How do you format a list in Chicago style?

Lists that are made up of full sentences are easy to punctuate. They are introduced with either a colon or full stop and each point has normal sentence punctuation. The Chicago Manual of Style online says: ‘Chicago’s preference is to use a colon, but there are times when a period might better serve.

How do you format lists?

Format for Lists

1. Use a colon to introduce the list items only if a complete sentence precedes the list.
2. Use both opening and closing parentheses on the list item numbers or letters: (a) item, (b) item, etc.
3. Use either regular Arabic numbers or lowercase letters within the parentheses, but use them consistently.

Do you capitalize the first word in a bulleted list?

Yes. In business writing, capitalize the first letter of bullet lists. All style guides agree to capitalize the first letter of the bullet list unless you opt for the “vertical lists punctuated as a sentence” format using semicolons, illustrated above. Good business writing seeks to make information easy to understand.

Do you put a period after a list?

Lists. Use a period after numbers or letters in an enumerated list. End each item in an enumerated list with a period if one or more items in the list are complete sentences. (For the sake of parallelism, normally all items or none should be complete sentences.)

Do you need a colon before a bulleted list?

Use a colon to introduce a bulleted or numbered list. The colon comes right before the bulleted list as you can see in this example. Capitalization and ending punctuation are optional for single words or short phrases in bullet points or numbered lists.

How do you make lists easier to read?

Use a consistent pattern for list items. Write items in a list so they follow a consistent pattern. The pattern is made up by the number of words you use and grammatical structure. If items follow a consistent pattern, it makes a list easier to scan and understand.

How long should a list?

Include between 2-8 items in a list. You must have at least two items in a list (or it’s not a list; it’s just an item). Avoid having more than 8 items in a list, as too many items can have the reverse effect. If you emphasize too many ideas, you end up emphasizing nothing.

Do lists need capital letters?

If a complete sentence introduces the bulleted list, each item in the list should end with a full stop, not a colon, and each point should begin with a capital letter.

Should bullets have full stops?

How do you capitalize a list?

If your list item is a complete sentence, capitalize the first letter. If your list item isn’t a complete sentence, you can choose whether or not to capitalize the first letter—it’s a style choice. The only thing that is important is to be consistent.

How to cite Chicago Manual style?

Chicago Citation Format (Chicago Manual of Style, 15th ed., sections 17.270, 17.237) Structure: Author last name, first name, middle initial, if given. If no author, use the site owner. Title of Site (italicized); a subsection of a larger work is in quotes. Editor of site, if given. Publication information, including latest update if available.

What is Chicago Manual style?

The Chicago Manual of Style (abbreviated in writing as CMOS or CMS, or sometimes as Chicago) is a style guide for American English published since 1906 by the University of Chicago Press.Its 17 editions have prescribed writing and citation styles widely used in publishing. It is “one of the most widely used and respected style guides in the United States”.

What is Chicago format used for?

The Chicago style is mainly utilized in the fields of history, business, and fine arts. This is due to the notes and bibliography style of citing sources for academic writing with numbered footnotes or endnotes. It usually takes the following format in-text: (Howard said “The theory was scientific”. 1).

What is the Chicago Style Manual?

What is CMS? The Chicago Manual of Style (CMS) is the preferred formatting and style guidelines used by the disciplines of history, philosophy, religion, and the arts. This quick reference guide focuses on how to format the title page, the notes, and bibliography citations in Chicago Manual Style 17 edition.