All NHD websites must be built using NHDWebCentral. NHDWebCentral is both free and secure for students to safely use. Here are some important documents to consult to help you build your website and prepare for the contest:
This is the Website section of the full NHD Rule Book.
2021-2022 NHDWebCentral Revised Instructions FINAL.pdfKeep the Design Simple - Especially in the Beginning: don’t waste too much time on bells and whistles. Tell your story and tell it straight. Remember that presenting your research, making your argument, and showing your analysis are the most important parts of the project and where you should spend your time. If you do have extra time after making your website's content strong, you can work on adding the extra bells and whistles to the site.
Focus on Organization and Navigation: Remember that you can have great content, but if it is not organize and hard to find, it will not be effective. Use the navigation menu bar and buttons to help the reader move through your website how you want them to encounter the information. Also organize your content by dividing it across the pages in clear sections. Some sample pages to use are:
Home Page - Include all your information as outlined in the Rule Book (Student Names, Word Counts, etc.) This is also a great page to have your thesis statement on so that it is upfront and clear to the reader from the start.
Background or Historical Context Page
Main Pages that Breakdown Your Argument and Make Theme Connections - how many pages and their names will vary by topic but should be the "heart" of your story and argument.
Short Term Impacts Page
Long Term Impact Page - Sometimes the "Impact Pages" can be on one page and divided into different sections instead.
Research Page - Contains Your Process Paper and Annotated Bibliography. These can also be divided into two different pages.
Explore and Borrow Ideas from Other Websites: find design elements that work and imitate them on your website. Just remember to give credit when credit is due.
Use Strong Images: Make sure you find high quality images that support your project. You want to avoid using low quality/resolution images that can appear blurry or pixelated. Need help finding images on your topic? Check out the Finding Visuals page.
Make sure every element of your design points back to your topic, thesis, and/or time period. There should be a conscious reason for every choice you make about color, typeface, or graphics.
Make sure fonts sizes, colors, and backgrounds are easy to read. Have different people of different ages look at your site as you build and get feedback to make sure it is accessible to all readers.
Don't Forget to Credit All Visuals! - NHD rules outline that all images and visuals and multimedia must be credited. You may also wish to add captions to help the reader understand the item. Learn more about Credits, Captions, and Citations in this helpful guide from National History Day in Minnesota.
Using a Preset Theme Design
Adding a Title
Adding an Auto Navigation
Adding a Background
Adding Text
Adding a Photo
Adding a Link Block
Adding Flex Boxes
Adding Multimedia
Adding Annotated Bibliography and Process Paper
You are required to have your process paper and your annotated bibliography on your website. Typically, students put these on the last page of their website and title that page either "Research" or "Written Materials." No matter how you choose to add these, just make sure they are easy find for judges.
