Assessment for VetMed Resource by St. Clair - Module 2: Interface Navigation

Submitted by kdaigneau@stcl… on
Are user input fields accompanied by clear instructions on what the user needs to do to successfully complete the form?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: This database does not contain many forms besides the advance search, sign/register, and sign-up form for the newsletter. Each for does contain instructions on how the user should fill out the form.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: None of the forms have labels within the placeholder text. Though some input fields do have some placeholder text.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Labels for the sign in/register form are placed above the field while the advanced search is placed beside the input fields.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: There are no text cues for coloured form labels.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: The sign up for newsletter form contains the asterisk visual indicators.
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Forms are checked and reversible.
Are alert messages clearly visible to the user, either at the top of the form field, inline, or through a dialog box?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The alert messages appear above the input fields that tells the user what error has been made.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Yes. The alert message either appears below the input field that needs to be corrected or at the top of the form.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The user is able to correct the error easily.
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Users can resubmit the form for when the sign in and when they are searching. However, they cannot resubmit for the newsletter form.
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Error reports either appear above the form or below the input field.
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: The search function does not offer any spelling suggestions or synonyms for users to use. If a user spells a word wrong, they will often come back with no matches found. However, the misspelled word will have the red error line under it.
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no icons found within the database, except for Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, and email images. These appear consistently at the bottom of every page in the footer banner. However, these could fall under functional images.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes:
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”.
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no icons.
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text alone?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the eresource have a consistent layout and navigation across all pages?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The layout remains consistent on every page. The header banner with the main menu items remains the same at the top of each page as well as the foot banner.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The only page the search field changes is in the advance search field page.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Access to help page and contact information is contained in the menu options in the top banner at the top of the page.
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The logo and functional images such as Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and email all appear in the same spots on each page.
Does the electronic resource avoid the use of pop-up windows which open automatically in a new tab if a user clicks on a button?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: There are no pop-up windows that appear in this database.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: No pop-up windows launch from this database.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups?
Answer: Not Applicable
Score: -1
Notes: There are no pop-up windows launched or found within this database.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: However, the first level heading is missing.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Most drop-down menu options are limited to 10 at most. However, under the CABI sites exceeds to 10 options.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items?
Answer: Sometimes
Score: 1
Notes: Most drop-down menus contain a reasonable number of menu items of 10 or less. However, CABI sites drop down menu list does have 25, which is more than necessary.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Both menus and submenus are accessible via screen reader and keyboard navigation.
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: The results page remains in the same tab, yet when clicking on the full-text button the article opens in a new tab.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content?
Answer: Never
Score: 0
Notes: When requests or refinements are added to the search, the updates are automatically applied.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: Though automatic updates are applied, the results are not redirected.
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the database avoid launching new windows when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Does the database avoid change of focus when a component receives focus?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes:
Are you able to tab through a page using keyboard navigation without the keyboard focus moving away from the control?
Answer: Always
Score: 2
Notes: However, the keyboard indicator is not visible for most of the navigation, so it is confusing for users to determine where they are on a page.
eResource: VetMed Resource
eResource Type: Database
Vendor: CABI
Institution: St. Clair
Score: A-

Labels and Instructions for Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields accompanied by clear instructions on what the user needs to do to successfully complete the form? Always This database does not contain many forms besides the advance search, sign/register, and sign-up form for the newsletter. Each for does contain instructions on how the user should fill out the form.
Do user input fields contain labels in addition to overall instructions mentioned above? Never None of the forms have labels within the placeholder text. Though some input fields do have some placeholder text.
Are descriptions for fields and boxes easy to understand? Always
Are labels placed above the user input fields and clearly associated with each field? Sometimes Labels for the sign in/register form are placed above the field while the advanced search is placed beside the input fields.
Are text cues for coloured form control labels available? Never There are no text cues for coloured form labels.
Are other visual indicators provided consistently, such as an asterisk for required form fields? Sometimes The sign up for newsletter form contains the asterisk visual indicators.

Error Prevention

Question Answer Notes Images
Are user input fields either reversible, checked, or confirmed? One of the three is acceptable. Always Forms are checked and reversible.

