Vertical Lists, Punctuation, Plain Language, Accessibility

A question posted on LinkedIn recently asked about vertical lists (numbered or not) and how to punctuate them. Plain language specialists often recommend vertical lists, but how are the lists useful? What punctuation should be used? Are vertical lists accessible?

Here are some answers coming from my experience and from where I live and work (Ontario, Canada, home of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act):
• Yes, vertical lists may help an intended audience find, understand, and use information. For example, effective vertical lists can help break up long lines of text.
• Yes, punctuation needs to be clear and understandable to the audience and in the context.
– That might mean punctuation as shown before and in this list.
– It might mean no punctuation in lists of single words or phrases.
• But, any vertical list does need to be formatted correctly for the content to be accessible.

For more about vertical lists, why they are useful in some contexts, punctuation, and how to format them correctly, see Ontario sources such as <https://lnkd.in/g45STpKP> and international sources such as Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

(Published February 6, 2025, to LinkedIn and <lauraedlund.ca>)