2. Next Best alTernative

If you must use a graphical navigation system, include descriptive ALT text (a text that appears when you hold your mouse over an image in a web page or when the image does not appear) captions. The ALT text will make it possible for visitors who use text browsers such as Lynx or who browse with graphics turned off, to find their way around. In addition to the graphical navigation buttons, be sure to include text links at the bottom of every page that provide a clear route to the main areas of your site.

3. Map It

A site map offers a good overview of your site and will provide additional orientation for visitors. It should be in outline form and include all the major sections of your site with key subpages listed beneath those sections. For example, you may group your FAQ, Contact and Troubleshooting pages so they're all accessible from a Support page. It’s a good idea to visit a few larger sites to get some ideas on designing an effective site map.

4. Avoid frames

Avoid frames (which are a way of dividing the browser screen into separate windows, each with its own scrollbar for moving up or down through the text) wherever possible. Most veteran browsers dislike them and they can be confusing for visitors who are suddenly presented with multiple scrollbars. If you're committed to using frames on your site, you'd better commit yourself to some extra work too, because you'll have to create a no-frames version of your site for visitors whose browsers don't support frames.

5. Consistency Counts

Don't change the location of your navigation elements, or the color of visited and not-visited links from page to page. And don't get clever with links and buttons that appear and disappear: turning things on and off is usually done as an attempt to let visitors know where they are at a site but more often than not it ends up confusing them.

6. Just a Click Away

Keep content close at hand. Every page on your site should be accessible from every other one within four clicks. You should regularly reexamine your page structure and links, and make necessary adjustments. People come to your site to find information - don't make them dig for it.

7. Avoid Searching

Most sites have a search function, but try to discourage its use as much as possible. Even the best search engines turn up irrelevant matches, and visitors may not know how to use yours effectively. Logical, clearly placed links are more likely to help visitors find what they want.

8. Passing Lanes

Provide multiple paths through your site so visitors aren't restricted to one style of browsing. For most sites, a pull-down navigation menu is an easy addition that offers an alternative route through your pages, without wasting space.

9. Overwhelming Options

Don't overwhelm visitors by presenting dozens of places that they can go. A large number of choices is not necessarily a good thing.

LANGUAGE WORK

Giving advice

Task 6. Study these examples of advice from the texts you read in Task 4.

You can use the modal verb should:

1. Your navigation system should be based on text links.

You can use an imperative:

2. Don't change the location of your navigation elements.

Note that avoid is followed by the -ing form. For example:

3. Avoid using frames.

Had better is for advice which is close to a warning. It indicates something unpleasant will happen if the advice is not taken:

4. If you're committed to using frames on your site, you'd better commit yourself to some extra work too.

Other ways to give advice are:

5. I recommend Jennifer Fleming's Web Navigation.

6. It's a good idea to visit a few larger sites.

To make advice more persuasive, you can add the reason for your advice.

For example: It's a good idea to visit a few larger sites [advice] to get some ideas on designing an effective site map [reason].

Task 7. Now exchange information orally to complete this table summarising the whole text.

Text	Advice	Text	Advice
1		6
2		7
3		8
4		9
5

READING 2

Task 8. Read the text again and answer these questions.

1. What is ALT text caption?

2. What navigation features should a good navigation system include?

3. Why is it necessary to avoid frames wherever possible?

4. What does a pull-down navigation menu offer?

5. Why is it advisory not to change the location of navigation elements and the color of links?

6. What helps visitors to find where they are at the site?

7. What should you do to make your site up to date?

Task 9. Are these statements true, false, or not mentioned in the text? Correct the false statements.

1. Frames allow webpages to be displayed inside other webpages.

2. The author of the article recommends you to use well-placed links rather than a search function.

3. The writer of the text advises you to keep the website consistent by using links and buttons that appear and disappear.

4. You should try to encourage the use of search function as much as possible.

5. Features of a good website should include website compatibility with different types of Web browser programs.

6. You’d better give website visitors an overwhelming number of links to follow.

7. It’s a good idea to use graphical buttons or image maps rather than text hyperlinks.

8. The site map must be in outline form with all the major sections and various related pages grouped together.

Task 10. Give the Russian equivalents to the following words and phrases from the text. Choose five of them and make up sentences of your own. Read your sentences aloud for other students to translate.

Graphical navigation buttons, to provide additional orientation, to be accessible from Support page, to design an effective site map, to present with multiple scrollbar, to support frames, to reexamine the page structure and links, to make necessary adjustments, to browse with graphics turned off, turn up irrelevant matches, multiple paths through the site, a pull-down navigation menu, to dig for information.

