If a form element is required, it should marked as so. This should not be a mere red asterisk, but instead either a 'required' image with alt text of "required" or the actual text "required." The indicator that an item is required should be included in the input element's label element.

Examples

Wrong

<label for="first_name">First Name</label>*<input type="text" id="first_name" name="first_name"/>

<label for="first_name">First Name (required)</label> <input type="text" id="first_name" name="first_name"/>