Reading is usually not an enjoyable task, especially on the web. Usability experts John Morkes and Jakob Nielsen did a research study: "Concise, SCANNABLE, and Objective: How to Write for the Web" (1997) on how people generally read on the web and their results suggested several strategies authors can adopt when writing for the web.
- Use simple and informal writing:
"Informal" doesn't mean indecipherable text-messaging shorthands and sloppy grammar and spelling. Academic research articles use a formal writing style but are difficult to digest due to their long sentences and multiple references, especially being read on a computer screen. In addition to using shorter sentences, many online instructors adopt a less formal approach to engage the students, often referring to the student directly as you or we. Writing directly and informally to the online students not only makes the text easier to read, it can help reduce the psychological distance of an online course, increasing the perceived "instructor immediacy."
- Text should be scannable: Readers on the web try to extract the key components of a web page quickly, usually by scanning. Elements that enhance scanning include headings, bold and highlighted text, bulleted lists, graphics, captions, topic sentences, shorter sections of text. Keep the headings short, clear, descriptive and include the keywords for your content.
- Be concise:
Avoid clutter. Get straight to your point when possible. A useful format is the inverted pyramid style, in which the news and conclusions are presented first, followed by details and background information. This gets the main point across before the students' eyes start wandering. This is like an abstract.
- Graphics and text should complement one another:
Illustrations and photographs can add interest, illustrate concepts, visualize places and processes, clarify concepts, and communicate complex content. In addition, they help break up the text into more readable segments. Provide meaningful captions to steer the discussion to your points. Be wary of inserting graphics just for graphics' sake. Web users find pointless graphics distracting and equate them to annoying advertisements.
