I used to think that the same punctuation rules applied no matter what you were writing. But I was wrong: there are four major editing styles, and each one has its own rules.
One editing style, no matter what you were writing (or editing), would be so much less confusing.
The Four Major Editing Styles
Book-editing style: This one is recommended for authors (and editors) of fiction books, nonfiction books, and the authors of articles for popular magazines. This style is based on The Chicago Manual of Style and the references it names, including Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
New media and business writing style: The name of this one is self-explanatory. Its references are The Associated Press Stylebook and Webster’s New World College Dictionary.
Science style: I find the name of this style self-explanatory as well. Its references are the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association and Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary.
Academic style: This is the style recommended for college papers and academic articles. Its reference is the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers.
A huge help in keeping track of the differences in each editing style is The Best Punctuation Book, Period. It has proven to be a godsend for me when editing questions arise.
What are some of the differences in the editing style? I’ll be covering just two of them in this article.
The Serial Comma
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, the serial comma is a comma used after the penultimate item in a list of three or more items, before “and” or “or” (e.g. an Italian painter, sculptor, and architect). The serial comma is also called the Harvard comma or the Oxford comma.
The serial comma is used in book-editing style, science style, and academic style, but not in news media and business writing style.
Want to make things even more confusing? When the final item in the series of clauses is preceded by a coordinating conjunction, especially and, all styles advocate a comma before the conjunction.
In the 1970s, playground equipment was brutal, clackers were playtime weapons of mass destruction, and roller skating to disco was cool.
I consider this rule to be common sense: when the last or second-to-last item in a series contains its own conjunction, use the serial comma.
Sandwiches on the menu include tuna salad, roast beef, and peanut butter and jelly.
Sandwiches on the menu included tuna salad, peanut butter and jelly, and roast beef.
The Possessive of a Word Ending in S
When I was in school a long, long time ago, I was taught that when a singular word or name ends in s and you need to make it a possessive, all you do is add an apostrophe. But as in all other things dealing with punctuation, there are so many more rules to consider.
If you have a singular word that ends in s, and the word doesn’t change when it becomes a plural, then the possessive is the same for both: you add only an apostrophe. This would include words such as politics, economics, and species.
Politics’ influence
Economics’ winnings
Species’ traits
A place, organization, or publication with a name that ends with a plural word ending in s takes only an apostrophe.
United States’ government
Starbucks’ coffee
Better Homes and Gardens’ articles
In science style, if the final s in a singular word is silent, add only an apostrophe to make it possessive.
Descartes’ methods
Blanche Dubois’ journey
Arkansas’ policies
But according to the Chicago Manual of Style 7.18, words and names ending in an unpronounced s form the possessive In the usual way with the addition of an apostrophe and an s, which is usually pronounce when spoken.
Descartes’s methods
Blanche Dubois’s journey
Arkansas’s policies
When you form the possessive of a singular common noun ending in s, add an apostrophe and an s.
The boss’s house
The hostess’s job
The exception to this rule comes to us from the news media and business style writing. In it, if the word that follows begins with an s, you use an apostrophe only.
The boss’ sister
The hostess’ station
When you form the possessive of a singular proper noun (name) ending is s, for book style, science style, and academic style, you add an apostrophe and an s. There are those like my husband who strongly disagree with this because this isn’t the way they were taught to make the possessives of nouns (names) ending in s in school. I wasn’t taught this way either, but according to The Best Punctuation Book, Period and The Chicago Manual of Style, this is the correct way to do it.
Jesus’s teachings
Mr. Williams’s science class
For news media and business writing style, you only add an apostrophe after the s. This is also an alternative method for book style.
Jesus’ teachings
Mr. Williams’ science class
I hope this article helped you understand some of the differences in editing styles.
Recommended Articles:
The Capitalization of Species and Races in Fantasy & Science Fiction
Singular They: To Use or Not To Use
All Caps, Multiple Exclamation Points, & the Interrobang
Single Quotation Marks vs. Regular Quotation Marks vs. Italics
