How to Mark Up a Document for the World Wide Web, in Three or Four Easy Steps

Before you begin:

• Make sure you have a document that you want to put on the Web! If your purpose is clear, the entire process will be easier.
• If you don't know what HTML stands for, you may wish to review the basics before you begin.
• You'll also need a text editor of some sort if you want to follow along and do this yourself.

Step 1: Global Formatting

First establish the overall structure of your document:

• Start with a template.
• Paste your text into the body of the document.
• Title the document.

Step 2: Block-Level Formatting

Mark the general structure of the text with block-level elements such as:

• headings
• paragraphs
• lists
• tables
• block quotations
• horizontal rules
• address
• pre-formatted text

If anything is left out, consider using the generic block-level element.

Step 3: Inline Formatting

Add inline elements, such as:

• anchors (links)
• phrase elements
• font-style elements
• subscripts and superscripts
• images
• line breaks

If anything is left out, consider using the generic inline element.

Step 4: Stylistic Formatting (optional)

If desired, specify styles for the presentation of the document.

After you're done (or after Step 1 or 2):

You should validate your document.

Sources for more information:

There's a wealth of great information about Web authoring on-line. Please explore our links for more material on the subject.

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