How to build a web site:
A tutorial

The main reason to build a web site is that you or your organization wants to share some information with someone else. A web site needs to communicate. The more a web site communicates, the more a web site will be used.

What makes a great Web site? A little long, but a non-technical discussion of the factors that make a web site useful to people. It's also a lot of common sense. The answer? Content, content, content.

Web basics

• How the web works
• An introduction to HTML
• Helping people to find that good stuff (navigation)
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why | web basics | mechanics | resources | sample | stuff | library

The basic building blocks of the World Wide Web are web pages. You build web pages using HTML, a document markup language. The HTML primer is a good way to learn about how HTML works and how to create a web page. If you would like to try something different, here is a large collection of beginning html tutorials.

Just as important as HTML knowledge is being able to organize information on a web page so that people can use it. Apple's "Web design guide" provides a good outline of the issues in building a web site. Here is a guide to various "Style tips: Advice, rules, hints, commandments, do's and don'ts." For more general information, go to the page on "Web Style"

Here is some background information on the Web:

• basic historical and background information on the Web
• an explanation of what the Web is (and how the Web's technolgies work).
• the World Wide Web FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions).

More mechanics of building web sites

• Advanced HTML guides
• Page layout and style guides
• Using and working with images

why | web basics | mechanics | resources | sample | stuff | library

Here are more advanced html tutorials, including tables, forms and advice on HTML editors.

Continuing the discussion on style, both Sun's Guide to Web Style and Yale's C/AIM Web Style Guide provide very effective style guides which contain a lot of common sense. These guides will help improve the presentation of the web site - which means that it will be easier to use.

One of the more revolutionary aspects of the Web is that you can incorporate images and graphics. Images, such as photographs or artwork, can communicate very effectively. Graphics, such as logos and buttons, can help improve the usability and "look and feel" of the web site. Have a look at some of the image and graphics libraries that are available.

For more technical stuff on working with imgaes, check out the Web Mastery page on web images.

Using APAnet resources

• Templates
• Image libraries

APAnet members have access to several online resources designed to assist in the construction of web sites.

Web page templates provide organizations with basic designs to use for projects. Samples of front pages, staff and resource directories and online newsletters are available. These resources can be used for the organization, for individual departments or specific programs.

Image libraries provide APAnet members with organizational logos and coordinated, custom graphics. These graphics are designed for use in a variety of web projects and provide a consistent look and feel to the organization web site.

A sample site

The Online Training Center on the APAnet web site was built using templates and graphics available from the resources listed above.

Other important stuff to think about

why | web basics | mechanics | resources | sample | stuff | library

Running a WWW Service's page on "legal and ethical issues."

An article on advertising your web site publically

Use policies

Copyright

NCSA's "Web Mastery" site. Lot's of useful, annotated pointers to web sites on HTML and other skills needed to build web sites. A mega resource, highly recommended.

O'Reilly and Associates Web Developer's Library, five different manuals about the Web available online: HTML: The Definitive Guide; CGI Programming on the World Wide Web; JavaScript: The Definitive Guide; Programming Perl; Web Master in a Nutshell.

The Web4Lib electronic discussion is for the discussion of issues relating to the creation and management of library- based World-Wide Web servers and clients. A practical and useful site.

Internet Literacy Consultants' "Glossary of Internet Terms."

Berkeley Digital Library

Computer-Mediated Communication Magazine (ISSN 1076-027X) reports about people, events, technology, public policy, culture, practices, study, and applications related to human communication and interaction in online environments.

Current Cites, an annotated monthly bibliography of selected articles, books, and electronic documents on information technology

WEBWEEK, an online periodical about the Web.

MacWorld Online, the web version of a popular magazine for Macintosh users.

APAnet's Asian Pacific America: a tour across the web.

Asian Pacific community-based media.

Also check out APAdirec and the APAnet community directory. Use the buttons below.