Online Media

Audience expectations

--Speed

--Visual logic

--Simple organization and navigation

--Depth

--News

Qualities

--immediacy

--interactivity

--multimedia (flexibility)

--innovation

--permanency

--capacity

--mobility

Linear vs. nonlinear

Embedded vs. external links

Writing for the Web

--Accuracy

--Clarity

--Efficiency

--Precision

(James Glen Stovall)

--Write short

--Writer for readers who scan

--Write to the point; avoid “fluffy marketese.”

--Use common language, not make-up terms.

--State the most important information in the first two paragraphs

(Jakob Nielsen)

--Write a clear headline and subhead summarizing the main idea of the story.

--Write a clear focus statement or nut graph in the story, especially, if you an anecdotal lead. Readers should know what the story is about and why they are reading it within the first few paragraphs.

--Be concise.

--Write short, simple sentences.

--Keep paragraphs short

--Use bulleted list to help readers scan text when the story lends itself to itemized information.

--Limit each paragraph to one idea.

--Write in active voice.

--Avoid last name only on second reference in subsequent screens or Web pages unless the source is well-known or is the main person in the story.

--Use conversational style

(Carol Rich)

Lateral reporting

--Links

--Background, details and lists

--Photos

--Graphics

--Maps

--Documents

--Audio and video clips

--E-polls

--Comments and discussion forums