Creating Simple Web Pages

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• HTML Basics
• Software for Creating Web Pages
• Ideas for Utilization of Web Pages
• Getting Help on Campus

Introduction

Definitions

CGI

Common Gateway Interface. A protocol that allows communication between Web servers and HTML pages. Used primarily for counters and forms processing.

Forms

Forms allow users to interactively input information that can either be processed immediately or sent to a remote host. (See sample form).

Frames

A frame is a section of the screen that reads HTML code from a file. Typically, only a single frame is used in a Browser window. However, multiple frames are becoming more common, and are used most frequently to allow a table of contents to always be visible. For an example, see my Introduction to Powerpoint Web page.

Horizontal Rule

Horizontal lines placed on a page. Useful for breaking up sections to increase legibility. The HTML tag is <HR>.

HTML

Web pages are written in HyperText Markup Language (HTML).

JAVA, JavaScript, ActiveX, ...

These are various programming languages that can be interfaced with HTML code.

Tables

Tables are a relatively new feature of HTML. Tables allow relatively precise control over how certain features are displayed on a page. (See my CHEM 20284 course syllabus for an example of using Tables.

Web Browser

A program used to display Web pages. At Kent Stark, Netscape is used most commonly, although Microsoft Internet Explorer is on the desktop of Windows '95 computers. While Web browsers are used primarily for looking at files scattered throughout the Internet, they also can be used to look at HTML files created locally.

HTML Basics

HyperText Markup Language (HTML) is a relatively simple set of instructions (tags) and text used to describe how text, graphics, etc. are to be displayed. Tags describe such things as text formatting (bold, italic, ...), background colors, locations of pictures, etc. HTML files can be created using anything from a simple word processor (Windows Notepad, etc.) to a full-fledged Web Page Authoring program. The basic format of an HTML document is not complicated, and fully functional Web pages can be created quite quickly using only the simplest of tools. The links at the bottom of this section provide more information on HTML.

The simplicity of the HTML language is both a strength and a limitation. Documents that conform to the current HTML specification can be viewed on a wide variety of platforms (Microsoft Windows, IBM OS/2, Apple Macintosh, Unix, etc.) by a variety of Web Browsers (Netscape Navigator, Microsoft Internet Explorer, NCSA Mosaic, Lynx, etc.). Screen resolution is not a significant issue since margins are controlled by the browser, not the HTML code. (To verify this, try changing the width of an open Browser Window. The code should wrap in different positions). Unfortunately, this lack of control means that it is difficult to specify a desired spacing.

One particularly troublesome feature is that HTML code IGNORES tabs, multiple spaces, and even paragraph marks (unless specifically entered). Since "White Space" is often used to increase readability of documents, this forces Web page authors to adopt a somewhat different way of looking at creating pages. For an example of this problem and a means of overcoming it, see the section below on Microsoft Word.

While it is not necessary to know HTML code to create Web pages, a basic knowlege is important for Web authors since this allows one to have a better understanding of the capabilities, stengths, and weaknesses of Web page designs.

Links to additional Information on HTML

• A Beginner's Guide to HTML: A relatively thorough and well organized introduction to producing HTML documents.
• D.J. Quad's Ultimate HTML Site: A site containing a large amount of information and links on Web page creation.
• HTML Quick Reference: A short listing of some of the most commonly used HTML commands.
• WebCrawler: A search engine site containing links to a number of reviewed Web sites.

Software for Creating Web Pages

Two convenient options currently exist on this campus for creating Web pages. The first uses an add-on to Microsoft Word, while the second uses Netscape Navigator Gold. In addition, I believe that we still have access to the "Web-in-a-Box" program, which was demonstrated on this campus last Fall.

Microsoft Word Add-on

If the information that you wish to place on a Web page is already in a common word processing format (Microsoft Word, WordPerfect, etc.), and you don't want to learn how to use a new program, the Internet Assistant add-on for Microsoft Word is perhaps the easiest way to create Web pages. This is a freely available program available from the Microsoft Word Web page on Microsoft's Web site.

To use this program, simple install the add-on and run Microsoft Word as you normally would. After the file you wish to put on the Web is loaded, use the Save As command to save the document in HTML format. If the file is converted correctly, the toolbar will change and you have the option of editting the HTML-formatted file to adjust the look of the document.

