Knowledge Base Article Requirements Rubric

• The article's title is a phrase or brief sentence describing the article's contents.
  • Examples:
    • Getting Started with Microsoft Teams
    • Printing from Your Own Devices in Computer Labs
    • Signing into Adobe Creative Cloud in a Classroom or Computer Lab
    • Duo Mobile registration guide for iOS

• Proper web headings are used to separate sections
  • Purpose or Overview (Heading 2)
  • Main content headings (Heading 2)
  • Content sub-headings (Heading 3-7)
• Headings are used in sequence:
  • Heading 2 leads to Heading 3 leads to Heading 4
  • Not: Heading 2 to Heading 4

• Clear article summary
  • Brief description of the article's contents
• Its intended audience
• Any access prerequisites including:
  • Software installation
  • Account access
  • Knowledge requirements

• Ensure there is a tag for the specific audience of the article (i.e., students, faculty, staff, retired, courtesy, etc.)
  1. Go to the article's Settings tab,
  2. Enter the appropriate tag(s)
  3. Then Save.

• Aim for complete thoughts, not complete sentences.
• Refer to the Knowledge Base Style Guide and UO Editorial Style Guide for further reference on any specifics
  • Helpful link: Knowledge Base Glossary of Terms

• Internal and external links need to be descriptive using the article's title (do not copy-paste the URL)
• Links may be within either a separate section or in-line with the content

To add an related article or service:

1. Go to the article's Related Articles (or Related Services) tab,
2. Enter the name of the article (or service)
3. Select Save to finish the relation. 

• FAQ
• Getting Started
• Issue/Cause/Resolution
• Process/Procedure
• Question/Solution

1. Bold for words in a link or button or for emphasizing key words (with exact text referenced; no quotation marks).
2. Italics for emphasizing words (no quotation marks; use sparingly).
3. Do not use underlined text as it is easily confused with hyperlinked text.
4. Hyperlinked text is descriptive (e.g., not click here or a URL, but the university's homepage)
   1. External links should be formatted as: descriptive link text (source name)
      1. Example: Registration (UO Online)
5. Anchors and tags need to use tag notation (e.g., lowercase, multiple-words-need-hyphens-not-spaces).
6. Use Formatted text or computer code font for any code references
7. Use bulleted lists for unordered lists (e.g., listing related features, concepts).
8. Use numbered lists for specifically ordered lists (e.g., for step-by-step guidance).
9. Images are within the list formatting (Shift+Enter to create space to add the image).
   1. Images should be placed below the text describing it unless it is explaining an annotated image with multiple labels.
10. File extensions properly referenced (e.g., PDF file, DOCX file).
11. One space after all punctuation, zero spaces for list items, hyphens, and ends of paragraphs.
12. Date - Month Day, Year
13. Time - (H)H:MM (a.m./p.m.)
14. Limited use of directional text (i.e., above, below, left, right, etc.) unless it is incorporated within the name of the reference or annotation.

• Do I?
• Note
• Please Note
• Success
• Warning

If you make a note within a list, see the following example:

• Note: This will be more readable than an alert box within a list.

• High quality images without needing to interact with them.
  • 700 pixels width is the maximum
  • Width percentages are allowed.
• Ensure that alt text is being used to describe the image or its conveyed meaning for web accessibility compliance
  • Keep alt text at 125 characters or fewer
• Ensure that all semantic icons have their aria-label changed from "icon" to "your desired meaning" (Can only be done in the Source view of the article editor.)
  • For example: For a check mark icon indicating yes, change the aria-label from "icon" to "yes"
• Annotate images if you're pointing to a specific location (e.g., when describing a process using screenshots)

• High audio fidelity and quality
• Included with a transcript

• High video resolution and quality
• Subtitles or captioning is used to describe speech, audio/music, or instructions