The University of Arizona
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics home page

Tips

  • Create an outline and / or a site plan that includes the name of each HTML file. This helps manage the file structure and assists the browsers in quickly displaying pages.

    • Note: in order for files to be viewed on the internet, they must reside on a hosting server. To ensure that your files can be read on any server, you'll need to name your files appropriately:

    Don't use spaces in filenames

    this wont work.htm
    thiswillwork.htm

    Use all lower case letters

    NotSoSmart.htm
    muchbetter.htm

    Don't use symbols or punctuation in filenames

    no!.htm
    %nope.htm
    don’t.htm
    (never).htm

  • Name the home page index.htm.
  • Include a link to the home page in the navigation; repeat the navigation in the same position, and with the same attributes, on every page in the website.
  • Add a unique page title to each HTML page.
  • Include a footer with The University of Arizona's name and / or logo, a date, a copyright notation, and a link to your email address on every page. This is not only a courtesy, since we're using UA servers, personnel, and internet access to make our websites, but it is also UA policy.

      Footer information typically includes:
  • the name of the project;
  • the name of the institution and / or the department;
  • the street address and / or post office box, with zip and / or country codes;
  • contact information, including an email address for the webmaster and the phone number to call with general questions;
  • the last modification date;
  • copyright information.
  • Prepare graphics appropriately.
  • Preview the pages in as many browsers as possible, as often as possible.
  • Add the ALT attribute to graphics.
  • Use a character entity chart to insert characters and symbols that can be read by all browsers.
  • Open a new window when adding a link that will take the viewer from your site and onto another website.
  • Obtain permission from website authors offering copyrighted information.
  • Consider accessibility issues for viewers with vision and mobility impairments.
    The University of Arizona's Web Accessibility website:
    www.arizona.edu/uaweb/accessible/index.php
  • Use white space liberally.
  • Use upper- and lowercase, rather than capitalizing a word or a sentence, especially headlines. Use boldface, contrasting colors, and italics for emphasis.
  • Avoid blinking or unnecessary animated graphics and sounds.