Style sheets, manuscript structure, and headings
I always check a manuscript’s navigation panel before I even start editing. It is an incredibly under-utilised tool that not only speeds up the writing process but also avoids formatting issues.
So what does a blank navigation panel reveal about the manuscript and the author’s writing process?
- The author has not used a style sheet to format the manuscript
- Headings and subheadings are not formatted as headings, so the manuscript could present structural issues
- There could be inconsistencies in the formatting of H1, H2, and H3 headings.
Customising your headings
To open the navigation panel, simply press CTRL+F and check the ‘Heading’ tab.
Open your document; if it does not open in the ‘Home’ tab, click on ‘Home’. In the centre of the toolbar you will find tabs for ‘Paragraph’ and ‘Styles’. Open the ‘Paragraph’ tab and click on the drop-down menu called ‘Outline level’ (the default setting is ‘Body text’. This is where you select your heading levels.
Let’s assume you are formatting a H1 heading. Select ‘Level 1’, the line spacing, and any other formatting requirements based on your publication’s author guidelines. Next, click on the ‘Styles’ tab, find the style for ‘Heading 1’, right click, and select ‘Update Heading 1 to match selection’.
Repeat this process until you have created customised styles for all your headings. Next, update all the headings in your text.
How to use the navigation panel
The navigation panel is a clickable, hierarchical table of contents on the left side of your screen that gives you visual feedback on your manuscript’s internal structure. It can also help you to fix formatting inconsistencies.
Also note: if you are working on a large manuscript with chapters, sections, etc., the ‘Table of Contents’ generator will not pick up headings and subheadings (and their page numbers) if they are not correctly formatted.
Key takeaway
The navigation panel is a valuable tool that can help you check your manuscript structure and formatting inconsistencies.