diff --git a/semantikon/converter.py b/semantikon/converter.py
index d76b42f..8526e96 100644
--- a/semantikon/converter.py
+++ b/semantikon/converter.py
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
     _to_units_container,
     _replace_units,
 )
-from ast import literal_eval
 from typing import get_origin, get_args
 
 __author__ = "Sam Waseda"
@@ -44,14 +43,8 @@ def parse_metadata(value):
         dictionary of the metadata. Available keys are `units`, `label`,
         `triples`, `uri` and `shape`. See `semantikon.typing.u` for more details.
     """
-    not_use_list = len(value.__metadata__) == 1 and isinstance(
-        value.__metadata__[0], str
-    )
-    if not_use_list:
-        return literal_eval(value.__metadata__[0])
-    else:
-        metadata = value.__metadata__[0]
-        return {k: v for k, v in zip(metadata[::2], metadata[1::2])}
+    metadata = value.__metadata__[0]
+    return {k: v for k, v in zip(metadata[::2], metadata[1::2])}
 
 
 def meta_to_dict(value):
diff --git a/semantikon/typing.py b/semantikon/typing.py
index f50df2a..4a34f3e 100644
--- a/semantikon/typing.py
+++ b/semantikon/typing.py
@@ -26,7 +26,6 @@ def _type_metadata(
     uri: str | None = None,
     shape: tuple[int] | None = None,
     restrictions: tuple[tuple[str, str]] | None = None,
-    use_list: bool = True,
     **kwargs,
 ):
     parent_result = {}
@@ -45,11 +44,8 @@ def _type_metadata(
         if result[key] is None:
             result[key] = value
     result.update(kwargs)
-    if use_list:
-        items = [x for k, v in result.items() for x in [k, v]]
-        return Annotated[type_, items]
-    else:
-        return Annotated[type_, str(result)]
+    items = [x for k, v in result.items() for x in [k, v]]
+    return Annotated[type_, items]
 
 
 def _function_metadata(
@@ -80,7 +76,6 @@ def u(
     uri: str | None = None,
     shape: tuple[int] | None = None,
     restrictions: tuple[tuple[str, str]] | None = None,
-    use_list: bool = True,
     **kwargs,
 ):
     is_type_hint = (
@@ -95,7 +90,6 @@ def u(
             "uri": uri,
             "shape": shape,
             "restrictions": restrictions,
-            "use_list": use_list,
         }
     )
     if is_type_hint:
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_parsers.py b/tests/unit/test_parsers.py
index 56dead8..cf43ad1 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_parsers.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_parsers.py
@@ -10,31 +10,60 @@
 
 class TestUnits(unittest.TestCase):
     def test_basic(self):
-        for use_list in [True, False]:
+        @u(uri="abc")
+        def get_speed(
+            distance: u(float, units="meter"),
+            time: u(float, units="second"),
+        ) -> u(float, units="meter/second", label="speed"):
+            return distance / time
 
-            @u(uri="abc")
-            def get_speed(
-                distance: u(float, units="meter", use_list=use_list),
-                time: u(float, units="second", use_list=use_list),
-            ) -> u(float, units="meter/second", label="speed", use_list=use_list):
-                return distance / time
+        input_args = parse_input_args(get_speed)
+        for key in ["distance", "time"]:
+            self.assertTrue(key in input_args)
+        for key in [
+            "units",
+            "uri",
+            "triples",
+            "shape",
+            "label",
+            "restrictions",
+            "dtype",
+        ]:
+            self.assertTrue(key in input_args["distance"])
+        self.assertEqual(input_args["distance"]["units"], "meter")
+        self.assertEqual(input_args["time"]["units"], "second")
+        output_args = parse_output_args(get_speed)
+        for key in [
+            "units",
+            "uri",
+            "triples",
+            "shape",
+            "label",
+            "restrictions",
+            "dtype",
+        ]:
+            self.assertTrue(key in output_args)
+        self.assertEqual(output_args["units"], "meter/second")
+        self.assertEqual(output_args["label"], "speed")
+        self.assertEqual(get_speed._semantikon_metadata["uri"], "abc")
+        self.assertRaises(TypeError, u, "abc")
+        f_dict = get_function_dict(get_speed)
+        self.assertEqual(f_dict["uri"], "abc")
+        self.assertEqual(f_dict["label"], "get_speed")
 
-            input_args = parse_input_args(get_speed)
-            for key in ["distance", "time"]:
-                self.assertTrue(key in input_args)
-            for key in [
-                "units",
-                "uri",
-                "triples",
-                "shape",
-                "label",
-                "restrictions",
-                "dtype",
-            ]:
-                self.assertTrue(key in input_args["distance"])
-            self.assertEqual(input_args["distance"]["units"], "meter")
-            self.assertEqual(input_args["time"]["units"], "second")
-            output_args = parse_output_args(get_speed)
+    def test_multiple_output_args(self):
+        def get_speed(
+            distance: u(float, units="meter"),
+            time: u(float, units="second"),
+        ) -> tuple[
+            u(float, units="meter/second", label="speed"),
+            u(float, units="meter", label="distance"),
+        ]:
+            return distance / time, distance
+
+        output_args = parse_output_args(get_speed)
+        self.assertIsInstance(output_args, tuple)
+        for output_arg in output_args:
             for key in [
                 "units",
                 "uri",
@@ -44,44 +73,11 @@ def get_speed(
                 "restrictions",
                 "dtype",
             ]:
-                self.assertTrue(key in output_args)
-            self.assertEqual(output_args["units"], "meter/second")
-            self.assertEqual(output_args["label"], "speed")
-            self.assertEqual(get_speed._semantikon_metadata["uri"], "abc")
-            self.assertRaises(TypeError, u, "abc")
-            f_dict = get_function_dict(get_speed)
-            self.assertEqual(f_dict["uri"], "abc")
-            self.assertEqual(f_dict["label"], "get_speed")
-
-    def test_multiple_output_args(self):
-        for use_list in [True, False]:
-
-            def get_speed(
-                distance: u(float, units="meter", use_list=use_list),
-                time: u(float, units="second", use_list=use_list),
-            ) -> tuple[
-                u(float, units="meter/second", label="speed", use_list=use_list),
-                u(float, units="meter", label="distance", use_list=use_list),
-            ]:
-                return distance / time, distance
-
-            output_args = parse_output_args(get_speed)
-            self.assertIsInstance(output_args, tuple)
-            for output_arg in output_args:
-                for key in [
-                    "units",
-                    "uri",
-                    "triples",
-                    "shape",
-                    "label",
-                    "restrictions",
-                    "dtype",
-                ]:
-                    self.assertTrue(key in output_arg)
-            self.assertEqual(output_args[0]["units"], "meter/second")
-            self.assertEqual(output_args[0]["label"], "speed")
-            self.assertEqual(output_args[1]["units"], "meter")
-            self.assertEqual(output_args[1]["label"], "distance")
+                self.assertTrue(key in output_arg)
+        self.assertEqual(output_args[0]["units"], "meter/second")
+        self.assertEqual(output_args[0]["label"], "speed")
+        self.assertEqual(output_args[1]["units"], "meter")
+        self.assertEqual(output_args[1]["label"], "distance")
 
     def test_additional_args(self):
         def get_speed(