Bullet Points
Bulleted lists make related, unordered information easier to scan. Strong list design uses a clear lead-in, parallel item structure, consistent capitalization, and punctuation that matches whether the items are complete sentences or fragments.
Use bullet points for related items that do not require a fixed sequence. Keep list items parallel and punctuate them consistently; complete-sentence bullets normally take sentence punctuation, while short fragments often do not.
Key details
Important caveats
Punctuation Boundary
Punctuate complete-sentence bullets as sentences; short fragments commonly omit terminal punctuation when the style guide permits it, but consistency matters.
Further guidance
Core Rule
Use bullets when item order is not inherently sequential; use numbering when sequence or rank matters.
Parallelism
Keep bullet items grammatically parallel so readers can scan the list predictably.
Practical Application
Use bullets for related items without a required sequence. Keep items grammatically parallel and choose punctuation based on whether each item is a complete sentence or a short fragment, following the document’s style.
Reader Check
Could the list items be rearranged without changing meaning? If yes, bullets are likely suitable. Then check parallelism and punctuation across the entire list.
Worked Example
Parallel fragments: “Lower cost; faster setup; simpler maintenance.” Complete-sentence bullets should normally be punctuated as sentences.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Lists (opens in a new tab)Microsoft Style Guide · Bulleted lists for unordered related items and numbered lists for sequences or priorities