Structure within Your Page | Contribute FAQ | Library

Structure within Your Document <h2>

Headings
Links
Table of Contents
Tables
Contact Information

Headings <h3>

Using headings on your page assists in accessibility because:

your page is easier to scan
provides structure for persons using screen readers. Some screen readers can create a Table of Contents from the headings on your page.

Therefore it is important to use headings in a logical sequence and for their intended use. Using headings for formatting text can be very confusing for someone using a screen reader.

On our web site use:

<h1> for the topic title (designated by the template)
<h2> for the heading of the content of the page
<h3> for the subheadings
<h4> and <h5> can be used if further breakdowns are required

Links <h3>

Links should be meaningful text. Someone using a screen reader will move around the page by tabbing from link to link. So the link text needs to be descriptive and accurate for this to be helpful to them.

Therefore, avoid text links such as: read more, click here, etc.

Table of Contents <h3>

When it is necessary to have a long document, use a Table of Contents at the top of the page so it is easy for the reader to scan.

Create links from the Table of Contents to the corresponding sections. At the end of each section (if they are long), provide arrows to navigate back up to the Table of Contents.
Use the following image for the up arrow: /images/Arrow.GIF with alt text that reads "Return to Contents"

The Table of Contents links to areas on the same page. The right navigation links to new pages.

Tables <h3>

Tables should not be used to format the page, but tables are still valid when you are providing tabular information. To make sure tables are accessible, provide table headings <th> for your rows or columns as appropriate.

In Contribute, highlight the row or column that serves as your headings, then select the Table button, and select "Header Row" or "Header Column."

Contact Information <h3>

All documents require the name of a contact person or group (with email address) to whom users can send questions or comments via email. To assist users in evaluating your web site, provide them with your qualifications for writing on the topic, e.g., Jane Forgay (Librarian, History); Wish Leonard (Manager, Circulation Services, Resource Sharing). If a group is responsible for the web page, provide an email address or a link to a page that outlines the membership and mandate for the group.