Smart Quotes

One of the most irritating typographic faux pas is the use of straight quotation marks (also called ‘dumb’ quotes) instead of true typographic quotation marks (‘smart’ or ‘curly’ quotes). How did this dumb-versus-smart muddle begin? Blame the engineers: the standard keyboard layout (which was not created by typographers!) has straight quotes in place of real quotes. As designers, it’s our job to use our ‘smarts’ to work around this all-too-common problem.

Strizver, Ilene. Upper and lowercase Magazine (2002). Design>Typography>Document Design

The Soapbox, Please

I admit that my intelligence is easily insulted. It’s probably because I’ve got so little of it left – raising a child, running a business, and working in the software industry take their toll, after all – that I’ve got to defend it with the ferocity of a rabid fruit bat. But, as I review the state of the art in desktop publishing software, I’m left with one nagging question: Just exactly how dumb do these guys think I am?

Kvern, Olav Martin. Upper and lowercase Magazine (1999). Articles>Software>Document Design

Sony HDV HC1 High-Definition Camcorder

Introduces the high-definition Sony HDV-HC1 digital camcorder for technical/professional communication practice.

Karlin, Erin and Amy Tehan. Studio for New Media (2006). Articles>Document Design>Multimedia>Video

The Successes and Challenges of Visual Language  

Discusses efforts to create manuals that rely entirely on pictures for communication.

Hofmann, Patrick. Intercom (2004). Design>Document Design>Graphic Design>Visual Rhetoric

Supra-Textual Design: The Visual Rhetoric of Whole Documents    

Supra-textual design encompasses the global visual language of a document and operates in three modes: textual, spatial, and graphic. The rhetoric of supra-textual design includes structural functions that provide global organization and cohesion and stylistic functions that affect credibility, tone, emphasis, interest, and usability. Supra-textual rhetoric extends to other documents through conventional codes and through sets and series. Because writers may not control the end product of supra-textual design, intention may also be a rhetorical factor.

Kostelnick, Charles. Technical Communication Quarterly (1996). Articles>Document Design>Rhetoric>Visual Rhetoric

System Calibration

This section explains Linear Calibration. Linear is the same as gamma 1.0 or gamma-space 1.0.

AIM for DTP. Design>Graphic Design>Document Design>Color

A Systematic Approach to Visual Language in Business Communication    

Although business communication relies heavily on the visual, current approaches to graphics and text design are prescriptive and unsystematic. A 12-cell schema of visual coding modes and levels provides a model for describing and evaluating business documents as flexible systems of visual language. Emphasizing clarity and objectivity, the 'information design' movement has generated guidelines for creating functional visual displays. However, visual language in business communication is seldom rhetorically 'neutral' and requires adaptation to the contextual variables of each document, a goal the writer can achieve by com bining visual and verbal planning in the same holistic process.

Kostelnick, Charles. JBC (1988). Articles>Business Communication>Document Design>Visual Rhetoric

Tabular Data: Finding the Best Format  

Discusses the results of a study comparing several formats for displaying data in tables.

Tullis, Tom and Stan Fleischman. Intercom (2004). Design>Document Design>Visual Rhetoric>Charts and Graphs

Taking Stock of Paper

Paper stock makes a big difference in the appearance of a product, and even though prices have come down recently, it's probably the most expensive element in your print run, so you need to make it count. Though budget is probably the biggest factor in choosing stock, here are several other considerations.

Dahlman, Gayle. Editorial Eye, The (1996). Design>Document Design>Prepress>Paper

Technical Writing for Desktop Publishers

Writing and book indexing help for desktop publishers. Often desktop publishers become jack-of-all-trades and need at least a basic understanding of technical writing.

Howard Bear, Jacci. About.com (2002). Resources>Document Design>Software>Technical Writing

The Changing Face of Document Design and Technical Communication: The Impact of Trends on How We Think about Our Work  

Characterizes the evolving trends, and helps you consider the impact of trends on your thinking and doing.

Schriver, Karen A. IDblog (2004). Presentations>Document Design>TC

There and Back  

Taking FrameMaker files on the road can present a few challenges, but it doesn't have to be difficult. Here are some tips that'll help ensure that you get the best results.

