Reports and dissertations: numbered headings

Question

Should numbered headings and subheadings be used in reports and dissertations?

Answer

Yes, when writing a report or dissertation you should make use of numbered headings and subheadings. The reason for this is because it helps to provide a structure to the report or dissertation and makes it easier for the reader to follow. Typically, reports or dissertations are very long so by having numbered headings and subheadings it helps the reader locate specific information more quickly. An example of numbered headings and subheadings would be:

1 Introduction
    1.1 Background
    1.2 Rationale
2 Literature review
    2.1 Social media marketing tools
    2.2 How social media marketing is used in the UK
    2.3 How social media marketing is used

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