Answer: punctuating bulleted lists
Our question for today is how to punctuate a bulleted list when a statement comes right before the list. I will add numbered lists, as well.
There are actually two parts to this answer: the statement that comes before the list and the list itself. Both have a variety of options, and it seems no two resources agree. Here is a grammarian's advice with some examples from Teen Wolf.
These recommendations follow the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), which is considered the style guide of choice for most of the US book publishing industry. It also helps that CMOS is the style guide that goes most in depth on the topic of bulleted lists. If you are writing for a company, institution, or academic organization, it is worth checking whether they have their own style manual or follow a different guide.
Vertical Lists
In prose fiction, the author generally sets a list as a sentence just like the rest of the text. This is called a horizontal or run-in list, in contrast with the vertical (or display or outline style) lists of today's topic.
Dr. Deaton explained to Scott, "There are three types of werewolves: alpha, beta, and omega."
Vertical lists are more often found in instructional or promotional material, where the individual items are meant to stand out.
Scott looked at the book Dr. Deaton had opened to a page titled "Lycanthropes."
There are three types of werewolves:
A list may also be made vertically with no bullets (common with shopping lists or recipe ingredients). Numbered lists are generally used for items which should go in a particular sequence or ranking.
Perhaps the danger they found themselves in wasn't so surprising since their plan had been rudimentary.
Punctuating the Introduction to the List
Notice that the introductory statement in the first vertical list example above ends with a colon, in the second example ends with a period, and in the third ends with no punctuation.
The introduction preceding a list follows the same rules as regular sentence punctuation:
Incorrect:
The three things that will not long remain hidden are: the sun, the moon, and the truth.
Correct:
The three things that will not long remain hidden are the sun, the moon, and the truth.
And if the colon is not correct in the sentence in run-in text format, CMOS says to not use the colon in vertical list format, either.
Incorrect:
The three things that will not long remain hidden are:
The three things that will not long remain hidden are
Three things will not long remain hidden:
Style for List Items
The easiest decision to make is whether or not the items are each individually complete sentences. Items in a list that are not complete sentences do not get closing punctuation (period, question mark, exclamation point). In a bulleted list, you may choose to capitalize or not capitalize the start of items that are not complete sentences, but be consistent. (See the first and third vertical list examples, above.) CMOS says that items in a numbered list always start with a capital letter, whether or not they get closing punctuation.
If the items are each individually complete sentences (or questions), each item starts with a capital letter and ends with closing punctuation, as it would in regular text. The exception could be a series of complete thoughts joined into a compound sentence, as in the next example.
One of the original vertical list styles is the reformatting of a single sentence containing a run-in list into a vertical list. You may choose to format it similar to the run-in sentence, starting with a lowercase letter and ending in a semicolon for each item until the closing punctuation at the end. CMOS does particularly specify using a semicolon in a vertical list, even though some run-in lists use commas.
Stiles dove into the research on the history of werewolves.
A study of Greek and Roman stories referencing lycanthropy shows that
Compare to:
A study of Greek and Roman stories referencing lycanthropy shows that in the 5th century BCE, Herodotus wrote in Histories that the Neuri people changed into wolves a few days every year; in the 2nd century BCE, Pausanius told the story of Lycaon, who was turned into a wolf because he ritually murdered a child; and two centuries later, Ovid also wrote on Lycaon, expanding in Metamorphoses that Lycaon served human flesh to Zeus and was punished with the transformation.
Some people would include the and after the semicolon at the end of the second bullet point, to make the vertical list read exactly like the run-in sentence, but others consider this old-fashioned. CMOS says the conjunction is optional.
Other Styles
Grammar Girl offers some additional advice, such as choosing an order for your items, in Formatting Vertical Lists. Some of her advice differs slightly from CMOS, but you might feel it gives you more flexibility in finding a vertical list style that suits you.
The most popular style guide for British publishing is New Hart's Rules. Their style includes the colon before vertical lists even when the introductory statement is not a complete sentence. (The "incorrect" vertical list introduction above, The three things that will not long remain hidden are:, would be correct in the UK.) As with American style, a list with items that are each complete sentences will have a period at the end of each. However Hart's ends all vertical lists with a period after the last item. The preceding items never take semicolons. (The first vertical list example in this post would have a period after omega.)
