Web Development // Web Design // Learning HTML // References
Web Development
Cole, L. & Underwood, L. (2001). The web developer’s virtual
library. Retrieved March 5, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.wdvl.com
Linda Cole, managing editor of the The Web Developer’s Virtual Library
(WDLV), is also the webmaster of Self-Help & Psychology Magazine.
Lee Underwood is the Editorial Assistant of WDVL and the editor
of the Tzemach News Service. The WDLV is an online assembly
of useful articles and information about developing web pages. The site
has won several awards since its inception in 1994. It focuses on the
technical aspects of web page development and features various examples,
tutorials, and links to design resources. The page also contains a multitude
of information to help professional writers interested in web development
regardless of their level of expertise.
eBORcOM. Web development resources. Retrieved March 29, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.eborcom.com
Eborcom.com is an extensive web development archive. This site is designed for both beginning and expert web developers. Beginning users and professional writers can access information in the website’s beginner’s guide which provides references on basic HTML, operating systems, and ideas on housing a website. The expert developer and professional writer can find tutorials about CGI programming, multimedia, and various web programming languages such as JavaScript and ActiveX. The site is not program specific; it also includes online tutorials for those interested in learning about web development and a resource location section that aids professional writers by offering links to relevant up-to-date information.
Lynch, P. J. (2000). Web design+development. Retrieved February 26, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://its.med.yale.edu/wdd
For the past 28 years, Patrick J. Lynch, the author of Web Design+Development, has worked at Yale University as a photographer, medical illustrator, and designer of interactive multimedia for Yale’s medical and science schools. He has received several awards for his work in computer design. His website provides the web developer with an extensive archive of information on creating interactive multimedia. Web Design+Development offers consultation to its viewers and gives examples of web projects created at Yale University. In addition, the site houses online PowerPoint slides of workshops, information on marketing websites, and even the electronic version of the Web Style Guide. This website will give the professional writer some exposure to the process behind publishing on the World Wide Web. Professional writing undergraduates can use this site and the Web Style Guide to take workshops that focus on web design and to fine tune their own writing styles.
University of Connecticut (2001). Web development lab. Retrieved April 5, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.sp.uconn.edu/~webdev
The University of Connecticut’s Web Development Lab web page provides a basic guide to HTML for those professional writers or novice web developers interested in HTML. Hosted by a team of experienced professor and student consultants, the lab is a teaching and learning center for people that want to design web sites and create multimedia presentations. It lists basic HTML commands in simple, easy to understand terminology and offers online tutorials on such HTML features such as color, frames, hyperlinks, embedding sound or video, and setting up a webshare file to make html, gif, or jpg files viewable from any browser. This website allows all students, whether they attend the University of Connecticut or not, to utilize this valuable resource.
Web Design
Flanders, V. Web pages that suck. Retrieved April 3, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.webpagesthatsuck.com
Vincent Flanders, of Flanders Consulting, modeled this web page after his best-selling book Web Pages That Suck: Learn Good Design by Looking at Bad Design. While this resource offers suggestions on what the web developer should do, the source focuses on suggestions concerning what the web developer should not do. In the web design references sections, Flanders provides a wealth of information about how to improve websites through providing examples of bad text use, graphics, and plug-ins. He showcases bad examples and guides professional writers and web developers away from the common pitfalls of web design.
Future Publishing (2000). Computer arts magazine. Retrieved February 26, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.computerarts.co.uk
Computer Arts Magazine is one of the best-selling computer magazines in the United Kingdom, and it gives professional writers all around the world easy access to computer technology. The authors offer the latest news in computer graphics, tutorials on Photoshop and 3-D & Animation design, reviews of the latest computer equipment, and they even host a chatroom that allows designers to interact with one another online. This source is extremely useful because it can help both novice and experienced users of the Web to design their own web documents. It also allows professional writers to create documents with an artistic edge.
Gillespie, J (2001). Web page design for designers. Retrieved March 5, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.wpdfd.com
Joe Gillespie is a graphic designer in London who developed one of the first online newspapers, The Electronic Telegraph. He is the creator of Web Page Design for Designers which outlines web design with an emphasis on graphic design and content. This website focuses on graphics and includes editorials and reviews on new and interesting developments in the field of web design as well as a useful list of links to design resources. Professional writing undergraduates who already have a strong background in HTML and JavaScript will benefit from this site; professional writing undergraduates who intend to write for electronic journals and newspapers may also want to use this site to further explore the field of electronic media.
