What is a good document?

A good document is a text which appeals to the eye of the reader, entertains, and conveys its message effectively. In order for a document to be given the appellation of being a good document, it must use both images and text effectively, as text aids in the elimination of polysemy that images have (Kress & van Leeuwen, 2006). Visual codes aid in the conveyance of messages - framing, for instance, the way a document is arranged, is dependent on the culture the text is penetrating through. In addition, the direction of the text, in most cases from left to right, is also dependent on culture. Most texts at present follow the Western concept of reading from left to right (Reep, 2006).

According to Walsh (2006), the written text is no longer playing a dominant role. This is because text plays on the logic of speech, where time and sequence hold important places. An illustration of this concept would be the reading of a book - one word follows another, and phrases have to be read sequentially in order for meaning to be conveyed. However, Kress & van Leeuwen (2006) differ in thought concerning this, instead stating that both image and text have equal importance. The logic of images presents a document based on space and simultaneity.

Society today is leaning more towards the creation of the abstract rather than the obvious, hence the influx in the use of visuals. Walsh (2006) comments on the process of reading a picture book, illustrating the alliance of both image and text to create a good document. First, there are multiple interpretations dependent on cultural knowledge, which allows familiarity to be found no matter the reader. Visual effects invoke responses as well as increasing imagination. This then fosters memories and the creation of experiences.

Spatial meaning (Kress & van Leeuwen. 2006) is applied in this document, namely the blog, as there is balance and symmetry in the placement of the texts. In addition, borders and lines separate and fragment the text, organising it and giving it structure. This blog is an example of a multimodal text (Walsh, 2006), as links allow the reader to choose their own path through this text, it is interactive, and visuals and videos appeal to other senses such as audio and tactile. 

Therefore a good document does not just include text, but the inclusion of visuals, to enhance the meaning and to make it, literally, a good read.




References

Kress, G. & van Leeuwen, T. 2006, Reading images, Chapter 1: The semiotic landscape: language and visual communication.

Reep, Diana C. 2006, ‘Chp 4: Principles of Document Design,’ in Technical Writing, 6th ed., Pearson Edu, Inc., New York, p.173-190.

Walsh, M. 2006, "‘Textual shift’: Examining the reading process with print, visual and multimodal texts," Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, vol.29, no.1, p.24-37.