Thanks goes to the following:
USA Swimming
Spokane Area Swim Team
Spokane County Library District
htmlgoodies.com
dynamicdrive.com
And my friends and family
I enjoy giving out my awards. However, I do have certain criteria that applying sites must meet. The way I decide which sites get which award is simple: the more a site's achievement matches my criteria, the higher the level of award that is received.
Don't even bother if your site contains any type of:
Pornographic or any other adult content
Racism, sexism, or other forms of hate
Illegal content or copyright infringements
*** Because of child-safety laws, you must be 13 or older to apply for my award. ***
The judging of sites will be done by me, Tamara Kelley. The way I judge sites is breaking down the site into its: content (40%), design (30%), navigation (15%), and functionality/compatibility (15%). Note that some components are weighed more heavily than others! Extra points may be given (up to 5 - see below).
Content (40%)
I consider content to be the most important aspect of a site. Even if you are a beginner at design, your content can still score you a higher award. Try to offer something unique.
Basic content criteria:
Site's main theme should be swimming. No other genres will be considered. No exceptions.
Site should have at least 5 pages of original, up to date content (link, award, autobiography, etc. pages don't count). No "Under Construction" signs!
Site should have few spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors.
Design (30%)
A site's design can make or break a site, even if the content is exceptional. Offer an eye-pleasing, intuitive design that will make people want to return.
Basic design criteria:
Fairly decent understanding of HTML.
Keep your design consistant throughout the entire site.
Font/background color should be easy to read. Font face and size is easily readable.
Sponsorship banners, irrelevant graphics should be kept to a minimum (or be excluded entirely).
I prefer that images are original, and if not, credit should be given to the creator. No broken images (exception if the image is from a server outside your control - such as free home page providers' banners).
Navigation (15%)
Although not as important as content or design, navigation plays a key role in the effectiveness of a site. Keep it simple, yet attractive to ensure your visitors can browse your site without too much hassle.
Basic navigation criteria:
Your method of navigation, whether by drop down menu, list of links, etc, should be clear.
Visitors shouldn't have to click their browser's "Back" button to get to a certain page.
Keep your navigation method consistant throughout your entire site.
Functionality and Compatability (15%)
If you incorporate javascripts, java, CGI, or other similar programs into your web site, they should function correctly and compliment your site, not take away from its meaning. Your site should look good, not matter what browser it is viewed with.
Basic functionality/compatability criteria:
Flash movies, java applets, javascripts, etc. should operate correctly.
Site should function well in both Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.
Sites which cause my computer to freeze repeatedly will be disqualified.
Extras (up to 5 points)
You can earn up to 5 extra points. Does your site contain any of the following?
Original, quality images with ALT, WIDTH, and HEIGHT tags.
Interesting little-known facts about swimming.
Good Flash sites are always worth something extra!
