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Consider Genre and Design

Depending on the complexity of the problem you’re addressing and the nature of the solution you propose, design can contribute greatly to the overall effectiveness of your essay. As is the case with other academic essays, you’ll need to consider the expectations of your readers about design elements such as wide margins, double-spaced lines, page numbers, and a readable body font. But you can also use page layout elements as well as color, shading, borders, and rules to enhance the effectiveness of your essay.

Page layout elements, such as marginal glosses, pull quotes, and headings and subheadings, can draw readers’ attention to key points in your essay. For example, a pull quote — a passage of text set off from the body of your essay using borders or white space — can highlight an important idea. Similarly, headings and subheadings can help readers understand at a glance the main idea of a section in your essay.
Color, shading, borders, and rules can be used to call attention to key information and ideas in your essay. For instance, you might use a shaded box to present a dramatic example or related information that doesn’t fit well within the body of your essay, or you might use a contrasting color to draw the reader’s eye to an important passage.

Other design elements — such as illustrations and captions, tables and figures, and bulleted and numbered lists — can also contribute to the effectiveness of your essay. As you consider how best to connect with your readers, reflect on which design strategies will help you accomplish your purpose. Chapters 16, 17, and 18 provide a detailed discussion of document design principles and elements.