Transcript Notes to Chapter Five English 308 Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5 11/6/2015 Text Fields Can be defined as “a distinguishable area of visual interest or attention” 

Notes to Chapter Five
English 308
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Text Fields
Can be defined as “a distinguishable area of
visual interest or attention”
 And can be thought of as paragraphs, series
of paragraphs, pages, panels, screens, and
other surfaces

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It is not just a page
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It is not just a page
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Access to Information in a Field
Can be enhanced by visual cues in
 Textual: headings, numbers, letters
 Spatial: paragraph blocks, lists, columns
 Graphic: bullets, shading, lines
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Textual Elements
Headings: a road map that guides readers
through a text
Some conventional formats
Centered
Flush Left
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Run-in
Marginal
Columns
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Textual Elements
Numbers and Letters
 Breaks text into lists
 Hierarchically arranges text using a scheme, such
as
I. First Part
A. First Subpart
1. First sub-subpart
Or
1.0 First Part
1.1 First subpart
1.1.1 First sub-subpart
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Spatial Elements
Breaking text into lists
You won't be able to check for everything (and you don't have to), so you should find out what your
typical problem areas are and look for each type of error individually. Here's how. Find out what errors
you typically make. Review instructors' comments about your writing and/or review your paper(s) with
a tutor. Learn how to fix those errors. Talk with your instructor and/or with a tutor. The instructor and
the tutor can help you understand why you make the errors you do so that you can learn to avoid them.
Use specific strategies. Use these strategies to find and correct your particular errors in usage and
sentence structure, and spelling and punctuation.
You won't be able to check for everything (and you don't have to), so you should find out what your
typical problem areas are and look for each type of error individually. Here's how:
1.
2.
3.
Find out what errors you typically make. Review instructors' comments about your writing
and/or review your paper(s) with a tutor.
Learn how to fix those errors. Talk with your instructor and/or with a tutor. The instructor and the
tutor can help you understand why you make the errors you do so that you can learn to avoid
them.
Use specific strategies. Use these strategies to find and correct your particular errors in usage and
sentence structure, and spelling and punctuation.
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Spatial Elements
Breaking text into lists
An outline has a balanced structure based on parallelism, coordination,
subordination and division.
An outline has a balanced structure based on the following principles:
 Parallelism
 Coordination
 Subordination
 Division
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Spatial Elements
Adjusting Leading
1-point
Lab Reports are one of the most common writing formats for engineering students. They should
have enough detail so that someone else may replicate your work and have the same results. A lab
report summarizes, in detail, what the student learned after completing an experiment or
procedure.
2-point
Lab Reports are one of the most common writing formats for engineering students. They should
have enough detail so that someone else may replicate your work and have the same results. A lab
report summarizes, in detail, what the student learned after completing an experiment or
procedure.
3-point
Lab Reports are one of the most common writing formats for engineering students. They should
have enough detail so that someone else may replicate your work and have the same results. A lab
report summarizes, in detail, what the student learned after completing an experiment or
procedure.
4-point
Lab Reports are one of the most common writing formats for engineering students. They should
have enough detail so that someone else may replicate your work and have the same results. A lab
report summarizes, in detail, what the student learned after completing an experiment or
procedure.
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Spatial Elements
Justified Text
Ragged Right
The lab report format is used in industry with minor variations to report on
equipment analysis, feasibility studies, and original research done for the
corporation. Once you are comfortable with writing a lab report, you will have
one more skill that to use throughout your engineering career.
Lab Reports are one of the most common writing formats for engineering
students. They should have enough detail so that someone else may replicate
your work and have the same results. A lab report summarizes, in detail, what
the student learned after completing an experiment or procedure.
Justified
The lab report format is used in industry with minor variations to report on
equipment analysis, feasibility studies, and original research done for the
corporation. Once you are comfortable with writing a lab report, you will have
