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Sun 4 Oct, 2015 03:29 pm
I am confused as to what constitutes a complete sentence when constructing bullet points, and when to use punctuation. If I start with a title and then continue from that title with a bullet point as if the title was the first word of the sentence, would it be a complete sentence even though it may not be a complete sentence without the title? (hard to explain, but I hope you get it!)
In the following example, would this be formatted correctly?
Antidepressants
- Take about 6-8 weeks to feel the full effect.
- Can decrease libido.
- Fluoxetine (Prozac) can be stimulating, others are usually more sedating.
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin) is an antidepressant that can actually increase anxiety.
I say yes, but my friend says no because "Can decrease libido" is not a complete sentence by itself and therefore should not have a period. While I think "Can decrease libido" is a complete sentence since it follows the title of the bullet points. What do you guys think?
I think it is, to a large extent, a matter of style preference. This is my own preference: If a list is introduced by a complete sentence, each bullet point needs to begin with a capital letter. This is why it is better to use a colon to introduce a list in which each item is a single word or consists of only two or three words. On the other hand, if each item in the list runs to many words, often with commas and even semicolons, it is best to introduce the list with a complete sentence and make each item in the list also a complete sentence or a group of complete sentences-in which case, each item will naturally begin with a capital letter.
When a list is introduced by an incomplete sentence, leave the incomplete introduction "open" (no punctuation). Never use a capital letter to begin an item in such lists; instead, begin with a lowercase letter and end the last item with a period/full stop, thereby completing the sentence.
@Tes yeux noirs,
So ultimately it is a matter of preference or style?
In this case, whether I use periods for each bullet, no periods at all, or periods on only some of the bullets - either is correct?
@Dave4468,
Always maintain consistency. Don't do partial punctuation. Either do all or nothing at all, as the song goes.
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