Accessibility skills: Lists

What this means

Creating digitally accessible lists means not relying on formatting or typing to define a list within your document.

Why this matters

• Lists neatly present related ideas and outlines steps in a process. They also capitalize on white space, which can help make your page visually appealing for all users and easier to navigate for learners who are visually impaired or neurodiverse. See Plain Language and Formatting for more on the importance of formatting to support comprehension.
• Using your word processor’s list function (or the Rich Content Editor in Canvas) when creating lists helps screen readers interpret your lists accurately. If you just type numbers to denote a numbered list, or asterisks to denote a bulleted list, a screen reader will not interpret these as lists.

General tips

• Lists usually consist of two or more items.
• If the order of the items in your list does not matter, use an unordered (bulleted) list.
• If the order is significant, use an ordered (numbered) list.
• You can use lists inside of lists.
• You can use a numbered list with a nested bullet list.
  • Here's an example of a nested bullet list.
    • Step 1: To create a nested bullet list, place your cursor at the desired bullet list item.
    • Step 2: Then in the Rich Content Editor, select "Increase Indent".
  • If you create a list, make sure there is more than one bullet item.

When to use an unordered (bulleted) list 

If your items are a group of equivalent ideas or terms, and the order is not an essential aspect of the concept, use a bulleted list.

Bulleted List

To make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, you need

• Two slices of bread
• One jar of peanut butter
• One jar of jelly or jam

When to use an ordered (numbered) list

If your items are a sequence, steps to instructions or an essential part of a whole (such as, "there are four things you need to know to complete this assignment"), use a numbered list.

Numbered List

1. Follow these steps to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich:
2. Spread a layer of peanut butter on a slice of bread.
3. Spread a layer of jelly or jam on the second slice of bread.
4. Place the two slices of bread together, with peanut butter and jelly facing each other.
5. Slice your sandwich diagonally.
6. Enjoy!

Breaking up large blocks of text

Consider the following example. Here is a lengthy paragraph (which will look even lengthier on a small laptop screen or a mobile device):

Gardening involves several key aspects that contribute to successful cultivation. Firstly, understanding soil composition and pH levels is crucial for determining plant health and growth. It's also important to consider climate and weather patterns to choose suitable plants for your region. Additionally, learning about planting techniques, such as seed sowing and transplanting, helps ensure proper establishment of plants. Proper watering and irrigation methods are essential to maintain optimal soil moisture levels, especially during hot or dry periods. Furthermore, fertilization plays a vital role in providing plants with essential nutrients for growth and flowering. Lastly, pest and disease management strategies are necessary to protect plants from common threats and ensure their long-term health. (OpenAI, July 2024)

Here is how that paragraph could be broken into bullet points:

Gardening involves several key aspects that contribute to successful cultivation.

• Understanding soil composition and pH levels is crucial for determining plant health and growth.
• It's also important to consider climate and weather patterns to choose suitable plants for your region.
• Additionally, learning about planting techniques, such as seed sowing and transplanting, helps ensure proper establishment of plants.
• Proper watering and irrigation methods are essential to maintain optimal soil moisture levels, especially during hot or dry periods.
• Furthermore, fertilization plays a vital role in providing plants with essential nutrients for growth and flowering.
• Lastly, pest and disease management strategies are necessary to protect plants from common threats and ensure their long-term health.

Apply this!

Learn how to create structured lists:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Canvas

Learn more

• DiPeri, Dawn Lee. Lists. Graphic Design for Course Creators. Pressbooks.
• Content Structure: Lists. W3 Web Accessibility Initiative.
• Use Appropriate Semantic Markup for Lists. Deque University.

Cited

OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. (Used to generate the paragraph on gardening provided as an example of how to break up large blocks of text.)

Created on 10/04/24.