Reading
Reading hypertexts

This activity aims to raise students’ awareness of the effects of hyperlinks in an online text: how do they affect the credibility and readability of an online text? (see Hypertext literacy, what is it?).

This activity is an adaptation of Activity 7: Sports linking in Dudeney, Hockly & Pegrum (2013: 96-101).

Learning outcomes

On completion of this activity, students will be able to

  1. Consider whether or not to follow links included in an online text
  2. Reflect on their own online reading practice
  3. Assess the readability and credibility of an online text
  4. Derive some guidelines for good practice when writing online texts

Technology required

Although this activity can be completed within a low-tech environment (i.e. one internet-enabled computer and a data projector), each student should have access to an internet-enabled computer or smartphone (or any internet-enabled device with a screen large enough to read comfortably).

Procedure

Before class

  1. Select an appropriate topic for discussion in class, (e.g. a topic that relates to a language web-based project that your students are working on).
  2. Find one online text in the target language on your chosen topic. For example, a story from local or regional news sites, the biography of a national celebrity, an article on a specialised topic from an online encyclopedia, etc. Try to pick a topic that students are unlikely to know much about, but ensure that the text is suitable for your students’ level of proficiency.
  3. Select key elements in the story that may require prior knowledge to be fully understood (e.g. cultural references, specialist knowledge, etc.). Decide on two categories that could be used to introduce students to the concept of linking information. For example, sporting personalities and their nationality and sport, national celebrities, and their area of fame (actor, musician, politician, TV personality, etc.), concepts, and definitions (in the case of an explanatory text).
  4. Prepare a short quiz (online or print) asking students to match the elements of the two categories (or columns if the quiz is presented in a table format).
  5. If the activity is to be carried out in a low-tech environment, print a copy of the text and quiz for each student.

In class

  1. Introduce the chosen topic. Ask questions to elicit students’ knowledge, experience, feelings, etc. If the topic is part of a macro task or the focus of some language work elsewhere in your language course, ensure that students get the opportunity to re-use the vocabulary and structures that they have been practicing. (Duration: appr. 5 minutes)
  2. Ask students to take the quiz that you have prepared, preferably in pairs. (Duration: appr. 5 minutes)
  3. Provide feedback to the whole class by checking that they correctly matched the elements of the two columns. Ask students what else they know about the elements in the first category (e.g. sporting personalities, celebrities, politicians, concepts from another discipline, etc.). Focus on the main topic of the text you have chosen (e.g. a specific personality, a specific concept, etc.). (Duration: appr. 10 minutes)
  4. Tell students that they have 2 minutes to read the text and ask them to follow as many hyperlinks as possible. Stop them when the 2 minutes are over (you can use your phone timer/stopwatch, or an online one). (Duration: 5 minutes including instructions, etc)
  5. Ask students to discuss the following questions in small groups (questions adapted from Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum, 2013: 100-101) (Duration: appr. 15 minutes):
    • While you were reading the text, did you click on any of the links? Why/why not?
    • Do you find it easy to read an online text with many hyperlinks? Why/why not?
    • Do you think that there were too many/not enough hyperlinks in the text?
    • Exactly what information in the text was hyperlinked? Are these hyperlinks a good choice? If this was your online text, what hyperlinks would you include or leave out? Why?
    • What are the effects of including hyperlinks in an online text?

Whole class discussion and feedback (Duration: appr. 10 minutes). You may want to draw students’ attention on the following points:

    • Factual online texts with no hyperlinks can give the impression that they have not been sufficiently researched (see for example warning on some Wikipedia articles).
    • Some hyperlinks may not be particularly helpful or useful, even if they can make the text appear more credible (e.g. the text can look as if it is based on actual facts). Also, the source of the links must be considered: too many links to similar sites may reinforce a particular point of view, contribute to the spreading of erroneous factual information or questionable arguments.
    • Too many hyperlinks in a text can make it difficult to read. Deciding on whether to follow a link or not can slow down our reading and restrict our understanding and remembering. Following too many hyperlinks can also make us lose the storyline or the thread of the argument.

