Structuring & Formatting Data Points

 

Since data points are the brains of our HelpGrams, an effective structure complements the message of the data points and motivates the user to read them. Read the sections below to learn how to structure and format your data points.

Adding lead-ins

All data points should contain a lead-in. A lead-in is a fragment, complete sentence, or phrase followed by colon. The lead-in introduces the data points.

Here are some examples of lead-in phrases

Examples of Lead-in Phrases
Lead-In Type
Examples
Fragment

 

Your action plan should include:

  • data point
  • data point
  • data point

 

Be concerned if:

  • data point
  • data point
  • data point

 

Goals can:

  • data point
  • data point
  • data point
Phrase

Some Tips:

  • data point
  • data point
  • data point

Steps for Writing Effective Cover Letters:

  • data point
  • data point
  • data point

Action Plan for Goal Attainment:

  • data point
  • data point
  • data point
Sentence

Follow these procedures when speaking to your doctor:

  • data point
  • data point
  • data point

Some benefits of goal setting include the following:

  • data point
  • data point
  • data point

Call your doctor if you notice the following symptoms:

  • data point
  • data point
  • data point
Quick Reference: Structuring & Formatting Data Points

  • Write a lead-in sentence, fragment or phrase.
  • Use one of the four formats to structure your data point content, and make sure the format is appropriate for your topic.
  • Indicate order for your data points by using words (such as "Step One") instead of numbers.
  • Add HTML enhancements to your lead-ins and subheadings.
  • Capitalize the first letter of all words in lead-in phrases and subheadings, except for words with fewer than four letters.
  • Place a space between your data points.
  • Place a colon after your lead-in.
  • Use MS Word's default circle setting to generate bullets, and paste your bulleted data points directly from Word into the template.
  • Avoid incorrectly formatting and structuring your data points.



Four formats for data points

HelpGrams use four formats for data points. They include the following:

Lead-in, Headings & Bullets' Format

This is the format we prefer for data points. This format is introduced by a lead-in sentence, a fragment or a phrase. Data points are listed beneath your lead-in. In this format, each data point has its own heading. The heading is a short but complete sentence that's placed on a separate line directly above the bulleted data point. The heading should always introduce the text below it. The data point text, which consists of complete two to five sentences, goes beneath the heading and is preceded by one bullet point. The data points, including the headings, should never exceed 35 lines. This format should include a minimum of four data points (including headings). Click here for an example of this format.

Lead-in, Questions & Headings' Format

This format is introduced by a lead-in sentence, a fragment or a phrase. Data points are listed beneath your lead-in. Each data point has its own heading. The heading is a short but complete sentence that's placed on a separate line directly above your bulleted data point. The heading should always introduce the text below it. Two to five questions that relate to the heading go directly beneath each heading. However, the questions aren't placed on separate lines, and one bullet point precedes the questions. The data points, including the headings, should never exceed 35 lines. This format should include a minimum of four data points (including headings). Click here for an example of this format.

Lead-in/Question List Format

This format is introduced by a lead-in sentence, a fragment or a phrase followed by a list of questions preceded by bullet points. There are no subheadings in this format. This format should include a minimum of ten data points, and the bullet points must include questions that consist of five or more words. The data points should never exceed 20 lines. This format should include a minimum of ten data points.Click here for an example of this format.

Lead-in/List

This format is introduced by a lead-in sentence, a fragment or a phrase followed by a list of fragments or complete sentences that are each preceded by bullet points. There are no subheadings in this format. The data points should never exceed 20 lines. This format should include a minimum of ten data points, and the bullet points must include fragments or complete sentences that consists of five or more words. Click here for an example of this format.

NOTE: All HelpGrams should consist of only one set of data points. This means that you should never use two lead-in phrases that introduce two different sets of data points in the same HelpGram, unless you're writing about the pros and cons of something. We do not permit two sets of data points for ANY other HelpGram topics. In addition, one bullet point should precede text under each data point heading. For further explanation, see the section in this page on avoiding common mistakes.

The Lead-in, Headings & Bullets' Format is appropriate for the following types of data points:

Lead-in, Headings & Bullets' Format
Subject Content of Data Points
Examples
Action plans E-terning with HelpGram.com
How-to's Women's Issues: How to Avoid Being the Victim of a Violent Crime
General tips Interview Preparation Tips: Conducting Company Research
Overviews Finding a Therapist: Types of Psychotherapy
Symptoms, causes or treatments of a condition Managing Sciatica: Symptoms, Causes & Treatments

 

The Lead-in, Questions & Headings Format is appropriate for the following type of data point:

Lead-in, Questions & Headings' Format
Subject Content of Data Points
Example
Factors to consider Selecting a Gym: Factors to Consider

 

The Lead-in/Question List Format is appropriate for the following types of data points:

Lead-in/Question List Format
Subject Content of Data Points
Example
Assessing someone's credentials Selecting a Therapist: Questions to Ask Before You Decide
Determining if you have a problem The Warning Signs of Job Stress
Factors to consider before making a decision Finding a Suitable Fitness Trainer
Questions to consider before taking an action E-terning with HelpGram.com: Factors to Consider

