Vision: Our research impact | University of Nottingham

Postgraduate study

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Faculty research - The University of Nottingham

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People using screen readers are not able to see the layout of a form. To make forms
accessible, they must define explicit text labels for each form control. 

Usually the best solution is to use a `<label>` element. The label may be linked to 
by the form control:

```html
<label for="name">Full name</label>
<input type="name" id="name">
```

or the `<label>` can be wrapped around the form control:

```html
<label>
    Full name <input type="name">
</label>
```

Buttons are different, as their labels are specified by the code for the button, e.g.

```html
<input type="submit" value="Send message">
<button>Send message</button>
```

Alternatively ARIA attributes, such as `aria-label` may be used, but this information
will not be conveyed to visual users. For more information, see [W3C's guide to labeling controls](https://www.w3.org/WAI/tutorials/forms/labels/).

Hidden input fields (`<input type="hidden">`) do not require labels.
Note that the `placeholder` attribute 
[should not be used as an alternative to a label](https://www.w3.org/TR/html/sec-forms.html#the-placeholder-attribute),
nor should the `title` attribute.

## Custom roles

Note that this check considers the underlying accessible role of an element, which can be 
different from the tag itself.

For example, this `<div>` has a `role` of `button`, and so is expected to have a label, like
a button would.

```html
<div role="button"></div>
```

form-control-labels

June 2025

May 2025

University of Nottingham

Title / URL	Issues
Vision: Our research impact \| University of Nottinghamwww.nottingham.ac.uk/vision/	2
Postgraduate studywww.nottingham.ac.uk/pgstudy/	2
Support services homewww.nottingham.ac.uk/support-services/home.html	1
Working with business - The University of Nottinghamwww.nottingham.ac.uk/workingwithbusiness/index.aspx	1
Conference facilities - The University of Nottinghamwww.nottingham.ac.uk/conference/facilities/index.aspx	1
Get helpwww.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/help/index.aspx	1
Centre for English Language Educationwww.nottingham.ac.uk/cele/index.aspx	1
Faculty research - The University of Nottinghamwww.nottingham.ac.uk/research/atoz/facultyresearch.aspx	1
Contact uswww.nottingham.ac.uk/student-living/contact.aspx	1
Events - The University of Nottinghamwww.nottingham.ac.uk/events/events.aspx	1

Ensure form controls have labels

University of Nottingham

Where this issue has occurred