Linking to External Sites in a Syllabus

Linking to External Sites in a Syllabus

Info
This article will be most useful for course developers, syllabus editors, and/or instructors who are able to edit syllabi.

Overview

It may be necessary to link to external sources when editing a syllabus. For example, you might want to include links to institutional resources like Interlibrary Loan or to OER textbooks students should download. Read on to learn how to add hyperlinks to a Concourse syllabus.

Before You Begin

In order to ensure that your links are accessible to users with disabilities, you should follow these guidelines:
  1. Do not insert the entire URL into the text of the syllabus.
  2. Instead, hyperlink text that describes where the link leads.
  3. Do not hyperlink words or phrases like “click here” because it can be confusing to readers who use screen readers.

Linking to External Sites

To begin, open the Concourse syllabus where you would like to add a link to an external site. To add a link, follow the steps below.
  1. Select Syllabus. In the drop down that appears, choose Edit.
  2. Locate and select the edit icon next to the syllabus item where you would like to add a link to an external site.
  3. Type or paste relevant text into the text editor.
  4. Select the descriptive text that identifies where the link leads. In the example below, we have selected the name of the course syllabus that will be displayed when students select the link.
  5. With the appropriate text highlighted, select the hyperlink icon.

    The Concourse text editor. A bulleted list appears, with the text ACH101 Syllabus highlighted. The link icon (fourth from right on toolbar) is surrounded by a yellow square.

  6. In the Insert link window, paste the URL of the external site in the first field (labeled Url) and select Insert when done.

    The hyperlink icon creates a drop down where users can enter the URL (first field) and Text (second field). The URL field and Insert option are highlighted in yellow squares.

  7. Save when you have finished editing the item.

Best Practices and Recommendations

Hyperlinks should be used to direct students to additional resources or information that is useful but not absolutely necessary to the syllabus itself. Adding links is a way to incorporate additional resources while keeping a syllabus to a readable and engaging length. At the same time, keep in mind that if you link too many resources, readers may become fatigued with the number of extra sources and not use them as you intend. As a result, try to find a balance that allows you to link some external resources without overwhelming the end user.

For more information about adding external content to a Concourse syllabus, see also Pasting Text from Word, Adding Tables to a Syllabus, and Building a Schedule.

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