Web Style Guide
Northwestern University's web style guide exists to facilitate consistency and usability and to promote standardized University branding across web sites University-wide.
Official Version
- The online version of this document is the official web style guide for Northwestern University.
- A department, school, program, or administrative entity may allow the development of additional web standards requirements, as long as they do not conflict with University web standards.
- University standards supersede any units' internal standards.
- Sub-units that do not establish a separate format must use the format of the nearest superior entity or the University's web style guide.
Purpose
- Identity: University branding allows visitors to recognize immediately a web page's affiliation with Northwestern University.
- Usability: Sites must be made as usable (that is, quick and easy to use, navigate, and understand) as possible for the widest audience.
- Consistency: This guide promotes consistency. Consistency simplifies navigation of pages for end users of Northwestern's web pages. Northwestern is committed to maintaining a high level of consistency across web pages in different areas of the University's web site.
- Accuracy: Pages must be accurate and up-to-date.
Audience
This web style guide has been organized in sections that apply to various roles in the web site creation/management process. These roles may or may not overlap in a given individual's responsibilities.
Scope
Any web document that represents Northwestern University or its official units, programs, departments, or schools is expected to follow this web style guide.
Policy
All departmental/unit web pages must adhere to Northwestern University's web standards as outlined in this document. To explore alternatives, contact Web Communications to discuss.
Content Validity
Web publishers at Northwestern University are responsible for the content of their pages. Content must be up-to-date and follow all University policies, codes, and federal, state, and local laws.
Accessibility
Northwestern strives to adhere to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Compliance with these acts helps ensure that Northwestern web pages will be readable by users with disabilities. Northwestern also follows most of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
Canon documents
Do not repeat information maintained elsewhere by the University (another division, school, department, administrative body). Instead, link to that official information. For example, class schedules are maintained by the Registrar; job listings are maintained by Human Resources.
Commercial links and credits are prohibited.
Links to sites beyond Northwestern must adhere to the Links to Commercial Sites policy.
Copyright
Follow all applicable copyright laws. See content policy for additional information.