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RAWeb 1.1RAAM 1.1

Lists

This term is defined by more than one standard, and the wording differs. Each definition below is the one that applies to that standard’s criteria.

Definition in RAWeb 1.1

A sequence of elements which can be grouped together in the form of a structured ordered, unordered or definition list. For example, the sequence of links in a navigation menu is an unordered list of links, the various steps in a procedure are an ordered list of elements, the term/description pair in a glossary is a list of descriptions. In HTML, lists use the following tags:

  • Ordered list: <ol> and <li> tags (each element of the list is assigned an indexed marker);
  • Unordered list: <ul> and <li> tags (each item in the list is assigned an unindexed marker);
  • Description list: <dl>, <dt> (term to be described) and <dd> tags (description).

Note 1: In HTML5, the <dl> tag no longer represents just a list of definitions, but generically any list of descriptions which may include, as a group of terms-descriptions, names and definitions, questions and answers, categories and subjects, etc.

Note 2: It is also possible to structure lists using the WAI-ARIA attributes role="list" and role="listitem" for ordered and unordered lists.

Note 3: the notion of "visually grouped in the form of a list" is characterised by

  • The presence of a visual marker making it clear that it is an unordered list, for example -, , *, etc.;
  • The presence of a visual marker to indicate that it is an ordered list, e.g. a number, a Greek letter, etc.; and
  • The presence of a series of elements that visually follow on from each other, with an identical visual form, nature and function, but without directly having a visual list marker (unordered or ordered), for example a navigation menu.

However, not all lists require a list structure, for example a series of terms separated by a comma.

Definition in RAAM 1.1

A sequence of elements that can be grouped together in the form of a structured list. For example, the sequence of links in a navigation menu is a list of links, and the various steps in a procedure are a list of elements.

The notion of "visually grouped in the form of a list" is characterised by:

  • The presence of a visual marker making it clear that it is an unordered list, for example -, -, *, etc.;
  • The presence of a visual marker to indicate that it is an ordered list, e.g. a number, a Greek letter, etc.;
  • The presence of a series of elements that visually follow one another, with an identical visual form, nature and function, but without having a direct visual list marker, for example a navigation menu.

However, not all lists require a list structure, for example a series of terms separated by a comma.