World Wide Web Guidelines

I. Purpose

The following guidelines have been established for two principal reasons:

II. Departmental/Unit Home Pages

Each unit should incorporate a standard graphic header at the top of the unit or departmental home page. This creates the institutional standard and helps immediately identify the unit or department as being a part of WVU. The headers, in a blue rectangular field, should be approximately 100 pixels deep and approximately 450-500 pixels wide-full width-(this will depend on resolution) and should include in approximately 30 point bold Helvetica type the words "West Virginia University" on one line. Beneath this should be the college, school or unit's identification on one or more lines as needed in approximately 20 point bold Helvetica. Headers may be obtained as gif graphic files from Graphic Services (293-6368, ext. 417). Fees will apply.

In an area to the left of the blue field with the bold WVU and college/school/unit identification a graphic representation for the unit or department may replace the Woodburn tower graphic. Arrangements can be made with the Graphics Department (293-6368-ext. 417). and Photographic Services (293-3061) for suitable electronic graphics files. Fees will apply.

Included in the header should be the alternate text option the words "West Virginia University" and the college/school/unit's identification in bold type-all in bold type. This provides appropriate identification for users who cannot display graphic files or who opt to turn off that function. See example below:

<img align=left alt="West Virginia University"' src="/imageswvu.gif">

Below this identifier may be included a motto, slogan or other text and then the body of your menu or document.

These standards should apply to WVU colleges and schools and their departments. It is left to the discretion of the college or school as to whether the standards should apply to subsequent pages under the departmental level. Use of a header that includes the words "West Virginia University," the college or school and the department identifier is strongly urged to give users a landmark for where they are in the WVU Web structure.

III. Create Home Pages That Are Not Too Long

The emerging rule-of-thumb is that menus should be no longer than two screens in length. The implication is that menus longer than this require too much scrolling, are not using the advantages of hypermedia links and should be reorganized with information linked to a subsequent menu or document. Of course, some screens are larger than others - so, if you have a 17" or 20" monitor, you should think seriously about reorganization of your menu when you are approaching a screen and one-half in length.

IV. Keep Menus, Submenus Short

The previous section indicates that computer information seekers should not have to read through long lists to find what they are looking for. By the some token, neither should they be required to wind their way through complex menu hierarchies. Do not make your departmental structure too complex, or deep. Menus may become so deep that they bury important information beneath layers of submenus. This can become very confusing for the information seeker. Under most circumstances, a unit home page menu and one further submenu should be enough. Having a submenu, of course, helps keep the home page short and easy to view on one or two screens. Having a sub-submenu, however, can lead the information seeker too far into nested menus before the useful information is found--or not found.

V. Provide Visual Variety

Balance and contrast should be used on your text documents to prevent boring pages. Remember, though, that too many graphics are confusing and repel viewers and may cause slow electronic document loading. Slow loading times may cause computer users to abandon their investigation of your unit. Provide relief from long lists of links with use of descriptive black test. Balance and contrast on a page can be attained by providing subheadings in larger type. These give the information seeker a visual index and break up long blocks of text. Remember, however, when you create headings and subheadings that ALL CAPS IS CONSIDERED TO BE SHOUTING in the world of electronic information.

VI. Avoid Patchwork Pages

Be consistent by establishing a grid design for every page. A simple grid will contain:

VII. Use A Footer

Every major division (such as a college or departmental) page should contain a footer with the following information:

For pages that do not represent major divisions the minimum information included in a footer should be the last revision date, a return link and a copyright notice (words or symbol).

VIII. Watch Out For Copyrighted Material

Photos and graphics and text displayed electronically should be original or free of copyright restrictions. Departments may obtain original art from the WVU Graphic Services Department 293-6368 ext. 417.

IX. Keep Your Pages Up-To-Date

One of the advantages of electronic information, compared to paper and ink, is that it can be updated daily. Someone in every department that provides information for WVU WWW pages should be in charge of monitoring for current information. Outdated information has no place on the WWW.

X. Limit Use of Color And Large Graphics

Graphics should be limited to about 50-80 K per image in order not to plug information channels with data. This may mean a tradeoff between file size and colors: A larger graphics would imply fewer colors.

XI. Editorial Content

Much information about WVU is already in electronic form as word processing files, college catalogues, brochures and pamphlets, etc. WVU units that have such files will be able to quickly provide electronic information on the Web. Other units will need to create new files. These electronic documents should be reviewed for complete accuracy and up-to-date information. In the presentation of electronic publications, as with hard-copy traditional publications, West Virginia University seeks a common editorial style. Although the WWW is a novel medium for WVU information that combines graphic and text in an electronic environment, it still relies on words to convey most of the information computer users will be seeking. Because of this strong emphasis on words, the editorial style should be aligned with other University publications such as the University catalogues by using the Chicago Manual of Style. Departments wishing to post news releases should use the Associated Press StyleBook.