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Subject:Re: Downstyle headings From:Beverly Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH1 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL> Date:Tue, 11 Apr 1995 10:43:58 MST
Peggy Thompson <Peggy_Thompson -at- CCMAIL -dot- OSTI -dot- GOV> asks--
Do most of you downstyle headings in your technical material? I
write computer manuals and quick ref guides, and we have always
adhered to Traditional Methods of Up and Down Styling for the
Headings. However, I read some compelling arguments (reading
ease) for instead
Doing headings just like this
and to hell with conventions bred long ago in publishing.
Comments from the field? Many thanks.
==========
Downstyle headings, as you call them, are what newspapers use
for their headlines. I don't see any reason not to use them for
section headings in your manuals. Most headings are already
bigger, bolder, and of a different typeface than the body text,
so putting an initial cap on each word (or worse, all capping)
is merely adding yet another level of emphasis. IMO, it is
unnecessary.
=*= Beverly Parks =*= bparks -at- huachuca-emh1 -dot- army -dot- mil =*=
=*= "Unless otherwise stated, all comments are my own. =*=
=*= I am not representing my employer in any way." =*=