IDENTIFY CONTENT

The single, most significant attribute of an excellent web site is original content that adds value to the Web.  Valuable content establishes your credibility, provides useful information, and encourages repeat visits. Three types of content might be used:

• existing documents or media to be copied to the web,
• information created specifically for the web,
• materials that integrate web content with other print or media materials. 
  (for example, information provided online that further explains course content or processes)

Identify your web page/site content and create a concise outline before beginning your web project. Web sites may range from one, concise web page to an intermediate sized web with two or three levels of linked pages, to a complex web containing many pages and levels of organization. Regardless of size or complexity, all web sites begin at one index page, or homepage, and branch out from there.  The best advice is to start small with one or a few web pages, and realize that your website will grow.

For the Beginner, one index page (homepage) is a place to start. This homepage should contain, at the minimum, a title and welcoming content that indicates the purpose of the page. The following information is generally included at the bottom of the page as a footer:

• the name of content-responsible person with an email address,

• the date of the latest revision, 

• an appropriate disclaimer (link to GCC's disclaimer),

• a mention of GCC and a link to the GCC Home Page.

An Intermediate level web site evolves from the homepage. As you add content to your index page, its length increases.  Viewers need to scroll down to view it all.  This is one indication that you are ready to expand your web to a second level of pages to hold the content without excessive scrolling. Decide how to organize your web into logical sections by analyzing your content and breaking it into categories. Then, place the content from each category on a second level web page. Replace this content with links from your index page to the new second level pages.  Now, your viewers can click on the links to read the content, rather than scrolling through a long index page.

A Complex web site generally has several levels of files contained in more than one directory.  You have reached this level of complexity when the second level web pages begin to get large and cumbersome.  These pages might need to be broken down again into multiple pages.  At this point, you might even need to create a separate directory to hold the pages for each separate topic in your web. This makes it easier to organize and find files in your web.

Useful Links

Read the GCC World Wide Web Guidelines to understand the college policy about student and employee web pages.   Some GCC links to include on your webpage are:

• GCC's Homepage
• GCC Class Schedule
• GCC Library
• GCC Bookstore
• Maricopa Community Colleges
• Student Information