one more skill that to use throughout your engineering career.
Lab Reports are one of the most common writing formats for engineering
students. They should have enough detail so that someone else may replicate
your work and have the same results. A lab report summarizes, in detail, what
the student learned after completing an experiment or procedure.
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Spatial Elements
Columns
Scientific research is a group activity. Individual scientists perform
experiments to test hypotheses about phenomena. After experiments are
completed and duplicated, researchers attempt to persuade others to accept
or reject their hypotheses by presenting the data and their interpretations.
The lab report or the scientific paper is the vehicle of persuasion; when it is
published, it is available to other scientists for review. If the results stand up
to criticism, they become part of the accepted body of scientific knowledge
unless later disproved.
In some cases, a report may not be persuasive in nature but instead is an
archival record for future generations. For example, data on the distribution
and frequency of rabid skunks in a certain year may be of use to future
epidemiologists in deciding whether the incidence of rabies is increasing.
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Spatial Elements
Columns
Scientific research is a group
activity. Individual scientists
perform experiments to test
hypotheses about phenomena. After
experiments are completed and
duplicated, researchers attempt to
persuade others to accept or reject
their hypotheses by presenting the
data and their interpretations. The
lab report or the scientific paper is
the vehicle of persuasion; when it is
published, it is available to other
scientists for review. If the results
stand up to criticism, they become
part of the accepted body of
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
scientific knowledge unless later
disproved.
In some cases, a report may not be
persuasive in nature but instead is
an archival record for future
generations. For example, data on
the distribution and frequency of
rabid skunks in a certain year may
be of use to future epidemiologists
in deciding whether the incidence of
rabies is increasing.
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Spatial Elements
Columns (Mixed)
Scientific research is a group activity.
Individual scientists perform experiments to test
hypotheses about phenomena. After
experiments are completed and duplicated,
researchers attempt to persuade others to accept
or reject their hypotheses by presenting the data
and their interpretations. The lab report or the
scientific paper is the vehicle of persuasion;
when it is published, it is available to other
scientists for review. If the results stand up to
criticism, they become part of the accepted
body of scientific knowledge unless later
disproved.
A scientific report usually
consists of the following:
1. Title
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Materials and methods
5. Results
6. Discussion
7. Literature cited
In some cases, a report may not be persuasive in
nature but instead is an archival record for
future generations. For example, data on the
distribution and frequency of rabid skunks in a
certain year may be of use to future
epidemiologists in deciding whether the
incidence of rabies is increasing.
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Spatial Elements
Field Grids—Two Column Grids
Scientific research is a group
activity. Individual scientists
perform experiments to test
hypotheses about phenomena. After
experiments are completed and
duplicated, researchers attempt to
persuade others to accept or reject
their hypotheses by presenting the
data and their interpretations. The
lab report or the scientific paper is
the vehicle of persuasion; when it is
published, it is available to other
scientists for review. If the results
stand up to criticism, they become
part of the accepted body of
scientific knowledge unless later
disproved.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
A scientific report usually consists
of the following:
1. Title
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Materials and methods
5. Results
6. Discussion
7. Literature cited
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Spatial Elements
Field Grids—Two Column Grids
Scientific research is a group
activity. Individual scientists
perform experiments to test
hypotheses about phenomena. After
experiments are completed and
duplicated, researchers attempt to
persuade others to accept or reject
their hypotheses by presenting the
data and their interpretations. The
lab report or the scientific paper is
the vehicle of persuasion; when it is
published, it is available to other
scientists for review. If the results
stand up to criticism, they become
part of the accepted body of
scientific knowledge unless later
disproved.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
A scientific report usually consists of
the following:
1. Title
2. Abstract
3. Introduction
4. Materials and methods
5. Results
6. Discussion
7. Literature cited
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Graphic Elements
Bullets and Other Highlighting Cues
(from ITC Zapf Dingbats)
           
