Lists

Run-in

1. Within a sentence, separate items in a list with commas, or with semicolons if the items in the list include commas.
   • The freshman class consisted of students from Portland, Maine; Chicago, Illinois; San Diego, California; and Phoenix, Arizona.
2. If the introductory material is an independent clause, a colon should precede the listed items.
   • Minimum qualifications for the marketing position are as follows: a bachelor’s degree in business or communication, a minimum of five years’ experience in a related field, and excellent communication skills.

Vertical

Begin with a complete clause

When possible, introduce vertical lists with a complete clause (a grammatically complete sentence) followed by a colon. In most cases, following list items should be lowercase. See below for details on capitalization.

Example

These are a few of the benefits Northern Arizona University offers:

• a balance of teaching, research, and service
• education and career preparation for students from all demographics
• a “four-season” campus climate

Use parallel phrasing

Use parallel (similar) phrasing for entries in a list. When each item in a group of unnumbered items is an incomplete sentence, begin with lowercase letters and do not use periods.

Example

International students must fulfill requirements for admission:

• Present academic transcripts.
• Pass the TOEFL exam.
• Show access to financial support.

Consider: Full sentence or partial sentence?

Use partial sentences, beginning with lowercase letters and ending without a period in most cases. When this is not possible, consider if a vertical list is most appropriate. See the next entry for details.

When a vertical list is most appropriate but full sentences are required, capitalize the first letter and conclude each list item with a period.

In all cases, maintain parallel phrasing across list items. Never mix full and partial sentences in a single vertical list.

Example (partial sentences are preferred)

These are a few of the benefits Northern Arizona University offers:

• a balance of teaching, research, and service
• education and career preparation for students from all demographics
• a “four-season” campus climate

Consider: Vertical list or running text?

Vertical lists punctuated as a sentence usually run better in text. It is preferred when possible to format these lists in text rather than in a vertical format.

Numbered lists

For numbered lists, use a period after each number and begin each entry with a capital letter—even if the entry is not a complete sentence.

Example

1. Item one
2. Item two
3. Item three