Comprehensive Project Proposal: Understanding and Solving 404 Errors

This project proposal investigates the 404 'Page Not Found' error, a common problem encountered by website users. The introduction outlines the aim, objectives, and the problem's explanation, focusing on how the error occurs due to broken links, incorrect URLs, or server issues. The literature review delves into the definition, impact, and creation of 404 errors, citing various research papers and studies. It discusses how 404 errors affect website ranking and user experience, as well as the tools and methods used to identify and address them, including broken link checkers and customized error pages. Furthermore, it explores advanced solutions for both users and website owners, such as checking URLs, using 301 redirects, and creating custom error pages with search functionalities. The methodology section outlines the research questions, the inductive research approach, and the data collection methods to be employed. The project aims to analyze the causes of 404 errors, explore effective solutions, and recommend strategies for minimizing their occurrence, providing a comprehensive understanding of the problem and its resolution.

PROBLEM BASED PROJECT
PROPOSAL

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Aim..............................................................................................................................................1
Objective......................................................................................................................................1
Explanation of the problem..........................................................................................................1
LITERATURE REVIEW ...............................................................................................................1
Problem description: “404 not found error” ...............................................................................1
Impact, creation and identification of 404 errors ........................................................................2
Advanced solutions for the problem............................................................................................4
METHODOLOGY..........................................................................................................................5
Overview......................................................................................................................................5
Research Questions......................................................................................................................6
Approach......................................................................................................................................6
Data Collection............................................................................................................................6
Research method..........................................................................................................................7
Sampling......................................................................................................................................7
Ethical consecrations...................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Aim
Aim of this research proposal is: To evaluate computing problem of 404 Page Not Found
Error and ways to resolve it.
Objective
Objective of this research proposal are:
 To discuss the reason behind the problem.
 To evaluate the ways to solve the problem
 To recommend different ways to reduce 404 Page Not Found Error.
Explanation of the problem
404 Page Not Found Error is a common problem that is faced by client side computers
when they could not reach the server. This problem occurs because of many reasons, such as:
page they want to visit has been removed or moved to a different location or the URL was not
changed accordingly or client has entered an incorrect URL. In simple words this problem
simple means that the web page client is trying to visit does not exist on the existing URL that
has been entered by the client. Many times this error also occurs because the page didn't load
properly. Many times clients use wrong file extension as well which becomes the reason of this
problem. Whenever such problem arises it is important to identify the reason behind the problem
i.e. why this 404 error is arising again and again.
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LITERATURE REVIEW
Problem description: “404 not found error”
According to Meneses, Furuta and Shipman, (2012) “page not found error” or error 404
is defined as the standard HTTP status code which occurs when the requested document is not
available on the server. Thus, the requested page is either broken or removed. This is one of the
most common computing error when a request is made. When any user makes a request for any
website then the request is sent to web server and data is received to browser request. The data
also contain HTTP header which contains HTTP status which explains the outcomes of the
request made. When request is successfully accomplished then HTTP is not observed but when
there are certain issues with the requested content then web browser inform users with HTTP
status code so that problem can be indicated to user.
Loftus (2010) stated that though web browser or client is able to connect with the host or
website server but sometimes it may not be possible to find the actual resource of requested URL
or file. In such situations 404 error is displayed. It is also possible that even if web server is
functioning properly the unavailability of specific content with the searched slung can lead to
error 404. Along with the pages, missing images, CSS, JavaScript and files can also result in
error 404. In cases when error is observed on all the sites then it is due to any issue with
WordPress site's permalinks. However, if error is observed on some particular sites then it is due
to change in slug without redirect setting.
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(Source: How to Fix a 404 Page Not Found Error, 2019)
As per the view of Mendes, Laranjeiro and Vieira, (2018) usually Error 404 is considered as
client side error which typically occurs either due to incorrect URL or when the web page is
removed from the requested website. It is also possible that when a webpage or resource is
removed without redirecting it to new URL then also error message is generated instead of
automatically routing to new page. Another factors which can trigger the generation of Error 404
is improper connection with the server or when requested domain is not successfully converted
into IP address.
Brundage and Williams, (2017) stated that for the quality services it must be assured that
404 errors must be resolved and suitable interventions must be adopted when number of such
errors exceed 10% of total number of webpages. In cases when page not found errors increases
significantly in hundreds and thousands of numbers then it may be possibly due to coding issues
or the creation of web pages with scripts. 404 errors affect the site indexing and positioning
adversely.
Impact, creation and identification of 404 errors
As per the view of Tajeddini, Azimi and Moghaddam, (2017), 404 error is not essentially
undesirable until and unless it interferes with usability. For example the error notification can
also occur when incorrect URL address is entered by user. In such cases there is not issue with
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Illustration 1: Error 404 (Not found)