Siegel, D. (2001). Creating killer web sites, second edition. Retrieved February 26, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.killersites.com
In 1996, Siegel’s previous edition of Creating Killer Web Sites was the top-selling book on Amazon. This site, aside from advertising the new book, includes useful information that focuses primarily on the aesthetics of website design. It also has links to several examples of web pages that have unique and appealing layouts. The webpage is useful for professional writing undergraduates interested in sophisticated web design because it provides links to examples of quality web pages, various tips and advice on web design, and links to web design tools.
Web Design Group (1999). HTML help by the web design group. Retrieved April 5, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.htmlhelp.com
The Web Design Group is a group of HTML writers whose interests include promoting the creation of non-browser specific, non-resolution specific sites accessible to users worldwide. The author of this website, Liam Quinn, studied computer ccience and software engineering at Waterloo University. The website is a reference for those interested in either beginning to learn HTML or expanding their HTML background. It provides information on various aspects of HTML including information on tools and design elements as well as a reference section, technical glossary, and a section dedicated specifically to HTML 3.2. In addition, the website provides a reference links to other sites with useful information about code. It is an excellent resource for novice and advanced professional writers who wish to gain more knowledge about preparing pages.
Learning HTML
Holzschlag, M. (2000). Using HTML 4. Indianapolis, IN: Macmillan Publishing.
Holzschlag, author of Using HTML 4, provides various information about HTML on his web page. The first part of the text describes the evolution of HTML and the basics of Graphical User Interfaces. The text continues with a discussion of topics such as website marketing, publication, and promotion. This resource provides graphical illustrations as well as HTML code examples. Recognized as one of the most influential women on the web for her thorough and thoughtful writing, Holzschlag provides graphical illustrations to complement the information within her website. This book is an excellent source of information for the most inexperienced professional writer or web page developer and an essential resource for any expert HTML writer.
HTML Writers Guild. (2001). The HTML writers guild home page. Retrieved March 5, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.hwg.org
The HTML Writers Guild (HWG) is the world’s largest international, and leading educational, organization of web authors. The HWG website offers on-line classes on HTML 4.0, Macromedia Flash 5, web graphics, and business writing basics. Though the website tries to encourage people to join the organization for a yearly membership fee, it also offers a large number of free services for web writers such as job advertisement listings, volunteer opportunities, and web design and publication resources. Because HWG is a well-respected organization, some professional writers may find it beneficial to become members of the Guild. The Guild’s classes and volunteer opportunities also make this website an excellent starting place for undergraduate professional writers to build their resumes.
Ibanez, A. & Zee, N. (1998). HTML artistry: More than code. Indianapolis, IN: Hayden Books.
Ibanez and Zee, award-winning web designers, provide real-world design advice to help professional writers achieve sophisticated page layouts using a variety of cutting-edge techniques. The authors strive to inform web designers and professional writers about what is current and hot in the industry, and they are careful to include examples of typography and effects that work on both Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer. The book is versatile for readers with a wide range of skill as it covers everything from the simple table layout to complex Dynamic HTML layouts. In addition, each chapter is complete with full HTML code and examples, graphic techniques showing the step-by-step process to make quality graphics, and case studies of actual web designers working in the industry with URLs to their websites as examples.
National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA). (2001). NCSA beginner's guide to HTML. Retrieved February 26, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/
General/Internet/WWW/HTMLPrimer.html
The NCSA developed the first graphical web browser, Mosaic, and their page on web design continues the tradition of superior Internet competence. This website’s primary function is as an online HTML primer that covers basic elements of HTML in a very organized and accessible manner. Some specific topic headings include: markup tags, character formatting, linking, inline images, tables, fill-out forms, and troubleshooting. This page will be useful to professional writing undergraduates seeking a handbook-like reference on the basic elements of HTML to aid them in web page development.
Pfaffenberger, B. (1998). The elements of hypertext style. Boston: Academic Press.
Pfaffenberger is a recognized expert on the World Wide Web and Associate Professor of technology, communication, and culture at the University of Virginia. In this book, Pfaffenberger discusses many elements of Hypertext style that the professional writer needs to know before publishing on the web. The book contains a variety of information for everyone from the novice to the advanced, including HTML planning issues such as textual designs and navigation models; how to conceptualize and design an effective site; and how to explore principles of applying plain English style to the hypertext medium.
Pitts, N., Tittel, E., & James, S.N. (1998). HTML style sheets design guide. Scottsdale, AZ: The Coriolis Group, Inc.
