This is really a question for hardcore copy editors or proofreaders, and I am looking for an answer that is congruent with Chicago Style. (Incidentally, whatever happened to reph? She always knew the answer to this type of question) I have referred to the appropriate sections of the Chicago Manual of Style (6.124-6.130) and I still can't figure this out.
According to CMS (6.127) "A vertical list is best introduced by a complete grammatical sentence, followed by a colon. Items carry no closing punctuation unless they consist of complete sentences." [okay, I understand that part]. "If the items are numbered, a period follows the numeral and each item begins with a capital letter." [The implication is that if they are not numbered, they do not begin with a capital letter. Examples using bullets suggest that bullets function the same as numerals with regard to capitalization and end punctuation. There is more to this standard that involves formatting lists, and I understand that]
Then standard 6.129 says "In numbered a vertical list that completes a sentence begun in an introductory element and consists of phrases or sentences with internal punctuation, semicolons may be used between the items, and a period should follow the final item. Each item begins with a lowercase letter. "
My question is what do you put between items in a vertical list that completes a sentence begun in an introductory element and consists of phrases that have NO internal punctuation? Commas? Nothing? Do you put a period after the last item in the list?
The only example (6.127) I can find in CMS that addresses phrases without internal punctuation uses a complete sentence to introduce the list. The phrases then begin with a lower case letter and have no end punctuation. They do not complete the sentence.
Please do not suggest re-writing the text. In this particular case, I'm working for someone else and that isn't an option for certain lists.
According to CMS (6.127) "A vertical list is best introduced by a complete grammatical sentence, followed by a colon. Items carry no closing punctuation unless they consist of complete sentences." [okay, I understand that part]. "If the items are numbered, a period follows the numeral and each item begins with a capital letter." [The implication is that if they are not numbered, they do not begin with a capital letter. Examples using bullets suggest that bullets function the same as numerals with regard to capitalization and end punctuation. There is more to this standard that involves formatting lists, and I understand that]
Then standard 6.129 says "In numbered a vertical list that completes a sentence begun in an introductory element and consists of phrases or sentences with internal punctuation, semicolons may be used between the items, and a period should follow the final item. Each item begins with a lowercase letter. "
My question is what do you put between items in a vertical list that completes a sentence begun in an introductory element and consists of phrases that have NO internal punctuation? Commas? Nothing? Do you put a period after the last item in the list?
The only example (6.127) I can find in CMS that addresses phrases without internal punctuation uses a complete sentence to introduce the list. The phrases then begin with a lower case letter and have no end punctuation. They do not complete the sentence.
Please do not suggest re-writing the text. In this particular case, I'm working for someone else and that isn't an option for certain lists.
