Guidelines for the Bullet Points

My exploration’s first stop was oxford dictionary to discover bullet points. It describes, “Bullet points are used to draw attention to important information within a document so that a reader can identify the key issues and facts quickly.” Bullet points are visually attractive and make it easy for a reader to locate important information.

Some other says, “A 'bullet point' is an item introduced by a dot ("bullet") or a similar icon to retrieve information fast.” There are no fixed rules about how to use them, but there are some guidelines.

The bullet points are used to list features, steps, or tips, just like the following list:

• The text introducing the list of bullet points should end with a colon.
• If the text that follows the bullet point is not a proper sentence, it doesn’t need to begin with a capital letter and it shouldn’t end with a full stop, for example:
• Today's discussion includes:
  --Issues of scanty rains across the regions
  --Climate change over the sub-continent

(However, there is an exception to this; if the bullet items are independent of each other, it should be started with capitalization. Otherwise also, it may start with capitalization)

•  Lists of bullet points shows more impact if each one begins with the same word class (or part of speech) and if they are all of a similar length. Action verbs are a good choice for the first word, i.e., verbs that describe the performing of an action. If you use verbs, ensure that each one is in the same tense.
• Emphasizing the first few words of the bullet points capture the main idea. You can use bold type, italics, or underlining for emphasis.
• Make bullet points consistent in structure, such as, make all of them sentences or fragments or questions.

(However, if you have two sets of bullet points in a document, you don't need to make them consistent with each other--just within themselves.)

• Be consistent in punctuating bullets, i.e., if one bullet ends with a period (full stop), end all with a period, following these rules:
  --Remember:
      a. If all bullets are sentences, end each one with a period (full stop).
      b. If all bullets are phrases or fragments, use no end punctuation.
• Do not use semicolon to end bullet points. This is an old age fashion and no more in use today.
• Avoid making bullet points that look like paragraphs. Three lines is a reasonable maximum length.
• Avoid having bullet points more than five (itemized).
• Number bullet points when you have many--more than five or so. Most of the steps of a process to complete a task or procedure will have such bullets.
• Avoid using transition words and phrases such as "and" or "or", “secondly”, “another point” etc. These are unnecessary and doesn’t help user rather they confuse them.
• Judiciously use bullet points in relation, especially if there are a lot of them. If the bullets contain a blend of domestic and wild animals, break them into two lists, with one labeled domestic animals and another labeled wild animals.
• Avoid bullet points when you want to build rapport or deal with a sensitive issue. Bullets communicate efficiency rather than warmth.
• Create clean and legible bullet fonts and be consistent. Avoid mixing many fonts and layouts.

These are some of the broader points what anyone should remember while using bullet points in the documents. However, there would be still some doubts which would need clarifications.

If the bullets are not punctuated in between, there should not be a period at the end of the last bullet.

On capitalization issue, reference books differ on this question. "The Gregg Reference Manual" capitalizes all bullets. "The Chicago Manual of Style" capitalizes bulleted fragments only when they are in numbered lists. So if you were to use fragments with simple bullets (no numbers), "Chicago" would advise you to make them lower case. Most of us would like to follow "Gregg" because it shows the consistency of all bullet points being capitalized.

The use of bullet for just one item runs into controversy and many agree to use as single bullet and many counter saying that bullet should be used only for list items. It’s a question of your judgment and possibly your list might have only one item.

While I spent too much time explaining my junior colleagues about the use and guidelines of bullet points, it came to my mind that it might make life easier for many people who are into writing industry. Especially the ones, who are new to the structured writing, might benefit immensely.

The Bullets Point

Technical documents which are jargan free, written in simple English, comprehensible even by low level English reader, has evolved many ways to disseminate information more directly than deciphering them from long winded sentences. One such evolution has been the use of bullet points in the documents. While the use of bullet points has immensely benefited the learner, it has also created a confused state, misconception, and problem for the technical writers as to how, where, and when to use the bullet points in the document.

The use of bullet points in the documents has been so spurious that writers have more likely decided to use them for any kind of information. Whether the information can be used in fragmented format as bullet points or not; that has not been a part of wise decisions. Writers sometimes forget that some information which can be better described in a proper sentence can not be used as bullet point. All that they want is to see more bullet points. Their understanding of using more bullet points is somehow an assumption to consider ‘more the bullet points, better the document’. In turn, more the bullet points; information is better understood.

The paradox is when a writer can not make a judgment whether to communicate information in bullet format or not, goes ahead and tries to make any or all information in bulleted formats. This is doing more harm than good. The obvious question comes in mind; what is the concept and principle behind creating bullet points in a document.

I got introduced with the concept of using bullet points in the documents when I became a part of the technical writing community and started authoring technical documents. Even though I was introduced to bullet points, I was not very comfortable using them in the documents but moreover made it a practice referring its usage as prescribed in the style guides.

My main referring style guide remain the Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications (MSTP) at large but used some other Style Guides too, that were specific to the employer’s documentation requirement. These style guides only provide you the directions as to what items and how they should be used in the bullet. To be more precise, the steps to complete a task or procedure are used in the bulleted points either in itemized or numbered format. In short, bullet points define lists; however, not all lists should be defined by bullets. This can be tricky when you are not exposed to the concept and logic behind the usage.

After a few years of work as a technical author, I got the opportunity to be a reviewer and editor. My job as reviewer and editor was not only to correct the documents but provide even tips for the writers to improve the documents. It is the job of not only mending the documents but minding and mentoring the writers who work along with you or whose job you are reviewing. You need to provide answers for all what, when, where, why and how of the corrections made to the documents.

Even after my long odyssey with the technical publication, I realized – The Bullet Points are the bullets point for me and I hardly know them well. Then my journey began to explore, discover, invent and re-invent the bullet points. While I explored and gained some of the knowledge for better use of the bullet points I thought to share which can be useful. You can visit my next post on this.