Guidance to Web Design and Book Design
People use newspapers and magazines the same way they use Web browers.  The fancy new term is hierarchical.  The old definition of hierarchy is 'a graded system of officials'. The new definition refers to flowcharts and/or records arranged in a graded system from the top to the bottom.  Theoretically, the top is the most important and there is only one element at the top.  The lower levels become less important as you proceed down the different grades.
Web design follows the same basic principles as book design.  The average person may not be aware of the similarities but intuitively they become comfortable with Web Designs.  Some take a little longer to catch on than others because some are better readers than others.  The average computer programmer does not want to dwell on the similarities between web design and book design.  They have dreamed up NEW terms to emphasize the NEW aspects of the NEW technology.  The fancy new term for book format is linear.  However, you have got to understand the new terms or you can not communicate with other Web users.  This is the first obstacle to overcome when building anything on the Web. People use dictionaries and encyclopedias the same way they use Websites and Internet searches.  The fancy new term is chain or star.  The average Website is a chain where you start at one point, chain through different selections and return to the starting point.  The average Internet search is a star where you start at one point, expand outward in all directions and rarely  return to the starting point. 
Linear Format or Book Format is represented with boxes which correspond to pages or chapters.  Arrows denote the direction which corresponds to the normal flow from one page/chapter to the next page/chapter.
Guidance to Educational Books in YOUR Local Public Library
Guidance to Internet and  Educational Books
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Guidance to Web Graphics and Educational Books
Hierarchical Format or Newspaper/Magazine Format is also represented by boxes which correspond to articles.  Arrows correspond to anticipated flow from article to article but there is greater diversity
Guidance to Educational Books in YOUR Local Public Library
Guidance to Internet and  Educational Books
Guidance to Web Design and Book Design
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Guidance to Web Page Hits and Misses
Guidance to Web Graphics and Educational Books
Chain Format is represented by the above example which is fairly typical for Web sites.
Star Format is represented by the following example which is fairly typical for Internet searches.
Guidance to Educational Books in YOUR Local Public Library
Library Location Site
Book/Publisher
Web Site
Book/Publisher
Web Site
Book/Publisher
Web Site
Book/Publisher
Web Site		 Book/Publisher
Web Site
The above examples seem fairly simple and straightforward.  However, that is an illusion created by years of previous experience.  Most people have forgotten how much time they spent in school learning the alphabet and numbers.  We automatically follow simple rules our teachers taught us about where to start reading and how to number things on the written page.  There is a saying that "one picture is worth a thousand words".  Two specific examples taken from above will dramatically remind everyone of how much they forgot about their early schooling.  click here for additional information.
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