WCMS QA Checklist
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Accessibility and usability
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Expanded acronyms only on first use and on every page (e.g., Information Systems & Technology (IST)).
All images have alternative text that is descriptive, meaningful, and succinct.
Indicated file type in the link text (e.g., Intention to Graduate form (PDF)).
Links do not open in new tab or window.
Used tables only for tabular data (not for the purpose of content/page layout).
Tables have row and/or column headers.
Provided transcripts of audio and captions of videos.
Learn more about accessibility and usability.
Accessible link text
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No “click here” or “read more” link texts.
Link texts are descriptive, meaningful, and succinct.
Did not use the URL as the link text.
o Correct: Web Resources website
o Incorrect: https://uwaterloo.ca/web-resources/
Did not include spaces and punctuations in the beginning or end of the link text.
o Correct: University of Waterloo.
o Incorrect: University of Waterloo.
Link errors
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No HTTP 301 (moved permanently) error.
No HTTP 404 (page not found) error.
Learn how to find and fix broken links.
Tools
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Checked with WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Toolbar and pass on every page.
Checked with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Contrast Checker and pass on every page.
University of Waterloo Writing Style Guide
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Italicized publication titles (e.g., Hamlet).
Did not use ampersands, unless in established proper names (e.g., Mathematics & Computer Building, Cooperative Education & Career Action, Combinatorics and Optimization).
Used the Canadian spellings of words (e.g., favourite, colour, honour).
Did not add quotation marks inside block quotes.
Only used single spaces between words and after punctuation.
o Correct: There are five members of the team. They specialize in brain development.
o Incorrect: There are five members of the team. They specialize in brain development.
Last updated on 20 May 2015
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Abbreviations/acronyms
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Used periods only when the abbreviation/acronym refer to a place or person (e.g., J.K. Rowling from the U.K.).
Used abbreviations/acronyms only when it is instantly recognizable and more known than the expanded form
(e.g., DNA, DVD, IT).
Used abbreviation tags.
Capitalization
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Capitalized only the first letter of the first word (sentence case) and proper nouns for headings and paragraphs.
Capitalized colleges, departments, schools and other academic units in their full and proper forms.
 Correct: the Department of History
 Incorrect: the History department
Capitalized administrative units, service departments and governing bodies in full and proper forms.
 Correct: the University of Waterloo Library
 Incorrect: the Library
Capitalized principle words in awards, honours, funding awards, and scholarships (e.g., the Order of Canada,
Distinguished Teacher Award, Canada Research Chair).
Capitalized course names except for the articles (at, the, a, of, etc.) (e.g., Physiology of the Eye).
Capitalized degrees in their full and proper forms.
 Correct: Master of Science
 Incorrect: Master’s degree
Did not capitalize disciplines unless it is part of the name of a department or program appearing in its full and
proper form, or unless it is a proper noun.
Capitalized form titles and did not italicize (e.g., Ontario Universities' Application Centre (OUCC) 101).
Lowercased the generic part in the plural that would be capitalized in the singular (e.g., King and Weber streets,
the universities of Waterloo and Toronto, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans).
Did not capitalize occupations, professions, or job names.
Capitalized proper program names and did not capitalize program description.
Capitalized all principle words (including subtitles) for newspapers, films, books, magazines, plays, poems, works
of music, and the like (e.g., the Globe and Mail, the Canadian Oxford Dictionary, the film Two for the Road).
Did not capitalize the names of academic terms (e.g., winter term, spring term, fall term).
Ordered/unordered (numbered/bullet) list
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Used ordered list formatting only when the order is important.
Consistent with upper/lower casing the first letter of first word in each ordered/unordered point.
Consistent with adding a period at the end of the ordered/unordered points (for semi-colon or comma in
unordered list, the last unordered point should end with a period).
Titles
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Capitalized formal titles (almost an integral part of a person’s identity and could be used with the surname
alone) when they directly precede the name (e.g., President Obama).
Capitalized only current title holders (e.g., President Feridun Hamdullahpur, former president James Downey).
Avoided placing titles of more than two words before the name.
o Correct: Bill Watson, chair of the Board of Governors
o Incorrect: Chair of the Board of Governors Bill Watson
Used “Dr.” only for medical professionals.
Last updated on 20 May 2015
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University of Waterloo
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Used “University of Waterloo” on first use, then “UWaterloo” (capital “U” and “W”) on subsequent use if
“Waterloo” would be confused with the city.
Did not use “UW” unless it was a part of an official name (e.g., UW Place).
Numbers
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Phone numbers are formatted to “###-###-####, ext. #####” (e.g., 519-888-4567, ext. 22222).
Replaced 0 - 9 with alphanumerals (e.g., Five professors from the department will be going to the conference).
Common look and feel
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Footer includes the Waterloo wordmark (or the wordmark of the affiliated area) and is linked.
Home page banners have the same height.
Link contacts to people profiles (and vice versa).
Left navigation does not have more than 7 - 9 menu links.
Disclaimer: The purpose of the Waterloo Content Management System (WCMS) Quality Assurance (QA) Checklist is to
provide clients with a guide for them to conform to when creating content and/or undergoing the QA process. The
WCMS QA Checklist is based on the Waterloo Writing Style Guide, Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, and
web best practices. However, by conforming to the WCMS QA Checklist, you understand that WCMS QA Checklist is not
a replacement of the Waterloo Writing Style Guide and that you are not fully compliant with the Waterloo Writing Style
Guide and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Please refer to the Waterloo Writing Style Guide
on the Brand Guidelines website to comply with the Waterloo Writing Style Guide in its entirety. Please refer to WCAG
2.0 Level AA to comply with the AODA in its entirety.
Last updated on 20 May 2015
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