Description
A list is a vertical grouping of related content. They are typically bulleted or numbered.
Types of Lists
Unordered List
Use an unordered list (bulleted) if the order of grouped items does not matter.
Example:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Pears
Ordered List
Use an ordered list to group a set of related items in a specific order. Ordered lists use numbers at the beginning of a list in sequential order.
Example:
- Wake up
- Drink coffee
- Start work
Dos and Don’ts
Do
- When using an unordered list, arrange list items in a logical order that makes sense to the audience (such as days of the week). If a logical order does not apply, then default to alphabetical order.
- When using an ordered list, your list should contain all the steps in a process so that your reader can complete the task.
- Keep points concise. Write brief fragments instead of multi-sentence paragraphs to maximize scannability.
Don’t
- Don’t use a list if you only have one individual piece of information to share.
- Don’t mix periods and blank line endings; use periods only for complete sentences.