           
           
           
           
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Graphic Elements
Lines (Varying line widths)
1 point
2 point
3 point
4 point
5 point
6 point
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Conventions of Text Fields—
Graphic Elements
Shading—measured as a gray-scale percentage
ranging from 1 to 100 percent
text
text
text
text
text
text
text
text
text
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
10
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Applying the Cognate Strategies
How do we apply this rich visual vocabulary
to text fields?
We can do so by considering the six cognate
strategies.
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Arrangement Questions
How can I use the visual structure of the
field to map the text for my readers?
 Will visual hierarchy of the text field help?
 What text field conventions—headings,
columns, lists—might best suit this
situation?

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Arrangement Strategies
Headings—order and chunk text but also
provide easy access to specific parts
 Lists and columns—can improve legibility
and communicate logical relationships
 Bullets and linework can create
arrangement strategies

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Arrangement Strategies (cont.)
The Research Process
The Research Process
Research papers are easy if you start early and work systematically. In this type of
assignment you gather and interpret facts, ideas, theories, and opinions from articles
written by others. As you do the research, your knowledge and expertise about your
topic grows. In the finished paper, you use the information you gather for your own
arguments and purposes.
Research papers are easy if you start early
and work systematically. In this type of
assignment you gather and interpret facts,
ideas, theories, and opinions from articles
written by others. As you do the research,
your knowledge and expertise about your
topic grows. In the finished paper, you use
the information you gather for your own
arguments and purposes.
Choosing a Topic
The topic should be something that you feel is important, interesting and worth
exploring. Don’t worry if you don’t know what you think about the topic at the
beginning of the process. Even if you have an opinion, it is better to start with an
open mind, ready to see the issues from other perspectives. As the research
progresses and you learn more about the issues, the topic will become more focused
and your position may solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a question you are trying to answer. Some
samples:
1. Should smoking be legal in the United States?
2. Does the current welfare system create a cycle of poverty?
3. Should Affirmative Action programs be abolished?
Remember that if too many people are working on the same topic area, the first
person to the library will get the best sources. You may want to choose something a
little different.
Search Words
Before you start a subject or keyword search on any of the on-line databases, you
should work up a list of terms that may be relevant to your particular research
project. The wrong keyword (or a misspelled one) can frustrate any project.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Choosing a Topic
The topic should be something that you feel
is important, interesting and worth
exploring. Don’t worry if you don’t know
what you think about the topic at the
beginning of the process. Even if you have
an opinion, it is better to start with an open
mind, ready to see the issues from other
perspectives.
As the research progresses and you learn
more about the issues, the topic will become
more focused and your position may
solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a
question you are trying to answer. Some
samples:
1. Should smoking be legal in the United
States?
2. Does the current welfare system create a
cycle of poverty?
3. Should Affirmative Action programs be
abolished?
Remember that if too many people are
working on the same topic area, the first
person to the library will get the best
sources. You may want to choose
something a little different.
Search Words
Before you start a subject or keyword
search on any of the on-line databases, you
should work up a list of terms that may be
relevant to your particular research project.
The wrong keyword (or a misspelled one)
can frustrate any project.
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Emphasis Questions
What part of the field do I want readers to
notice first?
 What parts should be emphasized to
improve readers’ understanding or draw
readers in?
 When text and visuals appear in the same
field, which needs greater prominence?

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Emphasis Strategies
Vary type size
 Increase figure-ground contrast
 Isolate text
 Placement on page affects emphasis
 Break text out into lists