 

The Lead-in List Format is appropriate for the following types of data points:

Lead-in List
Subject Content of Data Points
Examples
Pros & cons E-terning with HelpGram.com: Pros & Cons
The benefits of something Music Therapy: The Healing Power of Music
Do's and don'ts The Do's & Don'ts of Internet Dating
Symptoms of a condition Symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

 

Procedures for indicating order

To indicate order for data points (particularly action plans and how-to HelpGrams), don't place numbers before your headings. Instead use phrases such as "Step One: Exercise," "Step Two: Eat Healthy Meals." Use an appropriate structure (chronological vs. inverted pyramid) to organize your data points.

Formatting for data points

(NOTE: Writers do not have to apply HTML formatting to data points, but all editors must apply the formatting below to data point lead-ins and subheadings.)

HTML formatting procedures for data point headings

You will use HTML tags to format your data point lead-ins and subheadings. Most HTML tags consist of an opening tag and a closing tag. Here's an example of an opening tag to make your font bold: <B>. Here's an example of closing tag to make your font bold: </B> (Notice the "/" tag in the closing tag. This is the only element that differentiates closing tags from opening tags. The "/" tells the browser where to end specific formatting.) Look at the table below to understand how this works.

How HTML Opening and Closing Tags Work
Text & Code
Result of HTML Code
<b>Heading</b> Heading

The text in between the opening and the closing tags is the text you wish to format. So, for example, if your lead-in said "Follow these steps," and you wanted to make your lead-in bold, you would use the following format:

<B>Follow these steps</B>

Since HTML tags are not case sensitive, both "<b>Heading</b>" and "<B>Heading</B>" will make the word "Heading" bold. To make your formatting function correctly, you must follow the EXACT syntax for the opening and closing tags. Never forget the "/" in your closing tags. Doing so, will cause formatting errors. If your text appears distorted after applying HTML to it, always check to see if you're missing a "/" in your closing HTML tag.

Make all headings and lead-ins bold by placing a <B> tag before your data point heading and a </B> tag after your heading. If you use subheadings under your lead-ins, make the lead-in one size larger by placing a <BIG>tag after the <B> tag and a </BIG>tag before your </B> tag.

So to make your headings bold, follow the format below:

<B>Heading</B>.

To make your lead-in bold and to make your font one size larger, use the following syntax:

<B><BIG>Lead-in</BIG></B>

Capitalization of data points

  • Lead-ins: Capitalize the first letter of all words in lead-in phrases (except for words with fewer than four letters). If you use complete sentences or fragments for your lead-ins, only capitalize the first letter of the first word in your complete sentence or fragment lead-ins.
  • Data point subheadings: Capitalize the first letter of all words (except those with fewer than four letters) in your data point subheadings.

Spacing of data points

After you paste your data points into the template, place a space between them by pressing the "Enter" key on your keyboard. But, don't place a space after your headings.

Here's an example of how your data points should appear in your HelpGrams.

Adding Space to Your Data Points
Incorrect Format Don't
Correct Format Do
  • data point
  • data point
  • data point
  • data point
  • data point
  • data point

Colon use

Remember to place a colon after each lead-in phrase, sentence, or fragment. Don't place a colon after subheadings beneath the lead-in.

Bullet use

Use a word processing program to type all your HelpGrams, and paste your HelpGrams directly from your word processing program into the template. Obtain bullets from your word processing program. If you use Microsoft Word, use the default circle setting only. Other settings, such as square bullets, don't function correctly in the template.

Circle Setting for Bullet Points
  • Data Point
  • Data Point
  • Data Point

Avoiding common mistakes

Sometimes new HelpGram writers mistakenly put multiple data points under one heading. The tables below demonstrates this mistake and illustrates how to correct it.

Avoiding Common Data Point Mistakes: Putting Multiple Data Points Under Headings
Incorrect Format
Revision
Brainstorm
· Identify the careers and industries you wish to learn more about.
· Narrow your choices down to three to five fields that interest you most.

Select Your Interviewees:
· List people you know and admire. They will be the best sources for your inquiries.
· Check the Web along with your local newspaper and yellow pages for people outside your circle of friends and associates.

Request & Schedule the Interview:
· Contact your potential interviewee(s) by phone, by mail, or by e-mail.
· Give yourself ample prep time by scheduling your interview a few days in advance.

Brainstorm:
· Identify the careers and industries you wish to learn more about. Then, narrow your choices down to three to five fields that interest you most.

Select Your Interviewees:
· List people you know and admire. They will be the best sources for your inquiries. Also, check the Web along with your local newspaper and yellow pages to find people outside your circle of friends and associates.

Request & Schedule the Interview:
· Contact your potential interviewee(s) by phone, by mail, or by e-mail. Give yourself ample prep time by scheduling your interview a few days in advance.


 


Back Next