Lists

Present key concepts, sequences, and like items of more than two as lists where possible.

Introduction

Lists help users comprehend text more quickly. Writers can use them to reduce reader fatigue resulting from trying to comprehend dense or complex paragraphs. Lists can provide a break in the document flow and encourage users to stick with the content.

Best Practices

Use lists to facilitate scanning

Use lists to:

  • Present key terms and concepts
  • Organize information into meaningful chunks
  • Convey sequencing necessary for processes and procedures
  • Create links to additional information
  • Write parallel list items that have the same structure.

Format lists correctly

If you don't format your lists correctly, adaptive technology users won't be able to identify the text as a list.

  • Use the list or paragraph formatting options in your document or presentation software or HTML list tags on a webpage.
  • Use a bulleted list to show a list of related items.
  • Use a numbered list to show steps in a process or the number of parts in a whole.
  • Add space between each list item using the paragraph formatting tools in your software or CSS on a webpage.

Structure long lists

Although screen readers can detect bulleted (unordered) lists, they do not usually distinguish levels of indentation.

  • Use an ordered list with a different numbering system in the secondary levels than in the primary levels to help users distinguish between them.
  • Structure your long lists into smaller lists separated by headings.
  • Avoid creating lists with several levels, using the same bullet type in a list’s second level, and having too many items in a list.

Example structured numbered list

  1. Take exit 6 and turn right on Washington Avenue.
  2. Drive 1.2 miles, until you arrive at the intersection of 5th Avenue and Union Street.
  3. Turn right on Union Street. There are several points of interest along this street:
    • On your left you'll see the old courthouse, built in 1792.
    • In front of the Court house you will see a statue of the town mascot .
    • On your left, you'll see Keys Cafe.
  4. When you get to the intersection of Union Street and 2nd Avenue, you'll see the big red brick building.

Example structured bulleted lists

North America:

  • USA
  • Canada
  • Mexico

South America:

  • Argentina
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Ecuador

Use standard bullets

Replacing the generic bullet characters provided by MS Office and Google Suite products (e.g., circles and squares) with custom characters could result in an image being included without alt text or in a screen reader interpreting a character by its ASCII value. 

On websites, you can replace standard bullets with custom images using CSS. However, the bullet will be read by a screen reader as if it were unstyled.

Avoid using custom bullets in documents; screen readers are often unable to detect a list if they are used.

Lists Checklist

  • Use lists to organize information into meaningful sections
  • Use lists to convey sequencing or steps
  • Ensure lists are grammatically parallel—start each item with the same part of speech (adjective, verb, or noun)
  • Format lists using styling and code, don’t insert numbers, characters, or images to create a list.
  • Use standard bullet styles in Microsoft Word and Google Workspace products.
  • Structure long ordered lists using a different list style in the secondary levels. This is often automatic in many document tools.
  • Section lists logically and condense information in ways that are meaningful.

Resources

More Core Skills

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