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Emphasis Strategies:
Marginal Headings
The Research Process
The Research Process
Research papers are easy if you start early and work
systematically. In this type of assignment you gather
and interpret facts, ideas, theories, and opinions from
articles written by others. As you do the research,
your knowledge and expertise about your topic
grows. In the finished paper, you use the information
you gather for your own arguments and purposes.
Choosing a Topic
The topic should be something that you feel is
important, interesting and worth exploring. Don’t
worry if you don’t know what you think about the
topic at the beginning of the process. Even if you
have an opinion, it is better to start with an open
mind, ready to see the issues from other perspectives.
As the research progresses and you learn more about
the issues, the topic will become more focused and
your position may solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a question you
are trying to answer. Some samples:
1. Should smoking be legal in the United States?
2. Does the current welfare system create a cycle of
poverty?
3. Should Affirmative Action programs be
abolished?
Remember that if too many people are working on
the same topic area, the first person to the library will
get the best sources. You may want to choose
something a little different.
Research papers are easy if you start early and work systematically. In this type of
assignment you gather and interpret facts, ideas, theories, and opinions from articles
written by others. As you do the research, your knowledge and expertise about your
topic grows. In the finished paper, you use the information you gather for your own
arguments and purposes.
Choosing a Topic
The topic should be something that you feel is important, interesting and worth
exploring. Don’t worry if you don’t know what you think about the topic at the
beginning of the process. Even if you have an opinion, it is better to start with an
open mind, ready to see the issues from other perspectives. As the research
progresses and you learn more about the issues, the topic will become more focused
and your position may solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a question you are trying to answer. Some
samples:
1. Should smoking be legal in the United States?
2. Does the current welfare system create a cycle of poverty?
3. Should Affirmative Action programs be abolished?
Remember that if too many people are working on the same topic area, the first
person to the library will get the best sources. You may want to choose something a
little different.
Search Words
Before you start a subject or keyword search on any of the on-line databases, you
should work up a list of terms that may be relevant to your particular research
project. The wrong keyword (or a misspelled one) can frustrate any project.
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Emphasis Strategies:
Pull Quotes
The Research Process
The Research Process
Research papers are easy if you start early and work
systematically. In this type of assignment you gather
and interpret facts, ideas, theories, and opinions from
articles written by others. As you do the research,
your knowledge and expertise about your topic
grows. In the finished paper, you use the information
you gather for your own arguments and purposes.
Choosing a Topic
The topic should be something that you feel is
important, interesting and worth exploring. Don’t
worry if you don’t know what you think about the
topic at the beginning of the process. Even if you
have an opinion, it is better to start with an open
mind, ready to see the issues from other perspectives.
As the research progresses and you learn more about
the issues, the topic will become more focused and
your position may solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a question you
are trying to answer. Some samples:
1. Should smoking be legal in the United States?
2. Does the current welfare system create a cycle of
poverty?
3. Should Affirmative Action programs be
abolished?
Remember that if too many people are working on
the same topic area, the first person to the library will
get the best sources. You may want to choose
something a little different.
Research papers are easy if you start early and work systematically. In this type of
assignment you gather and interpret facts, ideas, theories, and opinions from articles
written by others. As you do the research, your knowledge and expertise about your
topic grows. In the finished paper, you use the information you gather for your own
arguments and purposes.
Choosing a Topic
The topic should be something that you feel is important, interesting and worth
exploring. Don’t worry if you don’t know what you think about the topic at the
beginning of the process. Even if you have an opinion, it is better to start with an
open mind, ready to see the issues from other perspectives. As the research
progresses and you learn more about the issues, the topic will become more focused
and your position may solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a question you are trying to answer. Some
samples:
1. Should smoking be legal in the United States?
2. Does the current welfare system create a cycle of poverty?
3. Should Affirmative Action programs be abolished?
Remember that if too many people are working on the same topic area, the first
person to the library will get the best sources. You may want to choose something a
little different.
Search Words
Before you start a subject or keyword search on any of the on-line databases, you
should work up a list of terms that may be relevant to your particular research
project. The wrong keyword (or a misspelled one) can frustrate any project.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Don’t worry if you
don’t know what
you think about the
topic at the
beginning of the
process.
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Emphasis Strategies:
Placement Affects Emphasis
This stuff is
more likely to
be noticed
than this
stuff.
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Emphasis Strategies:
Listing
Although the five-paragraph essay format does provide a basic organizational
structure, there are many potential problems. For example, most newspaper
editorials, magazine essays, scholarly articles, and other examples of writing of this
general type don’t have five paragraphs. The reader usually needs some sort of
context for the thesis, some idea of why he or she should be interested in reading
about this now. In general this format doesn’t do much to engage the reader. Such
essays are usually too short to require a summary at the end. The summary repeats
ideas that the reader has just read about and hasn’t had time to forget. The format
encourages too much repetition—often the same three phrases are repeated in the
introduction, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion. The reader gets bored. If
you follow this format too strictly, you are letting the form generate the content. In
other words, you are putting far more emphasis on how you organize the content
than on what you want to say, the purpose you have in mind, and what your readers
need.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Although the five-paragraph essay format does provide a basic organizational
structure, there are many potential problems. To list a few:

Most newspaper editorials, magazine essays, scholarly articles, and other
examples of writing of this general type don’t have five paragraphs.

The reader usually needs some sort of context for the thesis, some idea of why
he or she should be interested in reading about this now. In general this format
doesn’t do much to engage the reader.

Such essays are usually too short to require a summary at the end. The
summary repeats ideas that the reader has just read about and hasn’t had time to
forget.

The format encourages too much repetition—often the same three phrases are
repeated in the introduction, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion. The
reader gets bored.

If you follow this format too strictly, you are letting the form generate the
content. In other words, you are putting far more emphasis on how you
organize the content than on what you want to say, the purpose you have in
mind, and what your readers need.
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Clarity Questions
What design choices can I make to ensure
that readers understand the message, line
by line, paragraph by paragraph, or field
by field?
 What kinds of field designs are my readers
used to?

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Clarity Strategies
Watch
 Line lengths
 Leading
 Justified Text
 Visual Clutter
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Clarity Strategies (cont.)


Line lengths that are too
short or too long can
erode clarity
Justified text can
produce irregular
spacing
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Contrary to what
many students
believe, there is no
rule that says that a
college essay, or any
other kind of essay,
must have five
paragraphs and five
paragraphs only.
Paragraph divisions
perform two
functions: 1) they
help the reader
understand the text
by organizing it into
groups of ideas that
work together, and 2)
they help the eye
return to the proper
place in the text after
looking away for a
brief moment. A text
without enough
breaks is difficult to
read because you
keep losing your
place.
Contrary to what many
students believe, there is no
rule that says that a college
essay, or any other kind of
essay, must have five
paragraphs and five paragraphs
only. Paragraph divisions
perform two functions: 1) they
help the reader understand the
text by organizing it into
groups of ideas that work
together, and 2) they help the
eye return to the proper place in
the text after looking away for
a brief moment. A text without
enough breaks is difficult to
read because you keep losing
your place.
Contrary to what many
students believe, there is no
rule that says that a college
essay, or any other kind of
essay,
must
have
five
paragraphs and five paragraphs
only.
Paragraph divisions
perform two functions: 1) they
help the reader understand the
text by organizing it into
groups of ideas that work
together, and 2) they help the
eye return to the proper place in
the text after looking away for
a brief moment. A text without
enough breaks is difficult to
read because you keep losing
your place.
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Clarity Strategies (cont.)

