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I am a journalism student.

So far I have completed four journalism subjects, three of which have been just as different as they are similar. The fourth, however, seems like a whole different sport.

While the first four ranged from news writing to feature writing to organisational writing, my current subject seems more like a graphic design class than a journalism subject.

So far in the course, we have learned the (bare) basics of Adobe InDesign, created a business card and postcard, and edited (finally, a familiar term!) and re-designed a brochure. The focus of the class has been based around effective document layout, including font choice and size, colours, shapes, word placement and appropriate use of white space.

At first, I wondered why I was wasting credit points learning how to become a (rubbish) graphic designer. But over the weeks, I have realised that learning the basics of document layout and typography is a vital skill – not only as a journalist, but also as both a student and prospective resume/online profile creator. (Plus, I can now add InDesign to the skills section on my resume.)

When it comes to filling a resume or online profile with all of the fantastic things that I’ve learned, done or fabricated (kidding…), the fact is, that if it is hard to read – i.e. type is too small, paragraphs are all squished together and there aren’t any headings – then no one is going to want to read it (let alone remember it or me).

The layout of a document is, at times, equally as important as the content, as it affects the comprehension and information recall of a given text. Henry agrees, stating:

“A good read is almost as dependent on pacing as it is on content or voice or style.” (2009:30)

Gasser et. al. (2005:182) explain that if a text requires greater attentional resources, less attention can be given to the message in the text. It is also suggested that a larger font size (at least 10-12 points) provides greater information recall than a smaller font, due to the speed and fluidity at which one may read a certain passage.

“When participants were given either a long or short textbook passage to study, those who read the shorter passages spent substantially more time per word studying than did those who were given the long passage. This occurred because readers given the short passages were engaging in greater depth of processing of the material.” (2005:181)

What we can take from this is that not only does the size of font affect the level of interaction a reader has with the information, but so too does the size of the paragraph.

During Arlene Wherrett’s (2011) presentation, she discussed the importance of communicating ‘Who I Am’ and ‘What I Want’ through both the resume and online profile’s, such as LinkedIn or The Loop. By removing ‘limiting words’, such as ‘Just’, ‘Only', ‘Maybe’, ‘Kind of’ and ‘Sort of’ from positioning statements or personal summaries, only positive perceptions can be allowed in the reader’s mind.

A key issue in regards to the popularity of technology (such as online networking and profiles) as an employment tool is the saturated nature of the Internet. An important aspect of promoting oneself online is to use the profile as an extension of yourself – that is, to build it in reflection of your self.

Vance (1996:132) suggests that the font type chosen “defines a publication’s personality”. Following this train of thought, when creating a resume or online profile, the font type and size should be chosen to reflect our own personal identity. Ultimately, the layout and typography of a document alone can convey to the reader (possible employer) who we are and how we perceive ourselves.

Although it seems unfair that something as mundane and necessary as font type, size and layout can affect the visibility of our profiles or resume’s, it is clearly a vital aspect of document creation that should not be overlooked. Otherwise, the thick skin of typography may prevent the juicy flesh of your education and experience from even being acknowledged.

REFERENCES

Gasser, M, Boeke, J, Haffernan, M & Tan, R 2005, ‘The Influence of Font Type on Information Recall’, North American Journal of Psychology, Volume 7, Issue 2, pp.181-188.

Henry, A 2009, ‘God is in the font size’, Publishers Weekly, Volume 256, Issue 20, p.30.

Vance, V J 1996, ‘Typography 101’, Business Communication Quarterly, Volume 59, Issue 4, pp.132-134.

Wherrett, A 2011, Job Search: Plan and Attack, lecture, ARTS301, Arts Internship/International Studies in Practice, University of Wollongong, delivered 8 September.

Editorial Advice and Input (by email and blog comments) provided by:

Gabrielle Brown

Lewis Isaacs

Nicola Rushton

Najla NoureddinFaker

Jenna Thirtle

Cheers for the feedback team!