Standards and Guidelines: Web Resources

Examples

When selecting web resources for Subject and Support Guides

• Select course specific, relevant resources. Go to training.gov.au to locate the training package and competencies. Use this information to select authoritative, current resources.
• Seek advice from teachers and subject specialists on the relevance, accuracy and currency of the resource before adding it.
• The CRAAP test from Meriam Library, California State University, Chico can be used as a valuable tool for evaluating resources before adding them to the guide.
• Choose resources from reliable sites - .edu, .gov, .org, reputable non-profit organisations.
• Avoid .com sites and sites that have obtrusive advertising and/or lack impartiality.
• Authorship or ownership should be clearly indicated on the site and contact details provided.
• Avoid sites that require registration or fees or that advertise courses in competition to TAFE NSW.
• If considering YouTube eVideos, check if TAFE NSW subscription eVideos are available with similar topics, currency and content. If embedding YouTube eVideos ensure there is no breach of copyright. Always acknowledge the creator and the date of publication.
• Select resources that are at an appropriate level for the anticipated audience.
• Deep link to give direct access to important articles. Check for broken links regularly.
• Add learning resource links from Learning Bank as web resources. Learning Bank items are not identified as such.

If web resources fall into the following eResource categories, use the instructions for the appropriate content type.

See also the Content Type Cheat Sheet

• When providing links directly to documents, use file type icons provided.
• At the Add Link feature click on Assign Resource Icons.
• Tick the appropriate icon e.g. PDF icon.

Please do not use the first 2 icons. They are only to be used with database entries. Use only the icons listed in the Available file type icons box.

Headings can be used to break up long lists of links.

• Do not just use bolded text for headings. The use of proper heading styles is required to make content more accessible.
• Use Heading 5 only.
• Use the Add Rich Text/HTML feature from Add/Reorder to add headings.
• Type the name of the heading in sentence case.
• Highlight the heading name and select Heading 5 from the Normal (Paragraph Format) drop down menu.

• Use title case for legislation titles and add them as links. Tip: Copy and paste titles exactly as they appear on legislation websites if they are in title case. Do not add the state, jurisdiction or government body to the title.
• If you have a single example or a mix of jurisdictions, you can add the government body in the description field on top of the description.
• If you have multiple examples, use headings to group by jurisdictions or government body.
• If you have enough examples, you can group them in boxes by jurisdiction or government body.
• Avoid linking to the PDF version if a web version is available. 
• Ensure to link to the latest version - in force not to the superseded version.
• If you can add them as PDF files only, include the PDF icon.

Examples of legislation grouped by jurisdiction:

NSW legislation

Federal Register of Legislation

• Always use the Add Link feature from Add/Reorder to add links.
• Avoid creating links using Rich Text/HTML because links created this way do not attract statistics and are not checked by the Link Checker.
• You can combine Rich Text/HTML and links in the same box if you want to add words above or below the links.
• Use sentence case for link name. Please note that proper nouns such as names of organisations and geographical names must be capitalised.
• Use the name of the website as displayed on the website.
• Define abbreviations and acronyms the first time you use them. Write the name of organisations in full, followed by the abbreviation in brackets e.g. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). For subsequent mentions you can use the abbreviation.
• If the website title is self-explanatory, don't add a description e.g. Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).
• Add the year in brackets if relevant e.g. Code of practice : construction work (2019).
• If the name is not clear e.g. Adzuna, provide a description.
• If you link to a sub-page of a major organisation or a government department, use the following format Parent site - Sub-page e.g. SafeWork - Building and construction or Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) - Disability. 
• PDF document from a webpage use the Document title : subtitle eg. NSW Code of practice : construction work (2019). Add the organisation or government department in the description field on top of the description.
• List only a maximum of 10 web resources in one box. Consider tabbed boxes or use headings for longer lists. Headings help to avoid repetition when listing multiple sub-pages of major organisation or government departments. 
• If a description is needed, keep it short or use the Hover over item title in the display options (Do not use Hover over 'info' icon).
• Add only one embedded video per page because they take up a lot of space (See Example). Additional videos can be added as links (See eVideos).

Covers, Icons and Other Images 

• Covers can be used to highlight key documents in a key resources box. Only use covers if you can link to the image. 
• Do not add covers to web resources on the eResources page.
• All covers must comply with image guidelines.
• Do not use an icon or other image to illustrate web resources.

PDFs and other documents

• To minimise outdated and broken links to PDF or similar documents, link to a landing page, if available, with information on just the specific document. If there is no such landing  page or the landing page has a range of documents to sift through, link directly to the PDF. 
• If you link directly to a document, for example, a PDF document, use the appropriate file type icon if available. The file icon can be applied to a landing page link as above.
• For a document from a webpage, or the associated landing page, use the Document title : subtitle eg. NSW Code of practice : construction work (2019)

State government departments and organisations

• Check reliable directories such as the NSW government directory for the correct naming of the departments or organisations.
• If the name does not contain the state abbreviation or the state, you can add the abbreviation in front of the name.
• Refer to the abbreviations of states provided.
• Add e.g. NSW Government in the description field, above the description in the hover over.

Australian Government departments and organisations

• Check the Government departments and agencies for the correct naming of the departments or organisations.
• Add Australian Government or NSW Government in the description field, above the description in the hover over.

You can also use headings e.g. NSW Government or Australian Government. 

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Listing government departments and organisations using headings:

Australian Government

NSW Government

Add podcasts as links in a box on the Web Resources page, in a box with the title Suggested Podcasts, see example boxes below.

Add a hover over description to each link.

Link either directly to the podcast, or to a site that lists several podcasts.