Editing Pages

Finding the Page to Edit

If you are on the page:

If logged in, you should see an Edit tab above the title of the page.

If you need to find the page:

On the black bar atop the page, go to Content Management -- Content -- List. This is the Manage Content page. To find a page, filter the content using the following settings:

Clicking Filter will display a list of links to pages. Click the edit link in the row of the page title you want to be taken to the editor.

Editing with the WYSIWIG Editor

Beneath the title field is a box called the WYSIWIG Editor. This stands for What You See Is What You Get. WYSIWIG is simple to use and functions much like Microsoft Word.

However, an important note: formatting content for the web is slightly different than formatting it in Microsoft Word. Copying and pasting directly from Word into the WYSIWIG editor can sometimes result in formatting that makes the page more difficult to read and process. Instead, strip text to plain formatting (no color, special headings, etc.) and re-format it using the editor.

Also note that text in the WYSIWIG editor is given style and color automatically once it is published. Therefore, there is no need to use color or special fonts in the editor.

Proper Page Structure

In order for pages to display properly for all users (including those with visual disabilities, screen reading and other software, etc.) it is recommended that pages be structured a certain way. Most pages follow a hierarchy of headings, much like a textbook.

The text typed in the title field (above the WYSIWIG Editor) is the largest heading at the top of the page, as we have seen. This can be referred to as the Heading 1. In the example to the left, the Heading 1 is not pictured. It would be the title of the page, Scholarships.

Departmental Scholarships and Collegewide Scholarships are Heading 2s. These are more specific subsections of the page. To designate text as a Heading 2, highlight it with the cursor and select Heading 2 from the dropdown labeled Format.

Particular Scholarships are Heading 3s. These are even more specific categories that should always be beneath Heading 2s.

Paragraphs should follow Heading 3s, as shown to the left. Any images or extra items should be included in these paragraphs.

Inserting a Link

To create a link in the WYSIWIG Editor, highlight the text you would like to link and click this icon:

E-mail Links

Select Email on the first dropdown for Link Type. Fill in the address. You can also add a subject and placeholder text for the body, if desired.

Web Links

Select URL (the default) on the first dropdown for Link Type. Paste or type in the URL of the site you’d like to link to (for example, www.illinois.edu) and click OK.

Proper Link Formatting

When writing text for links, there are few dos and don’ts. Following these tips will ensure users find what they are looking for. They will also help search engines in ranking and understanding your website’s content.

• DO be specific. Your link should explain exactly where it’s going. (scholarship information, e-mail Dr. Smith, more about our research)
• DON'T make the user guess where you are trying to take them. (click here, illinois.edu/108234/long-title/form6295.asp)
• DO let users know if a link opens a PDF file or Word Document. (Scholarship Information (pdf), Study Abroad Statistics (doc))
• DON'T let multiple links interrupt content. In general, collections of links belong in labeled lists at the page’s bottom.

Linking to a PDF or Word Document

Highlight the text you would like to link and click the link icon:

Click on the Browse Server button. You will have to upload the file to your website. Click Upload, and then Browse to find the file on your computer. Finally, click the Upload button below the file browser. Your file should now show up in the list to the right. Click on it, and then click Insert File in the top bar. Back in the link window over the WYSIWIG Editor, click OK to insert your link.