{"id":2793,"date":"2023-08-25T20:11:32","date_gmt":"2023-08-25T20:11:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/?page_id=2793"},"modified":"2023-08-25T21:26:19","modified_gmt":"2023-08-25T21:26:19","slug":"use-headings","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/choose-accessible-learning-materials\/use-headings\/","title":{"rendered":"Use Headings"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-highlight\">Why Are Headings Important?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">&#8220;Headings are essential for improving the readability, accessibility, and usability of webpages or digital documents and presentations. Similar to news headlines, headings organize and describe the content that follows&#8230;Clear and properly formatted headings allow learners with low-vision\/blindness to navigate the content using assistive technologies like screen readers. Using appropriate headings to organize content in outline mode can be advantageous for users with cognitive disabilities, as it successfully conveys information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Furthermore, the presence of concise and well-organized headings enhances the ability of all users to swiftly scan and comprehend the provided information&#8230;For instance, sighted users gravitate toward headings to quickly locate desired information when arriving at a new page. Alternatively, learners with low-vision\/blindness may use a screen reader and other assistive technology to promptly skip from heading to heading. Headings also play a crucial role in search engine optimization by signaling the importance and relevance of the text.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-small-font-size\">\u2014 Virginia Tech, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.assist.vt.edu\/calm\/use-headings.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">https:\/\/www.assist.vt.edu\/calm\/use-headings.html<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>Did you know?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">Using defined headings and styles also allows for easy creation of a table of contents! View this <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=avkTcQ4inMo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">tutorial video for creating a table of contents in Word<\/a> for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading is-style-highlight\">How To Use Headings Effectively<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\">In order to get the most out of Headings, keep these tips (paraphrased from the Virginia Tech resource noted above) in mind:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use a <strong>consistent hierarchy<\/strong> of headings to establish a predictable pattern for users.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-list\">\n<li>Headings should <strong>provide a clear and concise summary<\/strong> of the section they precede. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-list\">\n<li>Headings that <strong>accurately convey the topic or purpose of the section<\/strong> improve both user comprehension and search engine optimization.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"has-medium-font-size wp-block-list\">\n<li>Use built-in <strong>heading levels<\/strong> when possible. Start with Heading 1 (h1) for the main title of your page, followed by Heading 2 (h2) headings for major sections, and so on. This logical structure helps users understand the relationships between different sections of your content. <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 38%,rgb(182,227,212) 100%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%)\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/08\/Word-heading-examples.png\" alt=\"A sample of available heading and other styles available in Microsoft Word.\" class=\"wp-image-2803\" width=\"289\" height=\"506\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/08\/Word-heading-examples.png 524w, https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/08\/Word-heading-examples-171x300.png 171w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 289px) 100vw, 289px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"> A sample of available heading and other styles available in Microsoft Word.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column has-background is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgb(255,245,203) 44%,rgb(182,227,212) 100%,rgb(51,167,181) 100%)\"><div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"382\" height=\"456\" src=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/08\/Google-Doc-heading-examples.png\" alt=\"A sample of available heading and other styles available in Google Docs.\" class=\"wp-image-2804\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/08\/Google-Doc-heading-examples.png 382w, https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/08\/Google-Doc-heading-examples-251x300.png 251w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 382px) 100vw, 382px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><br>A sample of available heading and other styles available in Google Docs.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" src=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/08\/stop.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2815 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>DON&#8217;T <\/strong>simply adjust the font size to visually resemble a heading. This action undermines accessibility and presents navigation barriers for users of assistive technologies.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile\" style=\"grid-template-columns:15% auto\"><figure class=\"wp-block-media-text__media\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"64\" height=\"64\" src=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/28\/2023\/08\/thumbsup.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-2817 size-full\"\/><\/figure><div class=\"wp-block-media-text__content\">\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>DO<\/strong> customize the <em>existing<\/em> heading styles Microsoft Office, Google Docs, and many design applications to meet specific design needs while maintaining accessibility. Modifying properties such as font, size, color, and spacing within the styling options, allows for a visually appealing document or webpage without sacrificing structural integrity and navigability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-medium-font-size\"><strong>To learn more, check out <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FL8EIzVHfPg\" target=\"_blank\">How to Create and Customize Headings in Microsoft Word (PC &amp; Mac)<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"><\/div><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why Are Headings Important?<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Headings are essential for improving the readability, accessibility, and usability of webpages or digital documents and presentations. Similar to news headlines, headings organize and describe the content that follows&#8230;Clear and properly formatted headings allow learners with low-vision\/blindness to navigate the content using assistive technologies like screen readers. Using appropriate headings to organize content in outline mode can be advantageous for users with cognitive disabilities, as it successfully conveys information.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the presence of concise and well-organized headings enhances the ability of all users to swiftly scan and comprehend the provided information&#8230;For instance,  <a href=\"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/choose-accessible-learning-materials\/use-headings\/\">&nbsp;&raquo;&nbsp;Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"parent":2579,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template-fullwidth.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"1096,420,1491,1134,1866,1729","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2793","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2793","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2793"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2793\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2841,"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2793\/revisions\/2841"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2579"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.terc.edu\/adultnumeracycenter\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2793"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}