Does your site have original graphics? If so, you'll gain points.
	When you review your site, do you see a clean design with colors that are in harmony?
	Does your site render properly and remain fairly consistent in the major browsers? We will check in IE and Firefox/Mozilla based browsers.
	Is your font size, color, and type consistent on each page and from page-to-page?
	Have you made efficient and attractive use of “white space” and is there sufficient space between the text and the page margins? We don't like to see text that is "flush" against the left or right page margins. Also, we don't want to see large gaps of white space.
	Are your graphic images optimized and are they clear & crisp. Fuzzy or pixelated graphics and poor quality images detract from the overall attractiveness of your website.

Content Attributes - 30 Points Max ( Points Added + )

	Is your written content credible and does is support your main subject manner? We like to learn something new - no matter what the subject (as long as it's family friendly...) .
	Is your text easy to read on all pages? Make sure it is not too small or against a background that does not allow the text to be seen clearly.
	Is your content well written? Does the sentence structure make sense and can the reader understand what it is you are trying to convey?
	Is your grammar correct? In addition, we don't like to see run-on sentences, sentence fragments or typographical errors.
	Is your site content of interest to the general reader? We like to learn about new subjects, as long as they are family-friendly.
	Have you taken the time to check for spelling errors? There are a number of excellent spell checkers available and little excuse not to use them. Also, asking a friend or relative to double-check for errors can be helpful! You are "close" to the content and may easily overlook a spelling or typographical error.

Navigation Attributes - 10 Points Max ( Points Added + )

	Does your site have good ,clean, and logical navigation or is the viewer going into a maze they will not be able to find their way out of? We like to see a clear way to get back to the Home page from each page on your site.
	Do your internal and external links open in the proper browser windows? External links should open in a blank browser window. Most internal links should open in "self" browser windows - with the exception of content like photos, PDF files and certain explanatory notes/comments. We don't want to find dead ends or have to use our browser's "Back" button.
	Are there long (vertical) pages on your site? If so, we'd like to see Top of Page links throughout the page - not just at the very bottom of the page. Also, consider using bookmarks within the page for easier navigation. If your pages are exceptionally long, consider breaking them up into several shorter pages.

Loading Time Attributes - 10 Points Max ( Points Added + )

	Does your website load in under 15 seconds on a broadband connection? Allowance will be made for full flash websites. We also expect your pages to load correctly - even on dial up connections. We don't want to have to use the "Refresh" button on our browser to load your images (because they aren't optimized).

Search Engine Optimization - 20 Points Max ( Points Added + )

	Have you included meaningful ALT attributes on your images?
	Did you make proper use of Title Tags, Description Tags and Keywords? Do they have relevancy to your content and the particular page that they are located? Is your title tag relevant to each individual page?
	Is your content comprised of text that is compatible with both your subject matter and your keywords? We frown on keyword "stuffing" - and so do many Search Engines these days...
	Do you have a site map on your website? A search engine has to “spider” your pages and a site map makes it easier for the search engine to index the page.

Discretionary Technical Score - 20 Points Max ( Points Added + )

	There are 10 big points for excellence in technical design and this is based on the technical merits of your website. This doesn't mean that your site has to have a lot of "cool" features such as DHTML, PHP, or even Java Scripting. BUT, if your site does include these features, we expect them to load and operate properly. Static sites with clean, compliant coding, will also receive points in this area.

Discretionary Design Aesthetics Score - 20 Points Max ( Points Added + )

These points are for aesthetic design and are gained by the sites that make us go, “WOW - this is real nice”. After all, this is a Visual Design Award, and we like to see pleasant, harmonious, and original designs.

Where You Will Lose Points