What NOT to do and how it should be done...
HTML 4.0 (Strict) includes some elements which provide character styles. These elements should be replaced by the use of structural elements or style sheets wherever possible.
All the elements in question except PRE
are found in the
Character Element submenu of the XHTML
menu:
b
and i
strong and em elements where they are
used to provide emphasis for a word or phrase. There are special elements to denote headings, terms
that are being defined, and certain special uses, such as a quotation,
piece of computer code, etc. If the elements are simply being used to
provide heavier font style sheets
should be used insteadbig
and small
sub
and sup
tt
and pre