When composing a text, is it better to write full paragraphs or to use bullet points? Paragraphs are easier to read if they’re well written. Bullet points are easier to compose and faster to scan. On the other hand, plenty of people read paragraphs for pleasure, but I don’t think anyone reads bullet points to pass the time. There is no market for bullet-point formatted books, although one could argue that short-form social media comes close.
Paragraphs require the writer to think of a narrative, but what if there is no narrative, or having a narrative would be misleading? On the other hand, bullet points have been blamed for the Columbia space shuttle disaster. Statistician Edward Tufte argues that dense technical reports or data-rich graphics are preferable to bullet points, which fragment arguments in ways that are hard to digest.
I have long been wondering about this for years, but never as thoroughly or clearly as Dynomight in this recent blog post.
Nehaveigur 