Description List Elements Order Check

Description

The “Description List Elements Order Check” evaluates whether all <dl> elements contain only description list elements in the correct order (i.e., a <dt> paired with and followed by a <dd> element).

Example outcome

I noticed that all description lists only contain correctly ordered list items.

Impact

• Visual Impairments: Screen readers may not interpret the term-definition relationship correctly.
• Cognitive Disabilities: Users may not understand that terms and their definitions belong together in a structured way.
• Learning Disabilities: Lack of correct ordering and structure could confuse users, making the content less comprehensible.

Fixes

To address inappropriately ordered description list elements:

1. Locate the inappropriately ordered description list element.
2. If it is a <dd> element, make sure to include a correspondent <dt> element prior to it.
3. If it is a <dt> element, make sure to include a correspondent <dd> element after it.

Resources

• WCAG 2.2: Understanding Success Criteria 3.1.3
• WCAG 2.2 Techniques: Technique H40: Using description lists
• WebAIM: Semantic Structure: Regions, Headings, and Lists