Digital Collections

4. Readability

Readability is how easy it is for the reader to read through the text in a layout without being bored or fatigued. If the layout has high readability, then the material in it is easy to read and even motivates the reader to read.

a) Text justification affects the readability of a layout. Text can be justified in a variety of forms.

ii) Left Justified text has each line starting the same distance
from the left margin of the page. This is the most common
form of setting up text.

ii) Left Justified text is not uncommon 
and it occurs when all the lines on 
a page begin at the same distance 
from the left margin and all lines
end at the same distance from the 
right margin. This justification can
be very pleasing to the eye. The on-
ly problem is that many hyphens are 
made at the end of the lines when
words need to be broken up. This can
be distracting. Full justification
is rarely used in Web publishing and
is simulated here using "preform-
atted" text and a non-proportional
font.

iv) Right justified text has each line ending the same distance
from the right margin. This style is good for variety, but can
lead to many distracting hyphens along the right side of the
page.

b) Choice of font is another factor that affects readability.

i) Choose a font that suits what the design is about.

For example, if the design is advertising the latest computer hardware, which of the following fonts would be best suited?

ii) Be sure that the font is legible.

iii) Kerning is the space between the letters in a word. If the kerning is too l a r g e or too small, the readability comes into jeopardy.

5. Presentation

The final layout technique relates to how the items on a page are arranged. Each method of presentation gives a different effect to the design.

a) Adding tilt to a page can add a great amount of punch. In this Digital Collection example we find an example of tilt layout.

Five Ancient Cultures of the Northern Peninsula

b) Vertical layouts can make the page look narrow and slim. This SchoolNet Collection example makes good use of vertical layout.

Glenn Gould Archive

c) Borders add to the clarity and focus of a layout design. The Collège Joliette Digital Collection title page contains borders.

Collège Joliette: 150 ans d'éducation

d) Frames add focus to layouts.

e) Mondrian layout happens when the page is divided using rectangles of different sizes.

f) Knockout causes the item in the layout to stand out greatly.

Attestation Papers: Canadian Expeditionary Force

Make a design layout for each of the following items. For each layout, incorporate at least five concepts from each of the five different layout techniques (Rhythm, Emphasis, Balance, Readability, Presentation).

1. A summer camp

2. Yahiyo Chocolate bars

Take 25 minutes to complete this task. When you are finished, divide into groups of four and exchange papers. Try to identify the concepts used in the layouts passed out to you. Write the concepts that you identified on the back of the sheet and pass it back to the creator.