Guides: INFS 692 Special Topics 2: Build timelines

TimelineJS

Timelines are a great way to illustrate an issue through time. TimelineJS, uses a Google spreadsheet to populate the timeline. Knowledge of HTML is useful but not necessary.With TimelineJS you are not limited to images. You can also add maps, sound bites, links to Wikipedia, YouTube videos, etc.

TimelineJS
TimelineJS is an open-source tool that enables anyone to build visually rich, interactive timelines. Beginners can create a timeline using nothing more than a Google spreadsheet.
Example - Streaming Services in Canada
This is a sample project to better understand how this tool works. TimelineJS allows you to create interactive multimedia timelines with images, videos, and content from platforms like Twitter, Wikipedia, SoundCloud, YouTube, etc.
Example - Timeline Spreadsheet
This is the spreadsheet used to populate the example above.

Adding Images

Neither TimelineJS nor Tiki-Toki allow users to upload images to the platform (as one would do for social media or a blog post). Images need to be online and have a URL. The videos below show you how to obtain an image's URL.

From WikiCommons

From Google Images or the Web

If the image you want to use is not available online, you can upload it to Google Drive and get a URL from there.

Tips and tricks for a good timeline

Adapted from TimelineJS

Short and sweet: Limit your timeline to no more than 20 slides.
Make sure that your project has a strong chronological narrative that keeps moving forward (no jumping around in the timeline).
Remember each event is a part of your overall narrative.
A good timeline will include both major events and the minor ones that led to them.