Document Design, Working-Class Rhetoric, and Education in the Hearl Maxwell Collection

Document Design Principles - Proximity

     The last design principle Williams addresses is proximity. Proximity is “group[ing] like items together,” (Williams 15). This allows a reader to know the information that is being presented is related or not. One of the big fears of document designers, especially new document designers is the fear of white space, also known as negative space. This negative space allows like items to be grouped together and puts distance between the items that are not related. That helps the reader distinguish the difference in the information that is being presented. Hagen and Golombisky present seven design elements to consider, “space, line, shape, size, pattern, texture, and value,” (Hagen 44). Not all these design elements can be discussed in the documents from the Hearl Maxwell collection so the main ones to focus on are space, line, and pattern.
           
      Shape refers to the negative space or positive space, also known as filled space, of a document (Hagen 44). The filled space of the document is where the body of the text is or the logo on the letterhead. The negative space includes the margins around the body of the text. This helps the reader stay focused on the area of the letter that they are supposed to be reading. The proximity of the letterhead to the body of the text also allows the reader to know that the body of the text is where they should focus their attention. If there is question about who is involved in the letter, the letterhead at the top of the page allows for easy access of that information. Like items are grouped together.
           
     The line doesn’t necessarily refer to the lines of text, but could be referring to the line that the left or right justification makes. This is where proximity ties in tightly with the alignment element of document design. The line helps to move the reader’s eyes through the piece of information by creating a direction or movement within the text (Hagen, 45). This line is seen in the letters but also in the contract, especially with the fully justified text; multiple lines are seen in the contract through the fully justified text.
           
     In analyzing the letters and the contracts, it is easy to find all four elements of Williams’ document design principles, contrast, repetition, alignment, and proximity. While no element is more important than the next, all four elements are just as important as each other. Contrast works to help draw the reader in to the information at hand. Repetition helps the reader to know the information all belongs together. Alignment helps in specific placement of the information allowing the reader to use proximity when grouping the information that is being presented. This helps with retention of what is being said throughout a letter or a contract or a constitution; this is used to help present information to a large group of people with a high retention rate.
 

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