Running heads
Running heads are the short titles at the top of most pages of your book. Occasionally, a designer will set them at the bottom of the page, in which case they are running feet.
Running heads are not used on display pages:
- any one-page element, such as the title page, reverse title page, dedication page
- the first page of any multiple-page element, such as a chapter or introduction
Running heads are used on the second and following page of any section of your book that runs two or more pages.
The running head can incorporate the page number. Or, the page number can be set at the bottom of the page by itself.
The content of the running heads depends on the structure of your book. See examples below.
Example 1: A book divided into parts, with parts divided into chapters
| Verso (title of part 1) | Recto (title of part 1, chapter 1) |
| Lincoln's Early Life | Born on the Frontier |
Example 2: A book divided into chapters only
| Running head on verso (chapter title) | Running head on recto (chapter title) |
| Lincoln in Congress | Lincoln in Congress |
Example 3: A book with chapters written by different authors:
| Running head on verso (chapter author) | Running head on recto (chapter title) |
| William H. Beckwith | Lincoln in Congress |
Example 4: Running heads in frontmatter and backmatter. If your introductory material or appendixes are long enough to need running heads, use the same head on both sides of the spread:
| Running head on verso | Running head on recto | |
| Frontmatter | Introduction | Introduction |
| Backmatter | Appendix: Lincoln Family Tree | Appendix: Lincoln Family Tree |
