Common Errors Archives - My Dissertation Editor

Abstract vs. Introduction: What’s the Difference?

african american woman taking notes in her home office

While every part of a dissertation is important, some of the hardest sections to write occur at the beginning. Two early sections of the dissertation–or any scholarly project–are the abstract and the introduction. While there are some similarities between the two, the abstract and the introduction to a dissertation are distinct pieces of writing that require different approaches and perspectives.

illustration showing the importance of the oxford comma

One of the most common errors I come across in the dissertations I edit is lack of or misuse of commas. Today we’re going to talk about one particular type of comma that (I think) is pretty nifty. It’s the “Serial Comma,” also known as the Oxford Comma. It’s the comma before the final item in a list of three or more things.