On the site Deena provides (in her introduction to "links") a classification of different sorts of link:
This is much fuller and richer than the simple binary choice we plan to give to authors of the HBC_ volumes. We just offer the choice of "explanation" or "justification" and links to HBD_ articles or Bible references. But then our goals are much more focused... Her "descriptive" sounds like our "explanation" but I don't find in her list anything that corresponds to our "justification" yet intuitively I suspect that we are not the only ones wanting to link to material that gives in more details the reasons that justify a particular ideas expressed.
- Denotative: The link goes to a node that provides either the site or text itself (such as a link to Google) or a definition or clarification of the linked word or phrase. This is a common type of link in encyclopedias, newspapers, etc.
- Connotative: The link between the origin text and destination text implies something that is not explicitly stated--the originating node gives a new context to the destination node that can suggest some other meanings are lurking under the surface.
- Similar or repetitive: The link goes to a similar node or a continuation of the same theme as the originating text.
- Opposition or contradiction: The link goes to a node that contradicts or opposes the originating text.
- Descriptive: The link goes to a further description or explanation of the linked word or originating text.
- Advertisements: The link goes to a site that sells that particular item. While this is a common type of link in commercial websites (as many sites receive their funding from these links by counting hits and click throughs), this has been used in electronic literature. The link from Deena Larsen's Disappearing Rain: "How many credit cards are in it?" goes to a credit card site. (These outside links are thus commented on within the story and subvert these commercial endeavors into playing a role in tracking down Anna, a missing character from the novel).
- Political: The piece hopes to provoke a reaction in the reader and provides a link to follow up on that reaction. For example, Jennifer Ley's War Games shows the horrors of land mines and connects to Adopt a Minefield.
What do you think:
- Is her list complete, are there other types she does not discuss?
- Does she cover our "justification" type of link?
- Would it help our navigation of the web (and other hypertexts) if there was a more standard and understood "rhetoric" of linking?
[to Del.icio.us]
It's probably not a complete list--and I still need to post examples of the other types.
I'm not quite sure what you mean by a justification link--is this where one would put a logical proof? We could have legitimate justifications:
"Not all swans are white" link to evidence such as a picture of a black swan.
Or false justifications:
"Elephants are giraffes" link to:
If elephants are mammals
and giraffes are mammals
then elephants are giraffes...
hmmm... I'll have to do some re-reading and see if I can find some examples of this in elit.
By 
Deena Larsen, at
July 3, 2008 3:02 PM
Hi, Deena, that was quick!
Maybe the difference in approach is
(a) Because we have different genres in mind. I think your focus in fiction, while mine is narrowly on writing and presenting commentary. Where the reasons for a particular decision or approach may be of interest to some readers but not others, while different readers may need something explained. Hence my choice to distinguish these two classes of link and display then differently.
(b) Your list (I think) is intended to get people started and open up their thoughts - as it did mine. While mine is intended to produce a minimal list that will be useful in a particular project.
However, my questions at the end are more broadly focused, would it be helpful if our hypertext presentation languages distinguished some set of different "sorts" of link? Which sorts are useful to mark for users? Could we ever obtain a useful list that could become shared and conventional. As in print links of the sort "index" and "table of contents" have become conventional...
By 
Tim, at
July 3, 2008 4:21 PM
PS the "jsutification" link type much as I have envisaged it could occur in fiction, if the author wanted to do something like the "director's commentary" many DVDs provide, i.e. provide readers with comments on why they chose for a character to act in such and such a way... etc. But I admit they might be rare in hypertext fiction ;-)
By Tim, at
July 3, 2008 4:26 PM
PPS Thanks for a really interesting site, I must remember to use it if I ever again teach a course that includes theory of hypertext. Sadly the last time I was due to it was cancelled as too few students enrolled :(
By Tim, at
July 3, 2008 4:28 PM
