Get Started - Finding your way around
FreshwaterLife
FreshwaterLife is collaborative
website that collates information on freshwaters, freshwater
animals and plants, and freshwater science.
For more information
on the aims and objectives of FrehwaterLife click
here.
This website allows you to browse different topics arranged
under four main entry points (or worldviews): Natural
History and Education, Policy and Regulation, Research
and Methods, and a Region/Country orientated approach.
Running your mouse over the circular pictures on the homepage
gives you more information on what each of these worldviews
contains. To start browsing FreshwaterLife, click
on the worldview that best matches your interest. This
will take you into the main FreshwaterLife interface.
| What the
different sections of the FreshwaterLife interface/screen
are for: |
Top
function bar
|
This
bar gives access to the main site functions of FreshwaterLife.
Here you will find links that take you to a registration
page for joining, or to login if you are already a
member. Also, use this bar to access advanced search
options and membership functions. [diagram] |
| Search |
Enter
simple searches directly here. You have a choice of
searching the whole of FreshwaterLife or
just your current subject area. [diagram] |
| Language
buttons |
These
switch between the different language versions of
FreshwaterLife. [diagram] |
| Worldviews |
These
buttons give you direct access to the principle page
of any of the 4 main entry points or worldviews of
FreshwaterLife. The other 2 buttons give
access to special sections of the site. [diagram] |
| Current
topic |
This
is the title of the current topic (subject) that you
are viewing information on. [diagram] |
| Navigation
bar |
The
navigation bar gives information on your current
position within FreshwaterLife. FreshwaterLife
is organised in a tree structure – for more, see
below.
Topic level – shows
the subjects above your current topic. In the example
shown, Mammals is a topic within Vertebrates. Vertebrates
is in turn a topic within Animals, and so on to
the highest level topic which is the Natural History
and Education worldview.
This topic – reminds
you which topic/subject you are currently viewing
information about.
Sub-topics – lists
those topics/subjects contained within the current
topic.
The navigation bar also
gives additional information about the current main
display area, such as the name of the editor responsible
for the topic, the person who added the information,
when information was last updated and the short
web address to access the same page again.
[diagram] |
| Information
tabs |
FreshwaterLife
provides access to many different kinds of information.
These tabs allow you to choose which kind of information
you would like to see for the current topic/subject.
These include an introduction to the topic, documents,
websites and multimedia. [diagram] |
| Main
display area |
The
main area is where the information is displayed. This
may be: either some text and pictures describing the
current topic (topic intro); a list of information
sources for the topic; detailed information about
a source to allow you to decide if it is relevant;
or the information itself. What is displayed depends
on the options you have chosen in other areas of the
screen. [diagram] |
| Bottom
function bar |
This
bar provides access to other sections of FreshwaterLife,
such as the help pages or the section that tells you
more about the FreshwaterLife project.This
bar provides access to other sections of FreshwaterLife,
such as the help pages or the section that tells you
more about the FreshwaterLife project. [diagram] |
After choosing one of the 4 worldviews from the homepage,
you will be directed to a page giving more information
about that worldview – the Topic Introduction.
Each topic has 2 modes of display: the Topic Introduction,
which describes the subject matter covered and gives some
background on the topic, and the Knowledge Item listing.
The second view lists the information sources (knowledge
items) available for the topic. Depending on the tab selected,
this will be a list of documents, websites, data sources,
news items, or other information types.
Use the green Information Tabs to swap between Topic
Introduction and different types of information source.
The number in brackets on the tabs indicates the number
of knowledge items in that topic.
Not all topics have a Topic Introduction, in which case
the Main Display Area will be blank when this option is
chosen.
On the left hand side of the screen you will find the
navigation bar that helps you to move around FreshwaterLife.
The ‘Topic Level’ section shows the path from the Worldview
to your current topic. The topic you are visiting at the
moment is indicated by an orange background. Any topic
may contain Subtopics, these are listed below the current
topic. You can change to any Topic listed in the navigation
bar by clicking on its title.
Some rules of thumb!
• Use the interactive site map for topic overviews (accessible
from the home page and all topic views).
• Search from topics using "This topic and below"
to keep returns fewer and more relevant.
• Keep things simple to start with - FreshwaterLife
is a complex system - you can always come back later and
edit your entries and links.
• Linked topics (TopicName@) allow you to "jump"
across topic trees.
Contribute to FreshwaterLife
In order to use the interactive features of FreshwaterLife
you must be a registered member. You can register
here or by clicking on the Join Now button found in
the top function bar of each FreshwaterLife page.
Once you have your password, you can take part in discussions,
suggest knowledge items and topics, receive email updates
on your favourite topics by subscribing to them, or add
comments on existing knowledge items.
You can access, and update, your contact information through
your Explorer (found in the top function bar when logged
in). You may ask to be removed from FreshwaterLife
at any time by emailing the Chief Editor (chiefeditor@freshwaterlife.org).
Become a Topic Editor
If you would like to have a greater role in shaping
FreshwaterLife, you can become a Topic Editor. You may
also submit a new topic and request to become the editor.
For more information on how to become a Topic Editor,
click here.
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