Monthly Archives: October 2017

Tips on Becoming a Better Web Writer

Free Web Design Logo. WebSource: pixabay.com through Google Advanced Image Search

Free Web Design Logo. WebSource: pixabay.com through Google Advanced Image Search

You’ve been promoted in your organization and now are responsible for creating web content. You’re an excellent writer, but you’ve learned that writing for the web is different than print. But exactly what should you be aware of to help ensure that your readers have a positive experience.

According to Felder (2012), here are some tips to help you become a more effective web writer:

  • Write succinctly. Your goal is to get to the point and highlight the important elements. Remember, online readers tend to raid for information.
  • Keep sentences and paragraphs short.
  • Use a conversational style.
  • Use precise terms. Keep verbs active and use concrete nouns.
  • Use plain terms. Plain writing focuses on accuracy and clarity. So, it is recommended to avoid idioms (expressions or phrases in good use that are characteristic of or peculiar to a language). If taken literally, they may appear illogical. For example, “a penny for your thoughts” would be a common idiom. “Add insult to injury” would be another one. Next, be sure to spell out acronyms. These are words made up of the first letter or two of a series of words, such as Cosmic Ray Effects on MicroElectronics (CREME).
  • Break up tangled nouns. These are commonly seen in newspapers. They confuse readers and should be revised to ensure that the sentence is readable.
  • Use foreign phrases and trendy terms  sparingly.
  • List items. Use bullets for laundry lists and use numbers for sequences.
  • Chunk information. Most readers won’t read long text, so break it up in readable and manageable sections.
  • Use titles and subtitles. Headings can help readers as they scan your document for information they need. It also helps with organization.
  • Organize for your audience and set the right tone (pp. 14-28).

Nielsen (1997) advised web writers to “use hypertext to split up long information into multiple pages” (para. #1). Simply put, this technique helps you chunk your information into specific topics through text with hyperlinks.

Finally, I recommend that web writers use graphics to help make their web content more readable and visually appealing. As a general rule, graphics are welcome in all media.

Most of all, don’t be afraid of white space. It serves three key purposes: it aids readability, improves design, and draws in your readers.

References

Felder, L. (2012). Writing for the web: Creating compelling web content using words, pictures and sound. Berkeley: New Riders.

Nielsen, J. (1997). Be succinct! (Writing for the Web). Retrieved from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/be-succinct-writing-for-the-web/

Guidelines for Creating Emotionally Intelligent Digital Learning Environments

Free Illustration: Learn, Online, Laptop. WebSource: pixabay.com through Google Advanced Image Search.

Free Illustration: Learn, Online, Laptop. WebSource: pixabay.com through Google Advanced Image Search.

To create a healthy climate for adult online learners, it is important to present the expectations in a positive manner on the first day of class. As you probably already know, it’s all about setting the tone early. Like face-to-face classrooms, virtual courses should have behavioral expectations, too. So, I recommend seven noble goals with behavioral expectations that foster emotionally intelligent online course rooms.

1. Be emotionally involved as a learner, share yourself online, and make it safe for others to do the same. Research has revealed that emotions are an essential part of who we are and are particularly important in social and written communication, attention, motivation, concentration, memory, creativity, behavior, health, and optimal information processing (Goleman, 1997; Jensen, 2000; Kusche & Greenberg, 1998; Sylwester, 1995). Consequently, researchers and educators have concluded that human emotions are a major force in learning.

2. Carefully read what is said and how it is presented by every learner in our online classroom. Be sensitive to your academic institution’s netiquette rules for online discussions. By paying attention to the tone and expression of our postings, we are able to increase awareness, thinking, empathy, and improve communication.

3. Please treat each other with the highest degree of respect and dignity. If you disagree with someone online, respond to the subject, not the person.

4. I am committed to open, frank, and insightful dialogue within our online courseroom. I would like for all learners to strive for that goal, too.

5. Diversity has many manifestations, including diversity of thought, opinion, and values. I expect all students to be respectful of our individual diversity and to refrain from inappropriate commentary.

 6. Strive for a positive attitude within our virtual courseroom. Research has found that optimists are more motivated, more successful, have higher levels of achievement, plus significantly better physical and mental health (Seligman, 2006).

7. Finally, I encourage everyone to contribute to our online classroom by being supportive and by providing constructive feedback to ensure a productive and healthy learning environment.

References

Goleman, D. (1997). Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. New York: Bantam Books.

Jensen, E. (2000). Brain-based learning: The new science of teaching & training. San Diego, CA: The Brain Store.

Kusche, C., & Greenberg, M. (1998). Integrating emotions and thinking in the classroom. Think, 9, 32-34.

Seligman, M. (2006). Learned optimism. How to change your mind and your life. New York: Vintage Books.

Sylwester, R. (1995). A celebration of neurons: An educator’s guide to the human brain. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.