Are Headers Necessary?

Website headers are an opportunity to reinforce your brand.

Headers are a staple feature of professional and academic documents, such as thesis papers, business letters and manuscripts. A header appears at the top of specified pages in a document and consists of descriptive text or images, including page numbers, dates, titles or the document author. While they are not always necessary, headers enable convenient navigation through documents that are lengthy or contain various subdivisions. Identifying the audience and objective of a document can help you to determine if a header should be included.

Organization

Headers are commonly required in academic or professional papers to divide the document into manageable sections. Incorporating a header with information such as page numbers and section headings allows the reader to navigate to specific areas of the document more easily to check facts, cite sources, take notes and edit. Section headers are particularly useful for locating a chart or graph in a document containing multiple pages of data. The length and format of a document generally determines the inclusion of a header. Headers are essential in many writing formats, such as American Psychological Association style, but may not be necessary in a one- to three-page paper with few formatting guidelines.

Identification

Headers are often used for identification purposes in research papers, manuscripts and writing contests. In a research setting, headers simplify the filing and retrieval process by detailing information such as author, title, date, time and case numbers. Similarly, headers are common in publishing and contest environments because documents travel between multiple readers and are frequently disassembled. In many competitions, the entry page of a document is removed, leaving only the header to identify a contestant. The header is temporarily covered with tape to hide participants' identities from the panel of judges. In such cases, providing various identification details in a header makes it easier to reassemble the document when necessary.

Business

Headers containing company details or logos provide an opportunity for businesses to reinforce their brand in both print and web materials. Word processing software and other desktop publishing programs offer professional templates that novice and veteran business owners can use as a starting point to design their own headers. Custom headers add legitimacy to company correspondence, while also attaching a visual element that potential clients associate with your business. Headers are an important aspect of marketing in Web publishing because they are among the first components a customer sees and have the potential to generate further interest.

Considerations

Headers aren't practical for every type of document. A header should be incorporated when it will improve the reading experience or communicate your purpose to the audience. A page number is suitable for short documents, while longer works may benefit from chapter- or section-based headers. If you are following an established writing format, always adhere to the header guidelines dictated by that format. In a business or institutional setting, use headers to identify your organization or display a definitive slogan. If you are still unsure about using a header, research the standard practice used by other professionals or academics in your field.

References

• Microsoft Support: General Information About Headers and Footers in Word