The technique is just as applicable to other disciplines and to other forms of writing such as reports. My use of descriptive headings was only one part of an integrated strategy to improve student writing which also involved setting clear topic sentences, providing extensive feedback and giving the students practice. Assessment also played a key role in promoting good writing. Many of the good results may well evaporate unless good writing is taught and assessed in the other units that the students take. Not all students find the use of headings helpful.
Writers plan and draft in many different ways.
Ironically, I use mindmaps rather than descriptive headings when planning my own writing. However even those students and academics who do not find descriptive headings useful in planning would benefit from using them to improve the clarity of their writing and their ability to communicate. Key Skills for Writing and Publishing Research . A writing teacher in the physics classroom. Let's Stop Neglecting the Tool that Works Best.