Should You Put Full Stops On Bullet Points?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

, , , ,

Use bullet points to make text easier to read. ... you do not use full stops within bullet points – where possible start another bullet point or use commas, dashes or semicolons to expand. you do not put “or”, “and” after the bullet points. there is no punctuation at the end of bullet points.

Should you add periods after bullet points?

Punctuating Bullet Points. In business writing courses, the most common question about punctuation involves how to punctuate bullet points. ... Use a period after every bullet point that completes the introductory stem . Use no punctuation after bullets that are not sentences and do not complete the stem.

When should you not use bullet points?

If all bullets are phrases or fragments , use no end punctuation. Avoid making bullet points so long that they look like paragraphs. Three lines is a reasonable maximum length. Number bullet points when you have many–more than five or so.

Do bullet points need Capitals?

If a list is introduced by a complete sentence, each bullet point needs to begin with a capital letter . This is why it is better to use a colon to introduce a list in which each item is a single word or consists of only two or three words.

Should bullet points have full stops UK?

If a complete sentence introduces the bulleted list, each item in the list should end with a full stop , not a colon, and each point should begin with a capital letter. For example: The ‘Study’ section of Imperial’s website suggests free activities in London for students on a budget.

How do you introduce a bulleted list?

  1. Introduce the list with a lead-in phrase or clause (the lead-in need not be a complete sentence; the list items can complete the grammar started by the lead-in). ...
  2. Use bulleted lists when the list items are in no necessary order but you want to emphasize the items in the list.

What is a bullet point examples?

Bullets are most commonly used in the English language to highlight key points in a vertical list. Bullets are used in place of numbers when the order of the items in the list is not important. ... Other common bullet choices include squares (filled and open) , diamonds, dashes and checkmarks.

Do you use semicolons in a bulleted list?

Use a period or other full stop after every bullet that is a sentence. ... Don’t use a period after bullet lists that are not complete sentences or do not complete the opening stem sentence. Don’t use semicolons to end punctuation . Use either all full sentences in your bullet lists or all fragments.

Can you use bullet points in Chicago style?

The Chicago Manual of Style online says: ‘ Chicago’s preference is to use a colon , but there are times when a period might better serve. ... I usually use a colon, but agree that a full stop sometimes works if the bullet points are paragraphs rather than single sentences.

How do you make bullet points look good?

  1. Use some light background colour to make them appear equal in size to the eye.
  2. Spread them out big over the entire page.
  3. Use as little words as you can, but use enough words not to sound generic.

What is the proper way to use bullet points?

  1. Make sure all items in the list are related to each other.
  2. Use the same font and margin width in each bulleted point.
  3. Keep bullet points short, preferably no more than three lines long.
  4. Begin all items with the same part of speech (active verbs work well) and make sure they are in parallel form.

How many bullet points are too many?

Though it should vary from person to person, you should really use at least 3-4 bullet points per section that you need to detail-and no more than 6-7 . You want to make every bullet point count, and so, do not try to make stuff up to offer more bullet points-thinking that more will necessarily look like better.

How do I type a bullet point?

To insert bullets using the default Android keyboard Gboard, switch to the symbols keypad by tapping the ? 123 key and then =< . Click the bullet symbol (•) on the first row to insert it into your SMS or mobile application.

What are the rules of capitalization?

  • Capitalize the First Word of a Sentence. ...
  • Capitalize Names and Other Proper Nouns. ...
  • Don’t Capitalize After a Colon (Usually) ...
  • Capitalize the First Word of a Quote (Sometimes) ...
  • Capitalize Days, Months, and Holidays, But Not Seasons. ...
  • Capitalize Most Words in Titles.

How do you capitalize bullet points?

The capitalization and punctuation for each bulleted item depends on the structure of the sentence. If the bulleted text is a full sentence, capitalize the first letter of the first word and end the paragraph with a period (see “Lists, Part 5: Bulleted Lists” in the APA Style Blog). For example: This is a sentence.

What is a bullet point symbol?

In typography, a bullet or bullet point, •, is a typographical symbol or glyph used to introduce items in a list . For example: Point 1.

David Martineau
Author
David Martineau
David is an interior designer and home improvement expert. With a degree in architecture, David has worked on various renovation projects and has written for several home and garden publications. David's expertise in decorating, renovation, and repair will help you create your dream home.