously ambiguous (and probably apocryphal) book > dedication: "To my parents, Ayn Rand and God." > > Dick > To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/