Intro to Web Building - Unit 5
Webs 1-4 teach the basic skills needed to build a web
page. Web 5 discusses the steps necessary to
optimize your page's accessibility - these are the final basic skills
needed to complete your HTML. All the links on this page lead to other
parts this website - some remind you of skills we've already covered, and some
lead you to new information.
Miscellaneous skills that you can use to add panache to
your website (sound, counters, &c.) are explained on the Doo-dads
page.
Accessibility of Visual Elements
1. Include ALT commands within all <IMG> tags.
2. Make sure all text is clearly legible
against the background AND is in high contrast with background (necessary both
for B&W printing and for the colorblind).
3. Spell and punctuate accurately.
Speed of Download
1. Include HEIGHT and WIDTH specifications in all <IMG> tags.
2. Minimal to no animation.
3. Make sure that pages load in under 30 seconds on a 28.8 modem.
(Test the page on the slowest computer you can find).
Ease of Navigation
1. Make sure that your e-mail address occurs on every page of your site.
2. Link all of the main pages back to the home page.
3. Link any minor pages back to their parent pages or to the
home page.
4. Use descriptive links, rather than “click here.” The content of the links should be clear even without reading any of the surrounding text.
5. Include a summary on the home
page of what information/services are offered on the site.
6. Provide captions or transcripts of important
audio content.
7. Make sure all links are functional.
8. Divide the information in your site into logical chunks of information; each chunk should be its own page (in other words, be strategic and logical in your division and arrangement of information!)
9. Insert appropriate titles both at the
top of the page AND in the drag bar (<TITLE>
tag).
10. State when the page was last updated.
11. Include META tags in the <HEAD> for keywords, author, subject, title, description, and language.
12. Be consistent in your use of style elements. Use the same color for links and vlinks throughout the site; use the same size and weight of font for titles throughout the site. Be consistent with subheadings as well. If you use a graphic to link to your home page or your e-mail, use the same graphic throughout the site.
13. Provide a sentence or two of description and analysis for each link in any lists of links.
Courtesy (or, How not to Annoy the Hell out of Your
Audience)
14. NO, I repeat NO, pop-up windows!
(a pop-up window is one that automatically appears when the viewer
opens the page. This is not the same as a link that, when clicked, opens a
small window.)
15. Include a list of links to credit any sites that were used in the construction of the page, such as HYPE’s color chart, or a background gallery, or a banner generator.
16. Use clean HTML code: close all open tags, use either upper or lower case consistently. Other webbies may want to inspect your code to learn how you've achieved a certain effect.
17. Include links on your home page to all of your
main sub-pages.
Ethos
18. Include an About Me page (especially for larger web sites with pretentions to authority on a particular subject) so that you can prove your credibility
19. Include a Bibliography/Works Cited page if your web site provides more than the most general information.
20. Include a list of links to related sites if your web site provides more than the most general information. This accomplishes 2 things: it gives you a chance to demonstrate your critical ability by briefly critiquing the site you list, and it allows you to do a quick survey of the ‘Net to make sure that your sire isn’t hopelessly redundant.
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