Quick question about apa writing style and bullet points

[PatriciaWong]

I'm a second-year student in hospitality management, and I'm working on a really fun project about sustainable tourism practices. It's for my favorite class, and I want this paper to stand out!

I'm at a point where I want to list some key recommendations, and I think bullet points would make it so much easier to read. You know, like a quick checklist for hotels to be more eco-friendly. But I'm not totally sure about the rules.

I know the APA writing style is usually all about paragraphs and formal structure, but I swear I've seen bullet points in some academic journals. Is that allowed? And if so, how do you do it correctly? Do I need to use full sentences? Do I put a period at the end of each bullet? What about capitalization?

I've looked in my trusty APA manual, but the section on seriation (that's the fancy word, right?) is a little confusing. It talks about letters and numbers and paragraphs, and my brain kind of glazed over, if I'm being honest.

I want my paper to be professional but also reader-friendly. I think a well-placed list could really help my recommendations pop. So, for all you APA experts out there: what's the proper way to use bullet points (or numbered lists) in the APA writing style?

 

[Zara]

APA 7th edition does allow bullet points within the text. The key is consistency. You have two main options:

If you're listing items that are complete sentences, capitalize the first word and end each bullet with a period. For example:

• Hotels should implement towel reuse programs.
• Local food sourcing reduces carbon footprint.
• Staff training ensures long-term success.

If you're listing phrases or fragments, you don't need periods at the end. Just keep the same grammatical structure throughout. No need for bold or italics unless you're emphasizing something specific.