Free Seminars

Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre

Writing for the Web

Seminar Summary:	Writing for the Web Participants will learn how creating new, original, and natural content on their Web sites can dramatically improve both search engine rankings as well as increased customer conversion. Being able to know what to do and what not to do when creating your content is very important to the success of your site. This is not a marketing or sales seminar, and it is not a course on the English language. It is focused on how and why content plays such an important part of your site.
Date and Registration:	2010 Mar 4, 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Call (204) 984-2272 or 1-800-665-2019 to register for this or any other seminars by phone.
Cost:	FREE
Facilitator:	Brenda Boughton
Materials:	To be given at the seminar. Please register early so we have enough notice to print copies for everyone. Optional book resources are here.
Additional Information:	These seminars are limited to 50 people, and can fill up quickly. Please register early to ensure you will have a place and a copy of the handouts. Phone: (204) 984-2272 or 1-800-665-2019 Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday to Friday Fax: (204) 983-3852 Hearing Impaired TTY: 1-800-457-8466 250 - 240 Graham Avenue, Winnipeg, MB (2nd Floor of The Cargill Building, near Canada Post) Mailing Address: P.O. Box 2609, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 4B3 Web: http://www.canadabusiness.ca/eng/ E-Mail: manitoba@canadabusiness.ca Parking Information All CMBSC seminars, listed by date: http://events.ebsc.ca/events_bydate.aspx Not in Winnipeg? Not a problem! C/MBSC does remote video conferencing. Here is a list of video conferencing locations where you can enjoy the free seminars.

Learning Outcomes

To know the differences between how people read in print and online
To understand new technologies and terminologies
To be aware of common mistakes when communicating on the Web

Prerequisites

The following may be helpful before taking this seminar:

A general understanding of computer and internet technology
Ability to create/edit Web pages would be helpful

Course Format

This seminar will be informal, allowing questions from participants at any time so the topics can be tailored to the needs of the people attending.

Topic Outline

This is a sample of some of the topics that may be covered.

1. WRITING MATTERS
  A Reflection of You and Your Business
  Links

2. HOW THE WEB DIFFERS FROM PRINT
  Orientation in Physical vs. Virtual Space
  Resolution
  Light
  Screen vs. Print Page Size
  Contrast and Brightness
  Response Times
  Web Page Backgrounds
  Links
  
3. HOW PEOPLE READ ON THE WEB 
  How Language Evolves
  People Don't Read Online, They Scan
  Banner Ads and Other Turn-offs
  Links

4. WRITING TO REACH YOUR AUDIENCE
  Define Who You Are
  Know Your Target Audience
  Get to the Point, Quickly
  Links

5. ORGANIZING SITE CONTENT 
  One Theme Per Web Site
  Brainstorming
  Organizing the Site Navigation
  Links
  
6. ORGANIZING PAGE CONTENT 
  One Topic Per Page
  What Makes an Effective Page Length?
  Make Each Page Freestanding
  Choose Your Page Title With Care
  Organize Your Content Appropriately
  Hyperlinks
  
7. DESIGN ON THE WEB 
  Why talk about design in a writing seminar?
  White Space, Margins, and Padding
  Leading (Line Height)
  Typography
  Text Formatting
  Colour Considerations
  Links
  
8. GENERAL WRITING TIPS 
  Create a Style Guide
  International Communication Considerations
  Avoid Jargon Unless Appropriate
  Use Case Appropriately
  Use Punctuation Appropriately
  How Spelling and Grammar Affect Reading and Perception 
  Use the Active Voice
  George Orwell's Six Rules
  Links

Additional Resources

Writing Matters

Why Do We Need Web Writing Guidelines? (http://www.kerryr.net/webwriting/guide_why.htm): We need Web writing guidelines to understand why and how we need to change the way we write for the Web. Leaving all design, layout and navigation issues aside - simply re-writing content to suit the needs of the Web can increase usability by 124 - 159%.

Usability rules for good web sites (http://www.waller.co.uk/usability.htm): 1. Good First Impression 2. Friendly Image 3. Easy Navigation 4. Useful Content 5. Appropriate for Audience 6. Clear Contact Information 7. Good for Search Engines

Brand building: Print vs. Web (http://darrencontardo.blogspot.com/2005/08/brand-building-print-vs-web.html): So you have a new brand and you want to build it? What to do? Well, we all know that Web is cheaper, but print looks cooler. What's better? The answer? Both...

