Writing for the Web:
Guidelines for MIT Libraries

Web Advisory Group > Writing for the Web > Writing Guidelines

What makes a useful heading?

question	May I request items from non-MIT libraries?
verb phrase	Requesting items from non-MIT libraries (put action word first, easier to scan)
imperative	Borrow items from non-MIT libraries.
sentence style	You may borrow items from non-MIT libraries.
noun style	Interlibrary Borrowing

Questions are good for:

• policies
• regulations
• user guides ("how do I ...?")

Sentence style is most useful for subheadings within a long article. (pithy statements, callouts)

Nouns by themselves are good headings only if they name something that users are looking for. Often they are less informative because they don't connect to users' goals. Sometimes they pose a problem for your international audience. (what does "interlibrary borrowing" mean?)

It's generally better to be more expansive & longer than noun style.

Example of useful headings: Specifications for thesis preparation

 

 Writing Guidelines
 useful headings |  headings2 |  first few words |  active voice
 set the context |  use lists |  imperatives |  parallelisms
 simpler words |  fragments |  descriptive links |  combine guidelines

 

  hennig@mit.edu
29 July 99