Using hyperlinks
A hyperlink, also known as a link, is a word, phrase, or even an image that you can click on to jump to a new document, a webpage or a new section within the current document. Hyperlinks are found in nearly all web pages, allowing users to click their way from page to page. They are also useful to use in your word-processing documents.
How hyperlinks work
A hyperlink has two parts, the bit that the user can see and the permalink. Users see text which is usually blue with an underline or an image. The permalink is a URL (uniform resource locator) for webpages or file path. When the image or text is selected, it takes the user to a file or web page.
Whichever word-processing software you use, when you insert a hyperlink into your document you'll need to provide the file path or web address and decide on the text you want to display. It makes sense to use something meaningful for the display text. For example, https://learn1.open.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=100132 and the Computing Guide links take you to the same place. However, the latter is much easier to understand than the other. You can also use an image to display the link but it's not always as obvious as blue, underlined text.
How you can use hyperlinks
If you make notes using word-processing software, you can include links to webpages or other files on your computer, and jump to paragraphs in documents. This can save you a lot of time later, especially when preparing for an assignment or during revision.
You can copy a module webpage's URL from the address bar of your browser and paste it into a document, an email, a text message or a forum post. This can help you to reference a particular module content or draw your tutor’s attention if you're having difficulty.
Sometimes you may also need a permalink for a forum post. It’s useful if you want to use a specific post in your assignments as a reference or refer to it in another post. For instructions, see the Get permalink page in the Forums users guide.
How to make hyperlinks
These links take you to Microsoft and Mac websites where you'll find instructions. Alternative software is available and uses similar formatting.
