With Final Drafts of Journals Due Monday..

Remember:

You must have all three rough drafts stapled to your final drafts of your journal.


Please, review your comma usage as well as your use of the semi-colon.

“With gratitude to my parents, Mother Teresa and the pope.” 

FAQ: Click links for answers. 

Examples from Wikipedia.

What is a comma splice? 

Simply removing the comma does not correct the error, but results in a run-on sentence. There are several ways to correct a comma splice:

• Change the comma to a semicolon, dash, or colon:
  • It is nearly half past five; we cannot reach town before dark.
  • It is nearly half past five—we cannot reach town before dark.
  • We cannot reach town before dark: it is nearly half past five.

In this example, the two clauses must be transposed. A colon often introduces a reason or explanation: the colon becomes a substitute for "because". The clause giving the reason ("it is nearly half past five") must follow the clause that needs explanation ("We cannot reach town before dark").

• Write the two clauses as two separate sentences:
  • It is nearly half past five. We cannot reach town before dark.
• Insert a coordinating conjunction following the comma:
  • It is nearly half past five, and we cannot reach town before dark.
  • It is nearly half past five, so we cannot reach town before dark.
• Make one clause dependent on the other:
  • Because it is nearly half past five, we cannot reach town before dark.
  • It is nearly half past five, which means we cannot reach town before dark.
• Use a semicolon plus a conjunctive adverb:
  • It is nearly half past five; hence, we cannot reach town before dark.

When do I use a semi-colon?

What is a serial comma? 

Here's a clever example about the serial comma from The Chicago Manual of Style:

Q. I totally agree with Chicago’s use of the serial comma. However, I am creating a style guide for a company that does not use the serial comma. For the sake of consistency, I am considering stating in the guide that the serial comma is not to be used at all (yikes!). My question is: Is it better to be consistent (and not use the serial comma at all) OR to add in the serial comma ONLY when it is necessary to prevent ambiguity? I wish that I could just DEMAND the use of the serial comma at all times, but alas, I am just a lowly intern. Thanks a lot for your help!

A. Well, if you don’t allow it at all, you will at times be stuck with situations like the following hypothetical dedication page that our managing editor likes to cite: 

“With gratitude to my parents, Mother Teresa and the pope.” 

(Maybe that example will help you change your company’s policy.)

Additional Resources:

https://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/commas/

https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/692/01/