Format = Usability = Better Student Engagement

Using some simple principles, we can improve our students’ engagement when reading our materials, whether they are on paper or in D2L. Our writing should be learner-friendly because the way we write their instructions is very different from how we write for each other OR how textbooks and many professional documents are written. Document design principles are grounded in learning principles.

Organizing Techniques  Chunking—put similar ideas together (in bulleted lists, paragraphs, titles, subtitles).  Queuing—use headings and alignment to show level and/or importance. o Keep sentences and paragraphs short (apply the “squint test”—a block of text should not become a “sea of gray”). o Keep bullet lists to 5-7 items or split into groups (use columns if necessary).  Filtering—use visual patterns such as symbols (flags for example, or other icons) to indicate different types of information.

Consistency  Make every assignment follow the exact same format (For example, use identical font and point size for headings, text, queuing, spacing, and margins—every time).  Put instructions for every phase of every assignment the same place in the document or in D2L, every time—and don’t make students go to different places to find instructions.  Use consistent nomenclature to communicate similar tasks. This cuts the brain processing clutter (For example, if “synthesize” is the word you like, then define it once and use “synthesize” in all assignments—don’t substitute a synonym).

Special Formatting for Visual Effects  Use the spacing menu to set single spacing and make it a default for all documents except where extra or unusual spacing is needed (Most can be done with the enter key).  Use consistent formats for the symbols that precede each phrase in a list: o Lines/boxes beside a point if you want students to check it off o Bullets to indicate parallelism (equality of points) o Numbers when order matters  Avoid using all caps (IT’S LIKE SHOUTING).  Use asterisks only if referencing information at the bottom of a page or the end of a document.  Reserve underlining for web links only.  Use italics for special purposes—(example: book titles).

Stylistic Principles for Text (See Next Page for Research Study Findings)  Conciseness—directness, strong word-to-thought ratio, placement of subject and verbs  Scannability—the quality of making a document easily navigated  Objective language (clarity)—only one meaning possible for each word or phrase

Sources: Don’t Make Me Think (Steve Krug) and Writing for the Web (Lynda Felder) Measuring the Effect of Improved Web Writing

To measure the effect of some of the content guidelines we had identified [see link below for more information from this study], we developed five different versions of the same website (same basic information; different wording; same site navigation). We then had users perform the same tasks with the different sites. As shown in the table, measured usability was dramatically higher for the concise version (58% better) and for the scannable version (47% better). And when we combined three ideas for improved writing style into a single site, the result was truly stellar: 124% better usability.

Usability Improvement Site Version Sample Paragraph (relative to control condition)

Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large Promotional writing crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most (control condition) popular places were Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts 0% using the "marketese" Bluff National Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & (by definition) found on many Museum (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of the Prairie commercial websites Pioneer (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446).

Concise text In 1996, six of the best-attended attractions in Nebraska were Fort Robinson with about half the word State Park, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Arbor Lodge State Historical 58% count as the control Park & Museum, Carhenge, Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, and condition Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park.

Nebraska is filled with internationally recognized attractions that draw large crowds of people every year, without fail. In 1996, some of the most Scannable layout popular places were: using the same text as the control condition in a  Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors) 47% layout that facilitated  Scotts Bluff National Monument (132,166) scanning  Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum (100,000)  Carhenge (86,598)  Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (60,002)  Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446). Objective language Nebraska has several attractions. In 1996, some of the most-visited places using neutral rather than were Fort Robinson State Park (355,000 visitors), Scotts Bluff National subjective, boastful, or Monument (132,166), Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum 27% exaggerated language (100,000), Carhenge (86,598), Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer (otherwise the same as (60,002), and Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park (28,446). the control condition)

In 1996, six of the most-visited places in Nebraska were: Combined version using all three  Fort Robinson State Park improvements in writing  Scotts Bluff National Monument 124% style together: concise,  Arbor Lodge State Historical Park & Museum scannable, and objective  Carhenge  Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer  Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park

https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-users-read-on-the-web/