Get Started on Blogging

1. University Libraries Get Started on Blogging Michael.Yunkin@unlv.edu Usability/Metadata Specialist Brian.Egan@unlv.edu Web/Multimedia Designer University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries

2. University Libraries Topics covered • Introduction to Blogs and Blogging • Components of Good Web Writing • Exercise #1 • Introduction to Movable Type • Create well formed blog entries with Moveable Type • Exercise #2 • Q & A

3. University Libraries What is a blog? • “A blog is a website in which items are posted on a regular basis and displayed in reverse chronological order. The term blog is a shortened form of weblog or web log.”* • Blogs allow you to easily syndicate content via RSS feeds. *http://www.problogger.net/archives/2005/02/05/what-is-a-blog/

4. University Libraries web writing

5. University Libraries How do users read on the web? • They don’t! • Reading from computer screens is 25% slower than from paper. • Users scan on the web. • Web content should have 50% of the word count of its paper equivalent

6. University Libraries Scannable Content There is perhaps no greater indicator of the user-centeredness of a content provider than his or her demonstrated ability to provide proper clarity of text and brevity of thought when publishing web content. Users appreciate the unambiguousness involved in perusing properly produced resources that facilitate unfettered comprehension and collection of desired information. Fortunately, there are several techniques employable by web professionals that can vastly expedite the visual discernment of information parcels: First, the content provider should endeavor to segment the information into more easily digestible subdivisions by placing related content into concise fragments. This practice is generally referred to as information "chunking". Next, the careful web professional will preface said information with meaningful and eloquent summaries, rendering it in a pleasing but more forceful -- or "bold" -- typeface. These "headings" are vital to the users’ understanding of what subsequent and adjoining texts might encompass. And finally, prior to the presentation of each new concept, the web professional may choose to append a bullet, revealing to the user the introduction of a disparate but potentially concomitant idea. Upon inclusion of all these techniques, along with careful arrangement of information such that primary arguments precede all supporting and/or ancillary materials, one may rest assured that the web content produced and provided to the fortunate information searcher manifests a not inconsiderable ease of comprehension. That is, the work is now scannable. Make your web pages more scannable. • Divide the content into short segments or "chunks" • Keep sentences short and paragraphs to a minimum • Present important information first (the "inverted pyramid technique") • Use proper, informative headings • Use bullet points

7. University Libraries Is our website scannable? • Yes, to a point… • …but not always!

8. University Libraries Tips for creating scannable content • Short sentences, short paragraphs • Use lists where possible • The inverted pyramid. Start with your most important material! • Break up content with headings

9. University Libraries The Inverted Pyramid Most Newsworthy Info Summary or article climax Important Details Other General & Background Info

10. University Libraries Use headings to create well-formed documents! • Well-formed document example • If it's just as easy to bold some text or make it bigger, why is this important? • Easier to change styles. • It's how search engines and screen readers read your page.

11. University Libraries Titles and headings • Should be short and descriptive • Avoid marketing-speak

12. University Libraries Further reading… • “Writing for the Web,” by Jakob Nielsen. http://www.useit.com/papers/webwriting/ (a list of many useful web writing articles) • “Web Production Tip: Edit for Scannability,” by DavinGranroth. http://envisionic.com/webtips/content/scannability.php (sample article used in training class) • “A Well Formed Document Is A Beautiful Thing,” by Bud Kraus. http://www.joyofcode.com/blog/well_formed.html • “Headings and Lists – are you using them correctly?” by Nomensa. http://www.nomensa.com/blog/2006/headings-and-lists-are-you-using-them-correctly/ • “Write Concise and Easily Scannable Web Copy,” by Brett Kempf. http://juplex.com/blog/2009/01/12/writing-concise-and-easily-scannable-web-copy/

13. University Libraries Exercise #1

14. University Libraries Turn the sample into a well-formed document • Open the file: http://blogs.library.unlv.edu/webbin_rebels/2010/02/23/Exercise%231.docx • Save a new copy of the document on your desktop, prefixed by your name (e.g. brian_sample.docx) • Reformat the article for online reading. • After you’re done, discuss with the person next to you. • Keep the document open!

15. University Libraries Movable Type

16. University Libraries What is Movable Type? • Web-based Blogging Software • Makes creating, editing, and maintaining a blog easy • Handles all the backend stuff – updating RSS feeds, spam filters

17. University Libraries Logging into Movable Type • http://blogs.library.unlv.edu/mt/mt.cgi • Username: XXX • Password: XXX • Please contact brian.egan@unlv.edu for the username and password!

18. University Libraries Exercise #2

19. University Libraries Turn the sample into a blog post! • Create a new Entry titled: “Your Name – Exercise 2” • Pull up your Word document from Exercise #1 • Copy and paste this document into the Moveable Type Editor • Format the document for the Web • Add your blog post to a new category (something goofy!) • Add Tags • Publish your entry!

20. University Libraries Q & A

21. University Libraries Thank you! Michael.Yunkin@unlv.edu Usability/Metadata Specialist Brian.Egan@unlv.edu Web/Multimedia Designer University of Nevada, Las Vegas Libraries