Assessment for Sage Premier Journals by Lambton - Module 1: Interface Appearance

Submitted by Rebecca.Pearso… on
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Almost all instances of images on the sampled pages were in logical places in relation to text. There were two concerns.
In search results, symbols are used to indicate to which formats a user has access. There was a small visual gap separating the symbols from the item they were attached to that may push them off the screen upon magnification.
In articles that full text available through html, some images are not shown until clicked on by the user. This opens a box over other text that was sometimes difficult to close.
Are there functional images embedded in the background?
Answer: Never
Score: 2
Notes: Images enlarge with text and page is reformatted based on magnification and size of browser screen.
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: All informational images in the sample had alt text but often the description was very basic, such as "table" or "figure" which was also redundant to the caption.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Buttons that were designed for the database were always well labelled with alt text. Other resource's buttons, such as Altmetrics or Lean Libraries, had no alt text at all.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Found in the headers, both database and journal logos had appropriate alt text.
Are there icons where appropriate, such as icons to indicate PDF Full Text, Download, Folder, Citation, etc?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The only exception to this is found in the Adobe pdf icon, which although fuzzy was still recognizable which is why the answer was input as always and not sometimes.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The database had no instance of horizontal scrolling on any page in the sample. At 200% the menus even reformatted to limit horizontal requirements to screen width.
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: Only graphs available were included as part of full text read-throughs. No graphs used colour to compare data even after expanding the sample.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The eResource uses a variety of visual cues to organize information such as borders, white space, and background shading. They never put two shaded areas side-by-side without white space nor use different colours in shading to separate menus. White space is enough to tell information is separate. Read order finishes one section before moving to the next even if the text is in line between the two sections.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Not many actions applicable. Where action succeeds or fails the text is usually what has colour applied to it.
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: Compatible with read-aloud software but no embedded software on eResourse.
Using your mouse, is the clickable area around links and buttons large enough for users to see and activate easily?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Pretty standard clickable area for text links. Buttons boundaries are always clearly defined and visual cue matches with clickable area.
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: With a mouse there is a good amount of space between almost all links. An exception exists around lists of text that are all links (such as a list of subject headings for an article). There is some space between links --enough for someone with average sight and motor control-- but it could be difficult to tell which link is being hovered over as spacing text looks much like this paragraph. There are a few more instances of clustered links if a touch screen is considered.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: I am sure, on occasion, a user will find a dead link but the sample used at this time hosted no dead links.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Sometimes when sections are switched between, it is difficult to tell what link is selected. This is likely unfamiliarity with keyboard navigation.
Can users pause carousel movement?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes:
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes:
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: After the cookies notification is closed, the reading experience is as expected for each screen size.
eResource: Sage Premier Journals
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: SAGE
Institution: Lambton
Score: A-

Images

Positioning of Images

Question Answer Notes Images
Are the images positioned prominently and easy to find? Sometimes Almost all instances of images on the sampled pages were in logical places in relation to text. There were two concerns. In search results, symbols are used to indicate to which formats a user has access. There was a small visual gap separating the symbols from the item they were attached to that may push them off the screen upon magnification. In articles that full text available through html, some images are not shown until clicked on by the user. This opens a box over other text that was sometimes difficult to close.

Functional images embedded in the background

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there functional images embedded in the background? Never Images enlarge with text and page is reformatted based on magnification and size of browser screen.

Presence of Icons

Question Answer Notes Images
Are there icons where appropriate, such as icons to indicate PDF Full Text, Download, Folder, Citation, etc? Always

Alt Text

Question Answer Notes Images
Do informative images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Sometimes All informational images in the sample had alt text but often the description was very basic, such as "table" or "figure" which was also redundant to the caption.
Do functional images contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Sometimes Buttons that were designed for the database were always well labelled with alt text. Other resource's buttons, such as Altmetrics or Lean Libraries, had no alt text at all.
Do images used as text contain appropriate alt text or an appropriate textual alternative? Always Found in the headers, both database and journal logos had appropriate alt text.

Content Scaling

Question Answer Notes Images
When zoomed in at 200%, is text intact, readable, and not cut off? Always
Are images clear and unpixelated at 200%? Always The only exception to this is found in the Adobe pdf icon, which although fuzzy was still recognizable which is why the answer was input as always and not sometimes.
Is horizontal scrolling minimized at 200%? Always The database had no instance of horizontal scrolling on any page in the sample. At 200% the menus even reformatted to limit horizontal requirements to screen width.

Colour and Contrast

Question Answer Notes Images
Do text and images have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1? Always

Colour

Question Answer Notes Images
Do colour coded graphs have text equivalents? Not Applicable Only graphs available were included as part of full text read-throughs. No graphs used colour to compare data even after expanding the sample.
Are blocks of content separated from one another using visual separation (such as whitespace or borders)? Always The eResource uses a variety of visual cues to organize information such as borders, white space, and background shading. They never put two shaded areas side-by-side without white space nor use different colours in shading to separate menus. White space is enough to tell information is separate. Read order finishes one section before moving to the next even if the text is in line between the two sections.
Are text alternatives provided where colour is used to indicate an action? Always Not many actions applicable. Where action succeeds or fails the text is usually what has colour applied to it.

Text to speech

Question Answer Notes Images
Is there a choice embedded within the database that offers text to speech or read aloud options? Never Compatible with read-aloud software but no embedded software on eResourse.

Clustered Links

Question Answer Notes Images
Using your mouse, is the clickable area around links and buttons large enough for users to see and activate easily? Always Pretty standard clickable area for text links. Buttons boundaries are always clearly defined and visual cue matches with clickable area.
Using your mouse to test links, are links and buttons far enough apart for users to accurately activate? Sometimes With a mouse there is a good amount of space between almost all links. An exception exists around lists of text that are all links (such as a list of subject headings for an article). There is some space between links --enough for someone with average sight and motor control-- but it could be difficult to tell which link is being hovered over as spacing text looks much like this paragraph. There are a few more instances of clustered links if a touch screen is considered.
Using any method to test links, are all links and buttons functional (i.e., not dead)? Always I am sure, on occasion, a user will find a dead link but the sample used at this time hosted no dead links.
Are links or buttons accessible via keyboard navigation? Always Sometimes when sections are switched between, it is difficult to tell what link is selected. This is likely unfamiliarity with keyboard navigation.

Dynamic content

Question Answer Notes Images
Can users pause carousel movement? Not Applicable
Is all functionality, including navigating between carousel items, operable by keyboard? Not Applicable

Liquid layout

Question Answer Notes Images
Is the order of the text preserved at all screen resolutions, without overlap? Always
Do images avoid overlapping at all screen resolutions? Always
Is the overall reading experience preserved at all screen resolutions? Always After the cookies notification is closed, the reading experience is as expected for each screen size.
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