Visitor Survey Results, Part 1 > Page 1, 2, 3, 4
Getting around Our Site
I admit I was a little surprised by the results of this section. I thought that the new design might have thrown some visitors off, but apparently I've got the smartest visitors on the web.
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Very Easy |
84 |
47% |
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Easy Enough |
75 |
41% |
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Slightly Confusing |
17 |
9% |
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Very Confusing |
2 |
~1% |
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"I would describe it this way" |
2 |
~1% |
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No response |
2 |
~1% |
If you have ever had any difficulty negotiating this site, or if you made a comment regarding navigation in our survey, you'll want to read the information below. Otherwise, unless you're insatiably curious, you may prefer to skip on to the next section.
Comments Regarding Navigation
Though most of you have no trouble finding your way around the site, I did notice that those who had difficulty were usually new to the site or new to the web. One visitor who rated our navigation as "Slightly Confusing" confirmed this by commenting: "I am a novice on the internet and to computer use." Another who rated it "Easy Enough" added that it was "overwhelming." Obviously, the site takes a little getting used to, and I believe one reason is that there is such a great deal of information to cover.
For those of you who are new to this site, you may find the following pages of use:
- Site Map
- Now that pages here at this site are included in our Subject Library, this is no longer as necessary as it once was. But this graphical interface to different topics in medieval history will help you find anything at the site.
- Alphabetical Index
- A huge list of every page of links in our directory, presented in alphabetical order. Warning: the large number of links makes this page very slow to load.
- The Complete List
- An outline of every page of links in our directory, presented in subject categories. Warning: the large number of links makes this page very slow to load.
The subjects on the left-hand side of every page are merely the first level in a fairly complex multilevel directory. Though one visitor disagrees (see below), I think the topics are self-explanatory. Anything that might give you pause can be resolved by clicking on the topic and seeing what is presented there. I sincerely hope it isn't news to anyone when I say, that's how the Internet works.
Here are some of the comments I received concerning navigation:
It gets difficult to navigate in the about.com "space."Depending on my connection it's time consuming -- if I'm not running off my DSL or a T1 connection I don't bother visiting.
The information is supremely helpful when I do connect. Particularly, it provides me with jumpoff points to more and varied sources.
Rd
I envy you your fast connections, Rd! Although I have a 56K modem, my connection is limited by the rural phone lines in the isolated spot I call home. My fastest possible speed is 28.8, and it's usually never faster than 26.4.
I'm glad you find the info helpful, and sorry the service has been so slow of late.
I find the plethora of links to be a very useful adjunct to my normal methods of research - libraries, for example.Your ongoing attempts to make the links more accessible through updating the cataloguing are appreciated.
I find it easy to navigate to the sort of topics I am interested in.
I would ask for particular topics but I find there is so much I am interested in - and it changes so much with varying needs and preoccupations - that the element of mystery in just what you will come up with keeps me coming back to the Newsletter issue after issue.
Guillem.
Thanks Guillem!
I found that the layout of the main page was quite cluttered, and that if I was to look for, say, latin texts, I would not know which selection to choose. Reference tools? Arts & Lit? Europe? Where, for example would i find Gregory of Tours info? I can't poke around for 20 mins trying to find it. It *should* be obvious. Please accept this a constructive criticism.
I appreciate your honesty, Anonymous. The front page is a little overwhelming for newcomers (and no, I didn't design it). And you're right -- it shouldn't take 20 minutes to find what you're looking for. It shouldn't even take five. So I hope you'll accept this as constructive criticism.
If you see a link that might be what you're looking for, click it and find out. That's how the Internet works. And just FYI, you can find Latin texts through both Reference Tools and Arts & Literature.
Reference Tools offers sites that provide general reference, including Online Libraries and Text Collections. In two clicks and (even on my 26.4 connection at the height of prime time web traffic) less than 3 minutes, you should find the Labyrinth Library at Georgetown, the only source on the web I've found thus far that offers a directory of medieval Latin texts.
Arts & Literature will help you find a particular piece of literature according to its title or author. This might take a little more time because, due to the enormity of our directory and the need to refine the top level, the Literature links are a few levels down. But in two more clicks, you'll find Beau Hardin's directories of medieval literature by author and by title at NetSERF. You'll find the Labyrinth Library there, as well.
As for Gregory of Tours, I hope it would be obvious that Gregory was a person, and that you can therefore find him by clicking on People. On the main page, if you scroll down, you can save a click by going directly to Who's Who in Medieval History, where you shouldn't have any trouble finding Gregory in the alphabetical index.
But if anyone's in such an all-fired hurry that they can't afford to spend a few minutes getting acquainted with the site, there's a quick and simple solution: Use the search engine.
It's at the top of every page. You can use it to search this site or, if necessary, the entire About service. Go ahead: type "latin texts" or "Gregory of Tours" into the search box, click "Go," and see what happens.
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