ABSTRACT
Some types of document, for example, a thesis or a drug regulatory report, may have a statutory requirement for numbered headings (1.0, 1.4, 1.3.8 and so on). If so, you must comply. However, when considering introducing numbered headings into other types of document (e.g. a book or manual), ask yourself if they are really needed. Are you going to have cross-references from one section to another? Are you going to refer to the numbered sections in the index? If readers do not need the numbers to navigate the document, do not put them in. You will only be making extra work for yourself when you add new sections. If you do decide to use numbered headings, your wordprocessing soft ware will be able to place them in a table of contents and allow you to hyperlink statements to appropriate sections.
