Writing for the Web

Jeff Wisniewskijeffw@pitt.edu

facebook.com/wisniewski.jeff

Nation Shudders At Large Block Of Uninterrupted Text

WASHINGTON—Unable to rest their eyes on a colorful photograph or boldface heading that could be easily skimmed and forgotten about, Americans collectively recoiled Monday when confronted with a solid block of uninterrupted text.

Dumbfounded citizens from Maine to California gazed helplessly at the frightening chunk of print, unsure of what to do next. Without an illustration, chart, or embedded YouTube video to ease them in, millions were frozen in place, terrified by the sight of one long, unbroken string of English words.

-The Onion

you’re probably not going to read this

Built in 1995, the Fanny Millstein Library is located at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg, approximately 35 miles east of Pittsburgh, PA. The library, originally housed in Powers Hall, was established to provide academic support and to serve the research needs of the Greensburg Campus' students, faculty and staff. Currently the library contains over 78,000 volumes and provides access to a vast array of information resources through the University Library System's Digital Library. There is also a computer lab and wireless network available to students for research and class work. Open seven days a week during the Fall and Spring terms, the library greets an average of 60,000 patrons each year. To learn more about the library, please visit our online tour, view our presentation, Welcome to the Millstein Library, or enjoy reading Millstein Matters.

but you might read this:

The Millstein Library at Pitt Greensburg (located 35 miles east of Pittsburgh):

Is open seven days a week during the Fall and Spring terms

Has a computer lab and wireless network

Has access to millions of e-books, magazine, newspaper and journal articles

Want to learn more? Visit our online tour, view Welcome to the Millstein Library (ppt), or read Millstein Matters.

Krug’s 3 laws of usability

“Don’t make me think.”

“It doesn’t matter how many times I have to click, as long as each click is a mindless, unambiguous choice.”

“Get rid of half the words on each page, then get rid of half of what is left.”

Krug, S. (2006), Don’t Make Me Think: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability,

Berkeley, CA: New Riders

worth the effort?

“The rewritten web site scored 159% higher than the original in measured

usability."

http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/rewriting.html

the typical library website visitor

Usually focused on getting a job done

Usually inexperienced

Visit infrequently

Has low recall

Is impatient

how users read online

They generally don’t, they scan*

Move in an “F” like pattern down the page

Pay particular attention to first words of headings

*until they find content

that’s meaningful for them

why scan?

Reading on a computer monitor is typically at least 25% slower than reading the equivalent content on a paper-based format, so, simply, it takes more time and effort.

Reading from a monitor causes both eye strain and eye fatigue

People tend to look for easy to recognize clues that will quickly lead to the the information they

want.

reading slower: Implications for style

keep things as brief as possible

many web visitors will read only the first or second sentences of a paragraph

information foraging

Certain words or phrases function as trigger words.

They give off strong “scent” because they look like they will lead the user closer to their information goal.

Users are willing to click repeatedly so long as the scent is getting stronger

The choices users make are rapid and people will often pick the first likely looking link

page titles

Highly important!

Be specific when creating titles; no two pages should be titled alike

Use something like this format:Descriptive phrase |

Subsection| Section | Organization

page titles: TIPS

Make the first word of the title the most important descriptor of the page

Do not begin with a generic term ("Welcome to") or an article ("The”)

Should make sense when viewed completely out of context, as part of a long list of other page titles, as in search engine results lists

Should be unique

Must be written in mixed case

lists

Set their contents apart from the rest of the page and can very effectively highlight text

Bulleted: sequence doesn’t matter

Numbered: sequence matters

Full sentences are not appropriate

headings

Set apart by font, size, weight, white space

Help your readers see your point without having to read the entire page

headings

headingsCommon problems:

Unfamiliar words in headings or linksConfusable headings or links - two or

more items appear to describe the same thing

Headings or labels that are equally similar for some goals

Headings: TIPS

Have information-carrying content within the first three words

Include keywords that are important for search engine optimization (SEO)

Have strong scent

links

most effective when they reduces clutter by dividing chunks of information into individual web pages

Visually differentiated

The best links contain trigger words and give off a strong scent, drawing the user closer to their goal.

creating effective hyperlinks: TIPS

Make the text in your links meaningful

Use words that people known and understand Remember "old and boring”

Underline links to make them stand out. This was the default link display in early HTML browsers

Engineering's (UIE) research shows that links with 4 to 9 words are most effective

Be sure to make visited and unvisited links contrast with the base font color

creating effective hyperlinks

Avoid using “standard” link colors and underlined text for anything that isn't a link

For example, this is not a link, but it sure looks like one.

