Editorial

Photo: Kaboompics

You should care about the Oxford Comma - here’s why

By: Victoria Gotcheva

When listing the Timbits flavors that Tim Hortons offers, should you write “chocolate, blueberry, and raspberry” or “chocolate, blueberry and raspberry”? Although the difference between these two variations may appear minor, the comma separating the penultimate item in a list from the last is a bone of contention for many people. The Chicago Manual of Style insists that the Oxford comma — also known as the serial comma — be used in any list of three or more items, while the Associated Press Stylebook only upholds its inclusion only in situations where ambiguity cannot otherwise be avoided. In addition to inciting a lawsuit that cost the Oakhurst Dairy Company over $5 million, the controversy surrounding the Oxford comma has sparked a wider discussion about the importance of good grammar. Although numerous individuals have expressed their concern for the proper placement of commas, others have regarded punctuation as a trivial matter. Despite this, grammatical proficiency is directly linked to effective communication, and learning about the rules of grammar should be valued rather than treated with disdain.

Language allows people to share information with while expressing thoughts, opinions, and emotions. Having specific rules that people have agreed upon and abide by creates commonalities between how people communicate using language. This facilitates interactions between individuals and keeping grammar conventions in mind when writing can make the finished product less confusing for others to read. Clarity helps ensure that the main message of a written work gets across to the reader and that the emotions intended to be relayed are effective. This is especially relevant for pieces that deal with serious topics and aim to persuade the reader to adopt a certain stance. Being knowledgeable about proper grammar and making use of it when writing is also important for establishing a degree of professionalism. Work that is filled with grammatical errors or inconsistencies suggests that the writer did not care enough about the task to pay attention to detail, which, in a work environment, can affect which employees get promoted and which applicants get hired. In fact, there was a study that showed that four in ten job candidates are turned away due to poor grammar and spelling. Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, strong writing skills are required for a wide range of professions, not only those like journalism and copy editing that are traditionally associated with English majors. Some jobs in the STEM fields, for example, involve writing papers about the findings of a research project, and according to Kristin Sainani, a health policy professor at Stanford University, “Scientists need to know how to write to get their work published and get grants.” Clear and compelling communication is necessary for people to want to invest in and support new ideas.

In this day and age where there is a heavy reliance on technology, many people argue that they do not need to worry about grammar because of writing assistants, such as Grammarly, that can do that for them. Such softwares are not perfect, however, and existing knowledge of the grammar conventions related to a recommended edit is often needed to determine whether the software’s suggestions are appropriate. Koltovskaia’s 2020 study, for instance, revealed that Grammarly only helped students who had incorrectly implemented rules that they were already familiar with. Being overly reliant on technology can also become problematic in situations where the completion of a writing task is monitored and it is not possible to use grammar-checking software. In addition, people with a high level of grammatical proficiency are needed for the creation and improvement of writing assistants.

Whether you support the use of the Oxford comma or not, taking the time to learn about such topics related to grammar will help you make more intentional and informed decisions when writing. The clearer and more effective communication that results from a deeper understanding of grammar conventions can be an asset for solving problems that directly affect many people. While it would be unreasonable to expect everyone to be a grammar expert, it is important to remain curious and to make the most out of the opportunities for learning and improving that you have or can attain.