Extensions

Wikipedia is an invaluable resource to find hypertexts in your target language. Check in particular its associated sites: Wikiversity, Wikinews, and Wikivoyage. Some articles are fully developed, others are in progress and in need of additional content and sources.

As an extension of this activity, you may want to ask students to plan and prepare content for an existing wikipedia article


Show Additional Content

Additional Content

This activity aims to raise students’ awareness of the effects of hyperlinks in an online text: how do they affect the credibility and readability of an online text? (see <a href=”/hypertext-literacy-what-is-it/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/hypertext-literacy-what-is-it/”>Hypertext literacy, what is it?</a>).This activity is an adaptation of <em>Activity 7: Sports linking</em> in <a href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy”>Dudeney, Hockly & Pegrum (2013: 96-101)</a>.<br />Learning outcomesOn completion of this activity, students will be able to<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Consider whether or not to follow links included in an online text</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Reflect on their own online reading practice</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Assess the readability and credibility of an online text</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Derive some guidelines for good practice when writing online texts</li>
<br />Technology requiredAlthough this activity can be completed within a low-tech environment (i.e. one internet-enabled computer and a data projector), each student should have access to an internet-enabled computer or smartphone (or any internet-enabled device with a screen large enough to read comfortably).<br />Procedure<span style=”text-decoration: underline;” data-mce-style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Before class</span><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Select an appropriate topic for discussion in class, (e.g. a topic that relates to a language web-based project that your students are working on).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Find one online text in the target language on your chosen topic. For example, a story from local or regional news sites, the biography of a national celebrity, an article on a specialised topic from an online encyclopedia, etc. Try to pick a topic that students are unlikely to know much about, but ensure that the text is suitable for your students’ level of proficiency.</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Select key elements in the story that may require prior knowledge to be fully understood (e.g. cultural references, specialist knowledge, etc.). Decide on two categories that could be used to introduce students to the concept of linking information. For example, sporting personalities and their nationality and sport, national celebrities, and their area of fame (actor, musician, politician, TV personality, etc.), concepts, and definitions (in the case of an explanatory text).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Prepare a short quiz (online or print) asking students to match the elements of the two categories (or columns if the quiz is presented in a table format).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>If the activity is to be carried out in a low-tech environment, print a copy of the text and quiz for each student.</li>
<span style=”text-decoration: underline;” data-mce-style=”text-decoration: underline;”>In class</span><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Introduce the chosen topic. Ask questions to elicit students’ knowledge, experience, feelings, etc. If the topic is part of a macro task or the focus of some language work elsewhere in your language course, ensure that students get the opportunity to re-use the vocabulary and structures that they have been practicing. (<em>Duration: appr. 5 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Ask students to take the quiz that you have prepared, preferably in pairs. (<em>Duration: appr. 5 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Provide feedback to the whole class by checking that they correctly matched the elements of the two columns. Ask students what else they know about the elements in the first category (e.g. sporting personalities, celebrities, politicians, concepts from another discipline, etc.). Focus on the main topic of the text you have chosen (e.g. a specific personality, a specific concept, etc.). (<em>Duration: appr. 10 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Tell students that they have 2 minutes to read the text and ask them to follow as many hyperlinks as possible. Stop them when the 2 minutes are over (you can use your phone timer/stopwatch, or an online one). (<em>Duration: 5 minutes including instructions, etc</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Ask students to discuss the following questions in small groups (questions adapted from <a href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy”>Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum, 2013: 100-101</a>) (<em>Duration: appr. 15 minutes</em>):<p><br /></p><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>While you were reading the text, did you click on any of the links? Why/why not?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Do you find it easy to read an online text with many hyperlinks? Why/why not?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Do you think that there were too many/not enough hyperlinks in the text?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Exactly what information in the text was hyperlinked? Are these hyperlinks a good choice? If this was your online text, what hyperlinks would you include or leave out? Why?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>What are the effects of including hyperlinks in an online text?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”><strong>Whole class discussion and feedback</strong> (<em>Duration: appr. 10 minutes</em>). You may want to draw students’ attention on the following points:<p><br /></p><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Factual online texts with no hyperlinks can give the impression that they have not been sufficiently researched (see for example warning on some Wikipedia articles).</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Some hyperlinks may not be particularly helpful or useful, even if they can make the text appear more credible (e.g. the text can look as if it is based on actual facts). Also, the source of the links must be considered: too many links to similar sites may reinforce a particular point of view, contribute to the spreading of erroneous factual information or questionable arguments.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Too many hyperlinks in a text can make it difficult to read. Deciding on whether to follow a link or not can slow down our reading and restrict our understanding and remembering. Following too many hyperlinks can also make us lose the storyline or the thread of the argument.</li>
</ol>
</li>
Extensions<a href=”https://www.wikipedia.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikipedia.org/”>Wikipedia</a> is an invaluable resource to find hypertexts in your target language. Check in particular its associated sites: <a href=”https://www.wikiversity.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikiversity.org/”>Wikiversity</a>, <a href=”https://www.wikinews.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikinews.org/”>Wikinews</a>, and <a href=”https://www.wikivoyage.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikivoyage.org/”>Wikivoyage</a>. Some articles are fully developed, others are in progress and in need of additional content and sources.As an extension of this activity, you may want to ask students to plan and prepare content for an existing wikipedia article

