Writing for the web

This course teaches students how to build a well-written, user-sensitive site that both attracts new visitors and keeps current users returning. Students will learn how users process text information on the Web, as well as techniques for making pages clear, appealing, and rewarding for users. This course involves a great deal of class discussion and focuses on cognitive processes and ideas rather than specific coding techniques.

After completing this one-day course, students will be able to:

• Analyze the Way Users Read on the Web
• Improve Access to Information
• Analyze Your Site for Common Writing Mistakes
• Structure Navigational Aids Links
• Balance Clicking, Scrolling, and Other Trade-offs
  

Target audience

Students should have experience with browsing the Internet using a popular Web browser.

Course content

Why Focus on Writing for the Web? A Web site's usability is integral to a company's success • Writing as the Main Focus • Writing for the Web

How We Read Online Exercise 1: Evaluating Web sites' writing

Adopting an Online Writing Style

Chunking Information Use Bulleted Lists • Exercise 2: Creating Lists • Use Short Phrases Consistently • Choosing a Standard • Make One Point per Paragraph • Exercise 3: Make One Point Per Paragraph

Write Concisely Be Direct. Use the Active Voice • Exercise 4: The Active Voice • Avoid Excessive Verbiage • Avoid Flowery Prose and Marketing Speak • Some Grammatical Considerations • Exercise 5: Writing Concisely: Avoid Empty Content

The Inverted Pyramid Exercise 6: Use the Inverted Pyramid • Write for Your Audience • Avoid Both Excessive Formality and Excessive Familiarity • Exercise 7: Know Your Audience

Formatting and Layout Page Level Layout • Colors

The Significance of Fonts Choosing Between Serif and Sans-serif Fonts • When to Use Monospaced and Fantasy Fonts • Specifying Fonts on the Web • Printing Considerations • Use Links to Provide Access to Different Depths of Information • Characteristics of Good Hyperlinks • Page Titles as Labels for Your Page

Re-Purposing Content for the Web Exercise 8: Re-Purposing Text for the Web

Finishing Touches Proofread Your Work • Consistency in Layout and Content

Appendix A: Possible Solutions Exercise 2 • Exercise 3 • Exercise 4 • Exercise 5 • Exercise 6 • Exercise 7

Appendix B: Intro to Dreamweaver Macromedia Dreamweaver • Formatting Text

Appendix C: Recommended Resources

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