Content Layout: Suggestions
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The Rule of ThirdsClick to read original Wikipedia article
Imagine your screen as a picture in a frame. Divide it into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. Notice where the lines intersect. These points are known as the four "hot spots" of visual interest.
Artists & scientists who study this sort of thing have learned that, when people view visual media for the first time they tend to scan those 4 hot spots from top-left, clockwise around the image, ending at the bottom left hot-spot. When building a Web page, especially your Home or "landing" page, place images that will grab the attention of the viewer or text that is especially important at or very near one of these four hot-spots. This will keep the viewer interested and more likely to explore the text or image placed at each hot-spot |
ALWAYS CITE YOUR SOURCES AND CREDIT YOUR IMAGES!In the classroom, we teachers often think we can pretty much use whatever we need as long as it's "for educational purposes within the classroom only."
THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO PUBLIC WEB SITES! Even if you intend it to be used "for education only" or "within the classroom only" remember that your site can be viewed by anyone, anywhere, at any time. (That button in the upper-right says "Publish" for a reason!) Therefore, you MUST give credit when you embed or use the work that others have already published. This can be in the form of a formal APA or MLA citation, or it can be a simple hyperlink to the original work or publishing site. (Linking to a bookstore site, such as Amazon, etc., is NOT a citation.) Embedded videos, etc., usually link back to the host site, so these are usually fine. |
IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that your screen and the screen of the end-user could be different sizes and shapes, and may use different resolution settings. Therefore, the visual message you intend to deliver could end up being very different from the message that is actually received!