Graphics and Writing

This week, Michael J. Klein and Kristi L. Shackelford’s engrossing paper “Beyond Black on White: Document Design and Formatting in the Writing Classroom” opened my eyes to the significance of including images into written work. The writers make a strong case for how adding images can greatly increase a text’s impact.They demonstrate this claim by arguing that a single, moving picture can convey a concept more effectively and concisely than several pages of text. I could definitely relate to this idea, especially after reading their example of how useful it is to have an image to go along with a discussion about an oil spill. Klein and Shackelford assert that a well-chosen image—like the one showing the Deep Horizon oil spill—when combined with a statement that highlights the significance of the incident can make a lasting effect on the reader that might not be possible with just words.

The article’s observations have prompted me to consider how I approach writing tasks for this semester, especially the blog posts that we are required to create. I haven’t used the ability to attach photos to my postings up until now. But now that I know how a well-chosen image can enrich the content and draw the reader in, I’m thinking about how using images in my blog posts could improve them going forward. The essay also clarified the importance of text formatting as a strategy for directing reader emphasis and interpretation. Key points can be strategically highlighted by using bold, italic, and underlining to help the reader remember and be more affected by them. 

I’m going to try experimenting with text formatting and images in my next assignments, thanks to Klein and Shackelford’s insightful observations. I want to write blog entries that are more interesting and useful, so I carefully choose images that go with my writing and use formatting to draw attention to key ideas. Using this strategy will not only help my work stand out, but it will also provide the reader something visually and intellectually fascinating to read.

Related posts:

Meaningful Document Design It’s okay to fail The Secrets of Document Design In the article “Four Things Social Media Can Teach You about College Writing—and One Thing It Can’t”