[Editors] Commas, lists, and consistency

[Scott Campbell]

Clutter!  All, those, extra, commas, are, nothing, but, clutter!  I  
say to hell with the Chicago manual; if there isn't the possibility  
for a misunderstanding of the Ayn Rand/God variety, keep it simple.
______________________________________

Scott Campbell
Director of Communications
MIT School of Architecture + Planning
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge MA 02139
Mail: MIT 7-231 .  Office: MIT 9-422

On Sep 11, 2009, at 5:02 PM, David Chandler wrote:

> However, the AP stylebook says the opposite (p.327):
>
> "do not put a comma before the conjunction in a simple series: The
> flag is red, white and blue."
>
>
> -------------------------------
> David L. Chandler
> science writer
> MIT News Office
> room 11-400
> (617) 253-2704
>
> On Sep 11, 2009, at 4:49 PM, Jennifer Schmitt wrote:
>
>> Chicago manual requires the use of the penultimate comma -- these are
>> the same guidelines (I believe) used by the Office of the President.
>>
>> See: sections 6.18 - 6.56 in the 15th Edition.
>>
>> Jennifer Schmitt
>> RD Office of Communications
>> 600 Memorial Drive, W98-300
>> Cambridge, MA 02139
>> 617.253.5508
>> schmittj at mit.edu
>>
>> On Sep 11, 2009, at 4:42 PM, Jon Markowitz Bijur wrote:
>>
>>> Dear editors,
>>>
>>> My department is having a civil argument about the use of commas in
>>> lists for informal writing (ie event listings on a website). Is it:
>>>
>>> eats, shoots, and leaves
>>> or
>>> eats, shoots and leaves
>>>
>>> ?
>>>
>>> _____________________________
>>> Jon Markowitz Bijur | MIT Museum Interim Programs Manager |
>>> 617-253-9607 | jbijur at mit.edu
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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