Hyperlink Behavior & Guidelines

Purpose: To establish a consistent, accessible, and user-friendly standard for how links behave across apsu.edu. These guidelines prioritize user control, clarity, and predictability.

Should links open in a New Window or the Current Window?

By default, all links should open in the current browser window.

This allows the user to use their browser's "Back" button naturally. If a user wants to open a link in a new tab, they can choose to do so (via right-click or Ctrl/Cmd-click).

When to use "Open in New Window"

As a content editor, you must only select the "New Window" option for two specific reasons. Use this decision tree:

1. Is the link a file or a document?

   • (e.g., PDF, Word Doc, PowerPoint, Excel Sheet)

   • YES - Use "New Window."

   • Why? This prevents users from losing their place on the website. They can close the document, and our site is still open in the original tab.

   • NO - Use “Current Window”

2. Will navigating away cause the user to lose their work?

   • (e.g., a link in the middle of a form or application)

   • YES - Use "New Window."

   • NO - Use “Current Window”

3. Is it any other type of link?

   • (e.g., another APSU page, an external university, a news article, Facebook)

   • YES - Use "Current Window." (This is the correct choice 99% of the time).

How Our System Helps

When you correctly select "Open in New Window" for a document or form, the website automatically adds accessibility features:

• A visual icon (box with arrow) warns sighted users.

• A hidden audio announcement ("opens in new tab") is added for screen readers.

• You do not need to add this text manually.

Writing Good Link Text

Links must be descriptive. A user should know exactly where they are going just by reading the red text.

• Avoid: "Click Here," "Read More," "Learn More."

  • Why? Screen reader users often listen to a list of links. Hearing "Click Here" ten times in a row provides no context.

• Use: Descriptive phrases.

  • View Financial Aid Forms

  • Read the Full News Story

  • Learn More About Our Programs

For Documents:

How Our System Helps

When you link to a document that has been uploaded to the APSU website, the CMS will automatically put the file type in parentheses after the link text.

Example: View the Student Handbook (PDF)

Internal Linking (The "Dependency Tag" Rule)

When linking to another page on apsu.edu, never copy and paste the URL from the live browser bar.

Why?

If you paste a "hard" URL (e.g., apsu.edu/about), and that page is later moved or renamed, your link will break.

The Correct Method:

1. In the Insert/Edit Link tool, click the Browse Icon (file folder or arrow).

2. Navigate the CMS file folders to find the page you want to link to.

3. Select the file (usually index.pcf for a main page).

4. The Result: The CMS creates a "Dependency Tag" (a code link). If that page is ever moved or renamed, the CMS will automatically update your link to match the new location.

Visual Style: Buttons vs. Text

You can change the style of a link to look like a Button using the "Class" dropdown in the link tool.

• Use a Button for: The primary action on the page (e.g., "Apply Now," "Register for Classes," "Contact Us").

• Use a Text Link for: Secondary information or links within a paragraph.

• Tip: Do not overuse buttons. If everything is a button, nothing stands out.

Quality & Compliance

The web team performs routine audits to ensure these guidelines are followed. We use manual reviews and automated accessibility tools to identify and correct non-compliant links.