Navigation Tools for the Reader Tables of Content

Navigation Tools for the Reader Tables of Content, Headings, Sub. Headings and Marginal Annotations

The Table of Contents • Gives an overview of the report • Helps the reader find a section quickly • The font size should not be disproportionate to the rest of the report • You can have an additional (and optional) List of Figures • The List of Figures comes second and on a separate page

From “Managing Headings in Print and Online Documents” by David K. Farkas The roles of headings Headings, as we know, serve several important roles in expository documents: • They preview and succinctly summarize upcoming content. • They show subordination, making clear that certain sections of a document are subordinate to others. • They provide a means of access for those who skim or scan for specific information. • They provide an overview of the document as a whole (e. g. , examining the headings of part or all of a document is akin to examining the table of contents). As they do so, headings contribute in subtle but significant ways to a document’s “look and feel” and to the reader’s overall experience. When the visual appearance (fonts, blank space, etc. ), syntax, and length are appropriate, when readers encounter headings at about the right intervals (not too much text between headings and not too little), and when the level of subordination seems appropriate to the content and purpose, readers are more engaged and the document is perceived as well-crafted. --from page 284

Headings • Generally, the font type should be sans serif • It should be distinctive enough (size, bold, italic, etc. ) to contrast with the copy • It should signal a major section of the report

Sub-Headings • Sub-headings should be nested below the headings • To create the nesting, you need to indent them • Each sub-heading should be unique • Generally, do not create uniqueness by changing fonts • Create the difference through size, italics, etc. • Do not have TOO many layers. This gets confusing. HEADING Sub-heading

Marginal Annotations • The annotation summarizes the paragraph • You do not need to have one for every paragraph • Use an italic font for the annotation • The annotation helps the reader to grasp the information • The annotation is an additional navigation tool • It is optional