“Times New Roman, 12-point font, and double-spaced!”. We’ve heard this sequence of words many times in English classes. In a conditional sense, early schooling adjusted students as a kind of MLA machine. These machine-like tendencies are tightly suited to American culture. In high school, students use forcibly implemented, preformulated formats. As such cogs in a machine and never allowed to explore, we stuck to what is known. Never attempt to write beyond, and never tweak the visual format.
Yet, there are a multitude of branches writers can fall into. Especially looking into formatting beyond pure text on paper. In “Beyond Black on White: Document and Formatting in the Writing Classroom,” Michael K. Klein and Kristi Shackelford creak the door open for new possibilities.
After reading the essay, I’ve realized that I am a willing and complacent part of that machine. I’m afraid to dare, add, or change my routine. Hence my heightened interest in Klein and Shackelford’s four key design elements, ironically labeled as CRAP. They describe the usage of Contrast, Repetition, Alignment, and Proximity as vital for the flourishing of writing. Yet, it is embarrassing to say that when skimming through my work, there is a clear absence.
My work has always been linear. I follow directions and let anxiety rule every direction I take. This has caused much simple and undaring work. When looking at the resume example (p. 339), it was stifling to see the resemblance to my own resume. Using the tools and tips given by the authors would boost my audiences interest.
There are an immense number of combinations and designs you can add to your writing. Therefore, the key is to ultimately draw your audience for a variety of intentions.
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