Checklist for content creators

Web accessibility checklist

Every page has a relevant and descriptive title that reflects the topic on the page. The title of your page is the most important search engine optimisation (SEO) factor.
Page title is concise (around 70 characters).
Style follows UOW Editorial Style for titles/headings.

There is sufficient contrast of colours when placed next to, and on top of each other.

Content is written in plain language, free of jargon, figures of speech, idioms, and complicated metaphors.
Reading level is aimed at about Year 8 level - Check content reading level.
Sentences are short and concise.
There is no more than one long sentence per paragraph.
Headings are used to introduce content and provide a content outline.
- Headings provide logical structure to content.
- Headings are not used for visual design purposes (e.g. to make text big or bold).
- Headings levels are not skipped.
- No more than four levels of headings used.
- Headings are not used on their own: they are always followed by associated content.
- Headings must be styled in accordance with the editorial style guide for headlines.
- Headings are in sentence style as per UOW Editorial Style.
- There are no "faux" headings created by making normal paragraph text bold.
Sparing use of acronyms and abbreviations. Understanding Abbreviations SC 3.1.4 (WCAG)
Text is left-aligned text for left-to-right languages / Right-aligned text for right-to-left languages.
Information does not depend on colour alone (e.g. the red text)
Information does not depend on sensory characteristics (e.g. middle row)
Check spelling and grammar.

Lists are used to present groups of related items. A Bullet list is used when the sequence of items does not matter; e.g. list of ingredients for a cake.
Numbered list is used when the order of items matter; e.g. list of steps for making a cake.

Table header tags are present to help make pages navigable.
Tables are kept simple (no merging cells, no nesting of tables).
Tables are only used for tabular data and are not used to control the layout of the page.

All images have an alt attribute.
Decorative images have blank or empty alt text.
Alt text describes what the image is in this particular context.
Alt text is under 125 characters long (screen readers typically stop reading alt text at this point).
Meaningful alt text does not start with "Picture of ..." or "Image of ...".
Avoid images of text.
Avoid images containing text.
Graphs, charts, maps, diagrams (complex images) are explained through extended alt text (long description) or text around them.
Images are optimised for the Web to ensure the shortest possible download times.