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Question: inlne headings

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From: Chagnon | PubCom
Date: Aug 16, 2013 10:44PM

My government clients use a visual design technique called inline headings
or run-in heads. I'm trying to develop a way to make them accessible.

Sample of 2 paragraphs in the original format follows. The first word of
each paragraph is visually formatted to stand out, either with bold,
italics, or color.

Objective-This report presents national estimates of blue widgets

Methods-Estimates are based on data collected during 2012.



I think they should be formatted as headings, H2, but because the words
"objective" and "methods" are part of a larger paragraph of body text, they
can't be formatted as headings. Headings are formatted for the entire
paragraph, not a partial paragraph.

Is there any tag that's appropriate for these "mini headings" at the
beginning of a paragraph of body text?



Another option is to split them into a heading paragraph and a body text
paragraph, but this is counter to US federal publishing guidelines. Sample
of this method (with the tags) follows:

<H2> Objective

<P> This report presents national estimates of blue widgets.

<H2> Methods

<P> Estimates are based on data collected during 2012.



Your thoughts?

- Bevi Chagnon

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