EVALUATING WEB DESIGN

Expository writing
CHAPTER ASSIGNMENT
Purpose: To learn what makes a commercial website
effective/successful.
Task: Select and describe three or four characteristics of an
effective commercial website and compare and contrast two
commercial web pages that advertise two brands of the same
product /two-page expository essay, 500-1000 words/
EXPOSITORY WRITING
 Purely informational, objective writing
 Written to inform, explain, or describe

 Author assumes the reader has no prior knowledge of the

topic
 Unlike argumentative/persuasive writing, the primary
goal of expository writing is to deliver information about
the topic, not to persuade the reader
ESSAY MUST INCLUDE:
 An introductory paragraph
 A background paragraph

 Two or three body paragraphs

 A concluding paragraph

 Two in-text references (one for each website)

TITLE OF THE ESSAY
Introduction /50-75 words/
 A general introduction of the topic to the reader
 A small amount of information about the topic that will
interest the reader/attention grabber/hook
 The thesis statement (the main idea of the essay)

Background Paragraph /125-175 words; each topic sentence

relates to one or more ideas in the thesis/
 Necessary information about the topic; for example,
 a brief history of an object or idea or issue
 definitions of key terms about the topic

 Explanation of why and/or how you researched the topic

 describes a survey you designed/administered
 describes an interview you designed/conducted
Body Paragraphs (2-4 total) /125-175 words/: Each contains:
 A topic sentence (the main idea of the paragraph)
 1-3 sentences about main points (each relates to one of the ideas in the topic
sentence)
 evidence and support for each main point (facts, examples, descriptions, personal

experience, expert opinions)

 a concluding sentence

 (each body paragraph explains, defines, and/or illustrates one or more ideas in the

topic sentence)
Conclusion (summarizes, predicts, recommends, and/or offers a
solution) /50-75 words/
FUNCTIONS OF THE INTRODUCTION

Introduce readers to the topic

Present some interesting information
about the topic to engage the
readers/Hook
Present the thesis statement
FUNNEL INTRODUCTION
On November 14, 1963, a few miles off
the southern coast of Iceland, the crew of a
fishing boat noticed smoke on the horizon.
Thinking that another fishing boat was on
fire, they went to investigate. When they got
closer, they discovered that the smoke was
not from a boat on fire; rather, it was from an
undersea volcano about to erupt. The next
day, ash, cinders, and pumice were blown
1,000 feet into the air. The fisherman had
witnessed a rare event, the violent birth of an
island. The volcano continued to erupt for
about four years, eventually creating an
island about one square mile in area and 560
feet in height. The birth of Surtsey, as the
island is named, offered scientists an
extraordinary opportunity to learn how life
takes hold on a sterile landmass.
INTRODUCTION: HEAD AND SHOULDERS
Nowadays everyone is using webpages for one reason or another. Webpages
are a great way for companies to advertise their products and for people to shop
and buy products without spending hours in stores. Some people do not know
much about the different ways webpages can be designed. However, they do know
when a certain page is frustrating to use or access. lnetDzine, a Dot Com firm that
specializes in website design for the AEC (Architecture, Engineering &
Construction) industry, stresses the importance of making websites easy to
navigate ("What Makes," 2003). Users need to be able to move easily between
pages, and the homepage and featured pages should be easily accessed from any
page on the website. Therefore, when I evaluated two websites that advertised two
brands of shampoo, I looked at their user friendliness, easy access, and
information; based on these criteria, the Head & Shoulders website
(headandshoulders.com) proved superior to the Herbal Essence website
(herbalessence.com).
References
Head & Shoulders website. (2004). Retrieved October 4,2004 from
http://wwwheadandshoulders.com/usa/mai n.asp
Herbal Essence website. (2004). Retrieved October 4,2004from http://www.herba
lessences.com/home.asp
What makes a website successful. (2003). lnetDzine. Retrieved October 4, 2004 from
ANALYZING THESIS STATEMENTS
The thesis statement is important because:
 It helps the writer focus the essay ( as a camera focuses a
photograph)
 Helps to create topic sentences for the body paragraphs

 Tells the reader early in the essay the main idea of that
essay
 Gives the reader enough information to predict the main
ideas of the paragraphs by asking question the writer is
expected to answer.
THESIS STATEMENT
 The status of women in Xanadu has changed remarkably
in recent years due to increased educational
opportunities and changes in the country’s laws.
Probably number of body paragraphs
______________________________
 The status of women in Xanadu has improved
remarkably in recent years in the areas of economic
independence, political rights, educational opportunities,
and social status.
Probably number of body paragraphs
______________________________
THESIS STATEMENT
Complete the following thesis statements by adding
subtopics to them. Be sure to check your sentences for
PARALLEL FORM.
1. A computer is necessary for students for three
reasons:_____________________________________
2. Students have a difficult time taking notes in class due
to ________________________________ .
3. Successful politicians have the following qualities:
__________________________________ .
 ANALYZING THESIS STATEMENTS
The Adidas website and
the Nike website are equally
appealing visually, but the
Adidas website provides
more information and is more
user friendly.
 What makes a website visually
appealing?
 How are both websites visually
appealing?
 Why is website information
important?
 What information is given by
both websites?
 What additional information
does Website A provide?
 How is a website user friendly?
 How is Website A more user
friendly than Website B?
 ANALYZING THESIS STATEMENTS
 Although the Apple computer
website (A) is more
informative, the Dell
computer website (B) has
better graphics and more
interesting links.
 Questions the writer will
answer:
 What does Apple’s web look
like?
 Why is it more informative?
 What information is on the
web?
 What does Dell look like?
 Why are its graphics better?
 What do the graphics look
like?
 What are links?
 Why are they important?
THE BACKGROUND PARAGRAPH

