Lists the Right Way
Lists make the content on your page less compact because lists and list items have more white space around them than words in a paragraph. If you make a listing of some kind in your paragraph, this is a sign that you might be able to convert parts of the paragraph into a list.
Lists are excellent to use on the web as they:
- are easy to skim and scan visually
- allow you to eliminate unnecessary words
- give the page a more spacious impression
(Do you see what I did there?)
Keep This in Mind
According to the book Svenska skrivregler (published by the Swedish Language Council), there are a few things to consider when writing lists.
- If they form part of a sentence – a period only after the last item, no commas or "and" are needed.
- If each point forms a complete sentence, they should end with a period.
- If you want to clarify the relationship between two items, you can insert "or" between the elements.
The above rules generally apply to the Swedish language, but there are also a few other things you should consider when using lists on the web.
Lists are quicker to read if the sentence structure for each list item is consistent.
The default style for lists in HTML creates a space before the list. It's better to remove that space, which makes the list no longer "float" but clearly shows that it is connected to the preceding paragraph.
The position of the period is also important. For the list to "stand out" best, you must ensure that there is an indent after the period up to the first word, and that the text, if it spans two lines, does not start under the period but has the same indent as the text on the first line. If each element in the list consists of several sentences, it’s important to create a bit of extra white space between the points in the list.
Bullet Points and Numbered Lists
There are two main types of lists: bullet points and numbered lists.
You use bullet points (or bullet lists) when the order of the list items is irrelevant, such as when you are listing different options or making common enumerations:
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- Emailing info@mindoman.se
- Calling 031-33 44 55
- Or visiting us at Södra Hamngatan 12 in Gothenburg
You primarily use numbered lists when you describe a procedure where things need to be done in a specific order, such as instructions. They can also be used for lists like "5 things to consider when traveling abroad."
Numbered lists thus provide a good overview of what needs to be done and in what order things should be done. Since numbered lists are strongly associated with "steps," it is important that you do not use numbered lists for anything other than processes where the order is significant.
If you incorrectly format a list of options as a numbered list, it may be perceived as if you must complete all the items on the list instead of seeing them as just alternatives.