Michael J. Klein and Kristi L. Shackelford highlight that document design is overlooked but essential in writing. They underline how visual elements like headings, images, style, font size, and layout help with readability and experience. The purpose of incorporating design into writing classrooms is to prepare students for digital communication so they can meet communication demands. Shackelford and Klein’s argument about document design in writing is practical. We are in a world where communication occurs in digital formats, where visual design is very important. The discussion shows how design choices are shaping how readers react and interpret information.
I agree with their discussion about document design, but we don’t use it during college. I have written so many papers and documents for Kean University in the past year and a half, all requiring the same bases, size 12 font, double-spaced, one-inch margins, and either MLA or APA format. So far none of my teachers have allowed me to be creative. besides my writing class. But looking at every single paper I have written you couldn’t tell them apart, they are boring, bland, and just get straight to the point. I feel like if we were given creative freedom, some of us students would come up with amazing eye-catching writing pieces. But at the same time, I don’t think I would be able to execute it. For the last ten years I have been told to write a certain way, and not to mess with it. Even when I write outlines for papers my outline is 1-inch margins, Times New Roman, and 12 font. Throughout school, we have been trained to write a certain way. I feel like if any teacher asked me to make a visually pleasing document/paper I would feel awkward about it, and I wouldn’t have the best outcome because of how out of my comfort zone it is.
But in the end, this article was still very interesting to read and analyze. It made me realize why having headings, images, and different fonts helps readers analyze what is happening. The chart they added to their document helped me think about why we were ‘trained’ to do what we do.
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