{"id":3672,"date":"2024-04-24T14:57:19","date_gmt":"2024-04-24T18:57:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/cutheme-docs\/?page_id=3672"},"modified":"2026-08-10T20:38:21","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T00:38:21","slug":"descriptions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/cutheme-docs\/intermediate-training\/intermediate-training-module-1-content-types\/descriptions\/","title":{"rendered":"Descriptions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Descriptions Posts\n <\/h1>\n \n \n \n\n

Intermediate Training Module 1: Content Types<\/p>\n\n\n <\/header>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

Description posts are used to present information in a question-and-answer format. They are commonly used to create:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Accordion-style content sections<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Policies and procedures<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Common support questions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Expandable information panels<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    In previous versions of ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´’s web platforms, similar functionality may have been called FAQs<\/strong>, Accordions<\/strong>, or Slidemes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    One of the main benefits of Description posts is that they can be categorized and reused throughout your website. For example, a collection of FAQ items can be displayed together on multiple pages using listing blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When to Use Description Posts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Description posts are ideal when you have information that can be broken into separate questions and answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Frequently Asked Questions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • Question:<\/strong> How do I request website access?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Answer:<\/strong> Submit an access request through the Web Services support process.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      Policies and Procedures<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      • Question:<\/strong> What file formats can I upload?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • Answer:<\/strong> PDF, Word documents, images, and other approved file types.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        Service Information<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        • Question:<\/strong> Who can use this service?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Answer:<\/strong> The service is available to faculty, staff, and students.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          Creating each item as a separate Description post makes it easier to organize and display information consistently across your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Creating a Description Post<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          To create a Description post:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          1. From the Dashboard, select Descriptions<\/strong> > Add New<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          2. Enter a title for the Description.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

            In many cases, the title will be the question being asked. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            How do I request website access?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Then add the content of your Description. The content area can contain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            1. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
                \n
              • Paragraphs<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Headings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Lists<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Buttons<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Links<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • Other supported blocks<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                For an FAQ, this content typically serves as the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Organizing Descriptions with Categories<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                Descriptions can optionally be organized using categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Categories allow you to group similar content together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                • Admissions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Website Support<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Events<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                • Accessibility<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                  Using categories makes it easier to create filtered listings and display related descriptions together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Displaying Descriptions on a Page<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                  Description posts are typically displayed using a listing block.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  This allows multiple Description posts to be presented together as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    \n
                  • FAQ sections<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Accordions<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Help centres<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                  • Support resources<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                    You’ll learn more about creating listings in Module 3: Listings & Cards<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Adding Descriptions Directly to a Page<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                    In some situations, you may only need descriptions on a single page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    Instead of creating individual Description posts, you can create accordion-style content directly within a page using custom description blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                    This approach is useful when the content:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                    • Will only appear on one page<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Does not need to be reused elsewhere<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                    • Does not require categorization<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                      For more information, refer to the lesson on custom descriptions and custom listings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Best Practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

                      Keep Questions Clear<\/strong>
                      Use titles that reflect the exact question being answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                      Good Example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                      • How do I request website access?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                        Less Helpful Example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                        • Access Information<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                          Keep Answers Focused<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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                          • Each Description should answer a single question or topic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
                          • Avoid combining multiple questions into a single Description.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                            Use Categories Consistently<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                              \n
                            • Consistent categorization makes it easier to build FAQ pages and filtered listings later.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                              Avoid Duplicating Content<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                                \n
                              • If the same information appears in several places, consider creating a single Description post and displaying it using listings.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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