[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” background_color=”#E71939″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_direction=”90deg” background_color_gradient_stops=”#ffffff 0%|#e71939 100%” background_enable_pattern_style=”on” background_pattern_style=”honeycomb” background_pattern_color=”#FFFFFF” background_enable_mask_style=”on” background_mask_style=”corner-blob” background_mask_color=”RGBA(255,255,255,0)” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|phone” max_width=”100%” max_height=”90px” max_height_tablet=”40px” max_height_phone=”40px” max_height_last_edited=”on|tablet” locked=”off” collapsed=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_4,1_4,1_4,1_4″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width_tablet=”none” max_width_phone=”none” max_width_last_edited=”on|tablet” max_height=”90px” max_height_tablet=”41px” max_height_phone=”50px” max_height_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_margin=”-55px|0px|-55px|10px|true|false” custom_margin_tablet=”-55px|0px|-55px|10px|true|false” custom_margin_phone=”-55px|0px|-55px|10px|true|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|phone” custom_padding=”|||16px|false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”|||15px|false|false” custom_padding_phone=”|||15px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetlltest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/138\/2025\/09\/cetll_300_notag_150ppi-3-1.png” alt=”Center for Excellence in Teaching, Learning & Leadership” src_tablet=”https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetlltest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/138\/2025\/09\/cetll_300_notag_150ppi-3-1.png” src_phone=”https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetlltest\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/138\/2025\/09\/cetll_300_notag_150ppi-3-1.png” src_last_edited=”on|tablet” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” transform_scale=”120%|120%” transform_scale_tablet=”100%|100%” transform_scale_phone=”100%|100%” transform_scale_last_edited=”on|tablet” transform_translate_tablet=”” transform_translate_phone=”” transform_translate_last_edited=”on|tablet” transform_rotate_tablet=”” transform_rotate_phone=”” transform_rotate_last_edited=”on|tablet” transform_skew_tablet=”” transform_skew_phone=”” transform_skew_last_edited=”on|tablet” transform_origin_tablet=”” transform_origin_phone=”” transform_origin_last_edited=”on|tablet” transform_styles_last_edited=”on|tablet” custom_margin=”-5px||-5px||true|false” custom_margin_tablet=”-16px||-16px||true|false” custom_margin_phone=”-16px||-16px||true|false” custom_margin_last_edited=”on|desktop” transform_styles_tablet=”” transform_styles_phone=”” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”30px||||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”0px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”30px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
Format your Word<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>document<\/span>s<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>using the built-in heading<\/span>\u00a0styles<\/span>. Headings and subheadings help the reader understand the organization of the text and navigat<\/span>e to sp<\/span>ecific\u00a0<\/span>content<\/span>. To enable screen readers to convey\u00a0<\/span>organizational<\/span>\u00a0information\u00a0<\/span>to a blind,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>visually impaired, or other\u00a0<\/span>user<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>it is essential to use the built-in headin<\/span>gs rather th<\/span>an making text bolder or larger.<\/span><\/p>\n In Word, y<\/span>ou can have multiple\u00a0<\/span>H1,\u00a0<\/span>H2<\/span>\u00a0and H3\u00a0<\/span>headings<\/span>. Think of H1 as a page’s main title, H2 as chapters, and H3 as subtopics within a chapter. A page using the proper hierarchy will allow all users to jump to different headings to find the section they want.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n B<\/span>e sure to follow a logical hierarchal\u00a0<\/span>structure. F<\/span>or example,\u00a0<\/span>don\u2019t<\/span>\u00a0start with H2, then<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>nest<\/span>\u00a0H1<\/span>\u00a0within H2<\/span>. This disrupts the\u00a0<\/span>reading order.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The image below is an example of <\/span>how<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span>not<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/em>to use headings.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/138\/2026\/03\/HeadingStructureIncorrect.png” alt=”Course Information with H2 tag is followed by Instructor Information with H1 tag, followed by Office Hours with H3 tag.” title_text=”HeadingStructureIncorrect” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”30px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” border_width_all=”1px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” custom_margin=”30px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n A title<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>is\u00a0<\/span>not part of the heading\u00a0<\/span>hi<\/span>erarchy<\/span>. A Word document title tells the user what document they are viewing<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Headings help the user navigate through the content.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n You can apply a Title<\/span>\u00a0to a Word doc<\/span>\u00a0by going to File > Properties > Summary.<\/span><\/p>\n This is an example of how to use headings correctly.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/138\/2026\/03\/HeadingStructureCorrect.png” alt=”Syllabus is tagged H1, Course Information and Instructor Information are tagged H2 with their subtopics tagged H3.” title_text=”HeadingStructureCorrect” _builder_version=”4.27.6″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”30px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” border_width_all=”1px” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” custom_margin=”30px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n This principle\u00a0<\/span>also\u00a0<\/span>applies to<\/span>\u00a0web-based<\/span>\u00a0course content. See\u00a0<\/span><\/span>Accessibility in<\/span><\/span>\u00a0Brightspace<\/span><\/span><\/a> for more information.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”30px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” text_font_size=”16px” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n Microsoft’s Use built-in title, subtitle, and heading styles<\/span><\/span><\/a>\u00a0(<\/span>for Word documents)<\/span>\u00a0Select the tabs at the top of the\u00a0<\/span>page\u00a0<\/span>to see instructions for the desired platform (Windows, macOS, Office for iOS, Office for Android, Web)\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Headings | Elearning Accessibility Tips and Tricks<\/span><\/span><\/a> (4:44) (Lindsay O’Neill, MLIS, MEd, 2022)<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Guidelines for other word processing platforms<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” custom_margin=”30px||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”0px||0px||false|false” locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_cta title=”Return to Make Your Course Content Accessible” button_text=”Click Here” admin_label=”RETURN CTA” _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” header_level=”h4″ header_text_align=”center” background_color=”#E71939″ custom_button=”on” button_text_color=”#333333″ button_bg_color=”#FFFFFF” width=”100%” max_width=”100%” module_alignment=”center” min_height=”50px” height=”50px” max_height=”50px” custom_padding=”21px||||false|false” link_option_url=”https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/make-your-course-content-accessible\/” border_radii=”on|7px|7px|7px|7px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ locked=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_cta][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.27.4″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" HeadingsFormat your Word\u00a0documents\u00a0using the built-in heading\u00a0styles. Headings and subheadings help the reader understand the organization of the text and navigate to specific\u00a0content. To enable screen readers to convey\u00a0organizational\u00a0information\u00a0to a blind,\u00a0visually impaired, or other\u00a0user,\u00a0it is essential to use the built-in headings rather than making text bolder or larger. In Word, you can have multiple\u00a0H1,\u00a0H2\u00a0and H3\u00a0headings. Think […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":258,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"wf_page_folders":[166],"class_list":["post-15143","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15143","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/258"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=15143"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/15143\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=15143"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"wf_page_folders","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.qc.cuny.edu\/cetll\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/wf_page_folders?post=15143"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Resources<\/h2>\n
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