Beyong Black on White: Document Design and Formatting in the Writing Classroom by Michael J. Klein and Kristi L. Shackleford
Writing and text goes beyond the length of it and the context. How it is delivered is important as well. The article explains how the formatting of the text on a page can add to the goal of the message and how images can also help push that. Being neat with writing can also help keep the reader’s attention, which is something that I agree with. Many times I have read a text with different font syles and sizes which has distracted me from what I was trying to read. Another distracting thing is when certain words seem like they are bolded. When it comes to boldnig a part of the text, the article mentions how that it’s typically used when those selected words are important. A key part of the article is the design elements, also known as the CRAP acronym. Fully spelled out, it stands for contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity.
Overall, I was surprised to see that even the smallest aspect of a page can effect how a writing is viewed. Admittingly, this adds frustration to the complexity or writing. At least for me. While it does mean more details to pay attention to when writing, is does make the writer aware of how many details truly matter.
What did catch my attention was how images could bring a stronger reaction to the reader, depending on how it is used. The most obvious example is graphs and charts. Some people can read the numbers and envision them in their head, though others need a physical visual to understand the context better.
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