` with an id called “timeline” in the `` of your site.
+
+`
`
+
+### Step 3
+
+Initialize the data source in either the `` or the ``
+``
+
+## File Formats
+
+### JSON:
+
+JSON is the native data format for Timeline. It is easy enough for “normals”
+to use but powerful enough for real nerds to get excited about.
+
+The thing about JSON is it is picky. A misplaced comma or quotation mark can
+prevent the timeline from loading properly. Instructions on actually using the
+JSON file are included in the example data.JSON file.
+
+### Google Docs:
+
+If you don’t want to mess with JSON, fire up Google Docs and build your
+timeline in a spreadsheet. It’s as simple as dropping a date, text, and links
+into the appropriate columns in Timeline’s template.
+
+You can find the template here: [https://docs.google.com/a/digitalartwork.net/
+previewtemplate?id=0AppSVxABhnltdEhzQjQ4MlpOaldjTmZLclQxQWFTOUE&mode=public](h
+ttps://docs.google.com/a/digitalartwork.net/previewtemplate?id=0AppSVxABhnltdE
+hzQjQ4MlpOaldjTmZLclQxQWFTOUE&mode=public)
+
+There are only four things you need to know in order to create a timeline
+using Google Docs:
+
+ 1. Make the spreadsheet public:
+Google Docs are automatically set to private but the spreadsheet must be
+public.
+
+
+Click the blue “Share” button on the top right-hand corner. In the “Share
+settings” window, you’ll see the private setting of the spreadsheet: click
+“Change...”. In the Visibility options window, choose “Public on the Web” and
+save.
+
+ 2. Publish to the Web
+Under the File menu, select “Publish to the Web.”
+
+
+In the next window, check the box next to “Automatically republish when
+changes are made.” Uncheck all other boxes. Click “start publishing.” This
+will give you the URL to embed in your HTML file.
+
+ 3. Copy/paste the Web URL into your Timeline HTML file
+After you publish the spreadsheet, Google Docs will generate a link to the
+file. Copy the link for the Web Page option (as opposed to PDF, HTML, XLS,
+etc.), then paste it into the timeline’s HTML file:
+
+
+timeline.init(“URL goes here”)
+
+ 4. Designate the “start” slide
+This indicates which event is the title slide, the one that begins the
+timeline.
+
+
+Only one should be labeled "start" (generally, the first one). The title slide
+must have a start date, headline and text to appear properly.
+
+## Media
+
+Included in the zip file is a kitchen sink example. This timeline shows how to
+incorporate the different media types from different services like Twitter,
+YouTube, Flickr, SoundCloud and Vimeo.
+
+Twitter: Just copy and paste the address of the tweet from the browser bar
+into the media parameter. Timeline will auto-magically pull in the tweet and
+format it so that it looks beautiful.
+
+For Flickr, SoundCloud, YouTube, and Vimeo just copy the URL and paste it into
+the media parameter.
+
+## Best practices
+
+Tips and tricks to best utilize Timeline
+
+ 1. Keep it light - don’t get bogged down by text or other elements
+ 2. Pick stories that have a strong chronological narrative. It does not work well for stories that need to jump around in the timeline.
+ 3. Include events that build up to major occurrences, not just the major events.