Lists are a common way to communicate groups of information to a reader. Lists come in two forms: ordered and unordered, and each list type should be used appropriately. Using the list tools in Word ensures that assistive technology communicate to users that the data is grouped together.

Ordered Lists

Ordered lists inform the user that the list is linear. Recipes and instructions often use ordered lists to make clear the order of operations in a task.

Example Ordered List

Register for classes
Pay for classes
Attend classes

Unordered Lists

Linearity is not important with unordered lists which are typically styled with neutral bullets.

Unordered List Example

Pancakes are tasty
Pancakes are even more tasty with butter
Too much syrup makes pancakes too sweet

How to Make Lists in Word

Word provides tools to make ordered and unordered lists for editors. Follow these steps to make programmatic lists in Word:

Highlight your content
Select the home menu
Find the paragraph settings
Select the type of list you want (ordered or unordered)

Example of where to find the list controls in Word

Note that while a list is selected, the list type is grey to indicate that you have successfully activated the list control.