the server or site configuration but custom 404 response is created so that users can be forwarded
to correct destination or the site. The websites of the leading organisations can have negative
impression on the users if their website have huge number of 404 errors. The errors show that
site is not maintained regularly and thus the site ranking can have adverse impact. It is also
possible that increasing and consistent 404 errors can cause decline in the number of visitors to
site.
According to Thakare and et.al., (2016) for successful operations and achievements of
business goals it is very important that website operators must prevent HTTP “page not found”
error. The service users can use variety of tools to detect and identify the broken links so that
both internal and external 404 errors can be identified. Some of the most efficient tools which
can be used by the users are Google search console, Dead link checker and W3C link checker.
Dead link checker detects the linked 404 pages so that single web pages as well as complete
website can be checked for error pages. With the W3C link checker individual web pages are
tested so that link verification takes longer time than other websites.
Contrary to the need of detecting error 404 pages for sustaining business advantages
some users also creates customised 404 error pages so that users can be redirected to web page
by notifying them incorrect URL address. In this context Tajeddini, Azimi and Moghaddam,
(2017) stated that content management systems (CMS) such as Drupal or WordPress can
automatically generate 404 error page when URL is not found. The CMS extensions can be used
to create more personalised error message. However, the websites which care based upon only
PHP or HTML does not allow users to create or modify 404 pages in simplified way.
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(Source: 404 Error page checker, 2019)
Mendes, Laranjeiro and Vieira, (2018) elucidated that though standard error pages can
also serve the purpose but it is recommended that customized pages are more effective. With
customized pages users can be shown with the accurate HTTP status code. To facilitate the
assistance to customers organisations can also add search functions or links on their error pages
so that site visitors can be helped to redirected towards correct page without leaving the website.
The creativity and customization in error message also helps in attracting more visitors to the
site. For example the funny or attractive design of the page not found error message can make
the organisation memorable to visitor and thus they may inspire to visit the correct webpage
through website. One of the advantage of creating exciting and customised 404 error pages is
that with creative pages users can be surprised and the negative impact can be turned into
positive smile (Error 404: what the error page means and how to use it, 2019). It encourages
people to visit the web page with positive attitude in future without any service dissatisfaction.
Advanced solutions for the problem
As per the view of Mackey and Gass, (2015)It is important for both clients and website
owner to find solution to resolve this 404 Page Not Found Error as it decreases the efficiency of
the website and works as a hindrance for clients using this website. So there are various solutions
that can help in fixing 404 page not found error. Solutions for fixing this problem are completely
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Illustration 2: Customized 404 error page of YouTube

