Transcript Web Writing - Texas A&M University

Web Writing
Ag Media Writing
3/19/03
Web Writing
“People who surf the Internet use a
special medium that requires
concentration and attention, and they
seek information that interests them.”
Audience interests drive the content.
Problem
Reading rates slow
by 25-40% on the
Web.
Monitor’s flicker
causes eye strain.
Almost 80% of Web
readers scan Web
text.
Web readers fickle.
Tons of competition.
Readers scan a
Website for 8-10
seconds before
moving on.
Solution
Design for easy scanning.
Provide visual navigation and
accessibility.
Be concise.
Convey credibility.
Solution: Design for easy scanning
Select legible fonts
- san serif best for Web.
Use large enough fonts.
Italics decrease legibility, use sparingly.
Dark type on light background reads
and prints much better than light type
on dark background.
Solution
Solution
Keep line lengths short.
Use headlines and subheads to break
up text.
Use bullets or numbered list.
Highlight or bold key words.
Use navigational tools and menus.
Example
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/n
utrition/DJ0856.html
http://cgil.uoguelph.ca/pub/Update2000/AllGenes.
htm
http://www.agweb.com/sig_get_article.asp?file=A
gNewsArticle_2003325941_912&articleid=96424&
sigcat=corn
Solution: Concise/Credibility
Avoid “Fatigue Factor”.
Use concise, “lean” text.
Chunk content.
Just the facts ma’am.
Make sponsors known.
Only link to high credibility sites.
Web Writing
Use of graphics can
help readers
navigate a Website.
References
Bunton, K., Writing Across the Media,
Bedford/St. Martin’s, Boston, 1999.
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/whyscan
ning.html