TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Ellen Vanrenen wrote:
>
> I have a colleague, who was an excellent technical writer in a former
> life, who has suggested that I change my template to use "nested"
> headings... I like the Heading style more or less parallel.
> Readers would see a symmetrical page.
>
> I'd like your opinions, please.
I'm with you! I wouldn't use indentation of headings, with or without duplicating the indentation in the text as one respondent suggested (which sounds even worse).
Figure out how may levels of heading you need; then make the lowest level the same size as your body text, the next level a couple of points larger, and so on, up to level 1. Use a different but complementary font for the headings, and keep everything flush left.
For example, if your body text is 10-point Times, and you need four levels of heading, you'd use 10-point bold Arial for level 4, 12-point bold Arial for level 3, 14-point bold Arial for level 2, and 16-point bold Arial for level 1.
If I needed a fifth level (rare), I'd drop bold from the level-4 definition. For a (highly unusual) sixth level, I'd add italics to level 5. Of course, you can use these treatments for levels 3 and 4 if you want to keep level one to a smaller size.
Finally, the space above headings should increase a little as the font size grows.
Tip: For convenience, define level 1 first, and make each ensuing level a variation of the one "above" it. That way, you can change all at once by redefining level 1.
--David
=============================
David M. Brown - Brown Inc.
dmbrown -at- brown-inc -dot- com
=============================
HTML Indexer 3, still the easiest way to create and maintain real
back-of-the-book indexes for web sites and other HTML documents.
Now including options for HTML Help and JavaHelp indexes, too!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
PC Magazine gives RoboHelp Office 2002 five stars - a perfect score!
"The ultimate developer's tool for designing help systems. A product
no professional help designer should be without." Check out RoboHelp at http://www.ehelp.com/techwr
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