How the Web Differs from Print

How People Read and Write on the Web

Sun.com: Writing for the Web (http://www.sun.com/980713/webwriting/): Writing for the Web is very different from writing for print: - 79% of users scan the page instead of reading word-for-word; Reading from computer screens is 25% slower than from paper; Web content should have 50% of the word count of its paper equivalent.

Differences Between Print and Web

Differences Between Print Design and Web Design (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/990124.html): Print design is based on letting the eyes walk over the information, selectively looking at information objects and using spatial juxtaposition to make page elements enhance and explain each other. Web design functions by letting the hands move the information (by scrolling or clicking); information relationships are expressed temporally as part of an interaction and user movement.

Monitor and Screen Resolution

Boalsdesign.com : Digital Imagery Defined (http://www.boalsdesign.com/Tutorials/Digitalimages.htm): A quick overview of resolutions for graphics, monitors, and printers. A nice one-page summary that sets it up straight.

Seth's Page : Resolution to Monitor Size Chart (http://www.proaxis.com/~ferris/docs/dpi-monitor.html): Seth talks about typical monitor resolutions between different Operating Systems and what size monitors are often used with them.

David Crow : Page Layout and Readability (http://davidcrow.ca/2002/11/27/page_layout_and_readability.html): I was asked by a colleague what was the best resolution to design web pages. 800 pixels by 600 pixels or 1024 pixels by 768 pixels? What is the relationship between monitor resolution and line length? How do we as usability specialists optimize web pages for readability? User acceptance? Comprehension?

PC Tech Guide : How Monitors Work (http://www.pctechguide.com/06crtmon.htm): For the hardware geeks out there, PC Tech Guide has put together a guide to how monitors work.

Contrast and Colour

Colour Theory : Contrast and Readability - Do You Want Your Web Pages Like Police Tape? (http://www.writer2001.com/colwebcontrast.htm): Some great points with examples of contrast and readability on the Web.

Background Images

Web Page Design for Designers : Background Images and Web Typography (http://www.wpdfd.com/issues/27/web_typography/): The majority of reading material we encounter from day to day in books, magazines and newspapers is simple black on white text. We become used to seeing text like that and react negatively when confronted with something different. The same goes for typefaces. Readability studies show that people can read 'what they are most used to' more easily than something new. People from a technical background read more material printed in sans-serif typeface than those from a literary or classical one and become more accustomed to it. In research, they naturally gravitate to that with which they are most familiar. This editorial is about web page backgrounds and the BIG differences between conventionally printed and screen-based text.

How People Read on the Web

How Users Read on the Web (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html): Jakob Nielsen describes strategies for writing and organizing content to suit the online scanning style.

Eyetrack III - What You Most Need to Know (http://poynterextra.org/eyetrack2004/main.htm): This excellent article discusses the results of eyetracking studies conducted by the Poyntner Instute. While it mainly pertains with news sites, many of the principles apply to web design in general.

Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox : Eyetracking Study of Web Readers (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20000514.html): Jakob Nielsen discusses the Poyntner Instute eytracking findings.

Eyetracking Research into Web Usability (http://www.useit.com/eyetracking/): Detailed information on the findings referenced in the Alertbox article mentioned above.

How Most Children Learn to Read (http://www.readingrockets.org/article/386): Article about the various influences that help children learn to read.

F-Patterns And Hot-Spots On Web Pages (http://www.blackartofwebpublishing.com/FPatternHotSpots): "Where should I place content on a page for the most impact? We are going to look at F-patterns, Z-patterns, hot-spots, golden triangles, hooks and inverted pyramids and discover that we are talking about the same thing, put the important stuff up front!"

Read 110 Power Reading Online (http://www.palomar.edu/reading/R110Hybrid/Module%204/mod4.1scanning.htm): "Scanning is often confused with skimming, but is in fact a distinct reading strategy involving rapid but focused reading of text, in order to locate specific information, e.g. looking for particular details such as dates, names, or certain types of words."

