LibGuide Administrator
Ted Quiballo
He/Him/His
Writing for the Web
Writing for the Web is Different
People don't read web pages the same way that they read books or articles:
- They scan and skim rather than reading word for work.
- They tend to read in an F-shaped, zigzag, or "lawnmower" pattern, scanning the tops and sides of the page rather than starting at the top and reading all the way down.
- They look for relevant information that will help them accomplish a given task or tasks.
We know that making conscious decisions to write content for web readers improves usability. The following guidelines and best practices will help our users to get the most out of NUL Research Guides.
Key Concepts for Web Writing:
- Use "inverted pyramid" writing style: start with the point, then support it, using links for more in-depth details.
- One idea per paragraph.
- Keep the most important elements "above the fold," that is, visible upon initial page view without scrolling.
- Categorize according to users' needs, not by departmental organization or hierarchy.
- When creating a link, highlight only the one-to-three most important words, NOT "click here."
Nielsen Norman Group Research
The Nielsen Norman Group, or NN/g, Is a user experience research and consulting firm. These are some articles relevant to writing for the web when creating Research Guides:
- F-Shaped Pattern of Reading on the Web: Misunderstood, But Still Relevant (Even on Mobile)2017. Summary: A reflection on previous findings regarding the F-shaped pattern. Notes presence of other common reading patterns & role of design in influencing reading patterns.
- How People Read Online: New and Old Findings2020. Summary: Looking back at findings from a series of eyetracking studies over 13 years, we see that fundamental scanning behaviors remain constant, even as designs change.
- How Users Read on the Web1997. Summary: People rarely read Web pages word by word; instead, they scan the page, picking out individual words and sentences. Much of this is still valid, but see more recent articles for updated information.
- Text Scanning Patterns: Eyetracking Evidence2019. Summary: Eyetracking research shows that there are 4 main patterns that people use to scan textual information on webpages: F-pattern, spotted pattern, layer-cake pattern, and commitment pattern.
- Web Writing Guidelines (NU Global Marketing and Communications)2022. Users want to find what they are looking for as quickly and easily as possible. Web-oriented writing and editing are essential for optimal content delivery.
NU Resources for Writing for the Web
- Accessible Web WritingWriting for accessibility is a method of representing information in a concise and easy-to-skim style.
- NuWrite - A collection of Writing ResourcesNorthwestern University’s online writing resources, providing materials about writing and teaching writing that come from Northwestern faculty in many disciplines.
- Writing for the Web and Search Engine Optimization (SEO)The practices mentioned in this link will improve the experience of visitors to your website and are an important part of complying with accessibility standards for the web.
- Writing Services for Graduate Students, Faculty, and StaffThe Writing Place serves graduate students from all across Northwestern’s many schools, departments, and programs, as well as postdoctoral students and Northwestern faculty.