One of the most difficult features to get used to is the fact that pages formatted in Microsoft Word do NOT look the same once they are converted into HTML. The most important limitation that I have found is the fact that TABS and "multiple spaces" are not supported by HTML. They are simply converted into a single space. This can have dramatic (and often unpleasant) effects on the appearance of the final document. One of the best features of the Microsoft Add-on is the support for Tables. If you have a section of a document where the layout is important, use the tools in Microsoft Word to convert this section into a Table and adjust the layout. If this is done BEFORE conversion to HTML, the final result is usually much closer to the desired effect. As one would expect, many of the more advanced features of Word are also not supported (formulas, fields, headers & footers, etc.).

Netscape Navigator Gold

If you are starting the design of a Web page "from scratch", Netscape Navigator Gold provides all of the tools necessary to create fairly elaborate Web pages. This program also has the advantage of being installed on most machines on campus, which allows the possibility of creating Web pages written by the students in a class.

This is a relatively straightforward program to use. The advantage of a program such as this is the fact that you are able to see the effect of various changes immediately on screen. While you do not have the ability to edit the HTML code directly, this can always be done with the saved file.

Ideas for Utilization of Web Pages

The Spring 1997 semester was when I first began to experiment with using Web pages for my classes. While I am still struggling with what does and doesn't work, some of the ideas I have begun to implement (and some I am just now starting to think about) include the following.

Schedule

On my home page are links to several different types of information. The link titled "Spring 1997" provides links to the courses I am teaching, and also a copy of my office hours and times that I am in class. This page also includes a link to my CHEM 20284 course syllabus, which contains the typical information, including a tentative schedule.

Review Sheets

This is perhaps the area that I have felt that I have had the most success to date. While I have always been in the practice of handing out review sheets before examinations, placing these on the Web allows some additional possibilities. For example, if questions are asked on the sheet, links can be provided which show the answers. For a simple example, see the Review Sheet I prepared for the first CHEM 20284 examination.

Presentations

While I have not yet used the computer in the classroom, the page that is currently being viewed illustrates some of the possibilities for instruction utilizing Web pages.

Getting Help on Campus

Since creation of Web Pages is still a new area for this campus, it is not clear exactly who is responsible for each aspect of Web pages at Stark. Below is my completely unofficial view of how I think responsibilities should be assigned and the direction I think the University is heading in this area. In addition, I am providing (with his permission) a copy of an e-mail message sent by Rob Kairis regarding the role of the Library Staff in creation of Web Pages.

The library staff currently has some software tools that are not generally available to faculty that facilitate creation of Web pages. It seems appropriate to utilize these resources to help in the final stages of Web page creation, and the Library Staff has indicated a willingness to do this. Note however that the content of these pages (i.e. - the rough draft) will be the responsibility of the individual faculty members.

Stark Campus Home Page

This page is maintained by the Library staff and contains links to both Library-related and additional information of general interest related to our campus. This page currently does NOT contain links to any individual faculty home pages. It appears that the next step will be to add home pages for departments (as is currently done for the Art Department).
<Opinion> I do not believe that individual faculty home pages should currently be linked directly to the Campus home page (although linking through departmental pages probably is appropriate). The reasons for this are:

• Our campus Home page is an advertisement to the world, and the quality of material on this site is a reflection of our quality. I personally do not feel that the pages I have created are of sufficient quality to be placed on this site. While this will not be true of all faculty pages, I feel we are still too new at this to rush links to faculty home pages on our Main page.
• If too many links are placed on top-level pages of our home page, navigation will become difficult.

Faculty Home Pages

The computer science staff currently has the ability to create disk space on the network in a manner that conveniently provides space for faculty members' home pages. The address for these pages will be:
http://www.stark.kent.edu/~username/
These pages will be accessible to anyone with access to the World-Wide Web, which means that will be able to view these pages from any campus computer system, or even from home (if they have the appropriate computer systems).

Last modified February 27, 1997
Kent State University - Stark Campus
Department of Chemistry
This Page Written and Maintained by Dr. Clarke Earley