At the root of all good writing lies an understanding of how sentences are built. In kindergarten, we learn the fundamentals of grammar and the basic concepts of how sentences are constructed. For most of our elementary and secondary training in writing, we are taught simply to improve those grammatical
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Warning: this grammar and punctuation quiz isn’t for the faint of heart. Think you know your grammar and punctuation like the back of your hand? The questions on this quiz aren’t anything tricky but many college graduates don’t do well answering them. How do you measure up? Grammar and Punctuation
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A few months ago I identified 18 rules for using text, clarifying a few fundamental rules we all should follow when it comes to using text and creating documents to be readable and enjoyable. The document was a handy guide, but it didn’t cover other important basics about using fonts:
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I love getting submissions and requests from designers to show their infographics on my website. Infographics are a fun, creative challenge and they appeal in so many ways to online readers; displaying others’ work is a great way to promote the challenge of communicating in this burgeoning medium. This is
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Graphic design, for those who are not designers, often seems a difficult task to master. Aren’t there thousands of rules that apply to colors, typefaces, layouts, user experience, and so forth? Well, yes, technically. But the reality is, designing successful documents can be stripped down to just a few basic
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Creativity is a fascinating concept, one I’ve wrestled with in my teaching and one I’ve debated with my students. Can creativity be taught? Are some people just naturally more creative than others? What if you don’t feel like a creative type? Is there any way to get more creative? I’m
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Ever needed to know the difference between communism and socialism? What about the difference between American corporations and French corporations? Try taking an explanation from Howard Lindzon about what each political perspective would do with two cows, and then visualize it with a hilarious infographic created by Kyla Tom Design on
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Evan Brown, developer of the awesome design website, DesignMantic, and creator of the now-famous 10 Commandments of Typogrophy, has developed another fantastic infographic that clarifies how we should be using color. Need to know if you’re using color effectively? Check out these 10 commandments. Courtesy of: Designmantic.com
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With the explosion of internet pornography in the last two decades, it’s worth exploring just how detrimental it is to society. We’ve long recognized illicit drugs as problematic because they lead to violence, depression, suicide, and crime. But is it possible that something a person can do in the privacy
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Plagiarism is a hot topic in the academic world, but it applies in all aspects of our lives. In a country and culture that values intellectual property, it is imperative that we are conscious of plagiarism guidelines and standards. The reality is, in many facets of life, when we make
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