Published authors and instructors, Pitts, Tittel, and James, offer information in their book to help professional writers understand and master the terminology and notation that is associated with Cascading Style Sheets, Level 1 (CSS1). Style sheets allow web designers to create attractive and consistent web pages easily with unique backgrounds, type colors, and positioning. The authors collaborate to present a vast array of tips and techniques. The book focuses on style sheet creation in the professional writing field for both novice and more advanced writers. Finally, the book contains a CD-Rom that has a collection of valuable resources including source code for all of the example style sheets from the book, a set of pointers, and a collection of CSS1-enabled software tools, including web browsers, editors, and validation tools.
Taylor, D. (2000). Creating cool HTML 4 web pages. Foster City, CA: IDG Books Worldwide, Inc.
Taylor, president of the strategic consulting firm Intuitive Systems and best-selling computer book author, walks the reader through the creation of a basic web page using advanced techniques. Taylor begins by explaining basic concepts, then continues with an explanation of basic HTML, fonts, and text styles. He also demonstrates how to make lists, pointers and links with useful example tables, and graphics and frames. For the more advanced web developer, Taylor discusses how to successfully use features such as JavaScript, plug-ins, Dynamic HTML and style sheets. In each chapter, the book includes detailed graphics and URL addresses to other pertinent information. Free trials are also included for both Mac and PC programs such as Dreamweaver, Netscape Communicator, and Fireworks. This guide would be invaluable to web developers, professional writers, undergraduates and professors because Taylor not only teaches material clearly and thoroughly, but also shows users how to get their web pages ready for publication and how to publicize them so that people will view them.
Reference Pages
King, A. (2001). The web master’s reference library. Retrieved March 5, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.webreference.com
WebReference.com has offered a wealth of up-to-date knowledge about designing web pages since its creation in 1995. The site is divided into two distinct design sections: one in its expert section and another in its authoring section. The site provides a number of free web design tools and resources, a free newsletter, and articles about recent developments in the field of web page authoring. The web page is well constructed and appropriately interactive with many links. Professional writers and professional writing undergraduates will find this website useful when they are learning about new computer programs and software. Writers can turn to this site when they need help with developing documents through electronic media.
Lowery, J. W. (1999). Dreamweaver 2 bible. Foster City, CA: IDG Books, Inc.
Lowery, a practiced and proven writer of computer and technology materials, educates the reader about all aspects of using Macromedia's Dreamweaver. This book addresses the full spectrum of web professionals, providing basic information on HTML if the professional writer is just starting, as well as tips and tricks for the more advanced designer. It also includes CD-Rom that offers a trial version of Dreamweaver, as well as a variety of auxiliary files such as Dreamweaver objects and behaviors. Both the working professional writer and undergraduate professional writing major will find this book not only invaluable in navigating Dreamweaver software but also useful as a source for using HTML capabilities on browsers uch as Microsoft Explorer.
Taylor, S. G. (2000). Sharon’s technical writer’s reference page. Retrieved March 5, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.angelfire.com/stars/techwriter
Taylor is a technical writer who wants to help other writers by updating them with sources on the latest in web advancement. Sharon’s Technical Writer’s Reference Page helps technical writers and those who format technical documents by offering links to HTML instructional pages, style guides, technical writing sites, technical writing tools, and dictionaries. To aid in navigation, Taylor provides a brief summary about each individual link. This site will give professional writers a great starting place to learn more about HTML on the web. It connects professional writers with the technology and information that they will need to know in order to enhance their expertise in the writing field.
World Wide Web Consortium. (2001). World wide web consortium. Retrieved March 5, 2001, from the World Wide Web: http://www.w3.org
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) was created in 1994 and has since been a leader in web technology. One of the founding members of the W3C, Tim Berners-Lee, is credited as the developer of the WWW. The W3C has 500 member organizations and has received international recognition for its contributions around the world. The goal of W3C is to make the web accessible to all people and to keep web designers informed of the best technology currently available. W3C also develops specifications, guidelines, software, and tools for the Web. The website itself provides pointers on various hardware and technology. Professional writing majors interested in creating websites can benefit from the information provided on such topics as HTML, XHTML, Semantic Web, and HTML Tidy, software used to streamline existing HTML code.
copyright
© English 306: Introduction to Professional Writing, Spring '01
Purdue University
last updated 4.26.01
Purdue University
last updated 4.26.01