Parallel Construction
One thing that all resources agree on is that list items should be parallel in construction. All list items should be phrases or complete sentences, not a mix. All list items should begin the same way-such as with a noun or with a verb conjugation that is consistent throughout.
Incorrect:
There were still a number of things to do for an "impromptu" rescue trip to Mexico.
There were still a number of things to do for an "impromptu" rescue trip to Mexico.
One thing that parallel construction means is that if there is any item that contains two or more complete sentences, all the items in the list should be constructed as complete sentences so that capitalization and punctuation will be consistent for all the items.
Beacon Hills has a hiring crisis at three of its major institutions.
Not only is consistency important within lists, it is important throughout your document. Check your style guide of choice and decide your preference where there are options. Once you have decided which is your preferred way to handle a certain kind of list (such as, short item lists start their lines with a capital letter), keep it consistent throughout your document. This is especially important if you have two lists near each other where their style will be noticeable to the reader.
--
Sources:
The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition
Chicago Manual of Style Q&A, Vertical Lists, Bullets
New Hart's Rules, 2005 edition
QuickAndDirtyTips.com by Grammar Girl, Formatting Vertical Lists
There are actually two parts to this answer: the statement that comes before the list and the list itself. Both have a variety of options, and it seems no two resources agree. Here is a grammarian's advice with some examples from Teen Wolf.
These recommendations follow the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS), which is considered the style guide of choice for most of the US book publishing industry. It also helps that CMOS is the style guide that goes most in depth on the topic of bulleted lists. If you are writing for a company, institution, or academic organization, it is worth checking whether they have their own style manual or follow a different guide.
Vertical Lists
In prose fiction, the author generally sets a list as a sentence just like the rest of the text. This is called a horizontal or run-in list, in contrast with the vertical (or display or outline style) lists of today's topic.
Dr. Deaton explained to Scott, "There are three types of werewolves: alpha, beta, and omega."
Vertical lists are more often found in instructional or promotional material, where the individual items are meant to stand out.
Scott looked at the book Dr. Deaton had opened to a page titled "Lycanthropes."
There are three types of werewolves:
- alpha
- beta
- omega
A list may also be made vertically with no bullets (common with shopping lists or recipe ingredients). Numbered lists are generally used for items which should go in a particular sequence or ranking.
Perhaps the danger they found themselves in wasn't so surprising since their plan had been rudimentary.
- Light Molotov cocktail.
- Throw at beast.
- Run like hell.
- Eat
- Drink
- Be merry
Punctuating the Introduction to the List
Notice that the introductory statement in the first vertical list example above ends with a colon, in the second example ends with a period, and in the third ends with no punctuation.
The introduction preceding a list follows the same rules as regular sentence punctuation:
- If it is not a complete sentence, do not punctuate the end.
- If it is a complete question, end it with a question mark.
- If it is a complete sentence, end it with a period or colon. A colon is preferred with a complete sentence that sets a high expectation for further information.
- If it is an extremely short introduction where the important information is what follows, a colon may be used (e.g., "Note:" or "Do's and Don'ts:").
Incorrect:
The three things that will not long remain hidden are: the sun, the moon, and the truth.
Correct:
The three things that will not long remain hidden are the sun, the moon, and the truth.
And if the colon is not correct in the sentence in run-in text format, CMOS says to not use the colon in vertical list format, either.
Incorrect:
The three things that will not long remain hidden are:
- the sun
- the moon
- the truth
The three things that will not long remain hidden are
- the sun
- the moon
- the truth
Three things will not long remain hidden:
- the sun
- the moon
- the truth
Style for List Items
The easiest decision to make is whether or not the items are each individually complete sentences. Items in a list that are not complete sentences do not get closing punctuation (period, question mark, exclamation point). In a bulleted list, you may choose to capitalize or not capitalize the start of items that are not complete sentences, but be consistent. (See the first and third vertical list examples, above.) CMOS says that items in a numbered list always start with a capital letter, whether or not they get closing punctuation.
