Running page header/footer spacin question

[Stuart Rogers]

On 09/05/2012 8:24 PM, Andrew Warren wrote:
> Ken Poshedly [poshedly at bellsouth.net] wrote:
>
>> So what I need are websites that back me up.
>
> No, what you need is a new job.
>
> -Andrew
> _______________________________________________

Or a hit-man to take out the bozo.

But to your question, Ken, take a look at any style guide that addresses 
book publishing.  Chicago MoS e.g., begins with a large section devoted 
to The Parts of a Book, including (in my 14th ed.) pgfs 1.92 to 1.98 on 
Running Heads.

1.92:  "Running heads, the headings at the tops of pages in a book, are 
signposts telling readers where they are.  For this purpose running 
heads are useful in most scholarly works, textbooks, and the like.  They 
may be omitted wherever they serve no practical purpose -- in a novel or 
a book of poems, for example..."

Presumably, you and your colleague are writing deathless prose, not 
poetry; presumably, your audience consults your manuals on an as-needed 
basis, not as a great read in a relaxing tub.  Anything you can do to 
help your readers scan quickly to find what they need is valuable to 
them, and anything you do that impedes them (such as leaving out 
signposts) does them a disservice.

There's some good points made here, too:
http://www.creativepro.com/article/dot-font-running-heads

HTH,

-- 
Stuart Rogers
Technical Communicator
Phoenix Geophysics Limited
3781 Victoria Park Avenue, Unit 3
Toronto, ON, Canada  M1W 3K5
+1 (416) 491-7340 x 325

http://www.phoenix-geophysics.com