Preparing an information sheet

The following is not meant to be a set of prescriptions, but may help you when putting together an information sheet to be made available on the Viking Network.

Language

As the Viking Network is a truly international project, the language for information sheets should be English.

Age

For the initial phase of development of The Viking Network, sheets should be easy enough for the average 11 year old to read. This means that the sheets will be useful at both primary and secondary level. Remember that they will also be read by children whose native language is not English. The main thing is: Keep It Simple! We will look at information sheets for other age groups later. The target group for the next round will be 16-18 year olds. With the huge interest we have met already for The Viking Network it won't take long, but first things first!

Topics

The potential range is huge. The following are only examples. Some will only apply to Scandinavian countries, others only to places the Vikings visited or settled. Be guided by your own local situation. Remember: the information must be of interest to others and should not be easily available in standard text books.

Some ideas:

	Viking settlers, traders and raiders in your area
	Viking trade routes or markets in your area
	Place names of Viking origin in your area
	Archaeological signs of Viking presence or trade - coins etc.
	Local customs and folk memories that go back to the Vikings
	Personal names of Viking origin in your area
	Local Dialect words of Norse origin
	Viking ship building in your area
	Viking trade routes or markets in your area
	Famous Vikings from your area
	What was happening in your area during the Viking Age

Length

The best advice is to keep it short. One or two pages is plenty. It is also best to keep to one topic per information sheet. This will make it easy for people requesting the information to identify exactly the information sheets they want. A sheet about one particular Viking raid or series of raids will be more interesting to others than a sheet telling them everything about the Vikings in your area. Remember you can write several sheets covering several different topics.

Say Hello

Personalise your sheets with a little note at the top and or bottom telling people who you are and who put together the information sheet. This may seem a small thing but is really what the Viking Network is all about - real messages from real people!

Good Luck

- 08. november 2000 -