Day 266: Bullets vs. Numbers

Some technical writers prefer bulleted lists, and others prefer numbered lists. They are making a style choice about which to use. However, the choice between these types of lists isn’t, or shouldn’t be, a mere matter of style. Bulleted lists and numbered lists have specific and unique uses.

Use numbered lists when

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  • the list items are ordered by priority,
  • the items reflect a process,
  • you have indicated that you will write about a set number of items, or

  • the reader should pay attention to a set number of ideas.

 

 

 

 

Use bulleted lists when the list items meet three criteria:

 
  1. The items are non-sequential;

  2. The items are not inter-dependent (i.e., the meaning of one item is not dependent upon the meaning of the other items); and
  3. The list items have equal significance.

 

 

(Notice that the first sample is a bulleted series, not a list. As such, the introductory statement is not an independent clause and is not followed by a colon.)