Bullet points

Bullet points are fast becoming the most commonly used graphic in professional writing. In fact, writers now use them so much that they hardly think of them as graphic devices at all. But a bullet point list is a powerful visual device for presenting a list of elements. We should use them, therefore, with some care.

Here are two general guidelines for effective bullet points.

• Use bullet points sparingly. The list may be one of the first things the reader looks at on a page. The list should therefore be of elements that you think are worth their attention. Too many lists on one page will destroy their effectiveness: the page merely looks like ink has been sprayed all over it.
• Keep the list short. Try not to include more than seven or eight items in any list.