Module 2 | Word | Styles and Headings

How you organize and present information plays a big role in determining the usability and inclusivity of your electronic content. Visual formatting (layout, spacing, color, and font selection) all affect the degree to which information can be easily read and understood.

Because not every reader will see your document the way you designed it due to varying screen sizes, printing, and photocopying, and others won’t see it at all - they will hear it using text-to-speech software - visual formatting should be combined with structural formatting. 

 

Why Styles? 

The best practice is to create consistent, well-formatted content using Styles. 

  • The inclusion of Styles (e.g., Heading 2, Heading 3, etc.) adds structure to your content and increases the readability of course materials for people using screen readers

  • Styles (such as formatted bulleted or numbered list) help maintain consistency in the most efficient manner possible

  • Using Styles helps organize the information into small chunks. Ideally, each heading includes only a few paragraphs

When you use formatted Styles, the HTML behind the scenes communicates with screen reading software to navigate the content. Making the font bigger or bolding the text does not provide the same information to the HTML that using the formatted Styles does. Even for those who do not use screen reader software, using formatted Styles will improve the organization and readability of the content within your document. 

 

Heading Styles 

In the following example, a proper Heading structure of H1 > H2 > H3 > H4 is displayed. Headings should follow a logical and sequential order, and should not skip Heading levels (e.g. H1>H3).

Correct Example: H1 > H2 > H3 > H2 > H2 > H3
Incorrect Example: H1 > H3

 

Heading structure (H1 Heading, H2 Heading, H3 Heading, H4 Heading)

 

Tips for Success

  • Use Headings to provide a page structure or outline
  • Nest appropriately - do not skip levels
  • Use Headings to indicate sections of content. Avoid over-using them, especially for links

 

Video Tutorial: Applying Headings in Word (2:21)

The following video demonstrates how to apply Heading Styles in Word. Please also see the written guides under the Resources section of this page.  

 

 

Video Transcript

 

Resources