Published every year, the AP Stylebook (AP) is "the journalist's bible." It's available in paperback ($18.95) or online (individual subscription, $25) and is used primarily by American journalists, marketing writers, and sales professionals.
The AP recommends omitting the comma for a short, simple series before a conjunction (and, or, nor) preceding the final item in a list of three or more items:
Journalists (AP): ...red, white and blue
However,
AP also recommends using the comma to avoid ambiguity when you have
additional "ands" linking the items in the series, or when you are
writing complex series.
In contrast, most nonjournalistic style manuals mandate the use of the serial comma in
all situations to avoid ambiguity (
Chicago Manual of Style, American Medical Association Manual of Style, U.S. Government Printing Office Style Manual, The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, The Oxford Style Manual, The CSE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers, MLA Manual).
Nonjournalists: ...red, white, and blue:
How do YOU feel about the serial comma? To take a one-question, anonymous poll about your personal use of the serial comma, click
here. I'll report your answers next month!
I can't help cringing when a corporate or government client insists upon using AP to govern style in all business and technical writing. The AP clearly focuses its specialized purpose on journalism and, within organizations, communications (press releases, advertising, marketing). AP won't help technical or business writers with thorny style issues. To find the right style guide for you, visit our PDF on style manuals.
