Page Content
Understanding Page Layout
The main template of the Delta College website is divided into three areas:
- Left navigation - links to pages within your own site
- Main content area - information for the specific page you are on including headings, text and photos
- Right side bar - resources visitors may find helpful such as links to other Delta College webpages outside your site, external links (leaving www.delta.edu) and also files for download like schedules, applications, etc
Understanding this page layout will help you place your content in the appropriate area, so that all information on the website is consistent and easy to find.
Word Standards
These are conventions adopted for Delta College's website. Until all dictionaries and stylebooks can agree on standardization, the best strategy an institution can use when dealing with Internet jargon is to choose a preference and use it consistently.
- website - lowercase, one word
- online - lowercase, no hyphen
- homepage - lowercase, one word
- webpage - lowercase, one word
- Internet - capitalize
- intranet - lowercase
- Web - capitalize, from proper noun "World Wide Web"
- email, enewsletter, ecommerce - lowercase, no hyphen
- hyperlink - lowercase, one word
- login, logon, logoff - lowercase, one word
- dpi - lowercase acronym for "dots per inch"
- URL - uppercase acronym
- HTML - uppercase acronym, lowercase in URLs (index.html for example)
- PDF, DOC, JPEG, GIF - uppercase acronym
- CD, DVD - uppercase acronym
Contact Information
You website should include important contact information:
- official department name
- location
- phone number
- email address
example:
Office of Financial Aid
D101
989-686-9080
For more information, email Jane Smith at janesmith@delta.edu
Displaying Time
All pages should have consistent formatting of time.
- should include the minutes, except if the time is on the hour (then do not use :00)
- "am" and "pm" should be lowercase with no periods (* deviation from AP style)
- no space between the time and "am" or "pm"
example: The performance is from 6 to 8:30pm.
Displaying Dates
All pages should have consistent formatting of dates.
- include the day of the week on first reference of a date
- do not use "st" or "th" after dates
- do not include the year unless referring to a past event (Web content is assumed to be updated often and current)
example: Please submit applications by Tuesday, October 14.
Formatting Headings
Headings should be used to organize text in sections. Do not set font size or color for headings, this will be done automatically by the stylesheet. Use h1 headings (largest) to title your web page and h2 headings (smaller) to label sub-sections within your web page. Heading provide a quick reference for a user scanning your page for the information they need.
Formatting Text
Do not change the font, size or color of your text. If you are inserting copy into Sitebuilder from another source, make sure there is no formatting applied to it. If you are copying text from a Microsoft Word document, first paste it into a plain text application (Microsoft Word Pad or Apple TextEdit) to remove formatting before placing into Sitebuilder.
Don't center align text - Although centering text may be appropriate for some print documents, the default left alignment works best for the Web in most cases. This is a best practice for usability (easier, quicker to read) and also makes use of the content area more effectively.
Use Lists to Organize Points
Use a bulleted list to outline key points and use an ordered list to outline steps in a clear, concise way.
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ordered list example:
Steps to get started at Delta
- apply online
- complete assessment
- orientation and advising
- register for classes
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unordered list example:
To use online orientation make sure you have the following:
- computer
- speakers
- internet connection
- IE 6 or Firefox 2.0
- Silverlight installed
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Using Italic
Italicize titles of books, films, plays, magazines, newspapers, movies and works of art.
example: The English class is reading To Kill a Mockingbird.
Using Bold
Use bold text to emphasize important text, but use it sparingly. If everything is bold, then nothing will stand out.
Underline is Not Emphasis
Do not use underlined text. Because hyperlinks are often shown with underlines, underlining words that are not links can be confusing. If you need to emphasize a point, use bold.
Using Quote Marks
Use quote marks ("") for essays and direct quotations. For a quotation that is three lines or more, use indented block quotes.
example: The student submitted his essay "The Roles of Water in the Lives of Organisms" to the professor.
Using Numerals
Write out numbers one through nine and when any number begins a sentence. Use numbers for everything equal to or greater than 10.
examples:
Six students will receive the academic scholarship.
More than 100 people attended the fundraiser dinner.
Using Symbols
Only use the "@" symbol in email addresses. Always type out "at", "percent", "number", "and" and "plus" in headings and paragraphs. Symbols can be used in tables to save room.
Formatting Tables
Organize information with easy to read tables. Do not try to align text using spaces. This will not format correctly on the published webpage. Always create a table within Sitebuilder for best results. The Delta College website style sheet will automatically format your table. Do not change the font size or color, add background colors or borders to your table.
Don't "Click Here"
Make links clickable from logical words. Avoid linking generic terms like "click here", "online" and "website". This helps a user who is scanning the page quickly find your link and also helps search engine indexing.
examples:
Online registration is available.
Apply now for Fall semester.
Referencing the College
Use the full name "Delta College" on first mention of the college. "Delta" can be used on subsequent references. Capitalize "College" when referring specifically to Delta College and capitalize "Planetarium" when referring to the Delta College Planetarium and Learning Center.
Referencing Generic Degrees
References to generic degrees should be lowercase and include the apostrophe 's'.
examples:
associate's degree (* deviation from AP style)
bachelor's degree
master's degree
Referencing Specific Degree
References for specific degrees should be capitalized, but the word "degree" in lowercase.
examples:
Associate in Arts degree
Associate in Child Development degree
Referencing Departments
Capitalize the name and the words "department", "college", "office" or "school" only when they appear as part of the official name. Never abbreviate the word "department".
examples:
Office of the President
Department of Art
Referencing Majors
Do not capitalize majors, programs, specializations or concentrations of study when they are not part of a designated degree.
examples:
She majored in history.
He is an art major.
Using Academic Titles
Capitalize and spell out formal titles such as professor, dean, president, chancellor and chairman when they precede a name. In all other instances use lowercase form.
examples:
Professor Miller attended the ceremony.
The professor said he would attend.