how to write a numbered list in an essay

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MLA Formatting Lists 

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Though they should be used sparingly, lists are a great way to convey information in an easily digestible and recognizable format. Lists are either integrated into the prose or set vertically, dependent on the list’s purpose and the amount of information presented.

INTEGRATED INTO THE PROSE

 Lists that are integrated into the text can be introduced by text itself:

        Baldwin was known for his astute sociological observations, meticulously crafted sentences, and decidedly metropolitan dialogue.

Or they can be introduced with a colon:

       Baldwin was known, mainly, for three things: his astute sociological observations, meticulously crafted sentences, and decidedly metropolitan dialogue.

SET VERTICALLY

 There are a number of ways to properly format a vertically set list. Numbered lists should only be used when the nature of the list necessitates a specific order.

LISTS INTRODUCED BY A COMPLETE SENTENCE

Lists can be introduced by a sentence in the body, which should end with a colon. The items can be complete sentences or fragments. The first letter of each list-item must be capitalized if the items are complete sentences. Each sentence requires punctuation.

Keeping with Cabral’s teachings, we must ask the following questions while interacting with social issues:

       Do our solutions consider the stated needs of the community we are speaking for?

       Do we have a clear strategy?

       Do we have realistic expectations?

If the items are not complete sentences, they should be bulleted or numbered. These should also be introduced with a colon at the end of a sentence. In both formats, begin each item in lowercase. Bulleted items do not require punctuation. Numbered items, beyond their respective numbers, should follow the same guidelines as a list-item that continues the sentence that introduces it (detailed below).

LISTS THAT CONTINUE THE SENTENCES THAT INTRODUCED THEM

Some sentences can be stratified into vertically-set lists. These lists should be considered, technically, as one single sentence. Do not introduce the list with a colon. Simply begin the sentence as you normally would and then format each item onto a separate line. End each item with a semicolon, closing the second-to-last item with a semicolon, followed by the word “and” or the word “or”. End the final item with the closing punctuation of the sentence.

Several health-food stores are focusing on customer safety by

       requiring that essential oil manufacturers include skin irritation warnings on their bottles;

       documenting the temperature of all frozen produce upon arrival; and

       performing all mopping after hours, in order to prevent accidents.

Bullet items that continue sentences do no not require punctuation, nor do they require a colon to introduce them.

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How To List Things in an Essay (APA and MLA)

Essays usually follow a consistent format but every now and then something happens to throw that pattern off. Lists may be required in essays, which might throw off the piece’s general formatting, organization, and syntax. Let us go through how to list things in an essay.

When adding a list of subtopics or themes, lists of recommendations, phases of analysis, components of an item, and the like, readers often get your point fast. The key to using lists in an essay is to employ proper punctuation and grammar, as well as to maintain a consistent grammatical style.

Anything less than 3 items should not be listed in your essay.

Lists frequently appear in essays, posing problems for formatting, paragraph structure, and grammar. When you include:

• subtopics or themes
• evaluation checklists
• complex lists of ideas
• steps in project planning
• component pieces of an item

With lists, readers immediately grasp your message. Punctuation and parallelism in grammar are some of the important tools for creating lists in essays. Here is how to list things in an essay.

Ways to List Things in Your Essay

1. listing with bullets.

Bulleted lists aid in the organization of texts and project ideas by eliminating the necessity for a chronological order of events or concepts. Maintain a consistent listing style throughout. Following the bullet style, statements should begin with capital letters and end with simply the correct punctuation. Bulleted lists aren’t the best format for listings in chronological order.

The APA lists are quite effective at establishing concepts, and they are organized in a variety of ways based on the type of information conveyed.

Find the most effective technique of establishing the facts about your subject matter after reviewing your work and confirming that your professors do not prohibit bullet points.

Consider whether an MLA numbered list or any other APA list would showcase your content more effectively. Find a technique to list things in an essay, specifically the MLA numbered list, when the specific points of your topic require a specific order in which they must be given.

Bullets are a good option in research papers.

If there isn’t a specific chronological order, a bulleted list is another option for listing items in an essay.

Lists that aren’t too long should be organized as separate paragraphs or under their titled sections rather than as vertical lists. However, for extremely thorough information, the bulleted list is still the best alternative.

Bullet points should be indented at least one inch from the left margin, which is a standard recognized formatting style. Lists with double spaces and precise quotations from their sources are more efficient.

Create a brief topic sentence that explains your motives just as soon as you’re about to introducing a sentence, and then include all those items in your list in an orderly manner that pertains to that statement.

When Do You Use Bullet Lists?

Exercise some restraint when employing bullet points in your academic writing assignments. The last thing you want your essay to look like is a smallpox sore.  Many of the circumstances and ways in which you might use bullet points in your article include the following:

• Significant emphases on interpretation
• In the case of listings
• Clarification of step-by-step instructions
• Formulating recipes and component lists.
• When you want to condense descriptions
• To provide evidence to support your essay points
• When making use of illustrations

When Bullet Points are not allowed

Watch closely for patterns in how frequently you employ them. The bullet points should not take up more than a quarter of the total space on your page.

However, there are some instances in which using bullet points in an academic composition is a strict no-no. Here are some examples of such situations:

• When writing your thesis statement.
• When writing a conclusion in your paper.
• Within the context of a detailed illustration.
• In the case of quotations.
• Within the first paragraph of the introduction.

2. Listing with Numbers

For numbered lists, they’re ideal for describing a series of events or a logical arrangement of thoughts. When writing an APA format list, the standard format is to start with numerals and end with a full stop. The next logical step is to begin your listed item with a capital letter after the period has been removed.

In their papers, psychologists and experts in the social sciences use the APA style. These APA lists are quite effective at establishing concepts, and they are organized in a variety of ways based on the type of information conveyed.

Using colons and bracketed numbers

There are numerous methods for enumerating things such as statements. The first of these ways involves writing the number in parentheses: Here’s an illustration:

Dinosaurs lived 4 million years ago: (1) first evidence to support, (2) second evidence, and (3) third evidence written here. 

It’s important to pay attention to the numbers inside the parenthesis, and it’s not a good idea to utilize only one bracket once the number has been written. If the introduction of your supporting claim is an incomplete sentence, do not begin the list with a colon. You could try the following:

Here are the pieces of evidence: (1) the first evidence, (2) the second evidence, and (3) the third proof.

Using semi colons and bracketed numbers

If one of your pieces of evidence also has a comma in the middle, use semicolons to separate the elements. Changing it from a run-in text to a vertical list is the easiest method to get around this.

Naming the numbers

Here, instead of writing 1, 2, 3, 4, and so on, you will use first, second, third, fourth, and so on.

This other way to list data include separates statements using the serial versions of the numerals.

For instance.

The following are the arguments to support it. First (insert evidence). Second (here is the evidence). Third, here is the evidence. 

It is not a good practice to use semicolons to join all the pieces into one big claim since itemizing facts into one phrase necessitates the use of parentheses.

3. Lists with Letters

In this case, semicolons are utilized to properly divide APA-styled lists. They often use (a) lowercase letters; (b) within parentheses; and (c) semicolons to divide their sentences.

They often use (a) lowercase letters; (b) within parentheses; and (c) semicolons to divide their sentences. You should get the idea from there.

4. Running Text Lists

To identify elements in a list, Oxford commas are employed in run-in-texts. It’s known as the serial comma, and it comes before the conjunction. The main ingredients for recipe ABC are tomatoes, chilies, onions, and cilantro.

5. The First Sentence of the Introduction

When you create a numbered or unnumbered list in conjunction with a thesis statement or the introduction sentence, you have the option of either concluding the list or leaving it incomplete. It all depends on the structure of the essay and the methods used to list items. The colon should only be used with statements that have been completed.

A good example would be: “When making the perfect cup of coffee, you would usually need the following ingredients:”

Other than that approach, you could write “For the best cup of coffee, ensure that you” — think this approach only if every item on the list could self-sufficiently conclude a sentence that began with this structure.

6. Listing Single Items

Sometimes, what you need to list come as a complete statement, then each list item can be a single word, an expression, or a complete sentence, depending on the situation. The only requirement is that you adhere to a consistent pattern throughout the list. If you find yourself in this circumstance, write it in all capital letters and only use the full stop for complete statements.

7. Punctuation

Only statements and phrases that help to bring the structure to completion should be used when it is still unfinished. There should be a period at the end of each of them. Never use commas or semicolons, and avoid appending items from the second to the final one in a list unless necessary.

8. Deciding on a List

Ensure that your plans for really using that structure are expressed in that manner prior to deciding on a list format. For short itineraries with only a few things to say about each of them, it is ideal to utilize them as a statement in the run-in text. It is necessary to utilize a semicolon in order to neatly arrange the elements that will be listed within the sentence after the colon.

In contrast to our first case, lengthy statements that are to be incorporated into lists are difficult to deal with when they are presented as statements alone. In this case, the things should be separated into separate paragraphs or mentioned within a single lengthy paragraph, depending on their importance. It is best to break up long sentences inside a paragraph into separate paragraphs and number them in an essay. It is also best to bullet point or title them in an essay.

9. Separators

The usage of dividers such as “2)” or “(b)” in lists created with run-in-text should only be done when absolutely essential. The language and punctuation, in other words, fall short of the purpose of distinguishing the items on a list. Furthermore, despite this, you might want to think about doing a second rewrite to alleviate the complication and improve the overall comprehension of the section.

Using roman numerals and lowercase letters alternately, create simple outlines with a number of levels of difficulty. This method of defining your work and identifying each item in a list is the most effective technique to use multilevel lists. You should follow this order:

• Roman numbers
• Capitalized letters
• Arabic numbers
• Lowercase letters
• An Arabic numeral marked by parentheses or placed within brackets is a type of numeric expression.
• Lowercase letters, mainly denoted by parenthesis or put within brackets.