This activity aims to raise students’ awareness of the effects of hyperlinks in an online text: how do they affect the credibility and readability of an online text? (see <a href=”/hypertext-literacy-what-is-it/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/hypertext-literacy-what-is-it/”>Hypertext literacy, what is it?</a>).This activity is an adaptation of <em>Activity 7: Sports linking</em> in <a href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy”>Dudeney, Hockly & Pegrum (2013: 96-101)</a>.<br />Learning outcomesOn completion of this activity, students will be able to<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Consider whether or not to follow links included in an online text</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Reflect on their own online reading practice</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Assess the readability and credibility of an online text</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Derive some guidelines for good practice when writing online texts</li>
<br />Technology requiredAlthough this activity can be completed within a low-tech environment (i.e. one internet-enabled computer and a data projector), each student should have access to an internet-enabled computer or smartphone (or any internet-enabled device with a screen large enough to read comfortably).<br />Procedure<span style=”text-decoration: underline;” data-mce-style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Before class</span><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Select an appropriate topic for discussion in class, (e.g. a topic that relates to a language web-based project that your students are working on).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Find one online text in the target language on your chosen topic. For example, a story from local or regional news sites, the biography of a national celebrity, an article on a specialised topic from an online encyclopedia, etc. Try to pick a topic that students are unlikely to know much about, but ensure that the text is suitable for your students’ level of proficiency.</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Select key elements in the story that may require prior knowledge to be fully understood (e.g. cultural references, specialist knowledge, etc.). Decide on two categories that could be used to introduce students to the concept of linking information. For example, sporting personalities and their nationality and sport, national celebrities, and their area of fame (actor, musician, politician, TV personality, etc.), concepts, and definitions (in the case of an explanatory text).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Prepare a short quiz (online or print) asking students to match the elements of the two categories (or columns if the quiz is presented in a table format).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>If the activity is to be carried out in a low-tech environment, print a copy of the text and quiz for each student.</li>
<span style=”text-decoration: underline;” data-mce-style=”text-decoration: underline;”>In class</span><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Introduce the chosen topic. Ask questions to elicit students’ knowledge, experience, feelings, etc. If the topic is part of a macro task or the focus of some language work elsewhere in your language course, ensure that students get the opportunity to re-use the vocabulary and structures that they have been practicing. (<em>Duration: appr. 5 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Ask students to take the quiz that you have prepared, preferably in pairs. (<em>Duration: appr. 5 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Provide feedback to the whole class by checking that they correctly matched the elements of the two columns. Ask students what else they know about the elements in the first category (e.g. sporting personalities, celebrities, politicians, concepts from another discipline, etc.). Focus on the main topic of the text you have chosen (e.g. a specific personality, a specific concept, etc.). (<em>Duration: appr. 10 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Tell students that they have 2 minutes to read the text and ask them to follow as many hyperlinks as possible. Stop them when the 2 minutes are over (you can use your phone timer/stopwatch, or an online one). (<em>Duration: 5 minutes including instructions, etc</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Ask students to discuss the following questions in small groups (questions adapted from <a href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy”>Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum, 2013: 100-101</a>) (<em>Duration: appr. 15 minutes</em>):<p><br /></p><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>While you were reading the text, did you click on any of the links? Why/why not?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Do you find it easy to read an online text with many hyperlinks? Why/why not?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Do you think that there were too many/not enough hyperlinks in the text?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Exactly what information in the text was hyperlinked? Are these hyperlinks a good choice? If this was your online text, what hyperlinks would you include or leave out? Why?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>What are the effects of including hyperlinks in an online text?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”><strong>Whole class discussion and feedback</strong> (<em>Duration: appr. 10 minutes</em>). You may want to draw students’ attention on the following points:<p><br /></p><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Factual online texts with no hyperlinks can give the impression that they have not been sufficiently researched (see for example warning on some Wikipedia articles).</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Some hyperlinks may not be particularly helpful or useful, even if they can make the text appear more credible (e.g. the text can look as if it is based on actual facts). Also, the source of the links must be considered: too many links to similar sites may reinforce a particular point of view, contribute to the spreading of erroneous factual information or questionable arguments.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Too many hyperlinks in a text can make it difficult to read. Deciding on whether to follow a link or not can slow down our reading and restrict our understanding and remembering. Following too many hyperlinks can also make us lose the storyline or the thread of the argument.</li>
</ol>
</li>
Extensions<a href=”https://www.wikipedia.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikipedia.org/”>Wikipedia</a> is an invaluable resource to find hypertexts in your target language. Check in particular its associated sites: <a href=”https://www.wikiversity.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikiversity.org/”>Wikiversity</a>, <a href=”https://www.wikinews.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikinews.org/”>Wikinews</a>, and <a href=”https://www.wikivoyage.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikivoyage.org/”>Wikivoyage</a>. Some articles are fully developed, others are in progress and in need of additional content and sources.As an extension of this activity, you may want to ask students to plan and prepare content for an existing wikipedia article

