Readable layout

This branch covers arranging a page or screen for its reader. It divides by the layout question: the writer’s responsibility, page arrangement, typography, scanning, consultation and genre conventions. Language difficulty, reader testing, visual-message design, accessibility and software formatting belong to neighbouring branches and topics.

• Why layout is part of the writer's job — the reading task, writing as design, typesetting responsibilities and organisational image
• Arranging a page for the reader's eye — contrast, white space, repetition, alignment, proximity, Gestalt grouping, balance and reading order
• Setting type, spacing and emphasis for comfortable reading — type, line length, spacing, alignment, paragraph boundaries, patient pages, emphasis, colour, headings and lists
• Pages for readers who scan — quick answers, independent entry points, headings, images, emphasis, layout checks and shorter sections
• Laying out a report or reference for consultation — laboratory result displays, clinical reference structure and navigation within a long book
• Where page conventions come from and what a genre allows — historical page design, classical and modern styles, typography, content signals and genre constraints