Headings & Headlines

Headings

  • Maximum heading length is 8 words, 6 words is ideal
  • H1 & H2 capitalize all important words, no end punctuation (Sociology Sub-Plans)
    • Do not capitalize:
      • Articles (a, an, the)
      • Coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or, for, nor)
      • Short prepositions (at, by, in, near, to, from)
  • H3 & H4 capitalize only the first word in heading, no end punctuation

Headlines

  • When writing headlines, less is more
  • Headlines should be no longer than 8 words, 6 words or fewer is ideal
  • Do not include punctuation in headlines (No exclamation points!)
  • Try cutting out unnecessary words such as “a” and “the,” as complete sentences aren’t always necessary 
  • If possible, use abbreviations for Universities, Institutions, conferences, and events to shorten headline length
  • Keep in mind: having 1 long headline in a news feed is not the end of the world, but having multiple long headlines is significantly less readable and usable for users

Best Practices

  • Gets to the point
  • Gives a broad overview of information, not too specific

Good Examples

  • “Jeffry Simpson Receives Teaching Award”
  • “Showcasing Our Global Impact: CLA International”  
  • "Canoes: Indigeneity, Relocation, and Maintaining Tradition"

Rewrite

  • The headline “Psychology Professor John Doe Says Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Is Problematic” could be rewritten as “U Psychologist: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Problematic”