Use numbered and bulleted lists to add interest to your text and to prevent items from being overlooked.

Most business people are used to seeing numbered or bulleted lists in PowerPoint® presentations. Speakers use these lists to make their content quick to read. Writers should also use lists in their documents, keeping in mind the following suggestions:

List a related group or sequence of items when you want to make sure that none is overlooked.

Use numbers to order major ideas and to list steps in processes or procedures. Note how much more accessible information is when listed and numbered as illustrated in the following example. Also, in the listed version, the reader can take in at a glance the relationship of ideas.

NOT: To prepare for the meeting, read the new product information booklet, write down frequently asked product questions, and prepare inquiries for discussion.

BUT: To prepare for the meeting:

1. Read the new product information booklet.

2. Write down frequently asked product questions.

3. Prepare inquiries for discussion.

When should lists be numbered instead of bulleted?

Use numbers rather than bullets when you want to:

• indicate order (priority, chronology, or sequence) of the items

• allow separate reference of individual items

• increase the readers' retention of the item

• provide an at-a-glance count of the items

Use bullets to indicate that all of the items are of equal importance.

This edition was adapted from our Effective Business Writing Program. Previous editions may be read at http://www.uliveandlearn.com/newsletters/index.cfm.