Headings are the labels we apply to chunks of text so that readers know what type of information they contain. Good use of headings is important to help readers quickly find the information they are looking for. To be effective, there must be enough headings, they should be short and descriptive, and the reader must be able to easily distinguish the different levels in the hierarchy by their attributes.
If the section covers a task, use a heading with a gerund (verbs ending in -ing), such as "Printing Your Document." If the section describes something, use a descriptive heading, such as "How a Laser Printer Works."
It’s better to have too many headings than too few. Aim for at least two or three headings on each page. Lots of headings help readers find the information they are looking for quickly. Too few headings require readers to slow down and read text they may not be interested in.
Keep headings down to three or four words, if you can. Certainly no heading should run onto a second line. Think of them as sign posts along the highway—if they are too long, they won’t be read.
When deciding on the attributes of each level of heading in the heading hierarchy, make sure that the reader will be able to easily distinguish one level from another.
When determining the attributes of your heading levels, make sure:
Paragraph Tags – we’ve used another type of heading in this guidebook which we call paragraph tags (like the one labelling this paragraph). They are not fifth-level headings because they can be used at any level in the hierarchy.
