PH Pedants. Help me...........

[bitwrx]

"......interested in systems analysis, and would like to work......"

"systems analysis" - the analysis of (or belonging to) systems [plural].

So should it be "systems'"?

To me it looks wrong, but I'm really not sure. It's for a cover letter, so it has to be right.

Edit to bold the proposed possessive apostrophe. Plural systems. Do I need the apostrophe?

Edited by bitwrx on Saturday 28th February 11:41

[The Stuntman *]

Depends on how many systems you'll be analysing ?

[scorp]

If we are talking about computer systems then it usually nested, e.g. a system is made up of other systems, so its plural is correct english. Or something.

[Puff Puff]

bitwrx said:

"......interested in systems analysis, and would like to work......"

"systems analysis" - the analysis of (or belonging to) systems [plural].

So should it be "systems'"?

To me it looks wrong, but I'm really not sure. It's for a cover letter, so it has to be right.

For a start that comma after analysis is not required.

If you are a systems analyst and 'systems analysis' is what you do, it is just fine.

I think...

[Pesty]

I thought the rule was no comma in front of an 'and'

[rhinochopig]

Pesty said:

I thought the rule was no comma in front of an 'and'

Google Oxford Comma

[Puff Puff]

rhinochopig said:

Pesty said:

I thought the rule was no comma in front of an 'and'

Google Oxford Comma

It's still wrong as far as I'm concerned.

[Dogwatch]

Don't see anything wrong with 'systems analysis'. Depends upon the attitude of the recipient but what would annoy me more is using there instead of they're and similar howlers.

[HiRich]

bitwrx said:

"systems analysis" - the analysis of (or belonging to) systems [plural].

There is nothing possessive in the "of" you use - the analysis is about or pertaining to the system. Therefore no apostrophe. If anything "system analysis" would be more appropriate as you are considering a single system at a time (as in "engine tester), and a comma before an and is perfectly acceptable if it adds clarification about what the and refers to:
"I went to the shop to get some fags and hurt my thumb"
"I went to the shop to get some fags, and hurt my thumb"

[Simpo Two]

bitwrx said:

"......interested in systems analysis, and would like to work......"

Two ideas:

"......interested in analysing systems, and would like to work......"

"......interested in systems analysis, but not sure about apostrophes......"

[Noger]

Could be worserer. You could want to work for Lloyd's of London analysing their systems

Try apostrophising your way out of that one !

System Analyst, Systems Analyst. All propeller-heads to me

[Red Kite]

HiRich said:

bitwrx said:

"systems analysis" - the analysis of (or belonging to) systems [plural].

There is nothing possessive in the "of" you use - the analysis is about or pertaining to the system. Therefore no apostrophe. If anything "system analysis" would be more appropriate as you are considering a single system at a time (as in "engine tester), and a comma before an and is perfectly acceptable if it adds clarification about what the and refers to:
"I went to the shop to get some fags and hurt my thumb"
"I went to the shop to get some fags, and hurt my thumb"

+1 all the above comments

[Meteor Madness]

If you are providing more than one analysis you would providing analyses.

[bitwrx]

Bloody minefield.

For the record I left the apostrophe out, and left the comma in.

Thanks for your help.

[Puff Puff]

HiRich said:

bitwrx said:

"systems analysis" - the analysis of (or belonging to) systems [plural].

There is nothing possessive in the "of" you use - the analysis is about or pertaining to the system. Therefore no apostrophe. If anything "system analysis" would be more appropriate as you are considering a single system at a time (as in "engine tester), and a comma before an and is perfectly acceptable if it adds clarification about what the and refers to:
"I went to the shop to get some fags and hurt my thumb"
"I went to the shop to get some fags, and hurt my thumb"

From what I've read, the Oxford comma is the comma that precedes the conjunction before the final item in a list of three or more items. Thus its use as you describe would seem to be wrong.