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Tip #1: Semi-colons for monster lists
Level of difficulty: Medium
Your research reports often include long lists of complicated items. Sometimes using commas only is insufficient to offset the items. Here is an example:
Wrong: We had four professors on our committee: Peter Wursthorn, Professor of Mathematics, Ronald Pepin, Professor of English, Cynthia Greenblatt, Professor of Education, and Nada Light, Professor of Nursing.
As the items already include a comma, separate the items using semi-colons.
Correct: We had four professors on our committee: Peter Wursthorn, Professor of Mathematics; Ronald Pepin, Professor of English; Cynthia Greenblatt, Professor of Education; and Nada Light, Professor of Nursing.
Here is another example:
The participants in the first group scored 70 points; the second, 60; and the third, 40.