What do style manuals provide guidelines for?

Style manuals provide guidelines primarily for punctuation usage among other aspects of writing. These manuals serve as comprehensive resources that help writers maintain consistency and clarity in their writing, particularly in terms of grammatical rules, punctuation, and citation formats. They outline specific conventions and preferences, which can vary by discipline, making it easier for writers to adhere to accepted standards in their work. This guidance is crucial for ensuring that written communication is professional and easily understood by the intended audience. While other topics like visual design, reading comprehension, and research methods are important in their own rights, they do not fall under the primary function of style manuals.