How to List Things in an Essay APA Style

Always make sure that all of the items on a list are syntactically and conceptually equivalent. For example, all of the items could be nouns, or all of the items could be phrases that begin with the word “and.” In the vast majority of cases, lists are simple lists in which commas (or semicolons in the case of lists in which items contain commas) are used between items, including immediately before the final item (see more information and examples on the lettered lists page). The use of lettered lists, numbered lists, and bulleted lists are all permitted in APA Style in order to draw additional attention to specific items.

Bulleted and numbered lists are permitted by the APA Style rules; however, if you’re unsure whether or not your instructor will allow them in your assignment, you should check with your instructor before submitting your work. See the section below for information on how to format lists.

Bulleted lists in the APA format

Depending on how the sentence is structured, the capitalization and punctuation for each bulleted item will differ. The first letter of the first word in the bulleted text should be capitalized, and the paragraph should be terminated by placing a period after the last bullet (see “Lists, Part 5: Bulleted Lists” in the APA Style Blog). As an illustration:

• This is a complete sentence.
• This is an additional sentence.

This is the final sentence of the bulleted list.

The bulleted list that separates three or more elements within a sentence is “capitalized and punctuated as if it were a complete sentence,” according to the style guide (American Psychological Association, 2010, p. 64).

APA 7th Edition

Bulleted and numbered lists are allowed by the APA Style rules, but if you’re unsure whether or not your instructor will allow them in your assignment, you should check with your instructor before submitting your work. Always keep in mind that, because bulleted or numbered items only provide undetailed information and do not include analysis, and because the goal of formal academic writing is to showcase your analytical thinking, these lists should be used sparingly in favor of conveying your ideas in full sentences and paragraphs. See the section below for information on how to format lists.

Lists with bullets

The capitalization and punctuation used for each bulleted item is determined by whether the items are complete sentences or sentence parts in the paragraph below. It is acceptable to capitalize the first letter of the very first word and to end the paragraph with a period in case the bulleted text is a complete sentence.

How to Make a List in MLA Format

Vertical lists are uncommon in essays written in humanities departments around the world, and they are most often used as run-in text within a sentence, with a colon marking the beginning of the list.

As an illustration, “Mark Twain has written five books: The Adventures of Mississippi, The Prince and the Tramp, A Tramp At Home, Life on the Finn, and My Early Life”.

The colon, on that note, is not used before a list when the list if those items are the object of the verb that announces them.

For instance, “Mark Twain’s recently published books include The Adventures of Mississippi, The Prince and the Tramp, A Tramp At Home, Life on the Finn, My Early Life.”

Although it is possible to include numbered lists in an MLA essay, it is recommended that you avoid doing so as much as possible. The use of lists in your essay can be accomplished in a variety of ways, so you should inquire about your professor’s preferences before proceeding.

How to Use Bullet Lists and Number Lists in a Research Paper

Academic articles often include lists, which organize the material and provide the reader with a quick overview of a section. There are different ways to format lists, but some general principles apply to all of them: they should be constructed in a parallel fashion, and they should be consistent. Numbers, letters, and bullet points are not required in all cases. Academic writers who use The Chicago Manual of Style will find various formats there, but four common list formats are presented here.

Types of List Formats

Run-in lists.

A run-in list, as the name suggests, is included as part of the general text. Elements can be separated in different ways, as shown in the examples below.

Separated with a Colon:   When a complete sentence is followed by a list of items, separate the sentence from the list with a colon.

E.g. “ Do not venture into the wilderness without these items: a knife, a book of matches, a flashlight, and a map. ”

Separated with Numbers:  When the list is part of the sentence, you can separate the items by numbering them.

E.g. “ The Housing Committee passed resolutions on (1) annual salaries, (2) fundraising efforts, and (3) community building. ”

Related: Need instant academic writing tips on your cell phone? Download the FREE Enago Academy mobile app now!

Vertical Lists

A vertical list should be preceded by a complete sentence that gives an overview of the points being listed. The list does not need to have a bullet point format and a punctuation mark is not at the end of the entries. For example:

Your admissions packet should include these items:

The three-page statement of purpose

The financial questionnaire

Your contact information

If the lead-in sentence is a complete one and all entries in the list are complete sentences, a punctuation mark should follow each entry. For example (using bullet points):

Make perfect banana bread every time by following these easy steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
• Grease an 8 x 8 baking dish.
• Combine all the dry ingredients (listed above).
• Gently fold in the wet ingredients (listed above).
• Pour the batter into the dish and bake for 45 minutes.

Again, note that because each entry in the list is a complete sentence, a final period is used.

Vertical Lists Punctuated as a Sentence

When a list is too long or convoluted to be presented as one sentence, you can use a vertical list that is punctuated like a sentence. This format is especially useful when the phrases include internal punctuations or the reader might find it difficult to follow the meaning. An example follows below.

Biology instructors have made significant changes to their curricula and classrooms, and today it is common to find

• innovative research techniques, especially those requiring knowledge of anatomy, in labs;
• greater focus on teamwork;
• in-class lectures customized for learning styles; and
• bilingual lesson plans.

Vertical Lists with Subdivided Items

A complex vertical list may be formatted in a way that resembles an outline, using numbers and letters to provide a logical structure. The lead-in (introductory) line should be a complete sentence, as seen in the example below.

Students should be prepared to discuss the following topics:

• Regional History
• Geography and landmarks
• Erosion in mountainous areas
• Notable Figures
• The first tribal chieftains
• The emergence of political divisions and leaders
• The role of women
• Cultural Developments
• The spread of language
• Music used to bind communities

The next time you read a research paper , look for lists and examine how they were constructed. Do the entries use a consistent format? Are the numbers and/or letters correctly placed and in the proper order? Is the lead-in line a complete sentence? If you find that these steps are all present, chances are that the author took the time to research the structure of lists and present them accurately. Now you can do the same.

References:

• Get It Write. Handling Vertical Lists.  Retrieved from http://www.getitwriteonline.com/archive/101406VerticalLists.htm

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Capstone Form and Style

More apa style guidelines: lists.

When listing three or more items, include a serial comma (also known as an Oxford comma) before the last item and the conjunction “and” or “or.” If one or more clauses contains commas in them, use a semicolon instead of a comma to separate the clauses. (Note that the term "seriation" used in APA 6 does not appear in APA 7 and has been replaced by "lists.”)

You may also list items in three other formats: lettered, numbered, and bulleted.

Lettered Lists (APA 7, Section 6.50)

If you have a series of elements in the body of a paragraph, separate each element with lowercase letters enclosed in parentheses. Although only necessary for more complex elements, here is a simple example: (a) lions, (b) tigers, and (c) bears. Items and phrasing should be parallel.

Numbered Lists (APA 7, Section 6.51)

When ordinal position is important, list items vertically.

The organization’s emergency management protocol consists of seven sequential steps:

• Step 1 involves ...
• Step 2 consists of …
• Step 3 has five components: ...

This would be appropriate when you need to show a specific order of elements, such as in steps in a procedure or conclusions.

List items should be complete sentences or paragraphs in a series (not phrases).

Use Microsoft Word’s numbered list function to create the list; select the option with Arabic numerals (not enclosed within parentheses) followed by a period. Capitalize the first word after the number and the first word of any subsequent sentence. End each sentence with appropriate final punctuation. List items should be double-spaced and indented .5 inch.

Bulleted Lists (APA 7, Section 6.52)

Bulleted lists are appropriate when presenting a list of items in no particular order. Bulleted list items can be complete sentences or phrases or sentence fragments. Use Word’s bulleted list function to create the list. List items should be double-spaced and indented .5 inch.

If complete sentences, begin each list item with a capital letter as you would a regular sentence and insert final punctuation (usually a period) at the end of each list item.

Recommendations for improving patient safety at the facility include the following:

• Install adequate lighting and ventilation in wards, patient rooms, and other areas.
• Incorporate regular training and drills to promote staff awareness of safety procedures.
• Regularly solicit staff and patient and family feedback using an outside firm.

If phrases or sentence fragments, begin each list item with a lowercase letter.

In APA 7, you have two options for punctuating bulleted phrases: to include no punctuation after each list item and after the last list item or to include commas or semicolons, as appropriate, after each list item and final punctuation at the end of the list. (Note that APA 6 only recommended the option to punctuate lists with commas or semicolons.)

The first option may be better for shorter, less complex lists.

• installing adequate lighting and ventilation
• incorporating regular training and drills
• regularly soliciting staff and patient and family feedback

The second option may be better for longer, more complex lists.

• installing adequate lighting and ventilation in wards, patient rooms, and other areas;
• incorporating regular training and drills to promote staff awareness of safety procedures; and
• regularly soliciting staff and patient and family feedback using an outside firm.

Seriation Video

• APA Formatting & Style: Seriation (video transcript)
• Previous Page: Serial Commas
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The Editor’s Manual

Free learning resource on English grammar, punctuation, usage, and style.

• Capitalization

How to Format a List

A list may be vertical or horizontal. A vertical list is often introduced by a complete sentence followed by a colon.

• Changing the sparkplug
• Oiling the wheels
• Launching the rocket ship

Use numbers instead of bullet points when the order or number of elements in the list is important.

• Change the sparkplug.
• Oil the wheels.
• Launch the rocket ship.

The items in a vertical list are generally capitalized. Use a period at the end of a list item only if it is a complete sentence.

A horizontal (or run-in) list may contain numbering if the list elements are meant to stand out from the text.

• We still have to clean the windows, stock the pantry, and refuel the ship.
• Today, we must (a) clean the windows, (b) stock the pantry, and (c) refuel the ship.

What is a list?

A list is a useful way to organize information and present it clearly and logically. The elements in a list stand out typographically from the rest of the text, thus encouraging the reader to focus on them.

