الفهرس 
الإطار المنهجييوجد فقط 14 صفحة متاحة للعرض العام
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المستخلص
Objectives
The purpose of the present study is to:
1) Analyze web portals’ interactivity, layout and design.
2) Categorize the services they provide.
3) Assess their accessibility
4) Examine and analyze users’ design and layout preferences.
Study Hypotheses:
The first hypothesis: The more a portal uses cold colors; the more
users feel comfortable.
The second hypothesis: The closer a portal’s design is to vertical
navigation; the more it is preferred by users.
The third hypothesis: The simpler (less flashier) a portal’s design is;
the more it is preferred by users.
The fourth hypothesis: The more a portal achieves a balance
between text and image elements; the more preferred it is by users.
The fifth hypothesis: Users’ preferences are affected by
demographic variables, such as age, gender or level of education.
Questions
Questions covered by the study could be divided into two main
categories:
1) Portal-related Questions:
- How the pages of the portal are planned (the layout)?
- Do portals use tools that interact with the text; i.e.
providing related topics or external links?
- Do portals provide search tools?
- What forms of interactivity (comments, polls, updates,
dynamic ads or emailing) do portals employ?
- Do portals allow the user to co-edit articles?
- To what extent do portals give users control over
language and display preferences?
- To what extent do portals use multimedia?
- Do portals cater for mobile users?
- Do portals change the color of already read topics?
2) User Preferences-related Questions:
- What are the most popular layout preferences?
- Which fonts are preferred the most?
- Are users more attracted to traditional or flamboyant
design?
- To what extent do users prefer short wavelength colors
compared to the long wavelength alternatives?
- Do users prefer vertical or horizontal navigation?
- What is the preferred length of line in the body text?
- Do users prefer colored backgrounds?
Methodology and methods
This study is a descriptive study that focuses on analyzing and
categorizing portals’ design as well as examining users’
preferences. In doing so, it employs a number of research
methods and tools detailed below:
1) The Descriptive Survey Method:
- This method was used for surveying the elements of
portal interface and their characteristics, properties and
functions. In addition, it was also employed in surveying the
design methods followed by these portals as well as their
interactivity and services.
2) The Comparative Analysis Method:
- This method was used for comparing the different
layouts of the portals covered in the study as well as the extent
to which they used design elements, techniques and styles.
Moreover, it was used to determine the extent to which
different portals integrated interactivity.
3) Layout Analysis Tool:
- A form was developed and used to analyze the layout of
portals studied, their characteristics, interactivity and services
provided.
4) Electronic questionnaire:
- The study used an electronic questionnaire to collect
data. A number of design variations for a virtual portal were
presented to respondents to assess their preferences.
Sampling
The study relied on samples of both users and portals:
1) Users’ Sampling:
- The study analyzed the responses and preferences of
517 respondents who are active users of the internet. The
sample was intended to be representative of the original
population and demographic variants were used to reflect
gender, age group and level of education differences.
2) Portals’ Sampling:
- 18 general web portals were covered in the study; 9 of
which are affiliated with traditional media organizations while
the rest are run by companies that only have web presence. The
first category includes: al-Youm al-Sabe’, al-Masry al-Youm
portal, al-Ahram portal, Akhbar Misr portal, al-Wafd portal,
Akhbar al-Youm portal, el-Watan portal, el-Fagr portal and al-
Shorouk portal. On the other hand, the second category covers:
Masrawy, Yahoo Maktoob, Moheet portal, Akhbarak dot net, Mujaz dot me, al-Mogaz, Good News for Me, el-Gornal and al-
Badil portal.
3) Period of the Study:
- The data of the analytical study were collected over a
year between October 2011 and October 2012, taking into
consideration the lifecycle of portal designs, while respondents
filled the questionnaire between August 2012 and October
2012.