Web Writing Guide

 

Keep it Short and Simple

It is difficult to read large blocks of text on screen, so keep sentences and paragraphs short. In fact, usability studies have concluded:

  1. 79 percent of users scan the page instead of reading word-for-word
  2. Reading from computer screens is 25 percent slower than from paper
  3. Web content should have 50 percent of the word count of its paper equivalent

Follow the University's writing guide to ensure content is consistent and professional.

Keep it Current

Material published on the Illinois Wesleyan website represents the University to the world. Remember to review your site regularly.

Only create what you can maintain.

If you publish material that will become outdated, be responsible for removing or updating it. This includes periodically checking that hyperlinks remain valid.

Make it Scannable

Most Web users scan pages before reading, to decide quickly if the information is relevant. Use of these simple elements can help:

  • A meaningful title
  • Subheadings to break up the text
  • One idea per paragraph
  • Bulleted lists
  • Images or graphics where appropriate

If you need photos for use on your site, please contact the Office of Communications at univcomm@iwu.edu or (309) 556-3181.

Appearances Matter

Follow visual guidelines for Web content.

Use only our standard fonts.

Use Page Titles

All Web pages should have page titles. This is necessary to identify the page to search engines and browser bookmarks and tabs.

Bear in mind the template will place "Illinois Wesleyan:" preceding the text you type into the title field.

Links

If possible, highlight relevant text as the hyperlink, and avoid using the phrase "click here."

If linking to a pdf, document, mp3 or similar file, alert users with a notation after the link, such as (pdf) or (doc).

Because many websites use underlining to indicate links, avoid the use of underlines in your text to prevent confusion. Instead, use bold text (sparingly) for emphasis.

Web Addresses

If offering the URL for a University Web page, do not use "2" after www. (This represents a change in 2008 from our original Web server.)

Keep URLs simple. Site index pages do not require "index.shtml" in the address. For example: www.iwu.edu/math/ is preferred over www.iwu.edu/math/index.shtml

Include Contact Information

The home page of each site should list contact information for the responsible department, including a phone number and email address.

Always include the area code with any phone number. (Don't assume local knowledge; Web visitors may live anywhere in the world.)

Additional Resources

For samples of pages designed according to these guidelines, visit the Physics, History or Biology sites.

For more helpful tips, check out Jakob Nielsen's column on Web usability.