This activity aims to raise students’ awareness of the effects of hyperlinks in an online text: how do they affect the credibility and readability of an online text? (see <a href=”/hypertext-literacy-what-is-it/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/hypertext-literacy-what-is-it/”>Hypertext literacy, what is it?</a>).This activity is an adaptation of <em>Activity 7: Sports linking</em> in <a href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy”>Dudeney, Hockly & Pegrum (2013: 96-101)</a>.<br />Learning outcomesOn completion of this activity, students will be able to<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Consider whether or not to follow links included in an online text</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Reflect on their own online reading practice</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Assess the readability and credibility of an online text</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Derive some guidelines for good practice when writing online texts</li>
<br />Technology requiredAlthough this activity can be completed within a low-tech environment (i.e. one internet-enabled computer and a data projector), each student should have access to an internet-enabled computer or smartphone (or any internet-enabled device with a screen large enough to read comfortably).<br />Procedure<span style=”text-decoration: underline;” data-mce-style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Before class</span><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Select an appropriate topic for discussion in class, (e.g. a topic that relates to a language web-based project that your students are working on).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Find one online text in the target language on your chosen topic. For example, a story from local or regional news sites, the biography of a national celebrity, an article on a specialised topic from an online encyclopedia, etc. Try to pick a topic that students are unlikely to know much about, but ensure that the text is suitable for your students’ level of proficiency.</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Select key elements in the story that may require prior knowledge to be fully understood (e.g. cultural references, specialist knowledge, etc.). Decide on two categories that could be used to introduce students to the concept of linking information. For example, sporting personalities and their nationality and sport, national celebrities, and their area of fame (actor, musician, politician, TV personality, etc.), concepts, and definitions (in the case of an explanatory text).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Prepare a short quiz (online or print) asking students to match the elements of the two categories (or columns if the quiz is presented in a table format).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>If the activity is to be carried out in a low-tech environment, print a copy of the text and quiz for each student.</li>
<span style=”text-decoration: underline;” data-mce-style=”text-decoration: underline;”>In class</span><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Introduce the chosen topic. Ask questions to elicit students’ knowledge, experience, feelings, etc. If the topic is part of a macro task or the focus of some language work elsewhere in your language course, ensure that students get the opportunity to re-use the vocabulary and structures that they have been practicing. (<em>Duration: appr. 5 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Ask students to take the quiz that you have prepared, preferably in pairs. (<em>Duration: appr. 5 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Provide feedback to the whole class by checking that they correctly matched the elements of the two columns. Ask students what else they know about the elements in the first category (e.g. sporting personalities, celebrities, politicians, concepts from another discipline, etc.). Focus on the main topic of the text you have chosen (e.g. a specific personality, a specific concept, etc.). (<em>Duration: appr. 10 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Tell students that they have 2 minutes to read the text and ask them to follow as many hyperlinks as possible. Stop them when the 2 minutes are over (you can use your phone timer/stopwatch, or an online one). (<em>Duration: 5 minutes including instructions, etc</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Ask students to discuss the following questions in small groups (questions adapted from <a href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy”>Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum, 2013: 100-101</a>) (<em>Duration: appr. 15 minutes</em>):<p><br /></p><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>While you were reading the text, did you click on any of the links? Why/why not?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Do you find it easy to read an online text with many hyperlinks? Why/why not?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Do you think that there were too many/not enough hyperlinks in the text?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Exactly what information in the text was hyperlinked? Are these hyperlinks a good choice? If this was your online text, what hyperlinks would you include or leave out? Why?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>What are the effects of including hyperlinks in an online text?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”><strong>Whole class discussion and feedback</strong> (<em>Duration: appr. 10 minutes</em>). You may want to draw students’ attention on the following points:<p><br /></p><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Factual online texts with no hyperlinks can give the impression that they have not been sufficiently researched (see for example warning on some Wikipedia articles).</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Some hyperlinks may not be particularly helpful or useful, even if they can make the text appear more credible (e.g. the text can look as if it is based on actual facts). Also, the source of the links must be considered: too many links to similar sites may reinforce a particular point of view, contribute to the spreading of erroneous factual information or questionable arguments.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Too many hyperlinks in a text can make it difficult to read. Deciding on whether to follow a link or not can slow down our reading and restrict our understanding and remembering. Following too many hyperlinks can also make us lose the storyline or the thread of the argument.</li>
</ol>
</li>
Extensions<a href=”https://www.wikipedia.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikipedia.org/”>Wikipedia</a> is an invaluable resource to find hypertexts in your target language. Check in particular its associated sites: <a href=”https://www.wikiversity.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikiversity.org/”>Wikiversity</a>, <a href=”https://www.wikinews.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikinews.org/”>Wikinews</a>, and <a href=”https://www.wikivoyage.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikivoyage.org/”>Wikivoyage</a>. Some articles are fully developed, others are in progress and in need of additional content and sources.As an extension of this activity, you may want to ask students to plan and prepare content for an existing wikipedia article

