1. The very existence of links in hypermedia/multimedia conditions the reader 
or learner to expect purposeful, important relationships between linked materials.

2. The emphasis upon linking materials in hypermedia/multimedia stimulates and 
encourages habits of relational thinking in the reader.

3. Since Hypermedia/Multimedia systems predispose users to expect such significant 
relationships among documents, those documents that disappoint these expectations 
appear particularly incoherent and nonsignificant.

4. The author of hypermedia/multimedia materials must provide devices that stimulate 
the reader to think and explore.

5. The author of hypermedia/multimedia must employ stylistic devices that permit 
readers to navigate materials easily and enjoyably.

6. Devices of orientation permit readers (a) to determine their present location, 
(b) to have some idea of that location's relation to other materials, (c) to return 
to their starting point, and (d) to explore materials not directly linked to those 
in which they presently find themselves.

 Six ways of presenting secondary overviews:
(i) Graphic concept map.
(ii) Flow chart suggesting vector forces.
(iii) Timeline.
(iv) Natural object.
(v) Outline.
(vi) Text as its own overview

7. Authors should consider employing several overviews to organize the same body of 
material and to assist readers to gain easy access to it.

8. Never place link markers independent of accompanying text or image.

9. When creating a link or positioning a link marker that indicates the presence of 
a link, remember that all links are bi-directional.

10. Avoid linking to words or phrases that only provide appropriate points of arrival 
but give the reader no suggestion of where the link might lead on departure.

11. Place the link marker in close proximity to a text that indicates the probable 
nature of the link destination.

12. When creating documents, assist readers by phrasing statements or posing questions 
that provide obvious occasions for following links.

13. When  possible provide specific information about a link destination by directly 
drawing attention to it.

14. Linked graphic materials must appear with appended texts that enable the user to 
establish a relation between a point of departure and that of arrival.

15. The entire text accompanying visual material and not just the opening sentence or 
two serves as an introduction.

16. The text accompanying an image does not have to specify all relevant information 
the author wishes the reader to have; rather, emphasizing that a relationship exists 
at all may be enough. From which follows:

17. Texts serve not only to provide information but also to reassure the reader that 
the link embodies a significant relationship and to provide some hint, however, 
incomplete, of how that relationship can be formulated by the reader.

18. When creating documents for hypermedia/multimedia, conceive the text units as 
brief passage in order to take maximum advantage of the linking capacities of hypermedia/
multimedia.

19. When adapting for hypermedia/multimedia presentation documents created according 
to book technology, do not violate the original organization. However, when the text 
naturally divides into sections, these provide the basis of text blocks. The hypermedia/
multimedia version must contain linkages between previous and following sections to 
retain a sense of the original organization.

(Refer to:) Landow, George P. (1990) The Rhetoric of Hypermedia: Some Rules for Authors, 
                                     The MIT Press.

Renewal/Updated: Mon, 12 May 1997 22:02:50