Editing for the Web Portal Users Group PUG

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Editing for the WebPortal Users Group (PUG)
Lauren Curtis 7/12/2005 Office for
Commonwealth Development
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First, writing and editing for the web are
different than writing and editing for print.
A few facts that many of you may be aware of and
should take into consideration when developing
new or editing existing content.

• 79 of users scan the page instead of reading
  word for word
• Reading from computer screens is 25 slower than
  reading from paper
• Web content should have roughly 50 of the word
  count of its paper equivalent

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Some things to consider when writing and editing
for the web.

• Writing and editing for the web requires the
  writer to maintain clarity and consistency.
• This can be done in part by
• Using simple sentence structure.
• Keeping the most important points visible and
  prominent. Most users scan rather than read web
  pages and will move on if they do not find the
  information they are looking for.
• Making sure you do not have any misspellings or
  grammatical errors (remember web pages are highly
  visible and you are representing your agency or
  secretariat).
• You want to be especially careful in spelling
  names.

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Some MORE things to consider when writing and
editing for the web.

• Hyperlinks stand out by virtue of being colored
  and underlined, so they should be written to do
  double duty as highlighted keywords.
• Use bulleted and numbered lists
• Eliminate all references to the web. For example
  refrain from using the phrases like click here
  on a webpage.
• Do not use acronyms or jargon unless they have
  been defined elsewhere on the page. Assume that
  the user, in most cases, has come upon your
  content with no frame of reference.
• Check the tone is the material tailored to your
  target audience?

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Before and After
Here we have a simple paragraph which does not
take into consideration any of the points we have
just reviewed. If you are saving for your own
retirement, or your childs college tuition, you
may want to invest in savings bonds. Series EE
bonds offer interest rates that are better than
what most banks can offer. Bonds are also
convenient to buy. You can buy EE bonds by having
money deducted from your paycheck, or you can go
down to your bank and pick up a few bonds, for as
little as 50 each. Safety? Your bonds are backed
by the U.S. government. The only way you can lose
money is if you lose the bond itself. And the
interest is exempt from state income taxes. You
can even postpone paying federal income tax on
the bonds until you cash them in, or they mature.
Also If you cash in your bonds to pay your
childs college tuition, the income from the
bonds is tax free, as long as your gross income
is below certain limits.
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The revised text includes bulleted list and
simple sentence structure with prominent and
scannable text.

• If you are saving for your own retirement, or
  your childs college tuition, you may want to
  invest in savings bonds. Series EE bonds offer
• Interest rates that are better than what most
  banks can offer.
• Convenience
• You can buy EE bonds by having money deducted
  from your paycheck, or you can go down to your
  bank and pick up a few bonds, for as little as
  50 each.
• Safety
• Your bonds are backed by the U.S. government. The
  only way you can lose money is if you lose the
  bond itself.
• Tax exempt
• The interest is exempt from state income taxes.
  You can postpone paying federal income tax on the
  bonds until you cash them in, or they mature.
• College bound
• If you cash in your bonds to pay your childs
  college tuition, the income from the bonds is tax
  free, as long as your gross income is below
  certain limits.

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How can I ensure that these guidelines are being
followed ?

• Share these materials with those who regularly
  produce content for your agencys website.
• Have an agency editor who is able to review the
  site with these guidelines in mind.
• Wait a day or so and then print a copy of the
  material for proofreading. Errors are easier to
  catch in printed documents.
• Accessibility is an important issue and needs to
  be taken into consideration when editing.
  Reading your content aloud gives you the
  opportunity to understand how your content can
  heard be by users.
• Make sure you apply these guidelines to your ALT
  tags as well.

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References
The Chicago Manual of Style. 14th ed. Chicago
University of Chicago Press, 1993. The Gregg
Reference Manual Writing for the Web
http//www.sun.com/980713/webwriting/ ITDs
Editorial Guidelines on their Portal Services
page Enterprise Web Accessibility Standards v.2.0