Headings
Headings provide structure and orient the reader
Heading terms should guide the reader through the content in a logical way. Depending on the type of content, you may want to consider different types of heading terms, including:
- Question headings
- Statement headings
- Topic headings
Question headings
Question headings are useful if you know what questions your audience will ask. Most people come to government information with questions. If you know those questions, use them as headings. They will help the audience find the information they are looking for quickly. Using the question-and-answer format helps your audience scan the document and find specific information.
Example:
How does page design support plain language?
Statement headings
Statement headings are the next best choice because they are still very specific, but bold and direct.
Example:
Design and plain language
Topic headings
Topic headings are the most formal and often the most comfortable in government settings. But sometimes they’re so vague that they aren’t helpful. Topic headings such as “General,” “Application,” and “Scope” may confuse the user. For example, “Application” might mean an application to your agency from someone reading your website. But it might as easily mean what the website itself applies to.
Example:
Overview
Add page-level structure
Start writing by developing the headings, structuring them to your audience’s concerns. This approach can reveal major groupings of information to organize your writing.
In the following example about the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), broad topic headings help organize the page. Specific topics add a second level of organization:
Example of hierarchical organization from the Bureau of Land Management
Qualifications of permittees and lessees
- Who may hold leases and permits?
- Can foreign citizens hold permits or leases?
- How do I file evidence of my qualifications?
- Can I amend my qualifications statement?
Bonding requirements
- Must I file a bond with my permit or lease?
- Where do I file my bond?
- What types of bonds are acceptable?
- How does BLM establish bond amounts?
- When does BLM terminate my liability under a bond?
Be concise and descriptive
Headings should not be so long that they overwhelm the material itself. Avoid headings with one-word answers. With rare exceptions, headings should be shorter than the content that follows them.
Say | Instead of |
|---|---|
Do I need to publish a public notice? You must publish a notice of your operations in a local newspaper before you begin. | Do I have to file a newspaper notice of my activities before I begin operations? Yes. |
Be concise, but descriptive
In this example below, the headings in the right column are more informative than the short topic headings on the left.
Say | Instead of |
|---|---|
§254.11 How do the procedures in this part affect Indian rights? | § 254.11 Indian Rights |
§ 254.12 How do I apply for a grant under this part? | § 254.12 Applications |
§ 254.14 Can a multi-tribal organization submit a single grant request? | § 254.14 Administrative requirements |
§ 254.15 What special information do I need for an application by a multi-tribal organization? | § 254.15 Appeals |
Limit levels to three or fewer
Crafting web pages with four or more levels makes it difficult for your audience to keep track of where they are. You should address this problem in your initial structuring of the content.
This is also a best practice for regulations. The Office of the Federal Register recommends that regulations contain no more than three levels. They note that more than three levels make regulations hard to read and use.
