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Top Do's
o Organize your thoughts on a piece of paper. Use acronyms or
shorthand but have your thoughts in order before you start.
o Be sparing with graphics and when used, include the ALT= tag.
o Keep in mind the lowest common denominator browser (lynx).
o Keep your page clean, with limited gif's or icons (of any size)
to allow people to load your page in a timely manner.
o Consider linking to your dept and university.
o Make sure all of your documents are free from spelling and grammar
errors.
o Always be clear and as brief as possible.
o Make each page stand on its own.
o Balance the number and size of pages.
o Add definition type links to only the first instance of a term on
each page.
o Add only links that are relevant to the topic.
o Surf often and find interesting sites that emphasize or complement
your concepts or interests. Use sites that change daily (like
thoughts for a day).
o Always have pointers to go back to a previous part of your page
or return to the UT Homepage, etc).
o Do stay within accepted HTML standards!!!
o Do be complete. Include HTML, HEAD, BODY, TITLE, etc.
fields.
o Concentrate on publishing your original work, not just
collections of pointers to other people's work.
o Organize your files logically into subdirectories.
o When naming files and subdirectories, use only lower case,
short, and descriptive names. Remember that file and directory
names become part of your URL. If you have to communicate a URL
verbally to someone, they are are more likely to get it if it's:
http://host.dept.utexas.edu/path/to/your/stuff/
than if it is:
http://host.dept.utexas.edu/Path/to/YOUR/Stuff/
o Provide a printable version of your topic if what you are doing is
breaking apart a large file.
o Sign every document with the following:
Who to contact, including a mailto: URL
Organization, if appropriate
Status of the document.
Last revision date of the document.
Copyright or trademark information.
URL of the document, so if someone prints a copy they can find
their way back to the electronic copy.
Top Don'ts
o Don't create dead-end links, i.e., links that go to pages that
tell the reader that nothing is there now.
o Don't overuse graphics.
o Don't use "click here" or "here" or any such meaningless phrases
as hot text.
o Don't have gifs or images cluttering your page. Point to them
so people have a choice of loading them or not.
o Don't make your primary page the only extension of your
concepts. Use additional pages to develop the depth. Layer
extensively.
o Don't forget to author and describe your basic page in the
beginning. Let the viewer know whose page they are browsing.
o Don't neglect your page. Update your links and check them often
to confirm they are working. Include an update date.
o Don't make the mistake of assuming because it looks good on your
display it is good on all displays. Review your work on various
platforms and from within a variety of browsers.
o Beware that NetScape uses specific markup tags. Examples include:
CENTER, MAILTO, FONT SIZE=.
o Do not assume the world wants to see your picture. Use it if
it's part of your "story", etc., but at least give folks a
choice.
o Don't cram your story into too small a space. Remember,
whitespace is our friend.
Thanks to contributors: Karen Bucy, Jason Fay, Dennis Haire, Amy Lewis, Richard Mendez, Tom Newell, and Scott Prater.
Last update 27 March 1995, MLRL
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