Mosts lists are simple lists, in which commas (or semicolons in the case of lists in which items contain commas) are used between items, including before the final item (see more information and examples on the lettered lists page). by David Becker. Use the ampersand when you have more than one author in a citation and you set it off parenth… When a list within a sentence contains three or more items, use a serial comma before the final item. Rule 3: Semicolons separate complex items in a list that already has commas. However, punctuation marks are small and can be difficult to spot. This page reflects guidance from the sixth edition of the Publication Manual.. Go to 7th edition guidelines These are some of the common problems that students and researches have with commas. For example, all items might be nouns or all items might be phrases that begin with a verb. You will need to use a semicolon before the last ‘and’. To draw additional attention to items, APA Style also supports the use of lettered lists, numbered lists, and bulleted lists. View frequently asked questions, quick guides, and our free tutorial. To separate two independent clauses that are not joined by a conjunction. List all publishers in the order they appear separating names with a semicolon. One basic rule of APA Style is to capitalize the first word after the colon in a title. 2. 3. Use a Semicolon: (see pages 89 and 90 in APA manual) 1. This easy-to-use, comprehensive guide makes citing any source easy. Please don’t write something like this, written tongue in cheek, we hope: Colons are punctuation marks used to separate parts of sentences. Just as heading structure alerts readers to the order of ideas in a paper, lists help readers understand a related set of key points within a sentence or paragraph. 1. by Chelsea Lee Punctuation Junction: A series about what happens when punctuation marks collide. Perhaps no mark of punctuation ruffles feathers more than the serial comma (also called series comma, Oxford comma, and Harvard comma).This comma precedes the final item in a list or series, before the word and or or.With the exception of newspapers, most publications use the serial comma, because it helps writers avoid ambiguity. Although each mark has plenty of uses on its own, there are several more complex scenarios in … Commas play an important role in academic writing because it helps the authors communicate technical information. Use Commas to present items in a list of three or more things: 2. Lists, such as numbered lists and bulleted lists, may be used in APA Style. Master academic writing with APA’s essential teaching and learning resource, © 2020 American Psychological Association, 750 First St. NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, Telephone: (800) 374-2721; (202) 336-5500. Think whether you are using the semicolon for effect, or for affect. Provides APA Style guidelines on correct colon use. This handout explains the most common uses of three kinds of punctuation: semicolons (;), colons (:), and dashes (—). Semicolon: Use a semicolon. You can also use a semicolon when you join two independent clauses together with one of the following conjunctive adverbs (adverbs that join independent clauses): however, moreover, therefore, consequently, otherwise, nevertheless, thus, etc. More Examples of Semicolons in Lists Bread, milk, butter, cheese, lamb, beef, and onions Bread, milk, butter, and cheese from the corner shop; lamb and beef … However, if any item in a list of three or more items already contains commas, use … Separate each author’s initials from the next author in the list with a comma. For example, in the movie title Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, the is capitalized because it is placed directly after the colon. Comprehensive guide makes citing any source easy this Research guide has been created to students! 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