I've learned that only one usage and style manual must be used by a writer or institution for the sake of consistency. However, some style manuals are like a pocket book with limited examples.
For example, our company has decided to use Strunk and EB White's
The Elements of Style (4th ed.). I believe the book states that when independent clauses are joined by coordinating conjunctions, a comma precedes the conjunction. This rule also appears in other style manuals. But let me give an example sentence that does not appear in that book:
He played the piano, and she sang.
Here, we are required to put a comma even when the two independent clauses are very short and closely connected. I think our institution assumes that this rule applies to all cases. However, the example sentences in
The Elements of Style are not short. Personally, I find this style ugly because I prefer to omit the comma as suggested by
CMOS and other usage and style manuals.
He played the piano and she sang.
I have two questions:
1) Can we assume that Strunk is referring to all cases including those with very short sentences?
2) Is it advisable to refer to a secondary style manual when the issue is not discussed in your primary manual?