Design elements
Elements to consider when designing a document are
White space, text, headings, graphics, and medium
Graphics add ____ information to your text and become a part of the overall _____.
critical, appearance
In technical writing, how the words look on the page is just as important as what the words
say
Color often draws a reader’s attention before
the reader pays attention to the words.
Tables are used to present words or numbers that can be organized into categories of
columns and rows.
refers to letters with distinguishing lines or “tails,” which make it easy to distinguish between one letter and another.
Serif
a graphic should have ___ main point
One
A cluttered document with poorly designed elements _______
can confuse and overwhelm your reader, and they may be discouraged if they cannot find the information they need
To use color effectively you must _____
avoid overusing color.
uses rows and columns without lines or column headings.
Informal table
refers to letters with few distinguishing lines and no “tails,” which is appropriate for something short like a title or heading.
Sans Serif
Place each graphic in a _____ place for the reader to see
Convenient
Pages that are visually friendly help readers
stay focused and find information
Apply color _______ to elements throughout a document.
consistently
uses rectangular bars to present data
Bar graphics
Size is measured in ___, with a large point number producing a larger letter.
Points
technical subjects such as ____, ___, and ____ rely heavily on data that is presented visually, so their readers expect to see graphics in their reading.
engineering, marketing, and medicine
Text includes several different factors such as
font type and size and highlighting feature
Avoid ____ combinations of colors. Some colors are difficult to read.
Unusual
arranges information in rows and columns using lines. Because it uses lots of numerical data, lines and column headings make the numbers easier to understand.
formal table
Writers can create white space in ___, between ___, and ___, around ____, and before ____ lists.
Margins, paragraphs, and columns, around graphics, and before itemized lists
To help readers interpret graphics quickly and easily
keep graphics neat and simple
integrate graphics with text
give credit for borrowed graphics
use color effectively
Size is measured in ____
Points
Using one color (other than black) can be
distracting
chart that uses lines and arrows to show a process or series of steps.
Flowchart