• The things I miss most in this apocalypse are (a) diet soda, (b) toilet paper, and (c) good moisturizer.
• A torn notebook
• An old scarf
• A half-eaten candle

When to use a list

Before creating a list, ask yourself whether you need one. Remember that a list stands out from the rest of the text. Therefore, it is best used to present important information that is logically organized and similarly structured.

Don’t overuse lists in writing. To maintain a natural tone, use paragraphs to convey information, occasionally using lists to clarify ideas for your reader.

If the elements of a list comprise many long sentences, they are probably better set in a paragraph than in a list.

A list may be laid out vertically or horizontally. It may be punctuated , indented, bulleted, and numbered.

Vertical lists

Vertical lists are more prominent than horizontal ones and stand out more from the rest of the text.

Numbers, bullets, and indentation

Vertical lists are usually indented and either bulleted or numbered.

• A gold watch
• A fountain pen
• A silk vest
• Buy a swimsuit.
• Find a pool.
• Move your arms and legs, and keep your nose above water.

Bullets or numbers are not essential and are sometimes omitted—for example, when ingredients are listed in a recipe.

• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup cracker crumbs
• 1 diced potato

Indentation, though preferred, may be omitted—for example, in a restaurant menu.

• Tea English Breakfast Earl Grey Darjeeling Golden orange pekoe Coffee Espresso Americano Latte Cappuccino

Numbers versus bullets

If the sequence of the listed items is important, use a numbered ( i.e., ordered) list.

• Unplug the device from its power source.
• Turn around three times.
• Touch your nose with your index finger.
• Plug the device back in.
• Wait until you see a green light.
• Press the red button.

You may also use a numbered list to emphasize the number of items.

• A flashlight
• Your sense of adventure

Letters instead of numbers are generally used to present a list of options, such as in a quiz with multiple-choice questions.

• More than 7

Letters may be used in multilevel or nested lists, which are lists with sublevels within them.

Use bullets instead of numbers when the sequence or number of elements in your list is not important. Such lists are called unordered lists. Changing the sequence of items in such a list does not affect meaning or make the list difficult to understand.

• Concierge desk

When to capitalize list elements

The elements in a vertical list are often capitalized. This capitalization style is relatively simple and thus preferred by many. It has the additional advantage of making each of the listed points stand out.

• Count nouns
• Nouns that are both count and mass

However, capitalization is not always necessary, especially in a list that isn’t bulleted or numbered, or introduced by a sentence followed by a colon .

• application form
• proof of residence
• bank statement

How to punctuate a list

If the points in your list are complete sentences, use terminal punctuation ( periods or question marks ).

• What are em dashes?
• What are en dashes?
• How are they different?
• Wash and boil lentils.
• Season with salt.
• Put away to use later.
• Order Ezogelin soup from the nearest Turkish restaurant.

If your list isn’t made up of complete sentences, periods aren’t required.

• Spirit level
• Power drill

Lists may also be punctuated as complete sentences. Don’t use a colon to introduce such a list. End each list item with a comma , and use a period at the end of the list. Since such a list is meant to be read as a sentence, don’t capitalize any of the individual points.

• another map,
• an empty bottle,
• a human skull.

Use semicolons if the points in your list contain internal commas. An and before the final element is optional.

• a wooden plank, two feet wide and four feet tall;
• a box of paints, preferably acrylic; and
• a steady hand.

When to use a colon to introduce a list

Use a colon after a complete sentence or independent clause to introduce a list.

• Surgical masks
• Hand sanitizer
• Toilet paper

Don’t place a colon after a simple heading or introductory phrase.

Use a colon only after a complete introductory sentence.

If you don’t introduce the list using a complete sentence, the list itself can be the sentence.

Such a list is better laid out horizontally, especially if the list items are short.

• This year, Tumkin will visit Thailand, Vietnam, and Indonesia.

The serial comma before and after the second-last item in a horizontal list is optional but often preferred, especially in formal writing in American English .

Multilevel lists

You may sometimes need more than one level to create an effective outline. Such multilevel lists (or outlines) work particularly well as project plans, hierarchies, and indexes (take a look at the table of contents on this page). If number, sequence, or chronology are important, use numbers and letters for each element in the list (I, A, 1, a, i); otherwise, use variously sized and shaped bullets (•, ◦, ▪).

• Northern Africa
• Eastern Africa
• Middle Africa
• Southern Africa
• Western Africa
• Central America
• South America
• Northern America
• Central Asia
• Eastern Asia
• Southeastern Asia
• Southern Asia
• Western Asia
• Eastern Europe
• Northern Europe
• Southern Europe
• Western Europe
• Australia and New Zealand
• Political divisions of the world

You may use any sequential numbering system (e.g., [I, A, 1, a, i] or [1, 1.1, 1.1.1]) as long as it makes the hierarchy of the levels clear to your reader.

As with any list, if the sequence or number of list elements is unimportant, use bullets. Use a different style or size of bullet point to denote each sublevel. (Programs such as Microsoft Word do this automatically for you.)

• Autotrophic
• Carnivorous
• Herbivorous
• Very friendly
• Somewhat unfriendly
• Mostly harmless

Format multilevel or nested lists logically and consistently. Indent, number, or format each sublevel such that it is clear which level each list element belongs to. Inconsistent formatting can make an outline look messy and unprofessional.

Horizontal lists

In its simplest form, a horizontal list (also called a run-in list) is a sentence with items separated by commas.

• To bake a cake, you need flour, eggs, butter, and time .
• Nesbit, Lulu, and Anita have won the tournament.

Use a semicolon to separate items in a list when they themselves contain internal punctuation.

• Tumkin visited Hamburg, Germany; George Town, Malaysia; and Colombo, Sri Lanka .

To make list elements stand out, to highlight their number, or to imply a sequence, use letters or numbers. Enclose these letters or numbers in parentheses to separate them from the surrounding text.

• I can’t live here because (a) it’s dirty and (b) it stinks .
• Make sure to pack (1) binoculars, (2) pencils, and (c) spare socks .
• On our trip to Turkey, we plan to visit the following places: (1) Istanbul, (2) Antalya, (3) Ankara, (4) Bodrum .

Use a colon only if you use a complete sentence to introduce the list.

• Incorrect For his trip to Mars, Farley packed: (a) a gold watch, (b) a silk tie, (c) a pair of dress shoes. Correct For his trip to Mars, Farley packed (a) a gold watch, (b) a silk tie, (c) a pair of dress shoes. Correct For his trip to Mars, Farley packed three things: (a) a gold watch, (b) a silk tie, (c) a pair of dress shoes.

Parallel structure

For a list that is logical and readable, ensure parallel structure across its elements. This means that each element in your list should be of the same type functionally (word, phrase , clause , or sentence ) and grammatically ( nouns , verbs , adverbs , etc.). Also, don’t mix tone. If one of the points in your list is a question, all should be questions. If one is an imperative (an instruction), so must they all be.

• Poor Lulu loves adventure , eating ice-cream , and to laugh when she can . This list lacks parallel structure: the first item is a noun, the second a gerund phrase, and the third an infinitive phrase.
• Better Lulu loves being adventurous, eating ice-cream, and laughing when she can. We have parallel structure: all the items in this list are gerund phrases.
• Better Lulu loves adventure , ice-cream , and laughter . We’ve ensured parallel structure by rephrasing and turning all the elements into nouns.
• Better Lulu loves to be adventurous, eat ice-cream, and laugh when she can. All the elements in this list are infinitive phrases.

Don’t mix imperatives with factual statements and questions.

• Buy seven crates of coconut water.
• It’s useful to be strong and agile; try swimming every day.
• When did you last have a dental checkup?
• Stay strong and agile by going swimming every day.
• Get a dental checkup done.

Don’t allow the list items to be functionally different—for example, one shouldn’t be a noun and another an adjective .

• Invertebrate species
• Invertebrates

Usage guide

Lists help organize and present information logically and sequentially. The elements of a list stand out from the rest of the text, unlike sentences in a paragraph. Use a list to provide a set of instructions or to make key points clear to your readers. If the number or order of elements is important, use numbers; otherwise, use bullets. Capitalize and punctuate your list correctly and consistently. Finally, check that your list has parallel structure.

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Use numbers when the order of listed items is important.

Use a colon only after a complete introductory sentence at the start of a list. A simple heading does not require punctuation.

List elements don’t require terminal punctuation (such as periods) unless they are complete sentences.

A list can contain multiple levels to denote hierarchy. Ensure that the various sublevels are consistently formatted and numbered.

A list should have parallel structure, which means that all items have similar structure (words, phrases, sentences) and are of the same grammatical type (nouns, adjectives, verbs, gerunds, etc.).

• Place order

How to Integrate a List of Things in an Essay or Paper

In academic writing, all papers must follow strict formatting rules and structures. Essays, research papers, term papers, dissertations, theses, or reports are written in APA, MLA, Harvard, Chicago, or Oxford, among other formatting styles. With the structure comes some rules to maintain, and one of these rules is how to incorporate lists when writing.

Lists are ideal even when writing in prose, even if they abruptly disrupt the structure, design, length, and sometimes grammar of the written piece. They can be integrated into the prose (horizontally or run-in) or set vertically depending on the amount of information and its intended purpose.

What is in a list? You may ask .

A list makes your work easy to read without struggling to identify the main points. They make your format recognizable and your reading digestible.

If you use the right punctuation, syntax, and grammar and stick to the formatting style requirements, you are good at including lists in an essay or any academic writing task. However, you must know that you can only use a vertical list if there are more than three items, and anything less than that should not be listed and should follow the general sentence formatting rules.

Let us see how everything works and how to present a list in an essay.

Types of Lists in Academic Writing

You can format lists differently, provided they are parallel and consistent. In academic writing, there are two types of lists: run-in lists and vertical lists, and let us expound on the meaning and formats of each.

