Writing for the Web

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A presentation to company name | www.newcastle.edu.au

2Introduction

Why should we write for Web readers?

To make Web pages work for people.

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3Overview

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4Understanding people

To understand the differences between web and print reading we need to consider two principal factors that influence the way we consume web content which include:

• The physical constrains of computer monitors or visual displays;

• Screen dynamics

• The non-linear, semantic of web pages; and

• Other technologies like search engines

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To understand the differences between web and print reading we need to consider two principal factors that influence the way we consume web content which include:

• 79% of users always scan; only 16% read word-by-word • Goal focused • Not logical jump around, scrolling and clicking from, readers are impatient • Critical ruthless discarding “hype”

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7Tips for Web writing

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8Writing to be found

Titles

• Keep titles short (60 -70 max)

• descriptive (focus on the first word)

• Use powerful language

• Avoid abbreviations

• Accurate and unique (keep track of changing page content )

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Titles

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Sub-titles

• Keep to no more that 3 levels

• Be specific

• Load with key words

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Sub-titles

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Summaries or Pull Quotes

• Help explain what readers will get from your page

• Types of summaries

– executive summary

– key message

– description

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Key message summary

http://www.youtube.com/user/officialjasonmraz?ob=4

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14Writing to be read

Writing for fast comprehension

• Short is better (should be about 50% less than print)

• Keep paragraphs short (2 -3 sentences)

• Be direct – use inverted pyramid

• Focus your content on task and user goals. What the user wants to do?

• Use lists and tables more frequently and print

• Front end load paragraph sentences and lists with keywords

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• Short is better (should be about 50% less than print)

Wireless technology gives you greater choice about when and where to study. The internet opens up vast opportunities for global engagement. So you can …organise and plan your study time to fit around other important things in your lifesearch and find expert opinions from anywhere in the world, and join and participate in any global online community.

However you should also be mindful that …

increased choice and global engagement make learning more challenging, because you have to …make more decisions about your day-to-day studies, and sort through and use the best evidence from the vast amounts of information online.

But you can deal with these challenges by …taking time out to plan where you’re heading and regularly checking your progress, andinvesting time to learn how to make effective use of the search engines available from the online library.

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• Focus your content on task and user goals. What the user wants to do?

For example, rather than …

Using email in Blackboard …

Try

Communicating with classmates using email …

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Use lists and tables more frequently

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Establish trust with your readers

• Remove the hype or the temptation to sell your content (scrutinize adjectives and adverbs)

• Be honest and objective

• Update pages regularly

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Make a connection with your readers

• Personalise the reading experience, conversational style is better

DISCUSSION

A presentation to company name

1 March 2007

CRICOS Provider 00109J | www.newcastle.edu.au

Writing for the Web

Education

Transcript of Writing for the Web