Analyzing written words

When written words appear alone in a document, it’s clear that they have a message to convey. In much academic writing, the design of the document seems “invisible,” whether the message is simple or complex. In other words, academic writers often avoid decorative or unusual fonts (such as Comic Sans) or font treatments (such as color) that might distract readers or discourage them from taking the message seriously.

When used thoughtfully, however, different fonts and features can add meaning to written words and can be especially appropriate in multimodal compositions. Whether created for academic, professional, or creative purposes, multimodal compositions may use a variety of treatments and even animations to boost or otherwise alter the meaning of written words. The questions in the chart can help you analyze how written text functions in a composition.

Analyzing written words

Related topics:

Genre: In what kind of document do the written words appear?

Features: What do the words look like?

Purpose and audience: Why and for whom are the words created?

Meaning: What effect do the words have on the reader?

Designing documents