Depending on how they are used, hyperlinks can be either a useful tool or a prescription for distraction. Anytime you provide links to other sites, you run the risk of losing your audience. If the hyperlinked site is enticing and includes hyperlinks of its own, the learner strays farther and farther from your site.

Users are familiar with the convention of underlined hyperlinks; therefore select a device (e.g., bold, italics) other than underlining to emphasize important words.

A hyperlink to a full text version of your lecture on a single web site can offer access to a version that can be hard copied. This is a little more work, but increases the usability and accessibility of your lecture to a wider audience.

Also, a hyperlink can used as a link to a webpage of references or a bibliography for further information. This is another feature that users would find helpful at the end of your lecture, particularly if the links are to other websites.