Valiulis, Dave. Adobe Magazine (1997). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe FrameMaker

ThinkCreation Blog

You can find desktop publishing tutorials, tips of the day and design resources.

Bruno, Elisabetta. ThinkCreation (2005). Design>Graphic Design>Document Design>Blogs

Threaded Text in InDesign CS

If you use Microsoft Word, you are used to the fact that if when your text will get to the end of a page, another page will be automatically added. With InDesign and most layout programs, this is a little bit different. This is because layout programs work with text boxes (or tex frames) which allow you more freedom when you lay out your document.

Bruno, Elisabetta. Designorati (2005). Articles>Document Design>Software>Adobe InDesign

Tips for Practical Newsletter Design

Good newsletters, both HTML and plain text, explain themselves clearly and are focused, well-written information sources.

Baker, Adam. Merges.net (2001). Articles>Document Design>Journalism>Newsletters

Tips to Save Money When Printing Translated Work

When designing things in several languages, the cost of production can become quite high. However there are ways to save money and make the printing cost of flyers, magazines, etc. much lower. These tricks also apply when doing several versions of one job even if it's in the same language.

Bruno, Elisabetta. Designorati (2005). Articles>Document Design>Prepress

Total Control: The Next Generation  

There's never been a better time to free yourself from boring, repetitive tasks using PageMaker's scripting language.

Kvern, Olav Martin. Adobe Magazine (1995). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe PageMaker

Tree-Free at Last  

'Tree-free' paper - made from fibers other than wood - isn't just a gimmick.

Sidles, Constance J. Adobe Magazine (1996). Articles>Document Design>Prepress>Paper

Troubleshooting PageMaker Documents

This document will attempt to tell you what causes corruption, how to prevent it, and — if it’s already too late — how to attempt recovery. There are even a couple of tips for when you can’t open the document at all. There are also some links to other documents that may be of interest. Finally, you can download some scripts that may help you.

Kvern, Olav Martin, Gordon Woolf, Carol Majors, Christine Hummel, Kristina McCook and Peter C.S. Adams. Makingpages.org (2002). Design>Document Design>Software>Adobe PageMaker

Typographic Settings for Structured Abstracts    

Structured abstracts contain more information, are of higher quality, and are easier to search and read than are traditional abstracts. However, there is a bewildering variety of ways in which structured abstracts can be printed and little is known about how the typography of structured abstracts can affect their clarity. The aim of this article is to delineate some of these major typographic variables and to comment on their effects upon the layouts of structured abstracts.

Hartley, James. Journal of Technical Writing and Communication (2000). Design>Document Design>Typography

Typography and Page Layout: Classification of Type

The number of type faces in use today runs into the thousands and as such presents difficulty in selecting the appropriate design for a particular job. Because there are so many type designs to choose from, it is easier to first choose a general type style or classification to suit your graphic design, and then, look for a particular type face that relates to that classification.

Magnik, John. Typography First. Design>Document Design>Typography

Typography and Page Layout: Copy Preparation

Copy preparation is a skilled job which, if done properly, assists the smooth flow of work through later stages of the production cycle. All personnel, especially those involved in the composition areas, have seen the results of ineffective copy preparation.

Magnik, John. Typography First. Design>Document Design>Editing>Typography

Typography and Page Layout: Layouts for Desktop Publishing and Printing

A printed product or job must be well planned. The combination of ideas used in planning and designing the product is called a layout. It can be defined as the arrangement of all the units or elements into a printed, usable format. These units or elements include the heading, sub-heading, text matter, illustrations, and photographs. The preparation of a complete set of layouts will require: thumbnail sketches, rough layout, and a comprehensive layout. A definite plan, predetermined, is very necessary.

Magnik, John. Typography First. Design>Document Design

Typography and Page Layout: Margins

Margins are the imaginary vertical demarcations for text or tabular columns. Overall or primary margins are established by the line length function or the cumulative total of secondary margins (tab or text columns). Establishing margins requires careful consideration. The amount of white space surrounding printed material effects both appearance and the readability of the page. Plenty of marginal space indicates luxury or formality; small margins indicate commercialism.

Magnik, John. Typography First. Design>Document Design