3.3.2 Labels of Instructions
Level A
Labels or instructions are provided when content requires user input.
Who This Helps
- Providing clear and unambiguous labels and instructions (including examples of expected data formats) helps all users - but particularly those with cognitive, language, and learning disabilities - to enter information correctly.
- Providing clear and unambiguous labels and instructions (including clear identification of required fields) can prevent users from making incomplete or incorrect form submissions, which prevents users from having to navigate once more through a page/form in order to fix submission errors.
Examples
- A field which requires the user to enter the two character abbreviation for a US state has a link next to it which will popup an alphabetized list of state names and the correct abbreviation.
- A field for entering a date contains initial text which indicates the correct format for the date.
- A field for entering a given name is clearly labeled with "Given Name" and the field for family name is labeled "Family Name" to avoid confusion over which name is requested.