how to properly write a list in an essay

The key to using lists in an essay is to employ proper punctuation and grammar, as well as to maintain a consistent grammatical style. Anything less than 3 items should not be listed in your essay. Lists frequently appear in essays, posing problems for formatting, paragraph structure, and grammar. When you include:

Lists. Just as heading structure alerts readers to the order of ideas in a paper, lists help readers understand a related set of key points within a sentence or paragraph. When writing a list, ensure all items are syntactically and conceptually parallel. For example, all items might be nouns or all items might be phrases that begin with a verb.

The available colors are the following: blue, gray, and white. You should also use a colon to introduce a list if semicolons separate the items in the list: The available colors are: blue and gray; black and white; and red and pink. Later I'll explain whether to choose commas or semicolons to separate the items in your list.

Step 1. Introduce the list with an independent clause or a sentence with a colon before the list. In punctuation, the colon signals that a long list follows. If the list contains a series of one-word items, separate items with commas. If the list requires more separation between items, use semicolons to separate individual items of more than ...

Do not introduce the list with a colon. Simply begin the sentence as you normally would and then format each item onto a separate line. End each item with a semicolon, closing the second-to-last item with a semicolon, followed by the word "and" or the word "or". End the final item with the closing punctuation of the sentence.

Instead, begin the sentence as usual and format each item on a separate line. Every item in the list ends in a semicolon. The second last item should have a semicolon and the word "or" or the word "and. The final item should have a closing punctuation of the sentence. Example.

Bulleted Lists. To draw visual attention to items in a list without implying that items go in a certain order (e.g., chronology, importance, priority), use a bulleted list. Use a numbered list if you want to display items in a numbered series. Use a lettered list if you want to emphasize separate parallel items within a sentence.

Semicolon List Rules. Semicolons are used to conjoin two complete sentences related to one another. It can also replace a comma and coordinating conjunction pair to avoid the repetitive use of and. When used to separate list items, semicolons help create a division between elements that already include a comma.

End each sentence with appropriate final punctuation. List items should be double-spaced and indented .5 inch. Bulleted Lists (APA 7, Section 6.52) Bulleted lists are appropriate when presenting a list of items in no particular order. Bulleted list items can be complete sentences or phrases or sentence fragments.

Types of List Formats Run-In Lists. A run-in list, as the name suggests, is included as part of the general text. Elements can be separated in different ways, as shown in the examples below. Separated with a Colon: When a complete sentence is followed by a list of items, separate the sentence from the list with a colon. E.g.

The elements of a list stand out from the rest of the text, unlike sentences in a paragraph. Use a list to provide a set of instructions or to make key points clear to your readers. If the number or order of elements is important, use numbers; otherwise, use bullets. Capitalize and punctuate your list correctly and consistently.

Each kind of list is suited for specific purposes. All lists must conform to a set of rules of construction and formatting. Learning to use the Paragraph formatting tool in Word (see Figure 3.3.1) is crucial to designing effective lists.. Figure 3.3.1 Screenshot of Paragraph tools in Word 2010; you can auto-create lists using the top left buttons.. NOTE: If you are making lists by hitting ...

In humanities essays, lists are generally run into the text rather than set vertically. A colon is often used to introduce a run-in list: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has written four novels: Purple Hibiscus, Half a Yellow Sun, The Thing around Your Neck, and Americanah. But no colon is used before a list when the list is the object of the verb ...

Numbered Lists. Use a numbered list to display complete sentences or paragraphs in a series (e.g., itemized conclusions, steps in a procedure). Use a lettered list or bulleted list rather than a numbered list if the items are phrases. To create a numbered list, use the numbered list function of your word-processing program.

For example, if you're writing about how much time your family takes to do daily chores, you might list the time each of the following activities takes. Cleaning the bathroom. Taking out the trash. Washing dishes. The following are some of the common ways on how to list things in an essay.

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body. This article provides useful templates and tips to help you outline your essay, make decisions about your structure, and ...

Introduce the series and then write out the series after a colon. For example: "Use the MLA style guide to find: (1) general guidelines for research papers, including paper formatting; (2) instructions to create in-text citations; and (3) rules for Works Cited pages.". The list appears after the colon and each item in the list is marked ...

Come up with a thesis. Create an essay outline. Write the introduction. Write the main body, organized into paragraphs. Write the conclusion. Evaluate the overall organization. Revise the content of each paragraph. Proofread your essay or use a Grammar Checker for language errors. Use a plagiarism checker.

Double-space the whole title page. Place the paper title three or four lines down from the top of the page. Add an extra double-spaced blank like between the paper title and the byline. Then, list the other title page elements on separate lines, without extra lines in between.

You might start out with: "1. Decide to book a flight to India. Change your mind. Change it back. Ask your friends if you're making the right decision. Listen to your husband telling you, 'Just go. It's not that big of a deal.". As you can see, this type of essay is written in the second person. That means you'll be using 'you ...

If you need to quote from a bulleted or numbered list, you can reproduce the list in your essay, as in the example below: Parvini organizes the material into four groups: The key events of the Wars of the Roses and the corresponding key plot points of Shakespeare's two tetralogies. (95) Parvini, Neema. "Historicism 'By Stealth': History ...

On the APA reference page, you list all the sources that you've cited in your paper. The list starts on a new page right after the body text. Follow these instructions to set up your APA reference page: Place the section label "References" in bold at the top of the page (centered). Order the references alphabetically. Double-space all text.

Keep your audience and purpose in mind as you write. These aspects of writing are just as important when you are writing a single paragraph for your essay as when you are considering the direction of the entire essay. Of all of these considerations, keeping your purpose and your audience at the front of your mind is key to writing success.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays, research papers, and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises). Add a citation whenever you quote, paraphrase, or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.