I\u2019m looking for a pediatric board review Qbank with well-written questions<\/strong>, an easy-to-use app,<\/span> and a search function<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n See that comma after \u201capp\u201d? That\u2019s a serial comma\u2014it comes before the final item in a list of three or more things (also known as a series\u2014get it? Series = serial comma). It\u2019s also called the Oxford comma because it was included in the Oxford University Press\u2019s style guide. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But is a comma there entirely necessary? Couldn\u2019t you still understand the sentence without it?<\/p>\n\n\n When I study for the shelf exam, I do three things<\/strong>: learn the material<\/strong>, practice with a Qbank and continually review<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n You understood the three study phases mentioned here, right? Of course. That\u2019s because the serial comma is a style choice<\/strong> rather than a grammatical necessity (most of the time). Many style guides recommend using the serial comma at all times for consistency and clarity. However, other guides (such as AP style, which is standard in journalism) only recommend the serial comma when it\u2019s needed for clarity. Otherwise, it\u2019s seen as an unnecessary punctuation mark that takes up space on the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What\u2019s an example of a sentence that AP style might recommend using the serial comma?<\/p>\n\n\n I<\/strong>\u2019d like to thank my parents<\/strong>, Dr<\/strong>. Peter Rosen and Malala Yousafzai<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n Without the serial comma, there\u2019s a chance a reader could misinterpret the writer\u2019s parents as Dr. Peter Rosen and Malala Yousafzai. With the comma, it\u2019s clear that the writer is thanking more than just their parents\u2014they\u2019re also thanking the father of emergency medicine and a human rights activist (perhaps for being inspirations in the writer\u2019s life).<\/p>\n\n\n I<\/strong>\u2019d like to thank my parents<\/strong>, Dr<\/strong>. Peter Rosen,<\/span> and Malala Yousafzai<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n If you\u2019re deciding whether to include the serial comma in your project or style guide, maybe our reasoning will help. Rosh Review\u2019s standard style is to always use the serial comma. It keeps sentences clear and consistent, and it means the copy editing team doesn\u2019t constantly debate whether a comma is needed in a given list. The team already has near-daily discussions about grammatical nuances, so this is one less thing to talk about! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s the kind of sentence we might discuss if we didn\u2019t have a serial comma rule:<\/p>\n\n\n This diagnosis is also used for patients with hypertensive values who have evidence of end-organ dysfunction as manifested by new-onset cerebral or visual disturbances<\/strong>, severe and persistent right upper quadrant or epigastric abdominal pain<\/strong>, thrombocytopenia<\/strong>, progressive kidney insufficiency or pulmonary edema.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n Without the comma after \u201cprogressive kidney insufficiency,\u201d a reader might stumble over \u201cprogressive\u201d\u2014does it refer to both the kidney insufficiency and the pulmonary edema? If so, is a final condition missing from the list? With a serial comma added, there\u2019s no ambiguity.<\/p>\n\n\n
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