Babylon Technologies Ltd (n.d.). A guide to search engine optimisation. Retrieved January 3, 2007 from http://www.searchengineoptimising.com/optimisation/index.htm
This tutorial is intended to help website developers maximise the likelihood of their website appearing highly ranked in search engine results. In particular, it provides valuable insights into what design features are not search engine friendly. Frames, for instance, illustrate the challenge of competing benefits of information versus display (concept 30), but since they are not search engine friendly, any display benefit is lost if the website is never found and viewed. Dynamic URL’s, homepages entirely in Flash, and navigation tools which are images or are in Javascript also fair poorly with search engine. The tutorial then focuses on effective optimisation techniques, such as careful selection of keywords, though detail in this area is surprising limited. Other optimisation topics follow, with examples, and include title tags, page content, meta tags, alternate text for images, text hyperlinks and heading tags. Finally, it lists which optimisation techniques to avoid. For instance, trying to ‘trick’ a search engine is more likely to trigger a ‘spam’ warning and disqualify the web page submission. Not only is the tutorial of great benefit to website developers, it also gives a deeper understanding of how search engines work, which in turn may also help the general user improve search techniques for optimal results. The website also links to free tools which assist website optimisation. Unfortunately, the most valuable tools and service are ‘user pays’. Nevertheless, the site, entirely dedicated to search engine optimisation, provides some valuable background and useful tips for both developer and web surfer.
2) Evaluating the web
UC Berkeley Library (2006). Evaluating web pages: Techniques to apply & questions to ask. Retrieved January 3, 2007 from http://www.lib.berkeley.edu/TeachingLib/Guides/Internet/Evaluate.html
This resource is excellent supplemental reading on the topic of web page evaluation. By using efficient and practical techniques, including question and answer, a thorough and systematic evaluation of the relevance and reliability of any web page can be carried out. This not only enables the critical balancing of the requirements of the search with the readiness of the search results (concept 33), but also takes the search ‘matching’ to its logical conclusion through sound evaluation techniques. These include evaluating the URL for appropriateness and source of publication, and scanning the page perimeter for author information (including author credentials) and currency of information. Assessing the quality of the information through the checking of footnotes, links and content originality, what others say (including who else links to the web page) and whether the web page is listed in other directories, are also important to the evaluation process. The reader is also encouraged to evaluate why the web page might have been put on the web and also how quality of content might compare with other resources in alternative media (e.g. print). A rationale provided puts the entire process in context. A list (with links) of other resources from academic institutions not only adds credibility to the site, but also provides a window to further academic research. A link at the top of the web page opens a one-page PDF-format checklist so that a hardcopy of the key strategies can be printed and used to practice these essential evaluation techniques.