Error Reports

Question Answer Notes Images
Are alert messages clearly visible to the user, either at the top of the form field, inline, or through a dialog box? Always The alert messages appear above the input fields that tells the user what error has been made.
Do alert messages clearly indicate the field in which the error has occurred and a description of the error and the fix? Always Yes. The alert message either appears below the input field that needs to be corrected or at the top of the form.
Is the user able to easily access the user input field to correct the error? Always The user is able to correct the error easily.
Is the user able to resubmit the form and re-validate their submission? Sometimes Users can resubmit the form for when the sign in and when they are searching. However, they cannot resubmit for the newsletter form.
Do error reports follow a logical reading and navigation order? Always Error reports either appear above the form or below the input field.

Search function spell-check

Question Answer Notes Images
When a user spells a word incorrectly, does the search function offer spelling suggestions or synonyms? Never The search function does not offer any spelling suggestions or synonyms for users to use. If a user spells a word wrong, they will often come back with no matches found. However, the misspelled word will have the red error line under it.

Functionality of Interactive Elements

Question Answer Notes Images
Are icons such as to save, download, or print consistent across the site? Not Applicable There are no icons found within the database, except for Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn, and email images. These appear consistently at the bottom of every page in the footer banner. However, these could fall under functional images.
Is alternative text clear and consistent for each icon type? Not Applicable
Are actions consistently labelled across the site? For example, the “search” button is always labeled “search”. Always
Are icons that have adjacent links consistent? Not Applicable There are no icons.
Can the purpose of each link be determined from the link text alone? Always

Consistent Navigation

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the eresource have a consistent layout and navigation across all pages? Always The layout remains consistent on every page. The header banner with the main menu items remains the same at the top of each page as well as the foot banner.
Are search fields located in the same places throughout the website? Always The only page the search field changes is in the advance search field page.
Do other features occur in the same place throughout the website? Always Access to help page and contact information is contained in the menu options in the top banner at the top of the page.
Are links, buttons, images, and other components that are used repeatedly throughout a website labeled consistently? Always The logo and functional images such as Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and email all appear in the same spots on each page.

Pop-up windows/Interruptions

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the electronic resource avoid the use of pop-up windows which open automatically in a new tab if a user clicks on a button? Always There are no pop-up windows that appear in this database.
Does the database avoid launching pop-up windows automatically when the database is loaded? Always No pop-up windows launch from this database.
Where pop-ups occur, are users able to postpone or suppress any pop-ups? Not Applicable There are no pop-up windows launched or found within this database.
Does the database avoid launching pages in a new browser window with the usual browser controls missing? Always

Headers

Question Answer Notes Images
Is page content subdivided hierarchically into appropriate headings and tagged appropriately? Sometimes However, the first level heading is missing.
Are headings concise and clear, and accurately reflect the content under that heading? Always

Menus

Question Answer Notes Images
Do database page menus have a reasonable number of navigation items and drop-down options? Always Most drop-down menu options are limited to 10 at most. However, under the CABI sites exceeds to 10 options.
Does the main navigation and drop-downs contain a reasonable number of menu items? Sometimes Most drop-down menus contain a reasonable number of menu items of 10 or less. However, CABI sites drop down menu list does have 25, which is more than necessary.
Can all menus and submenus be accessed with screen readers and via keyboard navigation? Always Both menus and submenus are accessible via screen reader and keyboard navigation.

Change of context

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the “results” page or item record view avoid opening in a new tab without a warning? Always The results page remains in the same tab, yet when clicking on the full-text button the article opens in a new tab.
Is there an "update now" button that requests a refresh of content rather than automatically updating the content? Never When requests or refinements are added to the search, the updates are automatically applied.
Does the database avoid automatic redirection? Always Though automatic updates are applied, the results are not redirected.

Change of Context: Focus

Question Answer Notes Images
Does the form refrain from submitting automatically when a component receives focus? Always
Does the database avoid launching new windows when a component receives focus? Always
Does the database avoid change of focus when a component receives focus? Always
Are you able to tab through a page using keyboard navigation without the keyboard focus moving away from the control? Always However, the keyboard indicator is not visible for most of the navigation, so it is confusing for users to determine where they are on a page.
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