26 Beyond Black on White: Document Design and Formatting in the Writing Classroom

In their essay in Writing Spaces, Michael J. Klein and Kristi L. Shackelford note the importance not just of what your composition says, but how it’s designed. Both have a significant impression on an audience and their potential uptake of or engagement with your ideas. Their overview of design choices and elements offers a quick, accessible crash course in design that applies across the curriculum and modes of composition.

Read Michael J. Klein and Kristi L. Shackelford’s “Beyond Black on White: Document Design and Formatting in the Writing Classroom.”

Keywords from this chapter in Writing Spaces

document, design, formatting, graphics, contrast, repetition, alignment, proximity

Author Bios

Michael J. Klein is an associate professor at James Madison University and the Director of the Cohen Center for the Humanities. His professional focuses include the following: “The configuration and representation of science and technology in popular culture, the cultural and scientific implications of new medical imaging technologies and visualization in medicine, and the development of professional communication pedagogy” (JMU).

Kristi L. Shackelford is the Chief Communications Officer for Academic Affairs at James Madison University. She is a graduate of James Madison University.