WRITER’S CHECKLIST

194

Did you

  • analyze your audience: their knowledge of the subject, their attitudes, their reasons for reading, and the kinds of tasks they will be carrying out?

  • consider the purpose or purposes you are trying to achieve?

  • determine your resources in time, money, and equipment?

Did you

  • think about which accessing aids would be most appropriate, such as icons, color, dividers and tabs, and cross-reference tables?

  • use color, if available, to highlight certain items, such as warnings?

  • devise a style for headers and footers?

  • devise a style for page numbers?

  • draw thumbnail sketches and page grids that define columns and white space?

  • choose typefaces that are appropriate for your subject?

  • use appropriate styles from the type families?

  • use type sizes that are appropriate for your subject and audience?

  • choose a line length that is suitable for your subject and audience?

  • choose line spacing that is suitable for your line length, subject, and audience?

  • consider whether to use left-justified text or full-justified text?

  • design your title for clarity and emphasis?

  • devise a logical, consistent style for each heading level?

  • use rules, boxes, screens, marginal glosses, and pull quotes where appropriate?

Did you

  • create informative headers and footers?

  • include extra features your readers might need, such as an FAQ page, a search page or engine, resource links, a printable version of your site, or a text-only version?

  • help readers navigate the site by including a site map, a table of contents, “Back to top” links, and textual navigation buttons?

  • help readers connect with others through links to interactive portions of your site and to social-media sites?

  • design for readers with vision, hearing, or mobility impairment?

  • design for multicultural audiences?

  • aim for simplicity in web page design by using simple backgrounds and conservative color combinations and by avoiding decorative graphics?

  • make the text easy to read and understand by keeping it short, chunking information, and writing simply?