Session 6: Listed Items

Lists, for purposes of braille transcribing, are actually very similar to columns. The key exception is that for some materials, columns must be maintained in braille just as they are presented in print. Lists, on the other hand, may be presented in print as columns across the page, but the transcriber can rearrange the information into fewer or more columns than shown in the print. In other words, the transcriber must decide if the integrity of the print must be maintained or if a more reader-friendly layout can be provided.

A simple example is perhaps useful: In the print, the following vocabulary is presented:

atom element molecule substance chemical compound

orbital nucleus proton state configuration

Notice in the braille the transcriber did not need to maintain the column-like nature of the print version, since there was no information conveyed in the print format -- the publisher was just trying to save space!

The purpose of this session is to provide a variety of examples to help the transcriber understand this key provision of the textbook code.

Before we move on to some examples, we'll try to capture some of the highlights of the rule on listed materials:

generally, blank lines preceed and follow lists
ignore bullets, dots, check marks, and other visual-effect print features
preserve capitalization and punctuation of list items
lists start in Cell 1 with runovers in Cell 3.
if appropriate, preserve the alphabetical order shown in print
in placing lists, the list goes foll owing the narrative. Lists without headings must have room for at least three listed items before the end of a page; lists with headings must have room for the heading and at least two items before page end
for lists with main and subitems, use a four-cell runover (cell 1 runovers go in cell 5, cell 3 runovers go in cell 7, etc.). Main items start in Cell 1, subitems begin two cells later (3, 5, 7, 9, etc. depending on the amount of indentation used)