This activity aims to raise students’ awareness of the effects of hyperlinks in an online text: how do they affect the credibility and readability of an online text? (see <a href=”/hypertext-literacy-what-is-it/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/hypertext-literacy-what-is-it/”>Hypertext literacy, what is it?</a>).This activity is an adaptation of <em>Activity 7: Sports linking</em> in <a href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy”>Dudeney, Hockly & Pegrum (2013: 96-101)</a>.<br />Learning outcomesOn completion of this activity, students will be able to<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Consider whether or not to follow links included in an online text</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Reflect on their own online reading practice</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Assess the readability and credibility of an online text</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Derive some guidelines for good practice when writing online texts</li>
<br />Technology requiredAlthough this activity can be completed within a low-tech environment (i.e. one internet-enabled computer and a data projector), each student should have access to an internet-enabled computer or smartphone (or any internet-enabled device with a screen large enough to read comfortably).<br />Procedure<span style=”text-decoration: underline;” data-mce-style=”text-decoration: underline;”>Before class</span><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Select an appropriate topic for discussion in class, (e.g. a topic that relates to a language web-based project that your students are working on).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Find one online text in the target language on your chosen topic. For example, a story from local or regional news sites, the biography of a national celebrity, an article on a specialised topic from an online encyclopedia, etc. Try to pick a topic that students are unlikely to know much about, but ensure that the text is suitable for your students’ level of proficiency.</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Select key elements in the story that may require prior knowledge to be fully understood (e.g. cultural references, specialist knowledge, etc.). Decide on two categories that could be used to introduce students to the concept of linking information. For example, sporting personalities and their nationality and sport, national celebrities, and their area of fame (actor, musician, politician, TV personality, etc.), concepts, and definitions (in the case of an explanatory text).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Prepare a short quiz (online or print) asking students to match the elements of the two categories (or columns if the quiz is presented in a table format).</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>If the activity is to be carried out in a low-tech environment, print a copy of the text and quiz for each student.</li>
<span style=”text-decoration: underline;” data-mce-style=”text-decoration: underline;”>In class</span><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Introduce the chosen topic. Ask questions to elicit students’ knowledge, experience, feelings, etc. If the topic is part of a macro task or the focus of some language work elsewhere in your language course, ensure that students get the opportunity to re-use the vocabulary and structures that they have been practicing. (<em>Duration: appr. 5 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Ask students to take the quiz that you have prepared, preferably in pairs. (<em>Duration: appr. 5 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Provide feedback to the whole class by checking that they correctly matched the elements of the two columns. Ask students what else they know about the elements in the first category (e.g. sporting