Question about lists and use of the colon

[simonkagwe]

Hi everyone,

I have a question about numbered lists and use of the colon. I've seen several earlier discussions about the colon, but they were about its use in article topics.

Say I'm writing an article about benefits of eating mangoes. After my introduction, what I've come up with in the main body of the articles is:

The main benefits are outlined below:

1. Cost benefit: Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah .

2. Energy efficiency: Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah .

I wonder if I've used the colon correctly to introduce each of my listed points, and also for the 'The main benefits are outlined below:'. And should I then have the explanation of the list point on a new line, such that the intro (eg 'Cost benefit') appears to be a sub-topic in my article and properly capitalise it?

I'll appreciate your help.

[Evelyn]

Howdy, Simon. Your article would read better if you wrote instead:

Intro

The main benefits to eating mangoes include cost, energy efficiency, and the fact that they're just plain tasty.

Cost benefits of eating mangoes: blah blah.

Energy efficiency of mangoes: blah blah.

Tastiness of mangoes: blah blah.
___________

If you do it like that, you leave the numbered list off plus give yourself a little boost of SEO by repeating your main word. Plus, it's always better to just say what you're going to say rather than write, "The benefits are outlined below." It reads better, and people on the 'net read so fast they need a little more repetition so they don't lose your point.

Hope that's helpful!

[simonkagwe]

Thanks Evelyn. That was really helpful.

But I still have a few more queries. If I do it like you suggested, doesn't "Cost benefits of eating mangoes" become a sub-topic? What's the accepted method of writing sub-topics on CC? Would this be correct?:

Cost benefits of eating mangoes:

Blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah

[Amy W]

If you're breaking your article down into sub-topics with headings, write it like this -

[b]Cost Benefits of Eating Mangos[b]
blah blah blah

[b]Energy Efficiency of Mangos[b]
blah blah blah

Capitalize the sub-headings as you would a title. No colons necessary.

Hope this helps!

[simonkagwe]

Thanks Amy. Should I have an empty line between the sub-topic and its text?

[jak]

Yes, you should.

[simonkagwe]

Thanks Jak.

[PatrickMcdonnough]

Yes, you should.

Why? I usually don't leave an extra line in that situation because I feel it looks more natural. Just curious -- if there's good reasoning I plan to revise my writing style.

Thanks!

[Amy W]

I never leave a line between the heading and the text, and Ed doesn't seem to have a problem with it. I think as long as you set a heading off somehow from the main text - whether you bold it or double space it - you should be fine.

[jak]

Looks like either way will be approved here. I always leave a line space after a side heading.