Headings can help you organize your document and make it easier for your readers to follow. In addition, they can help you create a table of contents, which makes it easy to navigate your document when you print it as a PDF or Word document.
Creating headings in Google docs is a quick and easy process, especially when you use the toolbar menu to customize heading styles. You can also save customized heading styles to be used by default in future documents.
The first step to creating headings is to highlight the text in your document that you want to change into a heading. You can do this by clicking on the Normal text icon in the toolbar or by using the keyboard shortcut of “Ctrl,” “Alt,” and “0.”
Once you’ve highlighted the text, click the style type for the heading that you want to apply to the text. This will prompt the font size and type of your cursor to change, indicating that you’ve applied a heading style to your text.
Next, you’ll need to title your heading. You can title your heading by clicking the Title button in the toolbar or by pressing the “Title” key on your keyboard. Titling your heading is an important writing practice, particularly for longer documents or those that have multiple sections.
A good writing style will ensure that the heading titles are consistent with the content of your document. Specifically, your heading titles should be logical, accurate, and grammatically correct.
There are several heading types in Google docs, each with a different font size and style. For example, Heading 1 has a slightly larger font than Heading 2 and is often used for a main title in a document. This type of heading is common for long documents, such as research papers or annual reports.
Alternatively, you can label sub-sections within your document with a Heading 3 heading. This is a less common heading type than the previous two, but it can still be useful for helping your reader to navigate and understand the content of your document.
If you’re not sure what type of heading to use, ask a colleague or someone who has written a similar document. A document with a lot of headings is likely to be difficult to read, so consider using headings sparingly and reviewing the text carefully before deciding on a heading style.
Avoid jargon in your headers and titles. For example, don’t use phrases that sound like they should be part of the text, such as “It’s a…” or “This is the reason for that…” If you aren’t certain what kind of heading is best for your document, ask a colleague or someone who has worked on the same project before.
Another thing to keep in mind when creating headings is that they should be based on your document’s structure and organization. For example, if your document is a how-to document, create a task-based heading such as “Removing an Error on the XYZ Computer.”