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He has many names: the serial comma; the Oxford comma; the Harvard comma. It is the comma used before the last item in a list: red, white, and blue. Style guides conflict about whether to use it. But in science writing, I find it is least confusing to include it. Science often lists a series of things: ingredients, measures, etc. Science often compares among many outcomes. I think it makes most sense to use the serial comma to make each list as clear as possible.