Lists of Items Using Bullet Points
If you want to list three or more items, you can use bullet points to make them clear to your reader. Making these lists parallel also helps with clarity (see our Parallelism document). Here are two ways to use bullet points:
Bullets Points that are Part of, but Listed Below, the Main Sentence
To use bullet points for items that are all part of a main sentence, punctuate and capitalize just as you would without the bullet points.
Example
There are many things to consider when preparing for exams:
- knowing what material will be covered,
- planning your study time,
- eating healthy food, and
- getting enough rest.
Bullet Points that are Each a Sentence Giving More Information About the Main Sentence
When the items in a bulleted list are separate sentences, put a capital letter on the first word of each one, and end each one with a period or with the appropriate punctuation for that sentence.
Example
There are many things to consider when preparing for exams:
- Find out what course material will be covered.
- Plan your study time.
- Eat healthy food and get enough sleep.
- Use active learning strategies.