Run-in Lists

A run-in list is a list that is included as part of the general text, and they are laid out in line in running prose. It is a horizontal list that entails listing the items as part of the sentences in a paragraph using the correct punctuation. In APA, you can use seriation within sentences where an item in the sentence is preceded by a number or letter enclosed in two brackets, followed by a semicolon, and has a period at the end of the sentence. Let’s look at an example:

Based on post-world cup analysis research conducted by sports researchers, it emerged that (a) it united more people than ever; (b) created a sense of belongingness for football fans; (c) broke the fear caused by the Covid-19; (d) helped entertain millions of fans; (e) contributed to Qatar’s GDP.

You can introduce run-in lists through a complete sentence followed by a list of items preceded by a colon while a comma separates each item. Let us look at an example:

Every camper and hiker should be introduced to basic survival skills training so that they can: make a fire without flint or matches, forage food, track and navigate the wild, make simple tools, and manage emergency scenarios.

On the same note, the list can also be part of a sentence where each item is separated by numbers or letters in paragraphs. Let us look at an illustration.

Kids should train for and participate in triathlons because it: (1) keeps them active, (2) teaches them to set and meet goals, (3) helps them develop motor skills, and (4) develops strength, endurance, and balance.

Vertical Lists

Vertical lists are laid out vertically and can be ordered and labeled with numbers or letters or bulleted (unordered).

A vertical list is preceded by a complete sentence that gives a brief introduction or overview of the items or points in a list. Vertical lists do not necessarily have to be bulleted, nor do you require to put a punctuation mark at the end of each item in the entry.

Making a camping fire is a fun process that involves the following:

• Have a source of water, a bucket, and a shovel
• Gather enough wood for the fire
• Pile a handful of tinder at the center of the fire pit
• Kindle the fire and add more wood

When your lead-in sentence is complete, and all the entries comprise complete sentences, you can use a final period at the end of each item in the list.

When you have a long list that cannot be presented in a single sentence, use vertical lists that are punctuated as a sentence. You can use this structure when the phrases have internal punctuation, or the reader might have trouble getting the gist of your written text.

If you have a complex vertical list, you can format it like an outline. You can then use numbers or letters to itemize the items in the list. The lead-in or introductory sentence should be a complete sentence followed by a colon.

Vertical lists help improve readability by breaking blocks of prose or chunks. They also help the readers to skim the text with ease, and they also highlight important content. Finally, they can be used as a signpost or to cue the readers about the following content, especially when listing subheadings or sections.

Ensure that you observe the nuanced rules for punctuating vertical lists for every formatting style you use to write an academic paper.

When to Use Lists in an Essay or Paper

Even though lists can disrupt the formatting, grammar, and structure of an essay or a written piece, they are sometimes the necessary evil that makes such papers organized. Imagine reading a prose format text that has stuffed a list of items in a sentence, and you must read, interpret, or internalize. It would be a tough call, won’t it? That’s where lists come in. Lists are meant to get your reader’s attention so they can decode your message on the go and off the bat. You can use lists in an essay when:

• Introducing a cluster of ideas
• Including themes
• Writing subtopics
• Writing an assessment/evaluation checklist
• Steps in a process or analysis (procedures, strategic planning or project planning, nursing SOAP Notes, etc.)
• Components of an item (list of board of directors, recipes, etc.)
• Signposting the ideas in your written piece
• List of recommendations
• Help navigate longer lists such as data sets

That said, you must adhere to parallelism and punctuation to the T when creating a list in an essay or any academic writing task. Besides, you must pay attention to the general formatting guidelines for the respective formatting style you are writing the paper.

Different Ways to List Items in an Essay

When assigned to write an essay or research paper in MLA, APA, Chicago, or Harvard formatting styles and you need to make a list, you should only proceed when it is unavoidable. Combine the list with good transition words, and you will make comprehensive, coherent, and cogent paragraphs that make your writing stand out.

That said, many ways to list items in an essay include using a numbered list, bulleted list, lettered list, and running text lists. Even though these means are allowed, you can only use lists sparingly in your writing.

1.      Bulleted or Unordered Lists

Bulleted lists are a preference when using lists that do not communicate hierarchical, superiority, priority, or chronological order. Although sparingly, you can use bulleted points in academic writing when:

• Formulating recipes and introducing component lists.
• Listing items
• Emphasizing points after an interpretation
• Clarifying the step-by-step process
• Condensing descriptions
• Providing evidence to support arguments and claims
• Illustrating points
• Providing examples

If opportunity allows, you are highly encouraged to use bullet lists in a research paper to make it readable as long as there is no condition to the list. If you have lists that are not too long, have them as separate paragraphs. You can also introduce short bulleted lists as titled sections. But if you have longer items to list and want to be thorough in your listing, use a bulleted list.

Before introducing the bullet list, ensure that you have an opening sentence explaining the list's contents. The introduction should give your readers a head start on the items, so they are not confused as they read.

When including the bulleted lists, indent them at least one inch or one tab stop from the left margin. The lists should be double or single, depending on the entire document's general spacing.

You cannot use a bulleted list in an academic essay or paper when:

• Writing the conclusion of your paper
• Writing the thesis statement
• Writing the introduction paragraph

The use of bullet points is strictly prohibited in these circumstances. You can use bullet lists in quotations, as we share later in this article.

Related Reading: Transition words and phrases to use in a university essay .

2.      Numbered or Ordered Lists

Like bullet point lists, you can use numbered lists that are similar, only that the latter has numbers instead of bullet points. Besides, there are also rules to observe when using either.

Most formatting styles, such as MLA and APA, allow seriation (use of numbered or ordered lists). However, this should be done sparingly as well. Overusing the numbered lists will make your paper look more like an outline than an academic piece written in prose.

You should use numbered lists when describing a series of events or a logical arrangement of items. Every list begins with numerals and ends in a full stop/ period.

If you are integrating the list in prose, you need to use colons and bracketed numbers.

The main steps of taking a shower include: (1) getting your clothes off, (2) getting into the bathroom; (3) activating the shower and adjusting to the right temperature, and (4) taking a bath.”

Notice that you must open and close the parentheses and not use just one bracket.

You can also use a semicolon and bracketed numbers if your pieces of evidence have a comma in the middle, and Semicolons are used to separate the elements. Alternatively, you can make a vertical list rather than a run-in text to better capture readers' attention.

You can also list items by specifying their order. This is the first, second, third…nth.

3.      List with Letters

Lettered lists are like numbered lists in every aspect. Listing things in an essay using letters and brackets entails using lowercase letters within parentheses preceding the items in the list, followed by semicolons before introducing the next item. The second last item will have the semicolon and the word “and” or “or” before introducing the last item and finishing with a period.

The main steps of taking a shower include: (a) getting your clothes off, (b) getting into the bathroom; (c) activating the shower and adjusting to the right temperature, and (d) taking a bath.

4.      Running Text Lists

Ever heard of the famous Oxford comma? You can use it in a sentence to introduce a list of items in an essay within run-in texts, and the serial comma precedes the conjunction.

When you plan a hike, you must pick a safe destination, get good gear, have the right attitude, prepare well, and plan your trip.

Making Lists in APA formatting Style

APA formatting style, used primarily in social sciences, allows using both numbered and bulleted lists. You should consult with your instructor whether to include lists in your essay or piece of assignment for clarity so that you submit work that meets instructions.

In APA style, you can list with bullets if you want to separate points in a sentence. In this case, the list is not preceded by a colon, and the bulleted list is considered part of the sentence. This option is usually great when writing complex sentences that might be difficult to digest without punctuation. If the bulleted list contains phrases rather than sentences, there is no need for punctuation.

As an example:

The project planning team has assessed the suitability of the location and has already completed

• the impact assessment report;
• health and safety report;
• work breakdown structure;
• letters of request;
• soil testing report as illustrated in their final letter.

In APA 7, using numbered lists is encouraged for complete sentences or paragraphs in a series. You can, for instance, use a numbered list when describing steps in a procedure or including itemized recommendations.

In APA 7, you have two options for punctuating bulleted phrases: to include no punctuation after each list item and after the last list item or to include commas or semicolons, as appropriate, after each list item and final punctuation at the end of the list. Example:

• the impact assessment report
• health and safety report
• work breakdown structure
• letters of request

Here is an example of a seriated list in APA

A survey should include (a) clear wording, (b) convenient access, (c)concise direction, and (d) simple language.

If you list three or more items, use a serial comma or Oxford comma before the last item and the conjunction “and’ or “or.” If you have one or more clauses that contain commas, you should use a semicolon instead of a comma to separate every clause.

Also Read: Signposting strategies for essays and papers .

How to make a List in MLA Format

In MLA style, primarily used in humanities subjects, there are many ways to integrate a list.

First, you can integrate a list into your essay's prose or paragraphs. In this case, the lists are introduced by the text.

E.g., “ We can praise Baldwin for his astute sociological observations, crafting meticulous sentences, and using metropolitan dialogue.”

Instead of using commas, you can also list using a colon.

For example, “ Baldwin is known, primarily, for three reasons: astute sociological observations, meticulous crafting of sentences, and using decidedly metropolitan dialogue.”

You can also introduce a vertical list in MLA either as a complete sentence or a list that continues the sentence that introduced it.

If you introduce a list by a complete sentence in the body, it should end in a colon first, then introduce the list as complete sentences or fragments. In this case, the first letter of each item in the list must be capitalized if they are a complete sentence. Besides, you should adhere to the punctuation rules for sentences.

Having gone through the report, four pertinent questions arise:

• Are we prepared for the future?
• Are our competitors edging us out of the market?
• Do we have the capacity to counter competition?
• When can we begin implementing new mechanisms to counter the effects we are seeing now?

You can also stratify some sentences in your MLA-format paper into a vertical list, and the lists will be considered as one single sentence.

In this case, since it is a sentence continuation, there is no need to include a colon before the list. Instead, begin the sentence as usual and format each item on a separate line.

Every item in the list ends in a semicolon. The second last item should have a semicolon and the word “or” or the word “and. The final item should have a closing punctuation of the sentence.

