The complexities of academic writing are an uncontestable part of scientific research and reporting. But it’s up to the author to build the reader’s comprehension of the thought processes and methodology behind the experiment, from inception to outcome. To do this, it’s expected that a lot of specialized terminology is used, data is analyzed and explained, and other higher-level writing is included in the content.

As the author puts together the article with the intent of publishing it towards a wide audience, they have to consider what they are saying, how they are saying it, and how they are setting it up in the paper. Too much content put together without breaks for the brain to pause and consider what was read makes it difficult for the reader to understand the writing, no matter how simplistic it is. With structural tools like bulleted lists and numbering, the reader’s comprehension of your work can be improved, and it doesn’t take much from you to get the job done.

Separating Your Work With Bullets and Numbers

It’s common in academic articles to see bullets and numbers used to organize the content inside the document. Sometimes they are given to help the reader see what they can expect in the upcoming section; sometimes they’re used to separate items in a listing manner. Regardless of the reason for the bullets or numbers, they must be consistent and formatted according to the proper style of your paper.

Some of the most common list types include:

●      Run-ins, used as part of the text but separated with colons to show a list is the following part of the sentence. Without the colon designating the continued thought, the list itself ends up as a fragment.

●      Run-ins, also used as part of the text but separated by numbers instead of a colon.

●      Vertical lists to separate a long sentence instead of following the thought with a run-in list. In these lists, there is no need for bullets or ending punctuation as long as the leading sentence is complete. However, if the list entries finish the leading thought as complete sentences, do use bullets and punctuation.

●      Vertical lists with numbers and letters similar to an outline format can break up a complicated set of information by following a leading sentence.

No matter which way you choose to separate your text, be sure you’re following the proper style guide for the journal you are publishing with.

How to Use Bullets the Right Way

There are some guidelines to using bullets and numbered lists besides following the style requirements. You also need to make sure you’re limiting your bullets to only the key points you want to separate. Don’t overuse them or it makes your paper look unprofessional and detracts from the importance of the lists you want the reader to truly comprehend.

Bullets and numbers can be used with listings, examples, or to shorten a complex description. They’re also good for added support with details, to designate steps in a process, to give a list of parts or ingredients, and to define terms.

However, you should never use bullets or numbers of any kind in your thesis statement, introduction, or conclusion. They don’t work as hooks, and shouldn’t be used in quotes.

In general, bulleted lists should account for no more than one-quarter of your entire paper, and that’s pushing the limit. In some cases, a sub-paragraph might be a better choice.

Switching to Sub-Paragraphs Instead

Bullets are great to help the reader comprehend some parts of your paper. However, a sub-paragraph might be the way to go if you have a topic that is overly lengthy and complex. Sub-paragraphs are broken down underneath a smaller header and each paragraph has its own main idea and supporting details that cover the main topic in the section.

Sub-paragraphs work best when you have to give a lot of data or details but you’re talking about one major topic.

Both bullets and sub-paragraphs are common ways to break down a paper, and, when used right, they show your knowledge as an author.