The general principles of good text seem to be common to both print and digital text. These general principles can be generalized to the following five points:
1. Finding a way to emphasize important parts of the text. This can be done via headers and font types and sizes
2. Using concise and clear wording. Both print and digital texts emphasize avoiding redundancies in wording, and getting to the point of the message with the least amount of words possible. This was especially evident in the alternative text mentioned in the web design page.
3. Showing a theme of unity throughout the text. A uniform style and tone throughout the text helps the reader absorb the entire message. This was shown in Park’s text through the dinosaur design on the newsletter. The graphic included was a childish dinosaur image, but the text layout was something similar to a serious research article. It was explained how this could confuse the reader, making the reader flip between thinking they were reading a serious article or a fun one.
4. The use of white space was also emphasized in both articles. It can either detract or enhance the reader’s experience, as white space is used to break up the text. It is important to include an appropriate amount of white space so as to avoid cluttering the space and distract the reader.
It is also important to note how design differs between print and digital texts. Digital texts are not limited in space or material. Color, hyperlinks, and videos can all be incorporated into the design without limiting factors like cost and space. Print texts are limited in this respect, and so must be even more concise.
Accessible text principles can be applied to both print and digital media. Print and digital media, although in different mediums, both serve to convey their message as effectively as possible. The article on accessible text was written with the basis of being applied to a website, but that is not to say these same principles aren’t meant to apply to print.
White space is a key concept mentioned in the article, but it is also entirely relevant to print media as well. Overwhelming a reader with a jam-packed and cluttered print text will detract from the purpose of it, regardless of what that purpose is.
Color can be incorporated into accessible design, but must be done so tastefully. Contrasting colors are a good way to place emphasis on certain areas of a piece. Color schemes can include using complementary or analogous colors. Incorporating color into a piece can add an exciting and attention grabbing component, and if incorporated appropriately will add to the pieces overall success. It is important to also realize that too much of any one thing can become a bad thing. Incorporating too much color can result in an experience that is ’ so chaotic that the viewer can’t stand to look at it”, so finding an appropriate middle ground is key.
Overall, the balance between accessibility and good design is one important to achieve. Good design helps engage the reader, but accessibility helps the reader to get the most out of the given piece. Finding a balance between the two will help ensure the reader engages in the entire piece, while also absorbing the entire message the writer hoped to deliver.