Policy Matches in Siteimprove
Siteimprove policies help us maintain a high level of quality and consistency throughout the Fisher website. Policies can be set up to find issues in content, images, and/or documents.
Review the policies below to learn how to fix matches in your section.
Empty Paragraphs
A policy match for empty paragraphs simply means that there is a paragraph on the page that contains no text.
Fixing an Empty Paragraphs Policy Match
Why Fix This?
Empty paragraphs add unnecessary space between elements on a page and can lead to unexpected visual results.
How to Fix It
Fixing this policy simply involves deleting the empty paragraph. The video below will walk you through the process [video length: 00:02:00].
Document Title Missing
A policy match for document title missing simply means that the document in question is missing the title attribute (in Word or PDF, depending on the document type).
Fixing a Document Title Missing Policy Match
Why Fix This?
The title of a document is important for several reasons. The document title shows up in search results on our site. A good, descriptive title will help users understand the contents of the document and decide whether they have found the correct search result. The document title is also displayed in a user's browser tab, helping them navigate between a number of open tabs. In addition, the document title is the first thing a user of assistive technology will hear, making it important to properly orient them to the document's contents.
Without a proper title, several things can go wrong:
- The title ends up being the document's file name
- A title is created from some random bit of content from within the document
- Your document may already have a title without you knowing it (and it's not what you would want!)
How to Fix It
Fixing this policy involves adding a descriptive and meaningful title to the document (in Word or PDF). The video below will walk you through the process [video length: 00:02:49].
Double Breaks Instead of Paragraphs
A policy match for double breaks instead of paragraphs indicates that two "soft returns" (shift + enter) are being used instead of a "hard return."
Fixing a Double Breaks Policy Match
Why Fix This?
A paragraph is a structural element of HTML that has a specific meaning and purpose. Using two breaks instead of a paragraph will create something that looks visually like a paragraph, but lacks the structural meaning of one. It can also lead to unexpected visual results on various devices.
How to Fix It
Fixing this policy simply involves deleting the two breaks and hitting Enter to create a paragraph. The video below will walk you through the process [video length: 00:02:10].
Missing "mailto:" Attribute
A missing "mailto:" attribute policy match means that a email address is present on the page, but that it is missing the code that makes it a link.
Fixing a Missing "mailto:" Attribute Policy Match
Why Fix This?
Linking email addresses is a best practice as it allows a user to click or tap on the address and have their email client open up with the correct address pre-populated.
How to Fix It
Fixing this policy involves adding a link on the email address with a "mailto" attribute. The video below will walk you through the process [video length: 00:02:15].
<span> Styles
A <span> Styles policy match usually means that content was pasted from another source (eg. Outlook, Word, Google Docs, etc.), bringing over some unnecessary formatting in the process.
Fixing a Styles Policy Match
Why Fix This?
<span> styles are inline styles that override the CSS (cascading style sheet) for the Fisher website. Overriding our defined styles can lead to visual inconsistencies (though it is not always obvious!) and it creates messy, inefficient code on the back end.
How to Fix It
Fixing this policy involves selecting the content identified and going to Format > Clear Formatting. The video below will walk you through the process [video length: 00:01:17].