For courses in Document Design, Information Design, Visual Communication, Visual Rhetoric, or Desktop Publishing. Moving beyond a how-to book, Visual Composing: Document Design for Print and Digital Media explores the best practices in document design and why these practices work. Chapters consider the five criteria that contribute to effective visual composing (clarity, unity, usability, tone and aesthetics) and how these elements balance to form visually attractive and usable documents. Numerous examples illustrate relevant principles and exercises allow students to both evaluate and design documents. Covering both print and digital media, it presents the research behind best practices and gives students a more sophisticated understanding of why certain design principles are recommended. Features Focuses on the five criteria that contribute to effective visual composing, including: Clarity Unity Usability Tone Aesthetics Takes a research-based approach- that emphasizes best practices and why they work. Gives students a more sophisticated understanding of WHY certain design principles are recommended, as well as an understanding of which design principles have not yet been fully substantiated by research. Covers a wider range of genres and media- than competing books.

Discusses both print and digital media and provides students with practice analyzing and producing these various types of documents. Includes numerous examples and figures in the book- and on the Web. Illustrates relevant principles and allows students to evaluate different documents and techniques. Includes color versions of figures on the companion website. Items on website are noted in the text by a web icon. Offers a variety of end-of-chapter exercises- that can be completed in Microsoft Office programs such as Word, PowerPoint, and Excel. Includes Summary of Key Concepts and Terms ; Review Questions ; Open-Ended Exercises ; References ; Suggestions for Further Readings . Reinforces what can be achieved with simple office equipment such as a black-and-white printer and 8.

5 x 11 paper.