Web Fundamentals Training Series

1. Web FundamentalsTraining Series • Writing for the Web

2. What We’ll Be Covering… • Web Writing Venues • Writing Forms • Informative Writing for the Web • The Web Audience • Propriety & Professionalism • Typos & Grammar • Proofreading Technology • Ex. 01: Enabling Spell Check • Ex. 02: Using Spell Check

3. Web Writing Venues • Despite the audio and visual capabilities of the Web, text publications are still quite popular • There are many venues on the Web that work well for different forms of writing • Blogs • Short for “Web Log” • Can be corporate or personal, text based or multimedia • Can consist of any writing form • Forums • Also known as discussion boards or newsgroups • Allows for categorized discussions • Usually shorter than blogs, often Q&A based • Page • Content typically does not change often: Ex.: an “About Us” page • Often linked to Blogs and / or Forums

4. Writing Forms • Many different forms of writing exist • Informative • Informs or explains: Journalism, Technical Writing, White Papers • Persuasive • Persuades: Marketing, Legal Arguments, Political Speeches • Narrative • Tells a story: Short Stories, Novels, Personal Accounts • Descriptive • Describes with sensory details: Poetry, Prose, Lyrical Music • These forms are not cut and dry. All can, and often do, contain elements of each other • For our purposes, we will focus on Informative writing

5. Informative Writing for the Web • Users in search of information usually want to find what they are after within 3-4 mouse clicks • Keep introductory text concise and to the point • Avoid slang terms and long sentences • Users typically scan a page, versus reading word for word. Scanable text should be used. • Use meaningful subheadings • Use bulleted lists and/or lists to links • Use links where appropriate • If acronyms are used, provide an expansion and some sort of definition • Use half the word count or less than conventional writing • Use one idea per paragraph – don’t ramble

6. The Web Audience • Web publication is intended for many people to see • Your employer • Your colleagues • Your family • On a publicly accessible website, your publications can be viewed by the world • Your customers & suppliers • Law enforcement agencies • Informative material should be scrutinized for both content and errors before publication • Overall Propriety & Professionalism • Typos & Grammatical Errors

7. Propriety & Professionalism • Don’t be casual when you should be professional • Propriety: The customs and manners of polite society • The “Wouldn’t – Shouldn’t” Rule • If you wouldn’t show your grandma, you probably shouldn’t publish • For further information regarding acceptable information systems use at OSU, please read OSU’s Acceptable Use of University Computing Resourcespolicy • Professionalism: The conduct, aims, or qualities that mark a professional person • Provide citations or links to original works where applicable • Writing is organized and free of typos and grammatical errors • Use spell check, or • Ask someone to proofread for you

8. Proofreading Technology • The easiest way to check written material for typos and incorrect grammar is to use a spelling and grammar checking feature • Many Web applications, from e-mail to web browsers to content management systems, have some form of this tool • If your application does not have a spelling and grammar checking feature, MS Word can always be used, as shown in the following exercise

9. Ex. 01 Enabling Spell-Check • To turn Spell Check on: • Open MS Word • Left-click on Tools • Left-click on Options • The Options Dialog Box opens • Left-click on the Spelling & Grammar tab • Ensure the Check Spelling as you type, Check grammar as you type, and Check grammar with spelling options are checked • Left-click on OK • Generally, MS Word comes standard with spell-check enabled. If spell-check has been disabled, it’s easy to turn back on 4 1 5 2 6 3 7

10. Ex. 02 Using Spell-Check • Before we start… • Spelling and grammar checking tools are very helpful, but not perfect • Homonyms, words that sound the same but have different meanings, can sometimes slip by • To, too, two • Wait, weight • Some, sum • Spelling and grammar checkers are great preliminary tools that catch the obvious but the results should always be double-checked

11. Copying Text from a File • Open the Notepad file preamble.txt • To select all of the text use the shortcut keys Ctrl + Aor : • Left-click on Edit • Left-click on Select All • All text will automatically be selected • To copy text, use the shortcut keys Ctrl + Cor : • Left-click on Edit • Left-click on Copy 1 2.1 2.2 4.1 3 4.2

12. Pasting Text Into MS Word • If MS Word is not open, open it • To paste text, use the shortcut keys Ctrl + Vor : • Left-click on Edit • Left-click on Paste • Any spelling and/or grammar errors will immediately show with squiggly underlines • Spelling is red • Grammar is green 1 2.1 2.2 3.1 3.2

13. Using the Spelling Checker • Within MS Word, to open the Spelling and Grammar Checker press F7or : • Click on Tools • Click on Spelling and Grammar • The Spelling and Grammar dialog box opens with the first error showing • If the word is actually misspelled… • And a correct alternative is available in the Suggestions box, click on Change • And no suggestion is available, choose Add to Dictionary, Ignore Once or Ignore All • Repeat until all errors have been fixed 1.1 1.2 2 3.2 3.1

14. Using the Grammar Checker • After the spelling check, the program will automatically select all of the text and perform a grammar check • Grammar errors will show up in green in the dialog box • Upon viewing the results… • If clarification is needed left-click on Explain • If you don’t agree with the results, left-click on Ignore Once or Ignore Rule • If you are satisfied, left-click on Change • Repeat until all errors have been fixed 1 3.2 2 3.3 3.1

15. Finishing Up • After the grammar check, a dialog box will appear, informing that the check is complete. Click on OK. • Make sure to double-check the work – note the homonym “too” in the first line of text. The word should actually be “to” • Make any additional changes / corrections that are required 2 1

16. Font Selection • The graphic nature of the Web makes it tempting to experiment with different font styles for a unique look. • The problem is… • Not all fonts are created equal • Many non-standard fonts may not be recognized by your web browser, which causes two problems: • The writing is illegible when viewed • The writing is not searchable • Standard fonts include the basic fonts that are provided by Microsoft and Apple. These are always a safe bet.

17. Conclusion • This completes the Web Fundamentals tutorial. For additional tutorials, please visit WebTrain, the CWS web publishing training site, at: • http://oregonstate.edu/cws/webtrain • To submit a Help Ticket to Central Web Services go to: • http://oregonstate.edu/cws/contact • Other OSU resources for web and computer help: • http://oregonstate.edu/helpdocs