Aargh! Grammar police, help!

[lissa_dora]

• My friends, when
  
• writing a bulleted
  
• list, what is the proper
  
• (this isn't it)
  
• way to punctuate at the ends
  
• of the lines?
  

Comments

[lizreay]

You don't. It's a list, not regular text. (If you are doing it in sentance form, then punctuate as normal.)

Example 1:

* Hit the grocery store
* Strip the cabinet
* Pet the cat

Example 2:

* If you're going to give examples, be clear.
* When petting the cat, be sure not to have paint stripper on your hands.
* I'm talking out my ass now.

[lissa_dora]

How about for a resume, where you usually have nearly-complete sentence fragments?

[lizreay]

You can go either way, honestly. If you're talking things like:

*Proficient in Word, MacOS, and Pidgin English.
*Have degree in Underwater Basket Weaving from UB.

I'd probably punctuate.

If you're talking:

* Word, MacOS, and Pidgin English-proficient
* BS in Underwater Basket Weaving, UB

Then I wouldn't.

I wouldn't.

[lissa_dora]

Oooh!

I always wanted to take a class in underwater basket-weaving!!

[sad1225]

This comes up a lot in science-type powerpoint presentations.

According to my PI: "Do whichever, but you must be consistent."

[lissa_dora]

PI?

You have a Private Investigator?

[sad1225]

Primary Investigator.

He's the prof. what tells me to do stuff.

[digaazthehated]

I have also seen ';' as a punctuation sometimes, with the ending line having a period. However, to me it just doesn't seem, nor look, correct.

*Gain world domination;
*Kill all who appose me.

Whee.

(Could have sworn I clicked 'Post Comment')

[eseme]

Well, if the lines are sentence fragments, no punctuationg at all.

For instance, if you made the following sentence into a list, ther ewould be no punctuation. I enjoyed a number of events at the con: the costume contest, the late-night LARP, interview sessions with the guests, and the vendors room.

I enjoyed a number of events at the con:

• the costume contest
• the late-night LARP
• interview sessions with the guests
• the vendors room

Those list items are not full sentences, so they should not be punctuated as such. If the items in your list are sentences, then a period at the end makes sense.

[lissa_dora]

I solved the problem by getting rid of the bullets altogether (I have pulled ending with parentheses, which led to a rather silly-looking arrangement) - but the almost-an-entire-sentence sentence fragments were messing me up.

[jsd3306]

sentence fragments do not require punctuation.
sentences do
Whee!