About This
Site
The Harriman Expedition Retraced Web site
is designed to provide a rich array of information on the Harriman Retraced
expedition that took place in the summer of 2001. Contributors to the
site include professional writers, scholars, and expedition participants.
This page provides information about the overall purposes of this Web
site, its organization and layout, and technical information helpful in
using the site.
Purpose
and Content
Technical
Information
Further
Information
Purpose and Content
The Harriman Retraced World Wide
Web site is designed to provide students, scholars and
general public with a broad array of information about the
original 1899 expedition and the thoughts, observations and
reflections of the 2001 expedition team. This effort is
guided by two teams: a group at Smith College under the
direction of Dr. Thomas Litwin and a group in the National
Ocean Service (NOS, NOAA) under the direction of Dr. Thomas
La Pointe.
Audience and Purpose. The
principle audiences for the Harriman Expedition Retraced Web
site are students and the general public, with a special
emphasis on high school students. The theme of the site
echoes the theme of the expedition: A Century of Change. The
site is designed to be the premier vehicle for public
communication and serves as the public's window into the
expedition.
Development Phases. The
Web site will have three distinct phases. The first will be
the period before the expedition. In this period the Web
site will feature background information on the original
expedition and previews of offerings that will appear during
the expedition. The second phase is the expedition itself.
During this period the site will provide a sequenced flow of
essays, feature articles, and personal reflections of those
on the expedition. This flow will continue for some weeks
after the expedition is completed. The final phase is the
period after the expedition until the release of the
expedition book and PBS documentary. The site will feature
several new offerings that will compliment the material in
these other media.
Content. The central
section of the site is the Expedition Log. This section will
chronicle the adventures, thoughts, and observations of the
expedition participants throughout the expedition in the
summer of 2001. Short essays on both the original 1899
expedition and information on the 2001 retracing provide
background information in the sections 1899 Expedition and
2001 Expedition. Expedition Maps presents a series of
historic and current maps of Alaska and the expedition
routes. These maps will be supplemented by a series of
three-dimensional flythroughs supplemented with historic and
contemporary images and narration. A Century of Change
presents a series of topical essays on changes in various
aspects of Alaskan life and culture in the past 100 years.
The Documentary Film charts the development of the film from
its inception through its airing in 2002. Finally, For
Educators and Students will provide a series of educational
offerings for classrooms and the observations of the
expedition's teachers and students.
Page Layout. The original 1899 expedition
provided a wealth of writing, photographs, and art. We have tried to include
a rich sampling of this information. Additionally, margin notes on many
of the pages provide quotes from the original participants and imagery.
These have been specifically selected and positioned to enhance the content
of the written material.
Technical
Information
Browsers. This site is
designed to be completely compatible with Netscape Navigator
(v4.0 and above, recommended) or Microsoft Internet Explorer
(v4.0 and above, recommended); however, other browsers can
also be used.
Access Time. The visual
record of the original Harriman Expedition is vast and one
of its long-lasting contributions. We have included a cross
section of this visual legacy throughout the site. These
images occur on many of the pages. Images on these pages are
small with larger versions accessed with a simple click.
Each image has a caption to allow those readers who do not
load images immediately to select specific images for
viewing. Pages have been developed to load the text
first.
Organization of Pages.
Pages are organized in a simple linear manner for easy
reading and printing.
Links. The Harriman
Expedition Retraced Web site in comprised almost entirely of
original content. Links to related sites are provided only
in the Harriman Links section.
Fonts and Type Sizes.
Times is the default font for this site; 12 point is the
default size. All browsers allow users to select specific
fonts and type sizes for display. Some users select large
type sizes for ease of reading, or specific fonts for
personal tastes. The text and layout should not be adversely
affected by a user's selection of alternative fonts and type
sizes.
Printing Pages. This site
has been designed to ensure simple printing. We recommend
printing in portrait format at a scale of 85 to 100%.
Navigation. Navigation
through the site is straightforward. There are three levels
of hierarchy. The first level is on the Home page. The
second level is on the left sidebar of each page. The third
level is within the page for page markers or branching
pages. The Home Page is accessible from all pages. The Table
of Contents includes all first and second level pages. Each
page also includes a pulldown menu with first and second
level pages.
Video. Two advanced
features are used in this site. Video is provided in two
formats. The principle format is Realmedia for viewing on
RealNetworks Realplayer. Realplayer can be downloaded at
www.real.com.
The second format is QuickTime from Apple, Inc. which can be
viewed with QuickTime player, available at www.apple.com.
Javascript. Most browsers
support JavaScript. JavaScript is used to provide a few
enhanced features in this site, such as the pulldown
navigational menu (see Navigation above) and the pop-up
informational boxes on the perspective maps.
For Further
Information
For general information about
the Harriman Retraced Expedition, email:
harriman2001@science.smith.edu
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