Re: Best practices for hyperlinking in help?

Subject: Re: Best practices for hyperlinking in help?
From: "Jonathan West" <jwest -at- mvps -dot- org>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Tue, 13 May 2008 21:43:14 +0100

2008/5/13 Leonard C. Porrello <Leonard -dot- Porrello -at- soleratec -dot- com>:
> In my on-line help, I have been using a hyperlinking convention
> according to which I hyperlink only the first instance of a phrase. For
> example, if "metadata catalog" appears several times in a help page, I
> hyperlink (to the glossary) only the first instance of "metadata
> catalog". I've been wondering, however, if this is best. Because users
> often read help pages topically (not from top to bottom), I am concerned
> that they'll likely not notice a hyperlink to a glossary entry if there
> is only one hyperlink at the top of a page. On the other hand, if I
> hyperlink every instance of a phrase, the text often looks too cluttered
> with links. I have a solution in mind, but I'd be grateful for any ideas
> about best practices.

I'm inclined to link every instance of a defined term to its
defintion. If it has a link, it is easy for people to realise that it
*is* a defined term and that they do need to be aware of the
definition.

Regards
Jonathan West
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Best practices for hyperlinking in help?: From: Leonard C. Porrello

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