1 / 29

TECM 3200: Style

TECM 3200: Style. Dr. Lam. Using Lists. Use a list when appropriate Are there multiple items ? Resume items Projects Images Do you want to your user to check something off mentally? Does your user need to find something quickly ? Don’t use a list if it’s inappropriate

jamal
Télécharger la présentation

TECM 3200: Style

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. TECM 3200: Style Dr. Lam

  2. Using Lists • Use a list when appropriate • Are there multiple items? • Resume items • Projects • Images • Do you want to your user to check something off mentally? • Does your user need to find something quickly? • Don’t use a list if it’s inappropriate • Narrative information • BUT, rethink narrative information

  3. Match bullets to your personality • The default style is a black circle • This can be changed using list-style-type in CSS • Sometimes it makes sense to remove the bullet points

  4. Use Numbered Lists for Instructions • It allows your visits to: • See how many steps there are • Check off steps (since they can’t write on the screen) • Find their place if they’re completing a task • Complete all steps in correct order

  5. Use Numbered Lists for Non-Instructions • Use numbered lists for other appropriate content: • Best and worst lists • Finite list of guidelines or principles (Guidelines in Redish) • Anything else that might benefit from mentally using numbers • Example: Here’s a list of my top 3 accomplishments: • Received technical communication award (2013) • Earned 3.8 GPA (2010-2013) • Developed three websites in HTML/CSS (2013)

  6. Replace Paragraphs with lists • When appropriate, remove paragraph information • Most web content should be presented in short bursts, and lists are more conducive to this approach

  7. Transforming narrative to lists • Original: My name is Chris Lam and I’m a student at UNT in the department of Linguistics & Technical Communication. I’m extremely passionate about web design and have created multiple sites for real-world clients. • Transformed: Important facts about me: • Student at UNT in Linguistics & Technical Communication (expected graduation 5/2014) • Passionate about web design • Designed and developed sites for clients. View my portfolio for examples.

  8. Embed Tables into Lists • If a list needs explanation, don’t simply add more bullet points, use a table • E.g., • Decide if you would like to purchase the new version or old version of the software.

  9. Keep Lists Short when Possible • Keep lists from 5 to 10 items • If you have more than 10 list items, consider grouping or organizing the list into multiple categories • Instead of: • TECM 4180 • TECM 3200 • TECM 4150 • TECM 5195 • TECM 2700 • TECM 1700 • TECM 1200 Writing Intensive Courses • TECM 1700 • TECM 2700 • TECM 1200 Production Intensive Courses • TECM 3200 • TECM 3100 Design Intensive Courses • TECM 4150 • TECM 3200

  10. Format your lists • Don’t just stick to the default settings • Use CSS to create effective use of white space • Reduce space between introduction and list • Put a space between long list items • First Child pseudo element can be useful in lists

  11. First Child Demo Grocery List • Apples • Bananas • Milk <ul> <li>Grocery list</li> <li>Apples</li> <li>Bananas</li> <li>Milk</li> </ul>

  12. CSS First Child Demo li: first-child { font-weight: bold; margin-top: 0; }

  13. Guidelines for using Tables • Use tables for a set of “if, then” sentences • Use tables to compare numerical data (or anything for that matter) • Use tables to answer questions

  14. Format your Tables! • Do NOT stick with the default • Left align your table elements • Eliminate outside lines around the whole table • Lighten the lines between columns • Use shading for alternate rows instead of lines

  15. HTML Table

  16. Table CSS for Alternating Rows

  17. Conciseness • Overuse of main verb “be” • Expletive structures • Nominals

  18. Overuse of main verb“to be” • Forms of “to be” • Main verb is always right-most verb • Management tends to be uncooperative. • Management could have been more cooperative. • Main verb “be” is often followed by a noun, adjective, or prepositional phrase. These words can sometimes replace “to be” • Determine what part of speech follows the main verb “be” and find a more specific verb.

  19. Practice: Locate the verb-form “to be” and revise to make it more concise. • The administration is supportive of our program. • This information could be of benefit to the students. • This report is an analysis of the problem.

  20. Expletive Structures • Begins with “There” or “It” • “There was”, “it is”, “there could be”, etc. • “There” or “It” is the subject of sentence • Look for a stronger subject following the expletive

  21. Practice: Locate the expletive structure. Revise for conciseness. • It is necessary for users to back-up all contents of their websites. • It is the purpose of this manual is to discuss the use of Wordpress as a content management system. • There will be seven sections in this manual that describe the overall management of your website.

  22. Nominals • Nouns derived from verbs • -ance, -ence, -ion, or –ment • Maintain • Recommend • Achieve

  23. Practice Locate the nominal and revise for conciseness. • This manual contains a discussion of content management systems. • The inclusion of a recommendation for your computer’s minimal technical requirements is found in this manual on page 17.

  24. Caveat about conciseness • Watch out for meaning • The article includes a discussion of methods for retention • The article discusses retention • Watch out for tone, especially in negative messages • The application deadline passed last week on February 1st. • You missed the February 1st deadline.

  25. Passive vs. Active Voice • Based on thematic roles of agent and patient • Agent: Doer of the action • Patient: Receiver of action • Related to syntactic position • Subject: First noun phrase in the main clause of a sentence • Direct Object: noun phrase following the main verb

  26. Identifying active and passive structures

  27. Other ways to identifyvoice • Passive must follow this formula: • “to be” + past participle • The manual was written by John.

  28. Practice • Customers have been writing several letters of complaint. • Items have been ripped off from customers. • Customers have been ripped off. • Customers have been ripping off items. • Complaint letters were written.

  29. Choosing active and passive voice • Active for conciseness • Removes form of “to be” and “by” phrase • Letters have been written by customers – (5 words) • Customers wrote letters (3 words) • Active to focus on Agent • John made several mistakes. • Use passive to focus on patient • Agentless passive • Mistakes were made. • Use passive to describe generalizable actions or results • Today, faster processers are used in computers.

More Related