Writing Style

A comma splice (P-CS) error occurs when a comma is used to separate two independent clauses.  This error occurs most often because we want to show that two ideas are closely related; the error often occurs when we use connecting words and phrases.

Comma Splice Error: The patient is non-compliant to the drug regimen, as a result, there is frequent fluctuation in her blood pressure.  

Three Ways to Repair
1. Period (full stop) 
The patient is non-compliant to the drug regimen. As a result, there is frequent fluctuation in her blood pressure.  
2. Semicolon 
The patient is non-compliant to the drug regimen; as a result, there is frequent fluctuation in her blood pressure.  
3. Comma + coordinating conjunction 
The patient is non-compliant to the drug regimen, so there is frequent fluctuation in her blood pressure.  

Tips
• Keep track of your independent clauses by highlighting your subjects and verbs. Clauses must be separated by one of the three methods above.
• Use the “Find” function in Microsoft Word to find the commas in your text. Review each comma to make sure that it is not being used where a period should be.

Video

(3:22 minutes) - explains the three strategies with examples.

Imagine Easy Solutions. (2014, August 8). Comma splices explained [Video]. YouTube.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eC-CSmOIUBA

More information
"Commas," University of Calgary in Qatar

See your APA manual pp. 155-156 (6.3 "Comma")

"The Comma Splice," Robin L. Simmons