If the items are each individually complete sentences (or questions), each item starts with a capital letter and ends with closing punctuation, as it would in regular text. The exception could be a series of complete thoughts joined into a compound sentence, as in the next example.
One of the original vertical list styles is the reformatting of a single sentence containing a run-in list into a vertical list. You may choose to format it similar to the run-in sentence, starting with a lowercase letter and ending in a semicolon for each item until the closing punctuation at the end. CMOS does particularly specify using a semicolon in a vertical list, even though some run-in lists use commas.
Stiles dove into the research on the history of werewolves.
A study of Greek and Roman stories referencing lycanthropy shows that
- in the 5th century BCE, Herodotus wrote in Histories that the Neuri people changed into wolves a few days every year;
- in the 2nd century BCE, Pausanius told the story of Lycaon, who was turned into a wolf because he ritually murdered a child;
- two centuries later, Ovid also wrote on Lycaon, expanding in Metamorphoses that Lycaon served human flesh to Zeus and was punished with the transformation.
Compare to:
A study of Greek and Roman stories referencing lycanthropy shows that in the 5th century BCE, Herodotus wrote in Histories that the Neuri people changed into wolves a few days every year; in the 2nd century BCE, Pausanius told the story of Lycaon, who was turned into a wolf because he ritually murdered a child; and two centuries later, Ovid also wrote on Lycaon, expanding in Metamorphoses that Lycaon served human flesh to Zeus and was punished with the transformation.
Some people would include the and after the semicolon at the end of the second bullet point, to make the vertical list read exactly like the run-in sentence, but others consider this old-fashioned. CMOS says the conjunction is optional.
Other Styles
Grammar Girl offers some additional advice, such as choosing an order for your items, in Formatting Vertical Lists. Some of her advice differs slightly from CMOS, but you might feel it gives you more flexibility in finding a vertical list style that suits you.
The most popular style guide for British publishing is New Hart's Rules. Their style includes the colon before vertical lists even when the introductory statement is not a complete sentence. (The "incorrect" vertical list introduction above, The three things that will not long remain hidden are:, would be correct in the UK.) As with American style, a list with items that are each complete sentences will have a period at the end of each. However Hart's ends all vertical lists with a period after the last item. The preceding items never take semicolons. (The first vertical list example in this post would have a period after omega.)
Parallel Construction
One thing that all resources agree on is that list items should be parallel in construction. All list items should be phrases or complete sentences, not a mix. All list items should begin the same way-such as with a noun or with a verb conjugation that is consistent throughout.
Incorrect:
There were still a number of things to do for an "impromptu" rescue trip to Mexico.
- telling parents there's a lacrosse team camping trip
- hoodies and blankets for nighttime warmth
- sandwiches and snacks
- charge phones and laptops
- filling up vehicles with gas is also important
There were still a number of things to do for an "impromptu" rescue trip to Mexico.
- tell parents there's a lacrosse team camping trip
- pack hoodies and blankets for nighttime warmth
- make sandwiches and buy snacks
- charge phones and laptops
- fill up vehicles with gas
One thing that parallel construction means is that if there is any item that contains two or more complete sentences, all the items in the list should be constructed as complete sentences so that capitalization and punctuation will be consistent for all the items.
Beacon Hills has a hiring crisis at three of its major institutions.
- Sheriff's Department deputies get killed in greater numbers than their peers in cities with gang wars.
- Beacon Hills High School teachers die nearly as often, and without the sidearms to fight their fate.
- Hospital doctors and nurses suffer more carnage than a MASH unit. Even orderlies and custodial staff are in short supply after a monster rampage.
Not only is consistency important within lists, it is important throughout your document. Check your style guide of choice and decide your preference where there are options. Once you have decided which is your preferred way to handle a certain kind of list (such as, short item lists start their lines with a capital letter), keep it consistent throughout your document. This is especially important if you have two lists near each other where their style will be noticeable to the reader.
--
Sources:
The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition
Chicago Manual of Style Q&A, Vertical Lists, Bullets
New Hart's Rules, 2005 edition
QuickAndDirtyTips.com by Grammar Girl, Formatting Vertical Lists