Further Reading & Resources
Sources we reference throughout these docs, plus the infrastructure that keeps the site running
The sources cited throughout the docs, plus background reading. For the technology the site is built on and why we chose it, see Platform & Technology.
Writing & content
| Resource | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Nielsen Norman Group: How People Read Online | Eye-tracking research on scanning behavior, the foundation for most of our formatting advice |
| NNG: F-Shaped Pattern of Reading | The original eye-tracking study on how users scan web pages |
| NNG: Inverted Pyramid | Why the most important information should come first |
| NNG: "Learn More" Links | Why generic link text hurts usability and what to do instead |
| NNG: Minimize Cognitive Load | The design principle behind "calm and approachable" |
| plainlanguage.gov | Federal plain language guidelines, an excellent reference for clear writing |
| Hemingway Editor | Free readability checker (paid Plus tier available for AI features) |
SEO
| Resource | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Google: Creating Helpful Content | Google's own guidelines on what makes content rank well ("people-first content") |
| Google: Title Links | How Google generates and displays page titles in search results |
| Google: Structured Data Overview | What JSON-LD structured data is and how Google uses it |
| Google: Organization Schema | Structured data for nonprofit/organization info |
| Google: Local Business Schema | Structured data for locations like dining centers |
| Google: Event Schema | Structured data for the events listing |
| Google: Article Schema | Structured data for news posts |
| Google: Breadcrumb Schema | Structured data for the path shown above a search result |
| Google: Search Gallery | The current list of every rich result type Google supports |
| schema.org | The vocabulary itself. Defines what's valid, which is a larger set than what Google rewards |
| Search Engine Journal: Meta Descriptions | Practical guide on meta description length and best practices |
Google restricted FAQ rich results in August 2023 to government and health authority sites, then removed them from search entirely on 7 May 2026.
FAQPage is still valid, undeprecated schema that Bing and the AI answer engines read, so the site includes it where FAQs appear. If someone recommends FAQ schema to win rich results in Google, that advice is out of date. The writing side is covered in SEO for Content Writers.
Accessibility
| Resource | What it covers |
|---|---|
| WCAG 2.2 | The current Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (W3C Recommendation, October 2023) |
| WCAG: Contrast Minimum (AA) | 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text |
| WCAG: Target Size Minimum (AA) | 24x24px minimum for interactive elements |
| WCAG: Target Size Enhanced (AAA) | 44x44px, what we target as best practice |
| W3C WAI: Image Alt Text Tips | How to write meaningful alt text |
| W3C WAI: Heading Structure | Best practices for heading hierarchy |
| MDN: prefers-reduced-motion | The CSS media query for respecting motion preferences |
| axe by Deque | Automated accessibility testing tool |
| Google Lighthouse | Performance, accessibility, and SEO auditing |
Language & tone
| Resource | What it covers |
|---|---|
| APA: Bias-Free Language (Age) | American Psychological Association guidance on age-related terms |
| National Institute on Aging | Uses "older adults" throughout, a reference for respectful language in aging services |
| Springer: Face Photos and Truthfulness | Research showing claims paired with face photos are perceived as more truthful |
| BrightLocal: Consumer Review Survey | Annual survey on how photos and attribution affect review credibility |
There's no universal consensus on this one. The APA and NIA prefer "older adults." AARP uses both across its site. "Seniors" is what most people search for and what many organizations use day to day.
Lead with "older adults" and "seniors" — the two MOWP's own content already runs on — and use whatever feels natural for the rest.
Privacy & security
Background for the Privacy & Consent guidelines.
| Resource | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Oregon Consumer Privacy Act (SB 619) | The Oregon privacy law itself: in effect July 2024, applied to nonprofits since July 2025 |
| Washington: My Health My Data Act | Washington's health data privacy law, relevant since MOWP serves Clark County |
| IAPP: US State Privacy Legislation Tracker | Where every state's privacy law stands, updated as laws pass and take effect |
| Global Privacy Control | The browser-level opt-out signal the site honors on its own |
| Google Consent Mode | How consent signals gate Google tags before they load |
| GA4 Behavioral Modeling | How Analytics models the gap left by visitors who decline consent |
| MDN: HTTP Cookies | What cookies are: first-party vs. third-party, and what they can and can't do |
| Cloudflare Learning Center | Plain-English explainers for the security concepts behind the site (DDoS, SSL, CDN, bots) |
Infrastructure & hosting
You don't interact with any of this directly. Here's what's in place to keep the site safe, fast, and recoverable.
| Tool | What it does for you |
|---|---|
| Managed hosting | The site runs on infrastructure we manage directly rather than a shared commodity host. Tuning, patching, and scaling don't wait on a third-party support queue. |
| GitHub | Every change to the site is tracked in version control using Git, and reviewed before it goes live. A change that causes a problem can be rolled back. |
| Cloudflare | Sits between visitors and the server: DDoS protection, a global CDN, SSL certificates, caching, and durable storage for the site's uploaded images and documents (R2 object storage). |
| Automated backups | The site and its content are backed up regularly and restored from a recent backup when something goes wrong. |
| Continuous deployment | A code change builds and deploys with no manual steps — no file uploads by hand, no one-off server tweaks. |
| Monitoring & error tracking | The site reports errors, slowdowns, and downtime in real time, with logs collected centrally. |
If the site goes down, we can restore it. If a change causes a problem, we can undo it. If traffic spikes, Cloudflare handles the load. And if something breaks, we hear about it from monitoring rather than from an inbox.
Design references
See the full list of reference sites and design inspiration.