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Default Styles

You'll quickly notice as you use our new template that various elements of your page will automatically be presented on the web with a certain color, font size, spacing, or background. These elements include headings, lists, and tables.

Headings

Headings on web pages are strongly encouraged. They help users quickly scan the content of your page and find the information they need.

There should always be a first-order heading, or "Heading 1" if you're using Contribute. The HTML equivalent would be <H1> . Make sure you use title case format (initial caps) for these headings to maintain a consistent look across the URMC site. First order headings should be reserved for the title of the content of your page, and should appear only once . This will assure that the content of the page is quickly indexed and ranked by search engines.

Subheadings should begin with second-order headings, or "Heading 2" ( <H2> ). Don't skip to a third-order heading if second-order heading has not been used. Try to maintain an outline structure to your page for best practice.

Sub-subheadings should continue in numerical order, with "Heading 3" ( <H3> ) and "Heading 4" ( <H4> ). Once again, do not use a fourth-order heading if it has not been preceded by a third-order heading.

Ordered and Unordered Lists

Lists should be used when appropriate. Unordered lists are synonymous with bulleted lists, and should be used whenever the items are to be presented in no particular order. They appear as shown:

• First bullet item.
• Second bullet item.
• Third bullet item.
• Fourth bullet item.

Ordered or numbered lists should be used when presenting items that follow a particular order, such as instructions or directions. They appear as shown:

1. First do this.
2. Then do this.
3. Now do this.
4. Finally do this.

Tables

Tables should be used to present tabular data to users, such as the calendar information shown below. We do not recommend using tables for positioning elements on the page, such as an image with a caption; the URMC templates and CSS system will not present these tables as desired. Styles are available to help you position elements if you need them (see our section on Styles You Choose ). Simple data tables should be easy to create (see our Contribute Training Reference Manual for detailed instructions), but authors may need to contact Web Services for assistance with more complex tables.

Other HTML Elements

<blockquote>

This is an example of what a blockquote will look like when used on your page.

Notes

Please be aware that the styles described above apply only to "content" pages, such as those written with the URMC "content" template. Other pages, such as "department homepages", "section homepages" or "portals" may have a different stylesheet and result in different looks for identical elements. Also be aware that the look of styles on the URMC website are subject to change with little or no notice at the discretion of Web Services.