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7.65 Vertical Lists, General

Vertical lists can be punctuated in a number of ways, but the writer should ensure that punctuation is consistent throughout the text.

7.66 Use of colon

The colon is generally used to introduce vertical lists. When the sequence of a list is random or arbitrary, the various elements may be simply indented or set off with bullets or em dashes:

These factors should determine committee size:

  • Number of employees at the work site
  • Variety of functions
  • Number of trade unions
  • Number of shifts