Summary checklist for headings

Advisory

The information on this page is only applicable if you're editing the University webpages using T4. It presumes that you have already completed the beginners and advanced level of the T4 training (a link for staff only - opens in new window).

This checklist is intended for use after you've read all of headings and its subpages through once. It's not envisaged that you'll need to refer to this checklist every time you work with headings; only if you have a query or need a quick reminder.

Heading hierarchy

Structural hierarchy

Maintaining structural hierarchy means that (for example):

an h2 should be followed by another h2 or an h3.
an h3 should be followed by another h3, or go down to an h4, or back up to an h2 – and so on.

Don't skip heading levels when adding subheadings (e.g. don't follow an h2 with an h4).

Where two identical headings follow each other (e.g. h2 followed by another h2), there must be some content about the first h2 before the second h2 is then added.

Key points

Your page can only have one h1 heading.
If you choose not to display an h1 on your page, the underlying code will use the name of your page's T4 folder as a non-visible h1 heading.
If you have a non-visible h1 heading, you'll still need to keep it in mind so that your content doesn't drift from its scope over time. This is especially important if it contains an impermanent element, such as a year (e.g. 'Information for 2025-6'). Not visible doesn't mean 'not there', and that heading will still be read from the source code by assistive technologies, SEO and AI – so remember to update it if you need to.
Never select an Header 1 (h1) from T4's text formatting drop-down menu, as h1s must be added to your page in a particular way.
If you believe that your content needs an h7 heading please contact the web team – don't improvise with a bold text heading.
Headings in panels structurally flow left-to-right.
Take care not to leave an empty paragraph tag or empty heading tag on the page.

Further information

Content hierarchy

Maintaining content hierarchy means that (for example):

All:
- h2s must be about the page's h1
- h3s must be about their parent h2 – and so on.
and
the content underneath each heading must be about that heading.

This prevents contents from going off-topic. If the content at any level is starting to 'pull away' from the topic indicated by its heading, then those headings – even the h1 – may need revising, or the content may be better placed elsewhere.

All content structurally belongs to the preceding heading, no matter where that heading is, so add a new heading if the preceding one doesn't make sense with the content you're adding. This includes giving any summary / conclusion text its own heading if necessary.

Further information

Formatting headings

For T4 editors who use screen readers

The text formatting drop-down menu, where heading levels can be selected in T4's editing windows, is named 'Blocks'.

For all T4 editors

Don't use bold text in place of proper headings.
Don't format any table contents as a heading.
Don't make headings into links in whole or in part / don't format a link as a heading.
Don't use heading formatting simply to emphasise text or make it bigger – heading formatting must only be used for true headings.

Further information

Writing headings

Never add keywords to headings in an artificial way, in an attempt to improve search engine ranking.
Don't end a heading with a colon, even if it's introducing a list.
If your heading contains an acronym it will need to be written out in full if it's:
- the first time the acronym has been used in a heading on your page.
- the first time the acronym has been used in a particular modal.