RU World Wide Web Style and Standards

Radford University has some basic style rules for publications and for web page design that we ask you to follow. Also, there are some simple do's and don'ts you should observe when creating documents for the unique environment of the World Wide Web.

General WWW Guidelines

Where Am I?
The user should always be able to tell where they are. Your page should clearly identify the organization it represents, and preferably it's place within the structure of the organization's WWW server. Never assume that the user has jumped to your page from the place you expect. Your Page Title should be self explanatory (i.e. "Geography Faculty" not just "Faculty"). Within the RU WWW Server we use the Menu Bar as a header to give a sense of place and consistency. Your first headline should clearly describe the purpose of the page.

RU Page Headers

In order to maintain a consistent look on "official" university web sites, the Public Relations Office has created an official page header for use on a department's main web page and its secondary web pages. All departments and offices are encouraged to use this look. The main page header incorporates the mountain background seen on the RU Home Page, with the department name and the RU logo built into the design (see the Public Relations home page as an example), while secondary page headers are simplified and include the department name and RU logo (see Public Relations secondary page as an example). Contact Rick Rogers in the Public Relations Office (831-5324, email rrogers@radford.edu) if you would like these page headers created for your department or if you would like guidelines on creating them yourself.
Sign & Date Your Work
The user should be able to easily find out a)who created this document, and b) how current is it? This is usually included in the footer at the bottom of a page. You may also wish to provide a link from your signature to a personal page.
Avoid the "Click here" Syndrome
An essential element of hypertext is that you click on a word to find out more about what that word represents. Using the word "here" or "this" as a hypertext link is BAD, BAD, BAD. People will probably still figure it out, but it is preferable to use a meaningful word as a link. For example:
Avoid Long Pages Where Possible
People get disoriented when they have to scroll through endless documents. Try to keep your pages to three screens worth or less. If it needs to be longer, break it up and include a table of contents at the top with links to each part. (This document isn't a particularly good example).
Don't assume the user is from Radford
Always include complete addresses, telephone numbers with area codes, and State identifiers after cities when referring to such material in your documents.

RU Publications Style Guidelines

The following rules are based on the Associated Press style book plus a few rules which are unique to Radford University. Please follow these style rules when preparing any copy for publication at the university.

Using the RU Logo

If you plan to use the RU Logo in your Web documents, you must use the official "RU" mark shown above. The typeface used for this logotype is Weiss, not Times, not Helvetica, not New Century Schoolbook or anything else. Obviously, Web browsers do not allow you to specify a particular font, so the graphic is used whenever consistent identity is important. A variety of sizes are available. If you have any further questions about the RU Logo please contact the Public Relations Office at 831-5324. Go to http://www.radford.edu/NewsPub/RUlogospage.html for downloadable logos which can be used on the web or in print publications.

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