Course Technology--InfoWeb: Authoring Tips

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Authoring Tips

The Web contains many resources that provide suggestions, tips, and information on Web page design. Sites such as "Crafting a Nifty Personal Web Site," at www2.hawaii.edu/jay/styleguide, provide lots of great tips with illustrated examples. For a more serious presentation, connect to sites such as Yale's C/AIM Web Style Guide at info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual. You'll enjoy the Web page makeovers in the Ziff-Davis Internet magazine MegaSite. Pick up a copy from your newsstand or visit online at www.zdimag.com and search for "makeovers." Internet Magazine, published by emap Business Communications in the United Kingdom, contains excellent information for Web designers. As you gain experience in Web page design, you'll find helpful tips at sites such as Website Tips at www.websitetips.com. ("WebHome Improvement: A Web Design Style Guide" at www.htmltips.com is currently not available.)

Additional Links

Sun Microsystems Guide to Web Style Creating useful and beautiful Web pages and Web sites involves more than mastering HTML and graphics creation. A small group of Web page developers at Sun Microsystems have gathered their experience and opinion into this "cookbook" for creating better Web pages. One of their chief concerns is usability, and they suggest that the Web development process best begins with understanding the purposes of your Web pages and your audience before you set fingers to keyboard. You will also find advice about links, page length, graphics, image maps, navigation, security, quality, netiquette, content, selling, language, and Java here.

Web Development John December, likewise, argues that creating an effective Web site takes more than HTML skills and an eye for page design. He breaks successful Web development into six processes and six web elements. He also suggests that people understand and take advantage of the Web's unique characteristics and qualities. December is the author of The World Wide Web Unleashed 1997 (fourth edition) and HTML 3.2 & CGI Unleashed, Professional Reference Edition.

Alertbox: Jakob Nielson's Column on Web Usability More than simple tips, you can find thoughtful articles on a variety of usability issues at the Alertbox site. Some recent articles include "Eyetracking Study of Web Readers," "Progress in Internet Client Design," and "The Mud-throwing Theory of Usability." Jakob Nielson is number 6 on the ZDNet AnchorDesk list of the web's 10 most influential people.