Several schools are reconsidering their physical security setups by

• installing motion sensors;
• installing gates with access controls;
• hiring guards with military training;
• only allowing authorized vehicles into the school; and
• Log in to all the people who enter and leave the school digitally.

If you can avoid using numbered lists in MLA, please do so without hesitation.

Using Bulleted Lists with Quotes and Paraphrased Text

You can use bulleted lists to format paraphrased passages from a source. You need to use a signal phrase or citation in the sentence before the text. For example:

“Red and yellow are the best colors to decorate a restaurant because they induce feelings of hunger, energize customers to order more food, and prevent patrons from lingering in the dining area once they have finished their meals.” (Jackson, 2009)

This can be paraphrased as:

It is profit-oriented to decorate a restaurant with yellow and red colors. Jackson (2009) suggests

• make people feel hungry;
• lead to customers eating and therefore spending more;
• and encourage diners to leave the restaurant once they have finished eating, freeing the tables for new customers.

A bulleted list can also function as a block quote, without quotation marks, if taken directly from the source. However, you must introduce the source with a signal phrase, and the quote should be single-spaced. If you change any words, you need to use brackets. You should also include the citation in the list item after the period after the last thing in the list.

Sticking to the same original passage, the right way to present this would be:

In her marketing study, Jackson highlights the benefits of decorating a restaurant with red and yellow color schemes citing that these colors,

• induce (potential customers’) feelings of hunger,
• energize customers to order more food, and
• prevent patrons from lingering in the dining area once they have finished their meals. (Jackson, 2009, p. 29)

You can also use the bulleted list to quote individual list items directly and paraphrase some items. Again, you must use the signal phrase or citation in the paragraph preceding the list. You should also include quotation marks and citations with the quotes in verbatim. Taking the same example:

When it comes to restaurant décor, the findings of a marketing study by Jackson (2009) suggest that the colors red and yellow:

• Make people feel hungry.
• “Energize customers to order more food.” (Jackson, 2009, p. 29)
• Encourage diners to leave the restaurant once they have finished eating, freeing the table for new customers.

Dos and Don’ts when Using Lists

As you strive to perfect listing items or things in an essay or paper, there are some things you should do and others that you should not do. Even though we have listed them as part of this guide, in the previous sections, let us gather them together for clarity. Below are some things you should do and others not to do with lists in academic writing:

• Only group items that are related. As you write and edit lists in your essay or academic writing, ensure they belong together. Only give a list of items related to the paragraph, sentences preceding it, or those it is part of. If the things are unrelated, disband the list and use other strategies.
• Your list should be easy to read. Instead of slapping everything else into your list, ensure it is structured and easy to read. The intention is to get the main idea out to your readers without them wasting much time. The list should be introduced well and straightforwardly. If there is a grammatically complex item, place it at the end of the list for easy processing.
• Observe punctuation rules. Every academic writing style guide has a unique approach and the best ways to use either numbered or bulleted lists. You must adhere to punctuation styles, including a colon, semicolon, or period. The punctuation should be consistent and correct. If unsure, ask your instructor for clarification.
• Stick to the grammatical rules. As you write the lists in your essay or paper, ensure that you observe grammatical rules such as capitalization rules.
• Do it Sparingly . Your academic writing must demonstrate that you can comprehensively research, synthesize, and present facts about a specific topic or subject. Depending too much on lists can dilute the very purpose resulting in a subpar essay or paper. If there is an opening to use them, do it sparingly and only when unavoidable. You are not doing a PowerPoint slide and do not want your essay to look like a scatter graph. Draw meaningful connections using prose format that entails good flowing words, sentences, and paragraphs.

As you Exit….

Again, we insist that using numbered or bulleted items or points in academic writing should only be made when unavoidable.

• How to write a perfect academic essay .
• How to use quotes in essays and papers.

 The rationale is that formal academic writing entails synthesizing information and critically presenting arguments to explore in-depth topics, which can only be achieved with uninterrupted prose: complete sentences and paragraphs.

Capitalizing the items in a list depends on whether you are writing complete sentences or the list is part of a sentence in a paragraph. You can capitalize the first letter of the first word of the items in the list if you are writing a complete sentence where you don’t need a semicolon but a full stop or period at the end of each item.

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Creating Vertical Lists in MLA Style

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

Although in humanities essays,  lists are generally run into the text , in other types of material, a vertical list may be preferable. Vertical lists call attention to the items listed, so such lists are often desirable in pedagogical and promotional contexts. The MLA’s guidelines for styling vertical lists are derived from  The Chicago Manual of Style (6.127–132). Below are examples of vertical lists—which may be unnumbered, numbered, or bulleted—and how to introduce, punctuate, and capitalize them.

Lists Introduced with a Complete Sentence 

A list may be introduced with a complete sentence followed by a colon, as in the examples below. The items in the list can be composed of complete sentences or fragments but should be consistent in using one or the other method.

List Items with Complete Sentences

If the list items are complete sentences, as in the examples below, the first letter of the first word of each item should be capitalized, and the item should be followed by closing punctuation, such as a period or question mark.

Finally, I posed the following overarching questions for students to consider throughout the semester: How can a man embody modern, bourgeois norms of masculinity in a country still strongly tied to the ancien régime? How do aristocratic and bourgeois models of manhood interact with one another in the Spanish realist novel? How are working-class men depicted in Spanish realism?  How can we apply Cartagena Calderón’s definition of the crisis of masculinity to the late-nineteenth-century Spanish context? 

List Items with Fragments

If the list items are not complete sentences and the list is numbered, capitalize the start of each item:

These raw materials can be grouped in four main areas: Early modern Christian beliefs inherited from the medieval period, indeed the very period that Shakespeare is writing about in the history plays The structure of feudal and and semifeudal society Emergent humanist ideas about history and politics imported from Renaissance Italy, especially those of Niccolò Machiavelli The key events of the Wars of the Roses and the corresponding key plot points of Shakespeare’s two tetralogies 

If the list is unnumbered or bulleted, generally lowercase the start of each item: 

These raw materials can be grouped in four main areas: early modern Christian beliefs inherited from the medieval period, indeed the very period that Shakespeare is writing about in the history plays the structure of feudal and and semifeudal society emergent humanist ideas about history and politics imported from Renaissance Italy, especially those of Niccolò Machiavelli the key events of the Wars of the Roses and the corresponding key plot points of Shakespeare’s two tetralogies

In some contexts, though, you may capitalize the first letter of the first word of each item if you wish to call attention to the items.

Lists That Continue the Sentence Introducing Them

A list may also start with a sentence continued in the list. No colon should appear before such lists.

If the list items are not complete sentences, you can often begin each item with a lowercase letter and use no punctuation after the item.

The MLA Style Center  is a free companion to the  MLA Handbook . The only official website devoted to MLA style, it provides  the opportunity to submit your own questions insights about MLA style from the MLA’s editors sample research papers instructions on formatting research papers teaching resources tools for creating works-cited-list entries

List Items Punctuated like a Sentence

In formal contexts, you may use semicolons between the list items and “and” before the final item: 

The MLA is expanding its advocacy efforts by

• sharing urgent information with members;
• developing strategic partnerships; and
• aggregating advocacy news, calls to action, and other resources on the MLA Action Network .

Sample lists taken or adapted from  the MLA website and the following publications:  Zachary Erwin’s “Teaching Masculinity in Pardo Bazán’s Novels” ( Approaches to Teaching the Writings of Emilia Pardo Bazán ,  edited by Margot Versteeg and Susan Walter, Modern Language Association of America, 2017, pp. 58–63) and Neema Parvini’s “Historicism ‘By Stealth’: History, Politics, and Power in  Richard II and  Henry IV” ( Approaches to  Teaching Shakespeare’s English History Plays , edited by Laurie Ellinghausen, Modern Language Association of America, 2017, pp. 94–99).

The Chicago Manual of Style.  17th ed., U of Chicago P, 2017, www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/book/ed17/part2/ch06/psec127.html.

13 Comments

Pam 27 january 2020 at 04:01 pm.

Please advise as to whether semicolons should be used in a vertical list of names or only in a linear list of names. Thank you.

Your e-mail address will not be published

Jennifer A. Rappaport 28 January 2020 AT 07:01 AM

Thanks for your question. No punctuation is required in a vertical list of names.

C Haulenbeek 29 January 2020 AT 09:01 PM

In a bulleted list, are the entries single spaced or double spaced?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 30 January 2020 AT 07:01 AM

Thanks for your question. If your paper is double-spaced, you can double-space the list.

Mohamed Iliyas 05 October 2020 AT 05:10 AM

Should the list item numbers in vertical list be with period (1. list item) ? or it can be like '1) list item'. Thanks in advance.

Jennifer A. Rappaport 05 October 2020 AT 07:10 AM

Thanks for your question. The numbers in a numbered vertical list should be followed by a period, as shown in the example above.

John 30 October 2020 AT 12:10 PM

Is there a space between the heading and subpoints?

Jennifer A. Rappaport 02 November 2020 AT 07:11 AM

Yes, for readability, include a line space above and below a heading. See our post on headings: https://style.mla.org/styling-headings-and-subheadings/.

johanna 22 April 2021 AT 10:04 AM

I'm listing single words in a vertical list (with bullet points) which don't add up to form a full sentence. Should I capitalize the innitial letters? Should I use commas in my list?

e.g.: Complications include: - kidney failure - arrhythmia - re-operation - ...

Thanks in advance!

C. Barney Latimer 26 April 2021 AT 05:04 PM

As noted in the post, the items in a bulleted list of fragments generally start with lowercase letters, and no punctuation is needed after each item.

Aspen Anderson 04 June 2021 AT 05:06 PM

This info was incredibly helpful, thank you! How do you format it if each bullet has an intro concept/sentence, i.e. "1. Drink more water: When you drink water throughout the day..."