 Help readers understand the essay topic and to prepare them

for the rest of the essay.
 Give you the opportunity to demonstrate your ability to
collect and organize information from outside sources.
THE BACKGROUND PARAGRAPH
1. Definitions of key terms
2. A brief description of the topic (example: When creating a
website,
designers focus on the way a website is structured, where the
images and text are placed on each webpage, what font is used,
and what links are provided.)
3. Scientific or technical information
(example: "jpeg" images are faster and easier to download than
'bmp" images because they take less computer memory.)
4. Explanations of why/how you researched the topic.
5. Evidence that a problem exists (example: In a recent study,
researches found that inexperienced website designers tend to
include more text in their webpages than experienced designers.)
6. Historical information about the topic (example: Tim Berners-Lee
invented the World Wide Web in 1991.)
 THE BEST FOUR-WHEELER

I selected three criteria to evaluate the websites for the Daimler Chrysler
Jeep Liberty (website A) and the Landrover (website B). The first criterion is
accessibility. According to Chuck Letorneau accessibility means that “anyone
using any kind of Web browsing technology must be able to visit any site and
get a full and complete understanding of the information contained there, as
well as have the full and complete ability to interact with the site"
(Letourneau,2003).The second criterion I chose is appearance. In order for a
website to be successful, it must first appeal to users on a visual level. Links is
the last criterion that I selected. A good website will connect to other webpages
or websites through hypertext (links). Links provide important information
about the product on the main website and about other company products.
References
Daimler-Chrysler website. (2004). Retrieved October 1,2004 from http://www.dai m
lerch rysler.com/dccom
Landrover website. (2004). Retrieved October 1, 2004 from http://www.land
rover.com/default.htm
Letourneau, C. (2004). AccessibleWeb design. Retrieved October 1, 2004 from
http://www.starl in gweb.com/webac.htm
CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

 Signals the end of the essay/Transition signal.

 No new ideas

 Reminds your reader of your main points, which you

can do in one of two ways: You can
• summarize your subtopics.
• paraphrase your thesis.
CONCLUDING TECHNIQUES
 Make a prediction.
We have seen how the costs of attending college have
been rising while, at the same time, sources of financial
aid for students have been disappearing. If this trend
continues, fewer and fewer families will be able to send
their children through four years of college.
CONCLUDING TECHNIQUES
Suggest a solution, make a recommendation
In conclusion, an effective website must provide
clear and accessible information, eye-catching graphics,
and "freebies." The website for L'Oreal makeup products
follows these criteria successfully. As a consequence, it
is more effective than the Maybelline site, which does
not always give clear information and does not offer any
free samples. lf the Maybelline website were to give out
some "freebies" and improve the quality and quantity of
its product information, then it would become as
effective as L'Oreal's website.
CONCLUDING TECHNIQUES

In summary, the Skiershop website is superior to Al's

Ski Equipment Barn website because of its user
friendliness and excellent links. Skiershop's attractive
layout and color choice also make this website stand out
more compared to Equipment Barn's website. I
recommend that Equipment Barn improve its website by
adding more links and updating them regularly. To
attract more users, this company should also simplify the
website's layout and change its color scheme. Purple just
does not seem to work with ski equipment! I am sure
that these changes would attract more shoppers.
QUOTATIONS
Quotations
According to William and
Tollett,
"The placement, size,
format, and
resolution of the images are
important components in
website design" (William
and Tollett, 2000).
The authors state,"A key
component when
evaluating contrast is to
determine the focal point or
main dominating feature of
the page“ (William and
Tollett, 2000).
Explanations
1. The introductory phrase
(according to) and report verb (state) are
followed by a comma.
2. The words inside the quotation
marks are exactly the same as the original
text.
3. The last quotation mark comes
after the period (.").
4. When the quotation is a complete
sentence, it begins with a capital
letter ("The ..." A ...').
5. lf available, the page number and
publication date of the cited source are put in
parentheses at the end of the quotation.
6. If the authors are not introduced
before the quotation, their last names are
included in the parentheses.
7. The period comes AFTER the closing
parenthesis.
Quotations
The authors affirm that one of the
most important elements in contrast is
"the focal point or main dominating
feature of the page" (William and
Tollett,2000).
When evaluating websites, we should
consider "the placement, size, format,
and resolution" of graphics and
images (William and Tollett,2000).
Explanations
When the quotation is a phrase,
not a complete sentence:
1. The first letter of the first word is
not capitalized (the focal
point . . .)
2. The report verb (affirm) is
generally followed by that.
When the quotation is in the
middle of a sentence, no period
is necessary before the last
quotation mark (. . . resolution").
 EXC 19
Example:
As Goff and Wheeler explain,"Tables allow Web designers to
organize and group information.”
A. According to Jeff Peach, a well-known Web design expert,
"The placement, size, format and resolution of the images are
important components in website design”.
B. As William and Tollett state, A key component when
evaluating contrast is to determine the focal point or
main dominating feature of the page."
C. The authors affirm that one of the most important
elements in contrast is "the focal point or main
dominating feature of the page.
D. When evaluating websites, we should consider the
placement, size, format, and resolution of graphics and
images.