The longer the line, the
more attention you must
give to leading
1 pt leading
Contrary to what many students believe, there is no rule that says that a college essay, or any other kind of essay, must have five paragraphs
and five paragraphs only. Paragraph divisions perform two functions: 1) they help the reader understand the text by organizing it into groups
of ideas that work together, and 2) they help the eye return to the proper place in the text after looking away for a brief moment. L
2 pt leading
Contrary to what many students believe, there is no rule that says that a college essay, or any other kind of essay, must have five paragraphs
and five paragraphs only. Paragraph divisions perform two functions: 1) they help the reader understand the text by organizing it into groups
of ideas that work together, and 2) they help the eye return to the proper place in the text after looking away for a brief moment.
1 pt leading
but shorter
lines
Contrary to what many students believe, there is no rule that
says that a college essay, or any other kind of essay, must have
five paragraphs and five paragraphs only. Paragraph divisions
perform two functions: 1) they help the reader understand the
text by organizing it into groups of ideas that work together, and
2) they help the eye return to the proper place in the text after
looking away for a brief moment.
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Conciseness Questions
How can I get the most impact for the least
design?
 How can I avoid over-designing the field?
 If I decide to embellish the field, does that
embellishment do enough rhetorical work
to justify itself?

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Conciseness Strategies
Headings affect conciseness
 Leading affects conciseness
 Columns and margin width affect
concisness
 Use of graphic elements affects
conciseness

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Conciseness Strategies:
Headings Affect Conciseness
The Research Process
Research papers are easy if you start early and work systematically. In this type of
assignment you gather and interpret facts, ideas, theories, and opinions from articles
written by others. As you do the research, your knowledge and expertise about your
topic grows. In the finished paper, you use the information you gather for your own
arguments and purposes.
Choosing a Topic
The topic should be something that you feel is important, interesting and worth
exploring. Don’t worry if you don’t know what you think about the topic at the
beginning of the process. Even if you have an opinion, it is better to start with an
open mind, ready to see the issues from other perspectives. As the research
progresses and you learn more about the issues, the topic will become more focused
and your position may solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a question you are trying to answer. Some
samples: Should smoking be legal in the United States? Does the current welfare
system create a cycle of poverty? Should Affirmative Action programs be
abolished?
Remember that if too many people are working on the same topic area, the first
person to the library will get the best sources. You may want to choose something a
little different.
Search Words
Before you start a subject or keyword search on any of the on-line databases, you
should work up a list of terms that may be relevant to your particular research
project. The wrong keyword (or a misspelled one) can frustrate any
project. Because the assignment this time requires that the topic focus on a person,
event, issue or problem mentioned in one of the articles from the syllabus, this core
article should be a good source of possible search terms. Any subsequent article you
find may also be a source for new search terms. As the research process goes on,
your searches should become more specific.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
The Research Process
Research papers are easy if you start early and work
systematically. In this type of assignment you gather
and interpret facts, ideas, theories, and opinions from
articles written by others. As you do the research,
your knowledge and expertise about your topic
grows. In the finished paper, you use the information
you gather for your own arguments and purposes.
Choosing a Topic
The topic should be something that you feel is
important, interesting and worth exploring. Don’t
worry if you don’t know what you think about the
topic at the beginning of the process. Even if you
have an opinion, it is better to start with an open
mind, ready to see the issues from other perspectives.
As the research progresses and you learn more about
the issues, the topic will become more focused and
your position may solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a question you
are trying to answer. Some samples:
1. Should smoking be legal in the United States?
2. Does the current welfare system create a cycle of
poverty?
3. Should Affirmative Action programs be
abolished?
Remember that if too many people are working on
the same topic area, the first person to the library will
get the best sources. You may want to choose
something a little different.
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Conciseness Strategies:
Leading Affects Conciseness
1-pt leading
3-pt leading
The process of language acquisition begins when we are
born (or perhaps even before) and continues throughout
our lives. We acquire words, grammatical forms, and
syntactic structures from our social environment and
later, from reading. Research has shown that writing
skills, and the acquisition of written language, depend
to a large extent on the amount and type of reading that
an individual does. Sometimes when an individual
becomes so involved with work and family that there is
no time left for reading, language development,
especially vocabulary acquisition, stops. If an
individual in this situation finds it necessary to improve
language skills, some sort of reading program is
essential.
The process of language acquisition begins when we are
born (or perhaps even before) and continues throughout
our lives. We acquire words, grammatical forms, and
syntactic structures from our social environment and
later, from reading. Research has shown that writing
skills, and the acquisition of written language, depend
to a large extent on the amount and type of reading that
an individual does. Sometimes when an individual
becomes so involved with work and family that there is
no time left for reading, language development,
especially vocabulary acquisition, stops. If an
individual in this situation finds it necessary to improve
language skills, some sort of reading program is
essential.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
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Conciseness Strategies:
Overuse of Graphic Elements
Types of Reading
There are a number of types of reading and reading strategies.
Reading for total comprehension is usually appropriate only
for classroom study or in crucial business and technical
situations. Scanning for specific information, and skimming
for general ideas are important skills that also contribute to
language development.
Types of Reading
There are a number of types of reading and reading strategies.
Reading for total comprehension is usually appropriate only
for classroom study or in crucial business and technical
situations. Scanning for specific information, and skimming
for general ideas are important skills that also contribute to
language development.
Vocabulary Development
Vocabulary development is probably the most obvious benefit
of reading. Every individual has both a passive and an active
vocabulary.
Vocabulary Development
Vocabulary development is probably the most obvious benefit
of reading. Every individual has both a passive and an active
vocabulary.
Your active vocabulary consists of words you know and
use. Your passive vocabulary includes those words you
understand in context but do not use.
Your active vocabulary consists of words you know and
use. Your passive vocabulary includes those words you
understand in context but do not use.
Dictionary Use
Dictionaries are an important resource, but many people
overuse them. In general, looking up words in a dictionary
disrupts your natural reading process. When reading, you
should look up a word only when you can't make sense of the
article without it.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Dictionary Use
Dictionaries are an important resource, but many people overuse
them. In general, looking up words in a dictionary disrupts your
natural reading process. When reading, you should look up a
word only when you can't make sense of the article without it.
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Tone Questions
How do I want the tone of the text field to
sound to my readers: serious, friendly,
formal, personable, low-key, energetic,
technical?
 Which of these voices is appropriate for
viewers in this field?

Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
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Tone Strategies:
Formal and Informal
Formal
Less formal
Begin in the Middle
Begin in the Middle
Start writing at whatever point you like. If you
want to begin in the middle, fine. Leave the
introduction or first section until later. The
reader will never know that you wrote the paper
"backwards." Besides, some writers routinely
save the introduction until later when they have
a clearer idea of what the main idea and purpose
will be.
Start writing at whatever point you like. If you
want to begin in the middle, fine. Leave the
introduction or first section until later. The
reader will never know that you wrote the paper
"backwards." Besides, some writers routinely
save the introduction until later when they have
a clearer idea of what the main idea and purpose
will be.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
40
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Tone Strategies:
Formal and Informal
Less formal
Less formal
Begin in the Middle
Begin in the Middle
Start writing at whatever point you like. If you
want to begin in the middle, fine. Leave the
introduction or first section until later. The
reader will never know that you wrote the paper
"backwards." Besides, some writers routinely
save the introduction until later when they have
a clearer idea of what the main idea and purpose
will be.
Start writing at whatever point you like. If you
want to begin in the middle, fine. Leave the
introduction or first section until later. The
reader will never know that you wrote the paper
"backwards." Besides, some writers routinely
save the introduction until later when they have
a clearer idea of what the main idea and purpose
will be.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
41
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Tone Strategies:
Formal and Informal
Less formal
Begin in the Middle
Start writing at whatever point you like. If you
want to begin in the middle, fine. Leave the
introduction or first section until later. The
reader will never know that you wrote the paper
"backwards." Besides, some writers routinely
save the introduction until later when they have
a clearer idea of what the main idea and purpose
will be.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Less formal
Begin in the Middle
Start writing at whatever point you like. If you
want to begin in the middle, fine. Leave the
introduction or first section until later. The
reader will never know that you wrote the paper
"backwards." Besides, some writers routinely
save the introduction until later when they have
a clearer idea of what the main idea and purpose
will be.
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Tone Strategies:
Formal and Informal
Formal
1.0 Brainstorm
1.1 Keep writing
1.2 Don't censor or evaluate
1.3 Keep returning to the problem
2.0 Talk to your reader
2.1 What questions would they ask?
2.2 What different kinds of readers might
you have?
3.0 Ask yourself questions
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Less formal
I. Brainstorm
A. Keep writing
B. Don't censor or evaluate
C. Keep returning to the problem
II Talk to your reader
A. What questions would they ask?
B. What different kinds of readers might
you have?
III. Ask yourself questions
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Tone Strategies:
Formal and Informal
Less formal
1. Brainstorm
• Keep writing
• Don't censor or evaluate
• Keep returning to the problem
2. Talk to your reader
• What questions would they ask?
• What different kinds of readers might
you have?
3. Ask yourself questions
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Less formal
• Brainstorm
– Keep writing
– Don't censor or evaluate
– Keep returning to the problem
• Talk to your reader
– What questions would they ask?
– What different kinds of readers might
you have?
• Ask yourself questions
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Tone Strategies:
What’s the Tone Here?
EXPLORE the problem -- not the topic
EXPLORE the problem -- not the topic
 Who is your reader?
 Who is your reader?
 What is your purpose?
 What is your purpose?
 Who are you, the writer?
 Who are you, the writer?
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
45
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Tone Strategies:
What’s the Tone Here?
EXPLORE the problem -- not the topic
EXPLORE the problem -- not the topic
 Who is your reader?
 Who is your reader?
 What is your purpose?
 What is your purpose?
 Who are you, the writer?
 Who are you, the writer?
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
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Ethos Questions
How can I design the text field so it creates
credibility for me, the other authors, or the
organization?
 How can design decisions in the other five
categories enhance the visual credibility of
this field?

Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
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Ethos Strategies
Create a professional look
 Respect genre conventions
 Develop a style

Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
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Ethos Strategies:
Professional and Stylish
The Research Process
The Research Process
Research papers are easy if you start early and work systematically. In this type of
assignment you gather and interpret facts, ideas, theories, and opinions from articles
written by others. As you do the research, your knowledge and expertise about your
topic grows. In the finished paper, you use the information you gather for your own
arguments and purposes.
Choosing a Topic
The topic should be something that you feel is important, interesting and worth
exploring. Don’t worry if you don’t know what you think about the topic at the
beginning of the process. Even if you have an opinion, it is better to start with an
open mind, ready to see the issues from other perspectives. As the research
progresses and you learn more about the issues, the topic will become more focused
and your position may solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a question you are trying to answer. Some
samples:
1. Should smoking be legal in the United States?
2. Does the current welfare system create a cycle of poverty?
3. Should Affirmative Action programs be abolished?
Remember that if too many people are working on the same topic area, the first
person to the library will get the best sources. You may want to choose something a
little different.
Search Words
Before you start a subject or keyword search on any of the on-line databases, you
should work up a list of terms that may be relevant to your particular research
project. The wrong keyword (or a misspelled one) can frustrate any project.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Choosing a Topic
Don’t worry if you
don’t know what
you think about the
topic at the
beginning of the
process.
Research papers are easy if you start early and work
systematically. In this type of assignment you gather
and interpret facts, ideas, theories, and opinions from
articles written by others. As you do the research,
your knowledge and expertise about your topic
grows. In the finished paper, you use the information
you gather for your own arguments and purposes.
The topic should be something that you feel is
important, interesting and worth exploring. Don’t
worry if you don’t know what you think about the
topic at the beginning of the process. Even if you
have an opinion, it is better to start with an open
mind, ready to see the issues from other perspectives.
As the research progresses and you learn more about
the issues, the topic will become more focused and
your position may solidify.
It is useful to formulate your topic as a question you
are trying to answer. Some samples:
1. Should smoking be legal in the United States?
2. Does the current welfare system create a cycle of
poverty?
3. Should Affirmative Action programs be
abolished?
Remember that if too many people are working on
the same topic area, the first person to the library will
get the best sources. You may want to choose
something a little different.
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Ethos Strategies:
Meet Genre Conventions
Perception of Different Sugars by Blowflies
Alexander Hamilton
Biology 110
October 24, 1995
Lab partners:
Sharon Flynn,
Andi Alexander
INTRODUCTION
All animals rely on senses of taste and smell to find acceptable
food for survival. Chemoreceptors are found in the taste buds on
the tongue in humans (Arms & Camp, 1995), for example, for
tasting food. Studies of sensory physiology have often used
insects as experimental subjects because insects can be
manipulated with ease and because their sensory-response system
is relatively simple. Flies taste food by walking on it (Dethier,
1963). Hollow hairs around the proboscis and tarsi contain
receptor neurons that can distinguish among water, salts, and
sugars, and flies can distinguish among different sugars (Dethier,
1976).
In this experiment we tested the ability of the blowfly Sarcophaga
bullata to taste different sugars and a sugar substitute saccharin.
Because sucrose is so sweet to people, I expected the flies to taste
lower concentrations of sucrose than they would of maltose and
glucose. Because saccharin is also sweet tasting to people, I
expected the flies to respond positively to it as well.
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
Perception of Different
Sugars by Blowflies
INTRODUCTION
Alexander Hamilton
Biology 110
October 24, 1995
Lab partners:
Sharon Flynn,
