{"id":708,"date":"2023-10-31T10:40:06","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T14:40:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/cutheme-docs\/?page_id=708"},"modified":"2026-08-10T21:05:18","modified_gmt":"2026-08-11T01:05:18","slug":"categories","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carleton.ca\/cutheme-docs\/intermediate-training\/intermediate-training-module-3-cards-listings\/categories\/","title":{"rendered":"Categories"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n Categories\n <\/h1>\n \n \n \n\n

Intermediate Training Module 3: Cards & Listings<\/p>\n\n\n <\/header>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n\n

Categories are used to organize content into meaningful groups. They help both website visitors and content editors find related information more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More importantly, categories are what make dynamic listings and card blocks possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By categorizing your content, you can automatically display related posts, events, people profiles, videos, files, and other content types throughout your website without manually updating pages every time new content is added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if several news posts are categorized as Research<\/strong>, you can create a Research page that automatically displays all content in that category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Categories Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Without categories, content exists individually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With categories, content can be grouped and displayed dynamically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Research\n\u251c\u2500\u2500 News Post\n\u251c\u2500\u2500 Research Story\n\u251c\u2500\u2500 Event\n\u2514\u2500\u2500 Video<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
A card or listing block can then automatically display content from the Research<\/strong> category.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When new content is added to that category, it will automatically appear wherever the category is being displayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Should I Create a Category?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A category should represent a topic, theme, audience, or area of interest that will contain multiple pieces of content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Good examples include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Research<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Faculty<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Students<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Alumni<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Accessibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Community Engagement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
    Categories should be broad enough to be useful but specific enough to organize content effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    Creating a Category<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    Categories can usually be created directly while editing content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
    To create a category:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      \n
    1. Open a page, post, event, person profile, video, or other supported content type.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    2. Locate the Categories<\/strong> section in the settings panel.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    3. Select Add New Category<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    4. Enter a category name.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    5. Click Add New Category<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
      The category will now be available for future content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      Applying a Category<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
      Once a category has been created, it can be assigned to additional content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
      To apply a category:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
        \n
      1. Open the content item.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      2. Locate the Categories<\/strong> section.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      3. Select the appropriate category.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      4. Save or update the content.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
        A single piece of content can belong to multiple categories when appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
        Categories and Dynamic Content<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        Categories become especially powerful when combined with card and listing blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
        For example, a page could contain:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
        Latest Research News<\/strong>
        Display all Posts categorized as: Research<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
        Meet Our Faculty<\/strong>
        Display all People Profiles categorized as: Faculty<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
        Upcoming Events<\/strong>
        Display all Events categorized as: Community Engagement<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
        Because these listings update automatically, content only needs to be created once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
        Common Category Examples<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
        Many websites organize content using categories such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
        Audience-Based<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
          \n
        • Students<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Faculty<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Staff<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • Alumni<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          Topic-Based<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
            \n
          • Research<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Accessibility<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Sustainability<\/li>\n\n\n\n
          • Community Engagement<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
            Department-Based<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
              \n
            • Communications<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Human Resources<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Information Technology<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
              Choose an approach that makes sense for your site’s content and organizational structure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
              Best Practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
              Plan Categories Before Creating Them<\/strong>
              A small, well-organized category structure is easier to maintain than dozens of unnecessary categories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
              Use Categories Consistently<\/strong>
              If one editor uses: Research<\/code> and another uses: Research Projects<\/code>, content may become fragmented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
              Avoid Creating Categories for Single Items<\/strong>
              Categories work best when they contain multiple pieces of related content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
              Keep Naming Consistent<\/strong>
              Use simple, descriptive names that are easy for editors to understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
              Think ÐÓ°ÉÔ­´´ Future Listings<\/strong>
              Before creating a category, ask: Would I ever want to display all content from this category together? If the answer is yes, the category is probably worthwhile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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