Text Menu

Where the USA TODAY [65] integrates its anchors with its colored subject heading scheme, the BBC's anchors are more subdued and integrated with the nonanchoral text. Sections are delineated with graphics and white lines between shades of blue.

However, the BBC uses multiple anchor schemas, from small banners to pictures, from bold text to non-distinguished text anchors. These schemas rely on anchor clustering in menus (mostly text lists) and preclude the possibility of distinct and isolated embedded text links.

On the front node, almost every content item (text, graphics) is an anchor. However, the few nonanchoral texts are non-distinguished --they look the same as the anchors.

Screenshot used by permission--red is modified commentary.

In the news section, nonanchoral text is more distinct as it is a size larger and black, and we can see several anchor schemas:

• Graphic anchors that accompany the stories (anchors to the George W. Bush story are in both the picture and the headline). While these anchors are not announced (e.g., "click on the picture to access the story") they are consistent.
  
• Selectively animated anchors (text anchors are underlined once a reader mouses over them)
  
• Text menus with modest indications of previously visited links.

Note too, the multiple anchors that point to the same link: anchors to other sections are seen both in a subsection menu and a typographically different anchor signifying subject. This is a crude taxonomic scheme, but as it appears only in one place and only to designate other sections, it is not a true taxonomy as envisioned by the Nanards [98], Trigg [118], Bernstein [69], and others.

Screenshot used by permission--red is modified commentary.

Screenshot used by permission.

Like FirstGov for kids [71] and Questacon [55], the children's section uses bright colors and flashy icons to attract attention to the anchors. Like FirstGov, BBC uses pictures as well as words for the children's site. Unlike the non-child focused sections of the BBC, the pictures here are iconic to emphasize or repeat the meaning for poor readers, rather than additional information to entice readers. The BBC also has a unique scrolling anchor like a layered drop down menu.

Screenshot used by permission.