The Digital Research Initiative
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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web.design101.layout
  Don't let type flow across the entire page
It can be intimidating for readers to be presented with left-to-right, margin-to-margin blocks of text. To keep from scaring off users, lay out text in a relatively narrow column. This page is a good example. This text is arranged inside a table that is 80% of your browser's width. The verticle bar to the left pushes the text into about 65% of your browser's width. What you're left with is text that is attractively focused into a somewhat narrow column, excellent for fast reading.

But don't get carried away with columns. While a single, wide column can be a problem, it's an absolute no-no to lay out lengthy columns side-by-side so the reader is forced to scroll down and then scroll back up to keep reading. Narrow columns may work in newspapers printed on large sheets of newsprint, but it's simply unacceptable on a cramped computer screen.

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we must be receptive to what is aboveñtaoñnot the social world   This site was created by Adam Fuller especially for students of the UNC School of Journalism's JOMC 050 Class and anyone else who may be interested. For more information, please contact daikat@email.unc.edu