Writing Tips

Punctuating Lists and Enumerations

When deciding how to punctuate lists and enumerations, apply these rules:

1. Punctuate each list on its own merits, not according to some arbitrary scheme decided in advance for all lists in a particular publication.
2. Always use "natural" punctuation, that is, the same punctuation that would be applied were the list to be run into the body of the text.
3. Because some aspects of punctuation are a matter of editorial preference, the same list could possibly be punctuated differently by different persons. Therefore, all decisions on stylistic preferences for one publication (or publication series) should be made by the same person.

Punctuating List Lead-Ins
Punctuation may or may not be required for the lead-in to a list. The required punctuation mark could be either a period or a colon, depending on the type of lead-in.

If the lead-in is a complete sentence, and the list contains complete sentences, a period is often appropriate, although a colon might be used. For example:

The Martins had three children.

• Mark was the clown of the group.
• Cindy was the most quiet.
• Jeffrey talked the most.

If the lead-in uses the words the following <things>, shown below, for example, or some similar phrase, or if the lead-in is a sentence fragment that would "naturally" take a colon, then a colon is appropriate. For example:

The confirmation dialog presents three buttons:

• OK
• Cancel
• Close

If the lead-in is a sentence fragment, if the list items complete the sentence fragment, and if the sentence fragment would not "naturally" take a colon, then no punctuation mark should be used.

NIVA accepts

• technical writing assignments, and
• administrative writing assignments, including
• policies,
• procedures, and
• annual reports.

Punctuating List Items
With one exception, each item in a list should be punctuated by a comma, a semi-colon, or a period, depending on the "natural" flow of the items.

Use commas and semi-colons when the list items, as a group, complete the sentence begun by the lead-in. That is, use the same punctuation that you would use if the list were a run-in sentence. Use commas when the individual list items are simple and contain little or no internal punctuation. Use semi-colons when one or more of the list items is complex, containing an internal series or several phrases that also require commas or stronger punctuation marks.

Use periods when each list item completes one thought, either by itself (as shown in the list of rules that started this article) or in concert with the lead-in (particularly when one or more of the list items contains two or more sentences—see the list in the Capitalization discussion, below).

The one exception is the simple list of one-line items that does not follow directly from its lead-in. In this case, the list items require no punctuation at all. For example:

When taking children to the beach, your packing list should include:

• Sunscreen
• Hats
• Extra towels
• Beach toys
• Snacks and beverages

Capitalization
You should capitalize the lead word in a list item only when

• the item is a complete sentence, not depending on its lead-in, and ending with a period. This list of general rules at the start of this article is an example.
• it is found in a short, itemized list that contains no body punctuation. For example :

Here is the agenda for the meeting:

• Call to order
• Establish quorum
• Accept minutes of previous meeting
• New business
• Pet control
• Water billing
• By-law enforcement
• Adjournment