Hypertext/Hypermedia

This item is not the definitive copy. Please use the following citation when referencing this material: McKnight, C., Dillon, A. and Richardson, J. (1992) Hypermedia. In A. Kent (Ed.) Encyclopedia of Library and Information Science, Vol. 50, New York: Marcel Dekker, 226-255. Overview: The field of hypertext/hypermedia has mushroomed so much in the last five years that an article such as this cannot hope to be all-embracing. Rather, what we will do is provide a perspective on hypertext/hypermedia while offering guidance to the published literature. The perspective we give is essentially user-centred since we believe that ultimately it is user issues which will determine the success or failure of any technology. We begin with a brief introduction and history then draw together some of the relevant research which has a bearing on hypertext/hypermedia usability. Some of this research has been conducted specifically in the field of hypertext but some general human-computer interaction research also needs to be considered. We look briefly at some of the issues involved in creating hypertexts and also at some of the claims made for hypertext. Finally, we attempt to see what the future holds for hypertext and offer a list of further reading