Nothing but links should be underlined

Don’t reuse link colors

tips for creating effective hyperlinks

“Click here” should NEVER be a hyperlink

inverted pyramid style

the conclusion comes first

In the next paragraph, you summarize the most important items.

Only then do you get to the details.

highly classified

compose your page text as if you were writing a classified ad, where you're paying by the word. User attention is an expensive resource…

-Seth Godin

simplify words and structure

A.This section describes the types of identification that would satisfy the application requirements for a library card.

B.What identification is needed when applying for a library card?

general writing: TIPS

Use half (or less) the word count of conventional writing

Get to the point, immediately!

Use fewer, smaller and simpler words

Save the details for those who want to “learn more”

use pronouns

They personalize the text and add clarity

Refer to your organization as “we”

Refer to the reader as “you” in the text and as “I” in questions

pronouns

Example:A.Faculty, staff and students

must return books by the end of the loan period. If books are returned after the due date, fines will accrue.

A.You must return books by the due date. You will be fined if books are returned late.

The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do.

Thomas Jefferson

use "old", "boring" words to make your content more findable

-Jakob Nielsen

plain language in a nutshell

Common, everyday words

"You" and other pronouns

Write directly to reader

The active voice

Short sentences

Be positive where possible

adult literacy levels in the U.S.

Source: http://nces.ed.gov/naal/kf_demographics.asp

plain language

Plain language is appropriate for the medium and is consistent with the way people behave online

improves the clarity of your communication

plain language is not

Unprofessional, disrespectful, or inaccurate. It does not “dumb down” information for the public.

Using plain language is respectful because it values the readers’ time.

plain language tool

http://www.online-utility.org/english/readability_test_and_improve.jsp

plain language

Google hack:

1.Site:yoursite.com

2.Advanced search

3.Reading level> annotate results with reading level

“Resist the urge to write like a grad student or a bureaucrat.”

-Yahoo! Developer Network

jargonThe language used by people who

work in a particular area or who have a common interest

Efficient and effective for those “in the know”

Opaque, confusing, and distancing for those who are not (tip: that’s almost everyone!)

avoid jargon

Reference Ask a question

Circulation Check out

Library Terms That Users Understand

http://www.jkup.net/terms.html

avoid noun sandwiches - a string of nouns one after another

A.Remote patron authenticated licensed database access.

eliminate redundancies

ask the question ask

absolutely essential essential

use active voice and action words

Contact information can be edited here

Becomes….?

Images can be uploaded

Becomes…?

‘cause you’ve got…personality?

A formal tone adds “distance” to an already asynchronous medium

In general, formality is inconsistent with the web’s immediate, informal, social nature

say it visually?

Sometimes a picture IS a worth a thousand words

Data based items InstructionsReference to a real world

object

strategies to encourage good writing for the web

develop editorial guidelines for your site

How will you handle abbreviations?

How are capitalization in headings, bullet points, and numbering used on this site?

What rules will you follow for punctuation?

Use a pre-publication checklist

lead by example

Make sure the pages that you work on exemplify the practice of good writing for the web.

include writing and editorial guidelines in the standard briefing for all new web site authors

Work with your webmaster to make sure that new authors not only receive an account and a password to post web pages, but they have some time with an individual who can describe the editorial guidelines

invite key content providers to be observers in usability testing

Seeing is believing.

Some people will fail to recognize the problems with writing online as if it were print until they see actual users failing.

Try to have different people in your library take a turn at being an observer in a usability test and the debrief session.

Questions? Discussion?

selected resources

Talk Like a Person

http://developer.yahoo.com/ypatterns/social/core/conversation.html

Plain language

http://www.plainlanguage.gov/

Writing User Friendly Content

http://www.uxbooth.com/blog/writing-user-friendly-content/

First 2 Words: A Signal for the Scanning Eye

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/nanocontent.html

Writing Content that Works for a Living

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/writingcontentthatworksforaliving

Poynter Eyetracking

http://eyetrack.poynter.org/

Thank you