Web Resources
CIO Communications' Web writing style resources. http://www.cio.com/central/style.html (24 Feb. 2000).
Provides an annotated list of ten style guides for Web writers.
Gahran, Amy. (1998-2000). Contentious. http://www.contentious.com (13 Feb. 2000).
A monthly Web-zine for professional writers and editors who create content for the Web and other online media.
Kienan, Brenda. & Tauber, Daniel A. (1998). Creating your site's style guide. Webreview.com. http://www.webreview.com/wr/pub/98/02/06/webmaster/index.html
(24 Feb. 2000).
Explains why Web site style guides are necessary and describes the types of information they should address.
Lynch, Patrick J. & Horton, Sarah. Yale style manual. http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/contents.html (24 Feb.
2000). (Also available in print.)
A popular guide to Web style that briefly addresses editorial style.
Nielsen, Jakob. The AlertBox: Current issues in Web usability. http://www.useit.com/alertbox/
(24 Feb. 2000).
A column that includes topics such as "How people read on the Web," "Top ten mistakes of Web design," and "Be succinct: How to write for the Web."
Rhodes, John S. WebWord.com: Usability and human factors for the Internet. http://www.WebWord.com
(13 Feb. 2000).
Offers interviews with Internet and usability professionals, a usability column, and an annotated list of recommended books.
Troffer, Alysson. (1999). Editing online documents: Strategies and tips. Contentious. http://www.contentious.com/articles/V2/2-4/feature2-4a.html
(12 Feb. 2000).
Provides an overview of what online editors do, how they do it, and why it matters.
Print Resources
Hackos, JoAnn T. & Stevens, Dawn M. (1997). Standards for online communication. John Wiley & Sons.
Addresses standards for publishing information on the Web, corporate intranets, and help systems.
Horton, William. (1994). Designing and writing on-line documentation: Hypermedia for self-
supporting products (2nd Ed). NY: John Wiley & Sons.
Chapter 4, "Topics," discusses chunking information for online display. Chapter 5, "Links," addresses ways to create links and how to use them as transitions to introduce the link destination. Chapter 9, "Words," suggests specific style guidelines for online documentation.
Kilian, Crawford. (1999). Writing for the Web. Self-Counsel Press.
Focuses on textual content, but a few chapters are especially apt: Chapter 3, "Organizing Web Site Content," Chapter 4, "Writing Good Web Text," and Chapter 5, "Editing Web Text."
Nielsen, Jakob. (2000). Designing Web usability: The practice of simplicity. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders Publishing.
Chapter 3, "Content Design," addresses issues concerning writing for the Web.
Schriver, Karen. (1997). Dynamics in document design. John Wiley & Sons.
Offers a research-based view of document design, a new field that explores how good writing and visual design can improve documents for readers. Of particular interest to online writers: a case study concerning fragmentation on the Web (pp. 390-407).
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Last Updated: May 2, 2001
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