More on Reading Online

For online reading, we will need a different style of writing so that it will be easier for the reader.

Laura Ruel and Steve Outing created a heatmap to show how the eye focuses on the left side of a page and then moves right. It is shown below. If it doesn’t show in this threaded discussion, you can see it at: http://www.poynterextra.org/eyetrack2004/main.htm

Jakob Neilson is the recognized “guru” of web design (although his own Alertbox web sites do not seem to follow his own rules)! According to Neilsen and Morkes, studies have shown that users do not actually read web text, but they scan it.

Neilsen suggested that online writers should:
* use hypertext links,
* meaningful sub-headings,
* bulleted lists,
* paragraphs with one idea only,
* use less words than print writing, and
* use the inverted pyramid style, starting with the conclusion.

Contrary to the usual style of journalistic writing, an Inverted Pyramid-style article actually starts with the conclusion. This is followed by the most substantial supporting information. Background information is used last. The inverted pyramid is very efficient for Web readers because they can stop reading at any point in the article and still have the most important points, thereby saving the reader from having to skim the entire article.

Jakob Neilson on how to write for the web:
http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9710a.html
And on inverted pyramids, Neilsen, http://www.useit.com/alertbox/9606.html