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Site Review: How Stuff Works
Site URL: HowStuffWorks.com
Content: Part of the Discovery family of educational media outlets, HowStuffWorks delivers exactly what is says—explanations of how things work the way they do.
Design: Confusing is the best way to explain this site’s design. There is far too much to distract users in the areas surrounding the main content. Also, the design fails to adequately convey to users exactly what they’re viewing.
Links can be equally deceptive. Clicking on a link that reads, “Why aren't the keys on my computer in alphabetical order?” directs users to a clip explaining how contact lenses came into existence.
Review: All of the design- and function-related shortcomings are more than made up for by the quantity and quality of the site’s content. HowStuffWorks operates on a very simple mantra, which it executes perfectly.
Want to know how potato chips are made? Perhaps you’d like to know how dogs regulate their body temperature? You can find reasonably detailed answers here. Some come in the form of videos and others are text-based, but all content is both entertaining and informative.
Bottom Line: As a supplement to just about any lesson on any topic, HowStuffWorks is a tremendous resource for the classroom.
Article by Jason Tomaszewski, EducationWorld Social Media Editor
Education World®
Copyright © 2012 Education World
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