Presentation Suggestions
Now that you have completed your first project, it is appropriate to consider how to make the presentations better. Now is the time to go back to browsing the Web and examining what you see and the HTML source for how to produce what you see to get ideas. - One potential area for improvement is to consider making use of graphics and layout to convey (more) information as opposed to being merely decorative. These are aesthetic and subject matters and the following are suggestions, only.
- Consider the use of time lines, maps, family trees and other diagrams. You can use Paint Shop Pro to construct these images from scratch or you can scan in or download images from elsewhere and use Paint Shop Pro to put modify, as necessary. It is possible, using something called image maps, to make portions of an image clickable to link to distinct places (making the whole image clickable is easy--you just put the <img src=...> tag within the anchor tags: <a href=....> <img src=....> </a>) Making different parts of one image distinct hyperlinks requires the creation of an image map file and placing that file on the server system, which is too difficult for us to manage in the course, but you can keep it in mind for other times.
- Play close(r) attention to the source of pictures. Is it an appropriate dragon? Give credit for all the images you use.
- Consider the use of HTML tables. The notation can be tricky, but if you allow yourself some trial-and-error, tables can often give you the layout you want. In particular, you can use tables for time lines with clickable elements as well as many other types of diagrams. Click for an example.
- Devise a consistent overall look for the graphic elements. Plan your use of font sizes, bold and italics. For example, use the heading levels consistently to correspond to the structure of your material. You could design a convention such as italics for quotations and bold for names. Remember that the hyperlinks (that is, the stuff within the anchor tags) will generally be underlined and blue. (You can also specify the color of the text and the hyperlinks, before and after clicking by commands in the body statement. Check out examples or the HTML tutorial for details.) You could also use tables to do things such as putting commentary on one side and original material on the other.
- You can re-use the same pictures in different parts of the material to be an indication of what these different sections are. The image may or may not be a clickable icon. If it is clickable, it should probably go to the same place from any page.
- You can also consider making links for key sections of your material such as 'home' or 'main menu', 'authors' page', bibliography, etc. The browser supplies a 'back' function.
- The best hypertext, just like the best writing, art and music, may be a mixture of consistency and surprise, harmony and discord, adherence to rules and anarchy. You have to balance giving the viewer large amounts of substance versus presenting clear, clean, uncluttered pages. Remember that scrolling is available for moving down the page; hyperlinks are always an option, and you are not being charged by the bit, pixel, or file.