different for website owner and users of the clients. Advanced solutions for the problem have
been described below:
 For users:
◦ Check URL: Check the URL again as most of the time wrong URL is the main reason
behind this problem and simply by correcting URL this problem can be solved.
◦ Try with down or up level: many sites offer breadcrumb navigation which makes it
easy for the users to navigate from one page to another. So moving up or down the
level can easily help the users to resolve this 404 error.
◦ Check bookmark: Many times it happens that users uses bookmark URL to access
any webpage and face this problem because maybe the site URL might have been
changed but bookmark saves old URL. So for this it is better to search webpage
through search engine.
◦ Check DNS: Users can use DNS servers to bypass ISP's default server because many
times site owners do not update new URL intently through DNS server.
◦ Contact site owner: Best solutions for clients is to contact site owner and resolve this
problem.
 For Website owner:
◦ Check broken link: Site owners can use broken link checker tool which will help
them to identify broken link to access and fix this 4040 error.
◦ Setup 301 redirects: Setting up redirect from old page to new pages helps in resolving
this issue whenever URL is changed. It is called 301 redirect process. It is one of the
best way to resolve this error.
◦ Use customized 404 page: Customized 404 page with search box is another solution
to resolve this error as it helps in searching the content users want to access and
redirect them to the URL required by them.
METHODOLOGY
Overview
In this section approach through which this problem can be solved will be discussed,
explanation of how research will be carried forward will be explained. All the research questions,
research approach, data collection method, research type and sampling method will be explained
as well.
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Research Questions
Research question of this research project are as follows:
 What are the reasons behind 404 Page Not Found Error?
 What are the ways to solve the problem?
 How can this problem be reduced?
Approach
Research approach is a plan which mainly consist of few defined steps of assumptions
used for research interpretation, analysis and data collection. It is mainly categorized into three
types which are: deductive research approach, inductive research approach and Abductive
research approach (Tajeddini, Azimi and Moghaddam, 2017). Deductive approach is used to
develop a hypothesis on the basis of an existing theory and after development of hypothesis
research strategy is designed in order to test the hypothesis. Inductive approach is used when
theories and observations are proposed at the end of research project which helps in analysing
results of observations. Abductive approach is used for explanation of incomplete observations,
puzzles or supersizing facts. This approach uses strengths of both deductive and inductive
approach. For this research inductive research approach will be used as it will help the researcher
to propose observations to be analysed, also this approach is mainly used with qualitative
research method.
Data Collection
Data collection is a process which helps in collection of data or information in order to
answer all the relevant research questions, evaluate outcomes or test all the hypothesis. It can be
divided into two main categories that are: secondary data collection method and primary data
collection method (Ledford and Gast, 2018). Primary data is a kind of data that is collected by
researcher through interviews, survey and many more methods. It is further of two types that is
qualitative primary data collection method and quantitative primary data collection method.
Secondary data is a kind of data that is collected from previously conducted research, already
published books, journals and many more. For this research primary data collection method will
be used and within this primary data collection, qualitative data collection method will be used
and it will be done with the help of a survey which will consist of a questionnaire.
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Research method
Research method can be defined as a technique which is being used to collect or gather
data for analysis. This helps in analysing new information and understand the research topic in a
better way. There are mainly two different types of research methods first is qualitative research
method and second is quantitative research method (Parker, Guzdial and Engleman, 2016).
Qualitative research method helps in gathering behaviour, experiences and emotions. This
method helps the researcher to understand the concept with the help of non numeric data or
information. Quantitative research method uses numerical data which can be measured,
calculated as well as categorized through statistical analysis. It is used to find numerical data
related to the topic. For this research qualitative research method will be used as it will help the
researcher to find experiences of people faced this problem and find a solution using non
numerical data.
Sampling
Sampling is a method in which few members from a population are selected to be included
within a study (Clark-Kazak, 2017). Sampling plays a vital role within a research study as it is
quite difficult to work on a large population and sampling makes it easy for researcher to conduct
research. Sampling can be categorized into two main types that are: probability sampling and
non probability sampling. In probability sampling all the members of a population has a known
chance of participating in the study whereas in non-probability sampling all the members of a
population does not have a known chance of participating of a study. For this research paper non
probability sampling method will be chosen because the sample size chosen for this is small.
Sample chosen for this are employees working in IT sector and sample size chosen for this
research paper is 20 employees.
Ethical consecrations
There are various ethical consecrations that are needed to be adhered by the researcher
while completing this problem based report. These ethical consecrations are important to be
followed as it is one of the main part of any research. Ethical consecrations to be followed are:
 Any kind of misleading or false information as well as wrong primary data findings will
be avoided.
 All the communication related to the research will be done with complete honesty and
transparency.
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 Data protection Act (1998) will be adhered as this act focuses on protecting all kind of
personal information or data stored within computer systems (Palinkas and et.al., 2015).
 Use of offensive or unacceptable language while forming survey questionnaire, interview
or in any other type of questions will be avoided as well.
 All the respondents participating within the project will be taking part voluntarily i.e. no
one will be forced to participate within the study.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Brundage, M.L. and Williams, S.E., Amazon Technologies Inc, 2017. URL rescue by identifying
information related to an item referenced in an invalid URL. U.S. Patent 9,584,580.
Clark-Kazak, C., 2017. Ethical considerations: research with people in situations of forced
migration. Refuge: Canada's Journal on Refugees/Refuge: revue canadienne sur les
réfugiés. 33(2). pp.11-17.
Ledford, J.R. and Gast, D.L., 2018. Single case research methodology: Applications in special
education and behavioral sciences. Routledge.
Loftus, O.A., LINKGRAPH Ltd, 2010. Error processing methods to provide a user with the
desired web page responsive to an error 404. U.S. Patent Application 12/324,711.
Mackey, A. and Gass, S.M., 2015. Second language research: Methodology and design.
Routledge.
Mendes, J., Laranjeiro, N. and Vieira, M., 2018. Toward characterizing HTML defects on the
Web. Software: Practice and Experience, 48(3), pp.750-757.
Meneses, L., Furuta, R. and Shipman, F., 2012, September. Identifying “Soft 404” error pages:
analyzing the lexical signatures of documents in distributed collections. In International
Conference on Theory and Practice of Digital Libraries (pp. 197-208). Springer, Berlin,
Heidelberg.
Palinkas, L.A., and et.al., 2015. Purposeful sampling for qualitative data collection and analysis
in mixed method implementation research. Administration and policy in mental health
and mental health services research. 42(5). pp.533-544.
Parker, M.C., Guzdial, M. and Engleman, S., 2016, August. Replication, validation, and use of a
language independent CS1 knowledge assessment. In Proceedings of the 2016 ACM
conference on international computing education research(pp. 93-101). ACM.
Tajeddini, O., Azimi, A. and Moghaddam, H.S., 2017. Death of web citations: a serious alarm
for authors. Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science, 16(3), pp.17-29.
Tajeddini, O., Azimi, A. and Moghaddam, H.S., 2017. Death of web citations: a serious alarm
for authors. Malaysian Journal of Library & Information Science. 16(3). pp.17-29.
Thakare, P.J. and et.al., 2016. Error handling in a network resource generation environment.
U.S. Patent 9,396,053.
Online
How to Fix a 404 Page Not Found Error. 2019. [Online]. Accessed through
<https://www.lifewire.com/404-not-found-error-explained-2622936>
Error 404: what the error page means and how to use it. 2019. [Online]. Accessed through
<https://www.ionos.com/digitalguide/websites/website-creation/what-does-the-404-not-
found-error-mean/>
404 Error page checker, 2019. [Online]. Accessed through <https://sitechecker.pro/404-error/>
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