Task 11. Match the words and word-combinations on the left with the definitions on the right.

webpage	a hyperlinked document in a web network system
webmaster	a graphical image that provides link to different webpages depending on where on the image the user clicks
navigation system	a program designed to find information according to data entered by the user
webserver	an alternative text providing descriptive text captions for any graphics
search engine function	a server computer that stores and provides access to webpages
keywords	a webpage that gives an overview to the website with links to various related pages grouped together
image map	a way of allowing visitors to move from webpage to webpage and find their way around your website
ALT text caption	a person who sets up and maintains a website
site map	words used to categorise documents or records in a file

Task 12. Translate the sentences into English using active vocabulary.

1. Удобная навигация и дизайн помогут сделать сайт эффективным.

2. Необходима тщательная проработка навигационной системы сайта, поскольку пользователь хочет с максимальной скоростью добираться до искомого материала, а не искать его.

3. Графически кнопки усложняют навигацию, поэтому лучше использовать гиперссылки.

4. Посетитель не должен делать более трех переходов со страницы на страницу для того, чтобы найти информацию.

5. Применяя фреймы на сайтах, следует учитывать, что поисковые системы не индексируют их.

6. Функция поиска и точные и четкие ссылки помогают пользователям найти нужную информацию на веб-сайте.

7. Не следует перегружать главную страницу веб-сайта большим количеством ссылок.

8. Карта сайта предоставляет посетителям быстрый доступ к необходимым страницам сайта.

Task 13. Match these reviews of websites with their titles. Some words and parts of words have been omitted. Try to replace them.

1. Babelfish

2. Fish I.D.

3. Strangely Satisfying

4. Sheepnet

5. Download.com

REVIEWS OF WEBSITES
a) If you want to buy old comics, old toys such as plastic fish for your bath, nodding dogs for your car and many other strange and bizarre items, this site is for you.	c) Trouble identifying *****? This site has pictures, quizzes, a special corner for children and a handy reference on all kinds of aquatic life. It also hosts a discussion area for all concerned with the marine environment.	e) Whether it's demos, full freeware (downloadable programs that are free to download and use) or shareware products (programs that are free to download and try but should be paid for if the user wishes to continue to use them) you are looking for, the chances are you'll be able to find it here. Rather usefully the site also contains all major drivers and development tools -pretty much anything you could ever want to help you get the most out of your PC really. Well worth a visit whatever it is you're looking for.
b) Everything you ever wanted to know or didn't want to know about *****. Breeds, pictures and fascinating facts including the information that almost all***** are either white or black. Guaranteed to raise a smile.	d) Can't remember the word in English or any other major language? Try ***** for an instant translation. Easy to use. Just type in your text. Choose the language you want and select 'Search'. You can also translate websites. The only drawback is that you get a literal translation. Don't expect ***** to cope with slang or idioms.

LISTENING

Task 14. John lives in North Dakota. Here he talks about his website. Listen to the recording and complete this table about his website.

Site name
Topic
Site address
Why special
Last update

Task 15. Listen to the recording again to find the answers to these questions. Before listening make sure you understand the meaning of these words and word combinations. If not, check the translation at the end of the unit.

To dedicate, film noir, to work out, to put up, couple, domain name, to persevere, to get listed, to swallow, submission, gotten, to be around, feedback, tip, to pick.

1. Why did John choose this topic?

2. Which company produces Dreamweaver?

3. What previous experience of website creation did he have?

4. What's the price of his 'free' domain name?

5. What does he mean by ‘Yahoo! just seems to swallow submissions'?

6. What do you think Yahoo! Clubs are?

7. List 4 tips he gives for other website builders.

8. List 3 website addresses he mentions.

PROBLEM-SOLVING

Task 16. Evaluate any one of these sites using the seven points listed in Task 2 and any of the advice given on website design in this unit.

http://www.kirsute.ru/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/

http://www.euronews.net/

http://www.ozon.ru/

http://www.ru.tele2.ru/

Task 17. With the help of the texts summarised in Task 7, give advice on these aspects of navigation design. Use a variety of ways. Add reasons for your advice where possible.

1.	text links
2.	graphical buttons
3.	ALT text captions
4.	site map
5.	frames
6.	position of navigation elements
7.	logical links
8.	search function

WRITING

Task 18. Write an evaluation of one of the websites listed in Task 15 or a website of your choice, list the good and bad points of the homepage of a chosen website. Also you can make a short presentation to the class on what makes your chosen site special.

NOTE

Words for Task 15.

to dedicate	посвящать
film noir	фильм нуар, "чёрное кино" (жанр кино; появился во время Второй мировой войны; криминальная драма, жёсткий психологический детектив, отражающие мрачные общественные настроения)
to work out	решать, разрабатывать
to put up	организовывать
couple	пара, два, двое
domain name	доменное имя, имя домена
to persevere	упорно добиваться
to list	вносить в список, регистрировать
to swallow	глотать, проглатывать
submission	представление, подача (документов и т. п.)
gotten	амер., разг. прич. прош. вр. от get
to be around	разг. быть популярным,известным
feedback	отклик, отзыв, ответная реакция
tip	совет
to pick	искать, выискивать