list-type Type of List

Specifies what prefix character should precede each list item. For example, the list type may suggest the character style (“simple”, “order” or “bullet”), or the list type may name the character explicitly (e.g., “lower-alpha” for a list numbered “a.”, “b.”, “c.”).

Usage/Remarks

Specifying Bullet Characters
If the @list-type names a bulleted style (“@list-type="bullet"”), the @style-detail attribute may be used to name the preferred prefix character such as “dash”, “hollow-bullet”, or “square”. If no @style-detail is given, the processing system will choose the bullet character. The NISO STS standard neither establishes nor suggests values for the Styling Detail attribute.
An explicit <label> that is part of a list item always takes precedence over the Type of List or Styling Detail attributes.
Prefix Words
Whether a list-item prefix character is established by a named @list-type, or through the use of @style-detail for a bulleted list, the prefix character may be enhanced by a prefix word, named in the @prefix-word attribute.
A prefix word is in addition to, and typically preceding, any prefix characters (numbers, bullets). For example, a list type of “order” and a prefix word of “Step” would produce: “Step1. aaaa”, “Step2. bbbb”, “Step3. cccc”, etc. Note that typically, no white space follows the inserted word, i.e., “Step” rather than “Step ”.
The standard exception to this order is the display order for a bulleted list, in which the prefix character would precede the prefix word—“• Step” rather than “ Step•”.
OPTIONAL on elements: <def-list>, <list>
Value Meaning
A word A word that either (1) specifies the character to be used for the list-item prefix (for example, the word “bullet” for a list with bulleted items) or (2) describes the appearance or format of the list items (for example, the word “simple” for a list that has no prefix character before each list item or the word “ordered” for a numbered list whose numbering style is set at display time).
Restriction This is an optional attribute; there is no default.

Suggested usage

Although this attribute is designed to accept any text as its value, the following are suggested list types, which name the prefix character for each item in the list. Lists with non-sequential prefix characters (that are not continued from another list) will always need to encode the prefix character using the <label> element.
order
Ordered list. Prefix character may display as an arabic number, roman numeral, or letter, depending on style. List does not suggest the prefix character.
bullet
Bulleted or unordered list. Prefix character may be a bullet, dash, asterisk, square bullet, or other symbol. This list is what HTML and Doc-Book mean by an “unordered” list. (Note: To specify a particular prefix character, use the @style-detail attribute in addition to the value “bullet”. See the section above “Specifying Bullet Characters”.)
alpha-lower
Ordered list. Prefix character is a lowercase alphabetical character.
alpha-upper
Ordered list. Prefix character is an uppercase alphabetical character.
arabic
Ordered list. Prefix character is an arabic numeral.
roman-lower
Ordered list. Prefix character is a lowercase roman numeral.
roman-upper
Ordered list. Prefix character is an uppercase roman numeral.
simple
Simple or plain list (No prefix character before each item)
Tagged Samples
Numerical list
...
<p>Each of the 11 goals is introduced by its name and 
 presented in the same structure:
 <list list-type="order">
  <list-item>
   <p><bold>The goal:</bold> The basic goal statement.</p></list-item>
  <list-item>
   <p><bold>Discussion:</bold> An elaboration on the basic goal 
    statement.</p></list-item>
  <list-item>
   <p><bold>Background:</bold> Sources from which the goal is 
    derived.</p></list-item>
  <list-item>
   <p><bold>Common user accessibility needs:</bold> User accessibility 
    needs related to the goal.</p></list-item>
  <list-item>
   <p><bold>Questions to consider:</bold> Questions for applying 
    the goal.</p></list-item>
 </list>
</p>
...
Ordered list using lowercase alphabetical prefix characters
...
<sec id="s6_2_1_5">
 <label>6.2.1.5</label>
 <title>Questions to consider</title>
 <list list-type="alpha-lower">
  <list-item><p>Who are the potential users of systems 
   that will be addressed by or who will relate to this 
   deliverable?</p></list-item>
  <list-item><p>Which potential users, if any, might be 
   excluded by the requirements and recommendations in
   this deliverable?</p></list-item>
  <list-item><p>What are all the contexts of use in which 
   systems that relate to this deliverable could be 
   used?</p></list-item>
  <list-item><p>Which contexts of use might be excluded 
   by the requirements and recommendations in this 
   deliverable?</p></list-item>
 </list>
</sec>
...
Provide bullet-style for a bulleted list
../graphics/list-dash-iso_iec-guide-71_2014.png
...
<p>... To assist standards developers to define accessibility 
requirements and recommendations, the Guide presents:
 <list list-type="bullet" style-detail="dash">
  <list-item>
   <p>a summary of current terminology relating to accessibility;</p></list-item>
  <list-item>
   <p>issues to consider in support of accessibility in the standards 
    development process;</p></list-item>
  <list-item>
   <p>a set of accessibility goals (used to identify user accessibility 
    needs);</p></list-item>
  <list-item>
   <p>descriptions of (and design considerations for) human abilities 
    and characteristics;</p></list-item>
  <list-item>
   <p>strategies for addressing user accessibility needs and design 
    considerations in standards.</p></list-item>
 </list>
</p>
...
A non-standard bullet character
...
<p>The Tag Suite is the complete set of elements and attributes 
described in the standard. Along with these descriptions, the 
standard includes two discrete standards models or Tag Sets:
 <list list-type="bullet" style-detail="symbol">
  <list-item>
   <p>The Interchange Tag Set (in MathML 2.0 and MathML 3.0 
    variants)</p></list-item>
  <list-item>
   <p>The Extended Tag Set (in MathML 2.0 and MathML 3.0 
    variants)</p></list-item>
 </list>
</p>
...