C. Barney Latimer 11 June 2021 AT 01:06 PM

If it’s important to begin an item in a vertical list with an introductory phrase or sentence, feel free to apply distinctive formatting (e.g., bold or italics) to the introductory wording, which should then be followed with a period. The example you’ve provided might therefore be formatted as follows: "1. Drink more water . When you drink water throughout the day..."

Virginia Kirk 16 May 2022 AT 05:05 PM

In your last example, "List Items Punctuated Like a Sentence," are you using the semi-colon because the last item in the list includes commas? Would you use the semi-colon in such a list if there were no commas in the last item?

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How to Incorporate a List As a Paragraph

While many lists are presented in a bulleted or numbered format, writing lists into a paragraph can allow for better flow to your paper. Lists are often used to introduce a series of topics within one paragraph. Some style guides, such as Modern Language Association or MLA format, prefer lists to be presented in a paragraph rather than in bullet form. Other styles, such as the Chicago Manual of Style, suggest that using bullets appears cumbersome in formal papers. You can follow some guidelines for appropriately incorporating lists into paragraph format.

Sentence Seriation

Introduce the series and then write out the series after a colon. For example: “Use the MLA style guide to find: (1) general guidelines for research papers, including paper formatting; (2) instructions to create in-text citations; and (3) rules for Works Cited pages.” The list appears after the colon and each item in the list is marked with a number in parentheses. While MLA prefers items in lists to include numbers in parentheses, APA style allows you to use lower-case letters for seriation with sentences.

Form Enhances Content

Use parallel structure, keeping all items in the list in the same form. For example, in the list you just read in the first section, you wouldn't write "looking up rules for Works Cited pages” for the third bullet point. Since the first two points start with nouns, the third point should follow suit. Writing, "rules for Works Cited pages" keeps the three list items in the same form.

• Purdue Online Writing Lab: APA Headings and Seriation
• University of Wisconsin-Madison: Using Semicolons
• Purdue Online Writing Lab: Parallel Structure

Cara Batema is a musician, teacher and writer who specializes in early childhood, special needs and psychology. Since 2010, Batema has been an active writer in the fields of education, parenting, science and health. She holds a bachelor's degree in music therapy and creative writing.

How to Format Numbered Lists in APA Style

How to Take Good Notes From a Book

The American Psychological Association style is widely used and accepted for academic writing in the sciences and social sciences. Clarifying connections among ideas is paramount in APA style, which sometimes requires numbering ideas in a list. Numbered lists fall under the “Headings and Seriation” APA guidelines according to the sixth edition of the "Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association."

1. hierarchical or chronological

Determine if your list is of a hierarchical or chronological nature. Lists that don’t have an order or rank of items should be presented in bulleted lists, not numbered ones, according to the APA.

2. list form or within a paragraph

Decide if you would prefer to present the materials in a list form or within the text of a paragraph. If you choose to present the material in the text of a paragraph, you may use letters instead of numbers for each section.

3. Use one of these examples

Follow one of the examples below when presenting your materials. If your information does not fit into either of these examples, consider using bullet points or writing the information in prose.

Example 1: Numbered list

After analyzing the results of the recent study, the American Dental Association recommended the following:

• Brush your teeth at least twice a day.
• Ensure that you are using proper technique and do not brush too vigorously.
• Floss your teeth at least once a day.

Example 2: List within paragraph text

Following the ADA recommendations, the patients have (a) increased their brushing to twice per day, (b) reviewed and corrected their brushing technique, (c) have begun to integrate flossing into their daily routine.

​ Tip: ​ The APA acknowledges that bullets are acceptable alternatives to numbered lists. Numbered lists can give a sense of order for the items, and this implied process is eliminated with the use of bulleted lists. However, you may still use the numbered list system as your default.

​ Warning ​: Despite the APA expressly stating that bullets are allowed, some academics do not allow bulleted lists. The theory being that if you are unable to express the ideas in a paraphrase or a summary paragraph, perhaps the materials are better presented in the appendix or a table. Be sure to review any style manuals available for your target audience to be sure that the most recent version of the APA style manual contains all of the required information.

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• APA Style: Five Essential Tips for APA Style Headings
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• The APA acknowledges that bullets are acceptable alternatives to numbered lists. Numbered lists can give a sense of order for the items, and this implied process is eliminated with the use of bulleted lists. However, you may still use the numbered list system as your default.
• Despite the APA expressly stating that bullets are allowed, some academics do not allow bulleted lists. The theory being that if you are unable to express the ideas in a paraphrase or a summary paragraph, perhaps the materials are better presented in the appendix or a table. Be sure to review any style manuals available for your target audience to be sure that the most recent version of the APA style manual contains all of the required information.

Chloe began her writing career in 2001 by creating a newsletter for her company. Later, she served as an editor for the "Business Law Journal." She is an avid academic, amateur chef and technophile, and has a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics with a minor in art history from the University of California.

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Q. Are bulleted lists allowed in APA Style? How do I format a bulleted or numbered list?

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Answered By: Jonathan Faerber (he/him/his) Last Updated: Nov 04, 2021     Views: 173066

APA Style (7th ed.)

Bulleted and numbered lists are permitted by the APA Style rules; however, if you're unsure if your instructor will permit them in your assignment, please check with your instructor. Keep in mind that because bulleted or numbered lists only provide surface-level information rather than include analysis, and because the focus of academic writing is to demonstrate your critical thinking, these lists are used sparingly in formal academic writing in favor of communicating your ideas in complete sentences and paragraphs. See below for information regarding formatting lists.

Bulleted lists

The capitalization and punctuation for each bulleted item depends on whether the items form sentences or sentence parts. If the bulleted text is a full sentence, capitalize the first letter of the first word and end the paragraph with a period. For example:

• This is a sentence.
• This is another sentence.
• This is the last sentence of the bulleted list.

When a bulleted list separates three or more elements within a sentence, “begin each bulleted item with a lowercase letter” and either punctuate each item in the list as parts of a sentence (e.g., inserting commas), or exclude punctuation after each item (American Psychological Association [APA], 2020, pp. 190-191). For example:

In December 2018, British Columbia had an extreme storm that caused:

• massive damage due to high winds,
• widespread power outages that lasted many days, and
• flooded roads.

This storm affected multiple areas on Vancouver Island, including:

For other examples of bulleted lists, see Bulleted Lists in the APA Style Blog. For an explanation of the difference between a complete sentence and its parts, please see Sentences  and Sentence Elements  on the Writing Centre website.

Numbered lists

Numbered lists are helpful to identify the organization of information, such as "itemized conclusions” or “steps in a procedure" (APA, 2020, p. 190). Keep the following steps when creating a number list:

• Create the numbered list using the numbered list function on Microsoft Word or similar program.
• Set off Arabic numerals at the beginning of each item with a period rather than parentheses (i.e., “2.” rather than “(2)” or “2)”)
• Begin each item in the numbered list with a capital letter, and follow appropriate sentence punctuation throughout the list, using end marks like periods, exclamation, or question marks where required.

Please keep in mind that "the use of 'numbered lists' may connote an unwanted or unwarranted ordinal position (e.g. chronology, importance, priority) among the items" (APA, 2020, p. 190). To avoid this suggestion of position, use a bulleted list instead. For more information on numbered lists, see Numbered Lists in the APA Style Blog.

Lettered lists within a sentence

Lettered lists within a sentence are a good way to identify elements in a series within a paragraph or sentence without breaking the elements into a numbered or bulleted list. To indicate the list, use lowercase letters in parentheses (American Psychological Association, 2020, p. 189). For example, "students were asked to choose between completing (a) a formal research essay, (b) a documentary-style video, (c) a multi-media experience that involves participants". To punctuate a lettered list within a sentence, use commas between each of three or more items, or use semicolons when separating items that include commas, such as a series of phrases (APA, 2020, p.189). See Lettered Lists from the APA Style Blog for more information and examples.

American Psychological Association. (2020).  Publication manual of the American Psychological Association  (7th ed.).  https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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How to Write Run-In Lists

By Erin Wright

How to Write Run-In Lists with Commas

Commas can separate simple run-in list items. 1

Three famous cartoon cats are Garfield, Sylvester, and Felix the Cat.

The movie Homeward Bound featured three adventurous pets: Sassy the Himalayan cat, Shadow the golden retriever, and Chance the American bulldog.

How to Write Run-In Lists with Semicolons

Semicolons can separate run-in list items with internal commas. 2

Chicago boasts many famous foods, including hot dogs with mustard, onions, relish, and peppers; deep-dish pizza with chunky tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, and pepperoni or sausage; and Italian beef sandwiches.

Whiting, Indiana, offers an annual pierogi festival; a beach-front park with a walking path, picnic areas, and musical events; and proximity to O’hare, Midway, and the Gary/Chicago International Airport.

How to Write Run-In Lists with Parenthetical Letters

Lowercased letters in parentheses (along with commas or semicolons, as explained above) can separate run-in list items. 3

Mrs. Stickleback asked her students to write a report about (a) a personal hero, (b) a favorite author, or (c) a historical figure.

In addition to food and kitty litter, new cat owners should purchase the following: (a) a cat tree for climbing, scratching, and resting; (b) a brush and cat-sized nail clippers; and (c) a variety of toys for chasing, biting, and cuddling.

How to Write Run-In Lists with Parenthetical Numbers

Numbers in parentheses can also separate run-in list items. 4 Use numbers, rather than letters, when sequencing is important.

My three most popular YouTube tutorials are (1) “How to Delete Extra Spaces in Microsoft Word,” (2) “How to Use Track Changes in Microsoft Word,” and (3) “How to Use the Comment and Mark-Up Tools in Adobe Acrobat DC.”

Currently, the best new country singers are (1) Cody Jinks, (2) Tyler Childers, and (3) Cody Johnson.

What about that Colon?

You may have noticed that some of the examples above introduce the run-in list with a colon. The general guideline is to preface run-in lists with a colon if the introduction stands as a complete sentence. Check out “ How to Use Colons ” for more tips on colon usage.

