I typically prefer not to use them. But several reviewers have been pretty explicit (in a kind way) that they feel they are necessary. Just so there's no confusion, here's an example of what I mean about serial commas:
The perp was tall, lanky, fast, and deceptive.
My question is: do I really need that serial comma between "fast" and "and"?
My junior high English teacher said it was optional. He never used it and I followed suit, not using it either. In college, my Creative Writing 101 professor strongly suggested we always use it, although technically not required. He simply thought it was more appropriate to do so. My Creative Writing 201 professor, said it was purely optional; either way is perfectly acceptable.
To me, it seems redundant to use both the serial comma plus the word "and" before the last item in the series. The word "and" informs the reader that the next item in the series will be the last one. I'd love to hear your opinion on the subject. Thanks in advance!
Alan
