Distinction between Online and Print readability

The most common eye movement is the F sequence. Well, just imagine an F shape on the looking pattern. That is how most people see when they are browsing through a webpage (Nielsen 2006). Face it these days, not everyone reads everything on a web page. It is proven uncomfortable for long hours reading due to the radiation.

Source: Karp, S

Relating back on windows system, the icons and buttons appears on the left side of the screen by default and that motivates audiences to look horizontally when they are using the computer, in other words, habitual. To cut it short, windows operating system is very much left orientated (Bowker and Dillman 2000).

Books and magazine on the other hand are generally more comfortable to read and are less inconvenient, comparing to the attempt to reread a print and to turn on the computer.

As oppose to online, print documents are more detail in nature, thus attached with supporting visual aids that collaborates with one another. Also for print, it can manipulate CMYK colours to increase the clarity of the visual, while online is limited to RGB colours.

The words also play a role, in terms of online versus print. Parker (2003) stated that short-length text reduces the left-to-right orientation, in others words, more comfortable to the eye.

Source: Hufflington, A

Overall according to (Reep 2006), unbroken blocks have a sequence effect on readers. Even so, the visual aids compiled in a print will divert readers to the information they need, like a page turner effect (Schriver 1997). Webpage is also similar but the content is generally less and condensed while the pictures and video are less attractive. This is done to ensure a page is loaded at the fastest possible way that sometimes hampers the clarity of the content.

Reference List:

Bowker D & Dillman DA 2000, An Experimental Evaluation of Left and Right Oriented Screens for Web questionnaire, Washington State University, viewed 12 November 2008, <www.sesrc.wsu.edu/dillman/papers/aaporpaper00.pdf>.

Nielsen, J 2006, F-Shaped Pattern For Reading Web Content, Jakob Nielsen Alertbox, viewed 12 November 2008, <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/reading_pattern.html>.

Nielsen, J 2006, Long versus Short Articles as Content Strategy, Jakob Nielsen Alertbox, viewed 12 November 2008, <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/content-strategy.html>.

Parker, RC 2003, Looking good in print, 5^th edition, Paraglyph Press, Arizona.

Reep, DC 2006, Technical Writing, 6^th edition, Pearson, New York.

Schriver, KA 1997, Dynamics in document design: creating texts for readers, Wiley Computer Publication, New York.