Article Quickie: Bullet Points

A bullet point is a helpful little tool that helps break up content, smooth transitions and draw out important main ideas. They also help create more white space on the text or web page. When using bullet points remember to:

  • Be consistent with content and style. Start each point with the same part of speech and maintain the same length within bullet point sets.
  • Use main ideas. Bullet points are key to directing the reader – and their eyes – to the ideas that count.
  • Clarify complex information. Complicated topics are best explained when broken up into bite sized pieces.
  • Use sparingly. An article full of bullet points isn’t an article, it’s a list!
  • Avoid bullet point subpoints. It makes the piece messy and can confuse your readers.
  • Be brief. Bullet points aren’t supposed to be paragraphs, just quick points.

Got any tips on using bullet points? Please share!

Article Quickie is a new series designed to provide short, bookmark-worthy article writing tips for easy reference.


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2 responses
  1. Stephanie Mojica Avatar

    Great post!

    Bullet points are great for beginning and seasoned writers alike. After all, today’s readers are in much more of a hurry than readers of generations past. They often want the tips quickly and bullet points is a great way to break down the pertinent information without long-winded introductions and/or explanations.

    Peace, love, happiness, and prosperity,
    Stephanie

  2. Rob Avatar

    Somewhere back in the “foggy ruins of time” (thanks Bob Dylan) I was taught that you weren’t supposed to put a period at the end of a bullet point, even if it was a full sentence. Has anyone else heard that?

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