personalities, celebrities, politicians, concepts from another discipline, etc.). Focus on the main topic of the text you have chosen (e.g. a specific personality, a specific concept, etc.). (<em>Duration: appr. 10 minutes</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Tell students that they have 2 minutes to read the text and ask them to follow as many hyperlinks as possible. Stop them when the 2 minutes are over (you can use your phone timer/stopwatch, or an online one). (<em>Duration: 5 minutes including instructions, etc</em>)</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Ask students to discuss the following questions in small groups (questions adapted from <a href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”/bibliography/#/?_k=2xzfdy”>Dudeney, Hockly and Pegrum, 2013: 100-101</a>) (<em>Duration: appr. 15 minutes</em>):<p><br /></p><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>While you were reading the text, did you click on any of the links? Why/why not?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Do you find it easy to read an online text with many hyperlinks? Why/why not?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Do you think that there were too many/not enough hyperlinks in the text?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Exactly what information in the text was hyperlinked? Are these hyperlinks a good choice? If this was your online text, what hyperlinks would you include or leave out? Why?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>What are the effects of including hyperlinks in an online text?</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol>
</li>
<li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”><strong>Whole class discussion and feedback</strong> (<em>Duration: appr. 10 minutes</em>). You may want to draw students’ attention on the following points:<p><br /></p><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Factual online texts with no hyperlinks can give the impression that they have not been sufficiently researched (see for example warning on some Wikipedia articles).</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”list-style-type: none;” data-mce-style=”list-style-type: none;”><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Some hyperlinks may not be particularly helpful or useful, even if they can make the text appear more credible (e.g. the text can look as if it is based on actual facts). Also, the source of the links must be considered: too many links to similar sites may reinforce a particular point of view, contribute to the spreading of erroneous factual information or questionable arguments.</li>
</ol>
</li>
</ol><ol><li style=”text-align: justify;” data-mce-style=”text-align: justify;”>Too many hyperlinks in a text can make it difficult to read. Deciding on whether to follow a link or not can slow down our reading and restrict our understanding and remembering. Following too many hyperlinks can also make us lose the storyline or the thread of the argument.</li>
</ol>
</li>
Extensions<a href=”https://www.wikipedia.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikipedia.org/”>Wikipedia</a> is an invaluable resource to find hypertexts in your target language. Check in particular its associated sites: <a href=”https://www.wikiversity.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikiversity.org/”>Wikiversity</a>, <a href=”https://www.wikinews.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikinews.org/”>Wikinews</a>, and <a href=”https://www.wikivoyage.org/” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer” data-mce-href=”https://www.wikivoyage.org/”>Wikivoyage</a>. Some articles are fully developed, others are in progress and in need of additional content and sources.As an extension of this activity, you may want to ask students to plan and prepare content for an existing wikipedia article