How to Write a Perfect Bulleted List

Everybody writes bulleted lists but few know how to write a perfect one.
Bulleted lists (also known as UNORDERED lists) are important in technical writing.
They summarize information in a manner that is easy to read and absorb. Use them whenever you can to get across information quickly.
Compare:
“In winter months make sure to check your tires, have enough wood for the fireplace, make sure there are extra blankets for the guests, and the pump water is shut off.”
With bullets:
“Make sure to do the following to get ready for the winter:

• Check your tires.
• Have enough wood for the fireplace.
• Keep extra blankets for the guests.
• Shut off the pump water.”

Here’s the secret to write GREAT unordered lists:
Always use “parallel construction”.
“What’s the heck is that?” you may ask.
The bullet items should be similar grammatically. That’s what it means.
They should have the same mood and tense.
If one starts with a verb, all the others should also start with a verb.
You get the idea.
Here is a malformed bulleted list:
“In my spare time, I love to

• go to a restaurant
• run 5K
• books are what I prefer over movies”

The first two items start with a verb, but the third doesn’t.
The corrected list:
“In my spare time, I love to

• GO to a restaurant
• RUN 5K
• READ books rather than watch movies”

See how they all start with an ACTION VERB? That’s what “parallel construction” is all about.
Write tight. Be bright. Serve right.