When a scientific protocol is written, is it ever appropriate to not use proper punctuation? When a portion of text appears after a bullet point, is it ever appropriate to omit a period? What about if such a line item constitutes a complete sentence?
Consistency and the guidelines of the particular publication are good places to start. I always favor a period at the end of a full sentence in bullet points and would want all the bullet points then to be full sentences. If the bullet points are all phrases -- non-sentences -- then consistency within the list and throughout the article is my general practice (unless the journal has other guidelines).
Dear Dr. Quash-Mah,
Thanks so much for your kind response. You have confirmed exactly what my opinion was on this question; follow journal guidelines and then use standard English grammar.
Warm regards,
Jack P.
In addition to what Susan correctly said, I would ask you to remember that if the bullets introduce a list of nouns, then it would be appropriate to end each line with a comma, except the last which would end with a period (full-stop). Be careful that the bullets introduce parallel items. (For example, do not mix verbs and nouns in the same bullet list.)
Dear Dr. Smid,
No, it's actually a legitimate, Bona fide question about writing and style, either formal or informal.
I am imaging a situation where one is writing a technical protocol. Perhaps in some journal or different discipline and journal with a different style — it's more hypothetical or theoretical, if that makes any sense?
For example, in writing a reagent list with bullet points for a formal publication, how would you do it?
Cheers, Jack P.
Dear Dr. Smid,
I particularly liked Dr. Kennedy's answer or tip as it were, contained in this question thread.
" ... I would ask you to remember that if the bullets introduce a list of nouns, then it would be appropriate to end each line with a comma, except the last which would end with a period (full-stop). Be careful that the bullets introduce parallel items. (For example, do not mix verbs and nouns in the same bullet list.)"
Cheers, Jack P.
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