Capitalization for a bullet list

Question

The following is from some software documentation we are writing:

NOTE: Refreshing a report may be necessary or helpful when:

1. you believe the data in the report has changed since it was last executed
2. you'd like to return the report to its initial state/condition

My question is this. Should 'you' in the first bullet item and 'you'd' in the second bullet item be capitalized?

Answer 1

It is a matter of style. Here are two options:

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NOTE: Refreshing a report may be necessary or helpful when:

1. You believe the data in the report has changed since it was last executed
2. You'd like to return the report to its initial state/condition

   ---

NOTE: Refreshing a report may be necessary or helpful when:

1. you believe the data in the report has changed since it was last executed;
2. you'd like to return the report to its initial state/condition.

---

Create whatever rules you want for your software documentation and stick to them. As with all stylistic matters, consistency is key.

Answer 2

Bullet point items should be capitalised if the item in question is a full sentence. Likewise, in that case they should also have a full stop.

Answer 3

My opinion is that there are two possible cases.

1. Bullets may be used as part of a sentence or paragraph, in which case regular capitalization and grammar rules apples.
2. Bullets may be used as a sort of Graphic Communication (eg. in a Presentation) - in which case anything goes

For example, under case one, I might list

• an apple,
• a banana, and
• a grapefruit.

In this case, I am interjecting bullets into my sentence, but the sentence should remain readable. This becomes more useful with complex lists, which may refer to

• all fruit, except that which is

  • red,
  • green, or

  • yellow,

    • including, but not limited to
      • apples,
      • pears, and
      • bananas;
• vegetables;
• meat; and
• legumes, unless
  • it is the 30th of the month.

In this case, the above list is in fact a grammatical sentence, but the bulleting makes it easier to read, and as such the capitalization should maintain it's regular sentence-based form.

However, if I want to do something graphical in a document, or for a presentation, I say anything goes which effectively communicates. I might do this:

• Fruits
  • NO: Red, Green, Yellow
    • INCL. NO: Apples, Bananas, Grapefruits
• Vegetables
• Meats
• Legumes (Except on the 30th of the Month)