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  Do we ingest media like we ingest dessert–with binges in non-substantive material, with samplings of sugar-coated delicacies in favor of something with, say, a little more protein? Or vitamins? That’s the comparison James Madison University student Kathryn McDearis made in her “New Media Manisto”; her argument? We’re consuming media far

Due to popular demand and a large number of requests, I have finally adopted my “18 Rules for Using Text” post into 20×30 poster format! No matter what kind of document you produce–a memo, flier, brochure, proposal, PowerPoint–you should know the most fundamental rules for designing with text. This list

When you include a photograph in a design–say for a brochure or flier or billboard–you communicate something to your audience. Obviously photographs need to be relevant and purposeful (don’t just include random images). But beyond that, there are a few critical rules and guidelines for making photographs work well within

With as much trust as the average American puts into the news media, it probably goes without saying that the organizations that distribute the news have an ethical obligation to be as accurate and detail-oriented as possible. Unfortunately, the competition to get viewers often causes media outlets to skew news

Feeling confident about your understanding of punctuation? Brace yourself. The questions on this quiz will push even the self-reported grammar nerds to the outer extremities of their punctuation peripheries. This isn’t a quiz about grammar or spelling or writing theory. Just punctuation. But it ain’t easy. The good news? If you

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

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

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:

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