Summary #2 Eng 240

In the article “Using Bullet Points and Lists,” Catherine Hibbard differentiates between the type of bullet point to use and when. According to Hibbard bullet points are used to draw attention to important material and cause a certain visual appeal. Hibbard says that there is specific times to use bullets and numbers or letters. The only appropriate time to use numbers or letters is when the list is in order of importance or priority. For instance in a numbered list the reader is able to see what needs to be done before that person can move on to the next task. When there is a group of related items that are all equally important then regular bullets or graphics should be used. Hibbard also discusses how the information in the lists should be in parallel form meaning they should use the same part of speech, are similar in length, and have a similar format. Like a resume these bullet points can start with action verbs. Hubbard also explains that it is also important to remember not to mix clauses and sentences in the same list and keep the points short and to the point with three to six items in the list. It is important to know when lists should be used and when something should be written out in full.