DESIGNING LISTS: WHEN AND HOW

One of the most effective ways to organize and emphasize key ideas in your paper is to create a list. Writing your list involves choosing the type of list you need and then writing it with proper structure and punctuation. Follow these guidelines, and your list will grab your reader’s attention, enhance your document’s design, and emphasize key ideas. Here is a breakdown of when to use a certain type of list and how to write it.

WHEN: Choosing What Kind of List to UseThe first thing you need to consider is the placement of your list: embedded or vertical.

EMBEDDEDEmbedded lists are short and placed at the end of a sentence. These lists should only be used if you are listing two to five items in which each item is a single word or short phrase. If your list is longer than five items or includes long phrases, use a vertical list.

VERTICALVertical lists are separated from the main body of text to provide emphasis. Vertical lists are used for two to eight entries of long phrases or short sentences, and they are either numbered or bulleted. Number your list only if it is a step-by-step procedure or a sequential process. Bullet your list if the order of your entries is not important.

HOW: Writing an Effective ListAfter you decide what kind of list to use, you want to write your list to achieve maximum appeal and effectiveness. You need to keep in mind three elements: structure, length, and punctuation.

STRUCTUREBefore your list, you need to have an introductory sentence to create context and a smooth transition. Your introductory sentence must be a complete sentence, and it must be followed by a colon instead of a period. Once you write your list, check over each entry for parallel structure.

LENGTHYour list should contain only two to eight entries. One entry is not enough to list, and more than eight entries is too much for the reader to focus on. Each entry should be concise and no longer than three lines.

PUNCTUATIONIndent your list to separate it from the body text. The first letter of each entry may only be capitalized if each entry is a complete sentence. In this case, each entry must also be followed by a period.

Although lists are effective tools that improve your paper, use them sparingly! When overused, lists create clutter and pull the reader’s focus in too many directions. Follow these guidelines, and your paper will be appealing and enjoyable for your audience.