Andi Alexander
All animals rely on senses of taste and smell to
find acceptable food for survival. Chemoreceptors
are found in the taste buds on the tongue in
humans (Arms & Camp, 1995), for example, for
tasting food. Studies of sensory physiology have
often used insects as experimental subjects because
insects can be manipulated with ease and because
their sensory-response system is relatively simple.
Flies taste food by walking on it (Dethier, 1963).
Hollow hairs around the proboscis and tarsi contain
receptor neurons that can distinguish among
water, salts, and sugars, and flies can distinguish
among different sugars (Dethier, 1976).
In this experiment we tested the ability of the
blowfly Sarcophaga bullata to taste different
sugars and a sugar substitute saccharin. Because
sucrose is so sweet to people, I expected the flies to
taste lower concentrations of sucrose than they
would of maltose and glucose. Because saccharin is
also sweet tasting to people, I expected the flies to
respond positively to it as well.
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Ethos Strategies:
Meet Genre Conventions
February 26, 2003
The Lone Gunmen
26 Bradley Road
Los Angeles, CA 90024
Dear Readers,
What Happened at Port Chicago?
It was August 6, 1945 when a blinding flash cut across the sky of Hiroshima causing
the eventual death of some 80,000 men, women and children. But a year earlier in
July, 1944 a huge explosion had occurred at the naval ammunition facility at Port
Chicago, California. All contemporary accounts described the disaster as due to
conventional explosives but an odd quirk of fate worthy of a Perry Mason show or a
mystery novel started author Peter Vogel probing in other directions. The results of
that quest which we will summarize here was published in the Spring 1982 issue of
The Black Scholar in an article called The Last Wave From Port Chicago by Peter
Vogel.
In the spring of 1980 the author found a document at the bottom of a box of
photographic equipment and supplies from a church rummage sale. That document
was entitled the "History of the 10,000 ton gadget" and had come from Los Alamos
laboratories in Autumn of 1944. Many people might have never paid any attention
to this paper which was a previously top secret technical description of the timing of
the various events taking place within a nuclear explosion after detonation. The
"history" proceeds through a number of steps indicating, for example, the detonation
wave reaching the tamper in .067 milliseconds (step 2), The tamper being fully
compressed at .127 ms (step 3), ball of fire fully expanded at approximately 160 ms
(step 8). But the Rosetta stone here was step 11. It stated: "Ball of fire mushroom
Designing Visual Language-Chapter 5
THE LONE GUNMEN
What Happened at Port Chicago?
It was August 6, 1945 when a blinding
flash cut across the sky of Hiroshima causing
the eventual death of some 80,000 men,
women and children. But a year earlier in
July, 1944 a huge explosion had occurred at
the naval ammunition facility at Port
Chicago, California. All contemporary
accounts described the disaster as due to
conventional explosives but an odd quirk of
fate worthy of a Perry Mason show or a
mystery novel started author Peter Vogel
probing in other directions. The results of
that quest which we will summarize here was
published in the Spring 1982 issue of The
Black Scholar in an article called The Last
Wave From Port Chicago by Peter Vogel.
In the spring of 1980 the author found a
document at the bottom of a box of
photographic equipment and supplies from a
church rummage sale. That document was
entitled the "History of the 10,000 ton
gadget" and had come from Los Alamos
laboratories in Autumn of 1944. Many
people might have never paid any attention
to this paper which was a previously top
secret technical description of the timing of
the various events taking place within a
nuclear explosion after detonation. The
"history" proceeds through a number of
steps indicating, for example, the
detonation wave reaching the tamper in
.067 milliseconds (step 2), The tamper
being fully compressed at .127 ms (step 3),
ball of fire fully expanded at approximately
160 ms (step 8).
But the Rosetta stone here was step 11. It
stated: "Ball of fire mushroom (sic) out at
18,000 ft in typical Port Chicago fashion."
This line set off alarm bells. The author
learned that the Port Chicago explosion was
indeed characterized by a brilliant white
flash and that a ball of fire mushroomed out
to at least 10,000 feet before it was
obscured by nightfall.
So now the author had a few questions
come to mind that needed some answers:
> "Did the U.S. in fact have the capability
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