Further Reading: Should You Capitalize the First Word of a Sentence after a Colon?

• The Associated Press Stylebook 2020–2022 (New York: Associated Press, 2020), 336–37; The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 6.129; Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th ed. (Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2020), 6.3, 6.49; “ How do I incorporate lists into my essay in MLA style? ” Ask the MLA, The MLA Style Center, accessed November 9, 2019. Unless necessary to avoid confusion, The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) doesn’t require the serial comma, which is the comma before the conjunctions and or or . If you don’t follow AP style, strongly consider maintaining the serial comma.
• The Associated Press Stylebook 2020–2022 (New York: Associated Press, 2020), 345; The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 6.60, 6.129; Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th ed. (Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2020) 6.4, 6.49; “ Serial Commas and Serial Semicolons ,” Behind the Style, The MLA Style Center, accessed November 9, 2019.
• The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 6.129; Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th ed. (Washington, DC: American Psychological Association, 2020), 6.50; Neither The Associated Press Stylebook nor the MLA Handbook from the Modern Language Association recommends using parenthetical letters to separate run-in list items.
• The Chicago Manual of Style , 17th ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2017), 6.129; The Associated Press Stylebook , the  Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , and the MLA Handbook from the Modern Language Association do not recommend using parenthetical numbers to separate run-in list items.
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How to properly format numbers in academic essays – a comprehensive guide.

When writing academic essays, it is crucial to follow certain guidelines to ensure your work is clear, accurate, and professional. One area that often causes confusion is the use of numbers. Should you write numbers out in full or use numerals? Are there specific rules for when to use each format? In this article, we will explore the best practices for using numbers in academic writing to help you convey your ideas effectively.

One of the primary rules to keep in mind when using numbers in academic essays is consistency. Choose a style guide, such as APA or MLA, and stick to its guidelines throughout your paper. This will help maintain a uniform appearance and make your work easier to read. Additionally, consider the context in which you are using numbers. Are you discussing statistics, measurements, or dates? Each of these may require a different approach to ensure clarity and accuracy.

Another important aspect of using numbers in academic writing is knowing when to write them out in full and when to use numerals. In general, numbers zero to nine are typically written out in full (e.g., three, seven), while numerals are used for numbers 10 and above (e.g., 15, 42). However, there are exceptions to this rule, so be sure to consult your style guide for specific cases.

Importance of Using Numbers

Numbers play a crucial role in academic essays as they provide a concrete and quantitative basis for arguments and evidence. When used appropriately, numbers can add credibility and precision to your writing, making your arguments more convincing and compelling.

By including specific numerical data, such as statistics, percentages, or numerical examples, you can enhance the clarity and accuracy of your statements. Numbers can help quantify the magnitude of a problem, demonstrate trends over time, or compare different scenarios effectively.

Additionally, numbers can enhance the reader’s understanding of complex concepts and ideas by providing a clear and measurable context. They can also help you make your arguments more persuasive and impactful by presenting evidence in a concise and structured manner.

Overall, using numbers in academic essays is essential for presenting factual information, supporting your arguments with evidence, and making your writing more precise and effective. Properly integrating numbers into your writing can significantly strengthen your academic work and contribute to its overall quality.

Formatting Guidelines for Numbers

When writing academic essays, it is important to follow specific formatting guidelines for numbers to ensure clarity and consistency throughout your paper. Here are some key rules to keep in mind:

1. Spell out numbers one to nine: In general, spell out numbers from one to nine (e.g., “two apples”, “seven participants”) to improve readability and avoid confusion.

2. Use numerals for numbers 10 and above: Use numerals for numbers 10 and above (e.g., “12 years old”, “22 participants”) to maintain consistency in your writing.

3. Use numerals for measurements and percentages: Always use numerals for measurements (e.g., “5 meters”, “10 kilograms”) and percentages (e.g., “25%”) to provide accurate and precise information.

4. Use commas for numbers with four or more digits: Use commas to separate thousands, millions, etc., in numbers with four or more digits (e.g., 1,000, 10,000,000).

5. Be consistent in using numerical formats: Maintain consistency in how you present numbers within your essay. For instance, if you start a list with numerals, continue using numerals for the rest of the list.

Proper Use of Numerals

When writing an academic essay, it is important to know how to properly use numerals. Here are some guidelines to follow:

1. Use numerals for numbers 10 and above: When expressing numbers 10 and above, use numerals. For example, “There were 15 participants in the study.”

2. Spell out numbers below 10: For numbers below 10, spell them out. For example, “There were seven different hypotheses tested in the study.”

3. Use numerals for units of measurement and time: Use numerals when expressing units of measurement (5 grams) and time (6 hours).

4. Consistency is key: Be consistent in your use of numerals throughout the essay. If you start with numerals, continue to use numerals for similar types of information.

5. Follow style guidelines: Some academic disciplines have specific style guidelines for the use of numerals. Make sure to follow the guidelines provided by your institution or the journal you are submitting to.

By following these guidelines, you can ensure that your use of numerals in your academic essay is clear and consistent.

Writing Numbers as Words

When writing numbers in academic essays, it is important to follow the style guide provided by your institution or the specific guidelines of the publication you are submitting your work to. In general, numbers from one to nine are typically written out as words (e.g., “two” or “seven”), while numbers 10 and above are written as numerals (e.g., 10 or 27). However, there can be exceptions to this rule depending on the style guide being used.

It is also a good practice to spell out ordinal numbers (e.g., first, second, third) rather than using numerals (e.g., 1st, 2nd, 3rd) in academic writing. This helps maintain consistency and clarity throughout your essay. Additionally, when a sentence begins with a number, it is generally recommended to write it out as a word to avoid starting a sentence with a numeral.

Remember to always check the specific style guide you are required to follow for any variations or exceptions when writing numbers in your academic essays. Consistency and accuracy are key to conveying your ideas clearly and professionally.

Consistency in Number Usage

When writing academic essays, it is essential to maintain consistency in the usage of numbers throughout the document. This consistency applies to both the style and format of numbers used in the text. Here are some guidelines to ensure proper usage:

• Choose a style guide and follow its rules for writing numbers. Some style guides prefer spelling out numbers from one to ten and using numerals for numbers above ten, while others may have different preferences.
• Be consistent within the same sentence or paragraph. For example, if you spell out a number in one instance, make sure to do the same for similar numbers in the following sentences.
• Decide on a format for dates, times, and measurements and stick to it throughout the essay. For instance, choose between writing dates in the month-day-year format or the day-month-year format and use it consistently.
• Use numerals for percentages, decimals, fractions, and numbers with scientific units. Make sure to format these numbers according to the conventions of your chosen style guide.

By maintaining consistency in number usage, you can improve the readability and professionalism of your academic writing. Paying attention to these details demonstrates your attention to accuracy and precision in your work.

Tips for Enhancing Clarity

When using numbers in academic essays, it is essential to prioritize clarity to ensure that your reader can easily follow your arguments and understand your points. Here are some tips to enhance the clarity of your numerical expressions:

By following these tips, you can effectively enhance the clarity of your numerical expressions in academic essays and improve the overall readability of your work.

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How to List Things in an Essay?

In general, written essays follow a set structure. Something occasionally complicates the structure, however, and students must compensate. Your teacher may assign an essay that includes a list. These lists mess with the layout, design, and even grammar of your paper. That said, lists make it easier for your readers to understand different points and how everything fits together.

Lists help explain subtopics, recommendations, individual components in an item, or the steps to reach a conclusion. The critical element to making lists part of your paper is knowing how to list things in your essay. You have to use appropriate grammar and punctuation and still follow the essay’s grammatical style guidelines.

How to Write a Standard List in an Essay

Start the list with a new independent clause or sentence. How long is the list? Let readers know the list is going to be longer by starting it with a colon. You can use commas for listing objects into a shorter list. Don’t forget to use a semicolon to split items with more than three words or things with commas. This helps to keep the list organized and easy to read.

If you have an even shorter list, you could start the list in the middle of a sentence. Use a dash to transition into a list. Dashes are an informal punctuation mark used to indicate sudden shifts in the sentence. We’ll take a look at a quick example;

No matter the species, eyes all have similar features – pupils, retinas, and optic nerves. If you can’t decide between using dashes or colons, we recommend using a colon. Colons look better and more professional, but using a dash works fine if the list isn’t too long.

How to Write Numbered Lists in an Essay

Writing a numbered list is a little bit different than a standard list. These lists start with a new sentence to introduce the topic, followed by numbers and periods to indicate individual items (steps) in the list. Here is our example;

How to Make Tea:

• Add water to kettle and heat it
• Put the teabag in a cup
• Pour hot water into the cup

You can use bullet points instead of numbers if they don’t have to be numbered in a set way. The main point of numbered lists is that you include your introductory sentence/paragraph explaining the list. These numbered lists eat up more room in an essay, so they should justify using up space. Readers might assume you used a numbered list to make the paper look longer than it is if your list is long and doesn’t add any value.

How to Include Lists For MLA Essays

You may put a numbered list into your MLA essay. However, we recommend against doing that. There are several ways to write lists into MLA essays, so be sure to talk to your professor first. Please find out how they prefer students present lists.

In the Sentence:

You can include your list in an MLA essay by writing it into the sentence. Similar to before, introduce your list with a colon. Use semicolons and commas to separate items in the list. You can also number the objects with parentheses. Here’s an example of this in action:

British actors play many American characters: (1) Hugh Laurie played Doctor House; (2) Gary Oldman played Lee Harvey Oswald; (3) Daniel Day-Lewis played Daniel Plainview.

As a Block:

Writing a list as blockquote is a great way to add a longer list to an MLA essay. Here’s how you can use include a list in your essay with blockquotes:

Many literary classics were published posthumously:

• Billy Bud, Sailor, by Merman Melville
• The Silmarillion, by J.R.R Tolkien
• The Ivory Tower, by Henry James

Use a colon to start the list and indent items in the list. Items should be indented further than standard indentation. Be sure to add a period after each number and space between the number and item in the list. Don’t forget to include closing punctuation if an article is a complete sentence.