How visitors view web sites: design for information scent (http://www.improvetheweb.com/how-visitors-view-websites-design-information-scent): "When planning and improving a web site, it is important to know how people view web sites. Knowing this will help you to design your site in such a way, that people will be able to find and do what they want on your web site."

Writing to Reach Your Audience

Be Succinct! Jakob Nielsen's Alertbox (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9703b.html): Because people read about 25% slower from a computer monitor than they would from printed material, Jakob Nielsen makes three recommendations for writing web content: be succinct, write for scannability, and use hypertext to split up long information into multiple pages.

Wordiness: Danger Signals and Ways to React (http://www.utoronto.ca/writing/wordines.html): This page has some common examples of filler words and ways to replace them.

Common Cliches to Avoid (http://www.elistonwordpro.ca/id21.html): Here's a list of common cliches and their replacements.

Write Powerfully: Avoid Useless Words and Phrases (http://www.editingandwritingservices.com/RedundantWordsPhrases.html): "Do you publish a newsletter, have a web site, or write articles or reviews? If so, you're already doing your best to publish well. But if you aren't certain that you're succeeding, here are a few ideas that might help."

Standards for online content authors (http://www.webpagecontent.com/arc_archive/177/5/): Checklist to keep around when writing online.

Jargon and contrived or redundant words (http://ess.nrcan.gc.ca/pubs/scipub/guide/gramm/jargon_e.php): "Jargon is obscure (specialized technical or scientific vocabulary) and often pretentious language characterized by circumlocution and long words. Jargon effectively clouds what an author wishes to say, and should be avoided."

Making Powerful Sentences (http://www.kristensguide.com/Writing/powerful_sentences.asp): "No matter how amazing your story is, if your sentences are weak, nobody will want to read your amazing story because it will be too agonizing to get through a paragraph, so give your sentences some power."

Webmonkey, RIP: 1996 - 2004 (http://www.wired.com/techbiz/it/news/2004/02/62300): Launched in August 1996 as part of a fast-growing collection of websites funded by the original owners of Wired magazine, Webmonkey instantly became the surprise hit.

Organizing Site Content

Step by step guide to brainstorming (http://www.jpb.com/creative/brainstorming.php): This short article lays out detailed steps for conducting a group brainstorming session.

Graphic Organizers : Brainstorming (http://www.graphic.org/brainst.html): Brainstorming. Generate ideas and questions, access prior knowledge, assess interests and knowledge, develop probing questions and problems.

Mind Tools : Brainstorming (http://www.mindtools.com/brainstm.html): Brainstorming is an excellent way to develop many creative solutions to a problem.

WriteAway : Writing and the Web (http://www.efuse.com/Design/wa-writing_and_the_web.htm): Better writing, and how to write more effectively for the Web by Chris Meeks for eFuse.comeFuse.com is a virtual primer for creating great web sites offering information, inspiration, assistance and entertainment. Written in friendly, simple terms, eFuse.com means business for everyone who wants to plan, design, build, publish and promote web sites for content, e-commerce and communication.

Organizing Page Content

Jakob Nielsen on Microcontent : How to Write Headlines, Page Titles, and Subject Lines (http://www.useit.com/alertbox/980906.html): The requirements for online headlines are very different from printed headlines because they are used differently. People scan headings and titles for clues to what the content is about. You have to know how to write them or people will not read them.

Society for Technical Communication : The Friendly Editor (http://www.stc.org/intercom/PDFs/2001/20010910_40-41.pdf): This page outlines several techniques for creating and editing effective lists.

ML03: Capitalization of Headings and Titles (http://www.tc-forum.org/topicmai/ml03capi.htm): Summary of a TC-Forum mailing list discussion about various conventions for capitalizing headings and titles

Influential Studies in Eye-Movement Research (http://www.readingonline.org/research/eyemove.html): An essay on how eye movement affects reading.

Eye movement in language reading (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_movement_in_language_reading): The distance the eye moves in each saccade is between 1 and 20 characters with the average being 7-9 characters. Thus, the most impressive fact about fixations and saccades is that there is considerable variability not only between readers, but for the same person reading a single passage of text.

