http://elsci.lansingschools.net/rtsmith/wind/explorat.htm First Created:   November 1997   by RTSmith Last Modified:   20020817.22:15   by RTSmith

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An Exploration

This web page, and those that follow from it, were begun in late 1997 as a personal "exploration" into the use of web-based technology to deliver (or supplement) text-based material for a reader in useful (and perhaps alternative) manners.

The "primary" text deals with the topic of "wind" and is taken from a portion of Chapter 3 of my dissertation (pp. 340-372).   It represents an expository text that makes its argument in a traditional, linear manner.   Each sub-section is given its own web page, and the 23 web pages are linked linearly.   It was chosen for this "exploration" simply:   (a) because it was already available and (b) because it represents a topic that, despite its linear presentation, involves a network of related concepts.   A question of how one might represent and navigate such a network using hypertext prompted the initiation of this "exploration."

What, for lack at present of a better name, is referred to as the "secondary" text represents an attempt to provide additional relevant information to a reader (beyond what can appear easily within the linear flow of the primary text) via hypertext links from the primary text.   Among other purposes, it is possible that the secondary text may make the primary text material accessible to a reader who might not otherwise be able to read the primary text alone.

The secondary text also includes links among its own contents (i.e., web pages of secondary text contain links to other web pages of secondary text).   In this way, a reader can explore personally interesting links in any order.   Thus, by design, the secondary text is not limited to being simply short terminal subsidiary pieces that only support the primary text.   As the secondary text is developed, it is imagined that a reader could find the network of secondary text pages to be a useful resource in and of itself.   Part of the motivation for this "exploration" is to examine ways of constructing independently useful and interesting non-linear secondary texts.

As it is developed, I expect that the secondary text will also eventually contain links back into the primary text.   Exactly how these will be organized remains open for consideration.   Ideally, I would like to be able to indicate where a link will take the reader (e.g., into a portion of the primary text versus to another page of secondary text) by the color of the link (or perhaps in some other manner).   Unfortunately, I have yet to discover how to accomplish this with my limited HTML coding skills.   For the moment, when a link from a page of secondary text takes the reader back into the primary text, the first sentence of primary text to which the link is directed is colored green.

For the present -- and probably continuing at least for the early stages of development of this "exploration" in hypertext -- one route into the secondary text (separate from the primary text) is via an alphabetized list of created or potential web pages (i.e., nodes within the secondary network).   This list is currently called the "Index of Terms."   It includes all of the terms in the concept map originally included with this portion of my dissertation (i.e., Figure 3.1), plus some others that I have added as I have found them to be useful in the development the secondary text.

Finally, another part of this "exploration" is to consider how a visual "map" might be developed (by the writer) and used (by the reader) to help orient oneself within the total body of text available and to make explicit the relationships among the various pages.   An open question related to this is how might the reader establish useful relationships (or patterns) among portions of the text that were not created (as links) by the writer or suggested by the map.   Might the map (and/or the links among portions of the text) be created dynamically by the user?

Mid-1999 Addendum:   Without any action on my part, portions of this exploratory network of web pages have found their way into several World Wide Web (WWW) search engine databases.   As a result, they are occasionally "hit" by people looking for wind, weather, or other science information -- most typically by students doing research for school papers and projects.   This, in turn, has led to my receipt of numerous e-mail queries for additional help or information, which has prompted me (as time permits) to add additional content and links (that I think such users may find of interest) to some of my web pages.   Some of these links lead to new web pages that I have created.   However, many lead to other web sites created and made available by other people and organizations.   Given the ever-evolving and sometimes volatile nature of the WWW, I cannot guarantee that these links will always remain appropriate, or even available.   Nonetheless, I thank all those who have made their web pages publicly accessible so that we all may share in, learn from, and contribute to this vast information resource.   Happy, informative, interesting, and successful surfing to each of you!