Anything is possible with academic writing, even breaking down complicated subjects into manageable lists. When your assignment requires you to use research publications or list things, it’s good to know how to do that. We hope the information in our article helps you write lists in your papers, even MLA-formatted papers.

Ensure that all letters and numerals are used efficiently across the list. Also, ensure there is a smooth transition between sentences and paragraphs and lists in each essay. Essay authors use lists to go into detail on complex information in a presentable and structured manner. Make fair use of lists in your pieces to clearly present information while keeping everything neat and tidy.

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• Writing numbers: words and numerals

APA Style Guidelines for Numbers | Words or Numerals?

Published on August 7, 2015 by Sarah Vinz . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Numbers can be written either as words (e.g., one hundred) or numerals (e.g., 100). In this article we follow the guidelines of APA Style , one of the most common style guides used in academic writing .

In general, words should be used for numbers from zero through nine, and numerals should be used from 10 onwards. This is true for both cardinal numbers (e.g., two, 11) and ordinal numbers (e.g., second, 11 th ). However, there are some important exceptions to this rule.

Note that other style guides, such as Chicago Style,  address numbers differently (for example, in Chicago, you use words for numbers up to 100). Regardless of what style guide you follow, the most important thing is to be consistent in how you treat numbers throughout your document.

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Table of contents

Writing percentages, reporting statistical results that include numbers, writing numbers that are accompanied by measurements, writing long numbers, consistency may not be obvious, other interesting articles.

Use numerals for numbers from zero to nine that are followed by a precise unit of measurement.

The samples measured 7 cm in diameter. (“cm” is a unit of measurement)

But: These three samples were subjected to further testing.

Use words for any number that is used to start a sentence, with the exception of years.

Seventy-two thousand ink cartridges are sold every day.

Nineteenth-century novels often feature complicated plot lines.

But: 2008 saw record olive crops throughout the Mediterranean.

Use words for common fractions and set expressions.

According to the survey, two thirds of the employees are dissatisfied.

Understanding the Five Pillars of Islam is a critical first step.

The Fourth of July is traditionally marked by a firework display.

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With percentages, the standard is to use numerals and “%” (not “percent”).

According to the report, 45% of the workforce is employed in the service sector. Only 6% currently work in agriculture.

The main exception is if you are using a percentage to begin a sentence. In this case, use words to express the entire percentage.

Thirteen percent of the patients reported that their symptoms improved after taking the experimental drug.

If your paper includes quantitative research, you probably have data to report. Statistics, mathematical functions, ratios, and percentages are all written using numerals. This is true regardless of whether they are included within a table or as part of the actual text. Keep the following guidelines in mind:

• Report most statistics to two decimal places (such as M = 5.44).
• Report statistics that could never exceed 1.0 to three decimal places (such as p < .001).
• If a value has the potential to exceed 1.0, use the leading zero. If a value can never exceed 1.0, do not use the leading zero.
• Italicize values that are not Greek letters (such as M , SD , p , and F ).
• Include spaces before and after =, >, and <.

The average IQ of the participants was relatively high ( M = 137.33, SD = 4.54).

The results of the second test were statistically significant, t (12) = 4.11, p < .05.

There are further detailed guidelines about reporting statistics in APA .

If a number comes immediately before a unit of measurement, use numerals.

Each patient received  5 mg  of the experimental drug.

The tallest participant was 2.03 m .

Also use numerals for precise ages, times, dates, scores, points on a scale, and amounts of money.

The final score of Ghana 2, Brazil 1 did not represent a decisive victory.

Children under 8 years receive a $50 discount.

But: Most girls start reading when they are about five years old. (“about” makes the number imprecise)

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Longer numbers follow specific rules:

• Use a period to indicate a decimal point.
• Starting with 1,000, use commas to separate every three digits.

The region has an average of 43.75 doctors for every 10,000 people.

Some predict that the number of users will reach 2 billion by 2020.

One of the main reasons why writing numbers is complicated is that consistently applying the rules may lead to a text that actually seems very in consistent. Consider the following paragraphs:

At about the age of seven , the girl’s height was 1.47 m. This placed her in the fifth percentile, although her weight placed her in the top 7% of her class. By the time she was 9 years old, she was taller than half of the boys in her year. Five years later, she was still ranked 15 th .

Thirteen thousand viewers watched the performance of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night from the park, while another 2,000 watched from the surrounding buildings and 1.2 million watched it on television. As one  out of every 11 residents saw at least part of the play, this one event can definitely be considered a success.

These texts may look awkward because so many different number formats have been used, but don’t be deceived – the above guidelines have all been followed.

If you are not required to strictly follow a particular style (such as APA format ), you may have some flexibility to modify the guidelines presented in this article. Just be sure to apply any modifications you make throughout your entire document.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Lettered Lists

Sentences often contain lists of items. When a list within a sentence contains three or more items, use a serial comma before the final item .

We gathered information about participants’ age, gender , and socioeconomic status.

However, if any item in a list of three or more items already contains commas, use semicolons instead of commas between the items.

We divided participants by age into categories of young adults, which included people between the ages of 18 and 40 years ; middle-aged adults, which included people between the ages of 40 and 60 years ; and older adults, which included people ages 60 years and older.

Lettered lists are covered in the seventh edition APA Style manuals in the Publication Manual Section 6.50 and the Concise Guide Section 4.12

To draw more attention to the items and help readers understand the separate, parallel items in a complex list, use lowercase letters in parentheses before each item. Do not use numbers in parentheses.

Participants provided information about their (a) level of education; (b) income, specified at the family level; (c) occupation, including both specific role and industry; and (d) family size.

Use a numbered list if you want to display items in a numbered series. Use a bulleted list if you want to draw visual attention to items without implying that they go in a certain order.

In an essay, when do you spell out numbers and when do you use numerals?

According to APA Style, you should normally use numerals for the numbers 10 and above. You should use words to express numbers below 10 (one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, and nine).

Note, however, that APA lists a wide variety of exceptions. For instance, numbers that appear right before a unit of measurement should be expressed as numerals, regardless of where they fall, before or after 10. Example: Give him 5 cups of soup.

The APA also addresses this question directly in this webpage .

The sections in APA that address numbers are 6.32-6.39 in the 7th edition of the Publication Manual.

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This morning, U.S. News and World Report released their much-anticipated 2024-2025 Best Global University Rankings. These annual rankings are a cornerstone in the field, influencing decisions that range from student applications to institutional funding and providing a glimpse into the current state of affairs in the world of higher education. This list can provide helpful insights into the relative merits of the schools students may be considering adding to their college lists. In order to use this list effectively, however, it is important to understand the nuances of the ranking system and the factors considered therein.

Here is a breakdown of the rankings’ methodology, as well as key takeaways from this year’s list:

Methodology

The U.S. News and World Report Best Global University Rankings are based on a comprehensive methodology that evaluates colleges and universities across thirteen key metrics. These include:

• Global research reputation (12.5%)
• Regional research reputation (12.5%)
• Publications (10%)
• Books (2.5%)
• Conferences (2.5%)
• Normalized citation impact (10%)
• Total citations (7.5%)
• Number of publications that are among the 10% most cited (12.5%)
• Percentage of total publications that are among the 10% most cited (10%)
• International collaboration – relative to country (5%)
• International collaboration (5%)
• Number of highly cited papers that are among the top 1% most cited in their respective field 5%
• Percentage of total publications that are among the top 1% most highly cited papers 5%

In addition to the overall global rankings and country-specific rankings, U.S. News and World Report published a subject-specific ranking list , evaluating schools’ global positions in over 50 individual disciplines.

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These rankings offer quantitative data students can consider when building their college lists, providing a fairly comprehensive picture of universities’ academic prowess and institutional reach. That being said, students using the rankings to build their college lists should note that many of these factors do not capture the qualitative aspects of students’ experiences.

Key Takeaways from the 2024–25 Rankings

1. The number of universities considered rose by more than 10%.

This year, 2,250 universities across over 100 countries were considered—up more than ten percent from the 2,000 schools considered in the previous ranking.

2. Harvard University lands on top.

As in the last cycle, Harvard University claimed the #1 spot in the global rankings list. This prestigious accolade reflects Harvard's unparalleled academic excellence, groundbreaking research, and global influence. Known for its distinguished faculty, cutting-edge facilities, and a tradition of innovation, Harvard continues to set the standard in higher education, making it the leading choice for students and scholars worldwide.

3. The U.S. dominates the rankings for another year.

Nearly half of the top 50 schools in the ranking are located in the U.S., totaling 24 of the top 50 on the rankings list. Additionally, four out of the top five are U.S. schools: Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, and University of California, Berkeley. This remarkable achievement underscores the global prestige of U.S. universities, known for their world-class research, innovative academic programs, and extensive resources.

4. UT Austin and Brown University dropped in the rankings.

Both Brown University and The University of Texas at Austin surprisingly dropped in the rankings, falling out of the top 50. Given both schools’ excellence, this shift demonstrates the fierce competition for top spots in the rankings this year.

5. U.S. News and World Report adds new subjects to the rankings.

This year, four new disciplines were added to the subject-specific rankings, including: ecology; green and sustainable science and technology; environmental engineering; and marine and freshwater biology. These additions not only demonstrate the ranking system’s commitment to reflecting the most relevant information in higher education today, but also provide a glimpse into recent trends and changes in the disciplinary offerings at the most prestigious universities in the world.

The 2024–2025 U.S. News and World Report Rankings offer students valuable information regarding the trends in the global higher education landscape. While students should take their personal preferences and the intangible elements of a school’s culture that draw them to a specific school into account, these rankings can be a helpful first step for students as they set their collegiate goals and assemble their college lists.

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