23 Actionable Lessons from Eye-Tracking Studies (http://www.virtualhosting.com/blog/2007/scientific-web-design-23-actionable-lessons-from-eye-tracking-studies/): Here are some tips from eye-tracking studies that you can use to improve the design of your webpage.

Design on the Web

Web Design Group : Design Elements (http://www.htmlhelp.com/design/): Web Design Group's Design Elements and style guides.

Stanford University : Elements of Style for Web Design (http://www.stanford.edu/~cquinn/papers/bostonpaper.html): A comprehensive description of the various elements of style, design, composition and form. What is required to make a good looking, cohesive and well-designed set of web pages? Just as other media needs thoughtful consideration into layout, format, white-space balance, so too the Web.

Reading Online Text: A Comparison of Four White Space Layouts (http://psychology.wichita.edu/surl/usabilitynews/62/whitespace.htm): In this study, reading performance with four white space layouts was compared. Margins surrounding the text and leading (space between lines) were manipulated to generate the four white space conditions.

Typography | Web Page Design for Designers (http://www.wpdfd.com/wpdtypo5.htm): Much has been written about the death of typography as we know it, that, with the boom of the Web, old typesetting traditions are abandoned in favour of a more democratic approach to an information-based medium.

Culture and Recreation - Australia : Web Site Creation (http://www.acn.net.au/resources/guides/g7/s3.htm): This site discusses the relative merits of different fonts and text structure

Interactive Training : Type faces for readability (http://www.interactivetraining.co.uk/typography-tips.html): Remember that the object of the exercise is to get your copy read by people. You may have other considerations - perhaps the style, the "look-and-feel" of your document is very important. You may decide to choose a typeface and layout that isn't so easy to read but which more than compensates by creating a specific image. That is a decision that you have to make. In this section I'm going to ignore style considerations and go all out for readability.

Reading Online Text: A Comparison of Four White Space Layouts (http://websitetips.com/typography/tutorials/): A nice list of typography information

General Writing Tips

The Word Centre : Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.wordcentre.co.uk/faqs.htm): To write in plain English you first need to put yourself in your reader's shoes. Then you need to decide exactly what you want to say

Writing Styles (Topic at Usable Web) (http://usableweb.com/topics/001310-0-0.html): Numerous links to guidelines for effectively writing and targeting your web pages.

Webgrammar : Grammar Help page (http://www.webgrammar.com/commonmistakes.html): A site with examples of common grammatical errors

YourDictionary.com : Home page (http://www.yourdictionary.com/): On-line dictionary. The last word in words

Meriam-Webster : Home Page (http://www.m-w.com/home.htm): Merriam-Webster dictionary home page

Brown University : Thesauri and Glossary Page (http://www.brown.edu/Student_Services/Writing_Center/resources_writers/thesauri.html): Brown University Thesauri/Glossary home page. Thesauri links are available for numerous topics and disciplines, such as Humanities, or Medical terms.

BG-Map : English (British) - American Dictionary (http://www.bg-map.com/us-uk.html): A list of commonly used terms and their U.S./British counterparts

Cornerstone Word Company : Canadian English (http://www.cornerstoneword.com/misc/cdneng/cdneng.htm): This page explains the major differences between Canadian English and its British and American compatriots.

National Capital Freenet : Web Jargon (http://www.ncf.carleton.ca/ip/freenet/subs/complaints/spam/jargon.txt): This is a listing of current Net Abuse Jargon. It is quite interesting.

Considerations

Please consider turning off any cell phones and pagers while in lectures or seminars. If you need to be available (on call for work, for example) please set your cell/pager to vibrate. Also, please remember that checking email, typing instant messages, or surfing the Web may be distracting to others.

More Information

Here are links to more information that you may find helpful:

Winnipeg Transit: The Winnipeg Transit site includes links for fares, the free Downtown Spirit service, schedules and more.

Exchange District BIZ: The Winnipeg Exchange District BIZ site has maps and information about the area around our campus.

Downtown Winnipeg BIZ: The Downtown Winnipeg BIZ site includes links for parking, restaurants, and the BIZ Patrol.

Notice

The contents of this page are given as a guideline only and are subject to change.

Free Seminars - Canada/Manitoba Business Service Centre - e-Business - [ Writing for the Web ] -
Description - Outcomes -