Linear Text vs. Hypertext

The Stages of Writing:
Linear Text vs. Hypertext
by Agatha Taormina

Table of Contents

Linear Text vs. Hypertext
Overview: The Stages of Writing
Prewriting
Writing
Rewriting
Manuscript Preparation

Linear Text vs. Hypertext

Linear text is the material you are used to reading in books, magazines, newspapers, and other printed material. The content is displayed in a straight line of paragraphs and pages from beginning to end.

Readers are expected to read the material in the order in which it appears on the page.

Hypertext, on the other hand, uses hyperlinks that take the reader to other places in the text or to other texts altogether.

Readers, not writers, are in control of the order in which they look at the material in front of them.

The Stages of Writing

All writing goes through four basic stages:

Prewriting
Writing
Rewriting
Manuscript Preparation

Writers of hypertext and web page developers also follow these basic stages of composition, but treat each stage just a little bit differently than the writer of a more traditional manuscript.

Experienced writers of linear text will plan the task at hand. They will:	Experienced writers of hypertext will do things just a little bit differently:
Choose and narrow a subject Establish a purpose to inform or explain to persuade to entertain	Choose and narrow a subject Establish a purpose to inform or explain to persuade to entertain to sell goods and services online
Take time and space limitations into account.	Take hardware and software limitations (browsers, monitors, modems, bandwidth) into account.
Identify the audience.	Consider that anyone anywhere on the planet can access the material at any time.
Gather information.	Gather Information.
Organize (i.e., outline) the information.	Make a flowchart or storyboard the site. Separate information into easily navigable chunks.
Develop a thesis that helps to convey both content and purpose to the audience.	Develop a site theme through choice of color, typography, and image. Perhaps use a site metaphor to convey purpose.

Writers of linear text use the title, the cover sheet, and the opening paragraphs to: Create interest Establish purpose Indicate the organizational plan of the piece State the thesis, scope and purpose of the piece	Writers of hypertext also use their first, or splash, page to: Create interest often with a jazzy graphic or colorful display Establish purpose Indicate the organizational plan of the piece with a clear navigational structure State the thesis, scope and purpose of the piece usually via a hyperlink to another page which will tell the visitor about the site
Writers of traditional documents use the body of the text to develop their ideas in a linear fashion. They present an overview of each subtopic, provide examples and details, and provide transitional elements that prepare the reader for the upcoming new subtopic.	Writers of hypertext use a number of different web pages to develop their subtopics. Because of the interactive nature of hyperlinking, writers of hypertext have no real control over the order in which visitors access their material. However, web page developers do employ clear and consistent navigational aids in the form of hyperlinked menus to help visitors get the most enjoyable experience from browsing a site.
They use a consistent tone and point of view.	They use a color palette and a graphics library of thematically-linked images to give visitors the impression that they are at a well-organized and well-controlled site.
Writers of traditional manuscripts provide documentation for their outside sources.	Writers of hypertext must also provide documentation for their outside sources. More often, however, they will simply use a hyperlink to send end users directly to the outside source.
Writers of traditional manuscripts close their work with a concluding section which summarizes the content of the document and restates the thesis. Depending on the purpose of the piece, the writer might offer a solution to a problem or a recommendation for action.	Web sites have no formal conclusion because there is no real set path through the document. However, each page in a web site should have a footer containing the notice of last update and an email contact to the person responsible for the page.

Rewriting

All writers must revise their documents for accuracy, conciseness, clarity, and style.

All writers must revise their documents for accuracy, conciseness, clarity, and style.

All writers must edit for spelling, punctuation, and mechanical errors.

All writers must edit for spelling, punctuation, and mechanical errors.

The hypertext author must also check for broken hyperlinks.

The hypertext author must also preview the pages in both Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer because different browsers will often display hypertext in different ways.

Manuscript Preparation

The linear text author must specify margins, typeface, font size and line spacing.

The hypertext author must specify font size and line spacing.

The hypertext author must also design for the lowest common denominator of browser software and computer monitor.

Thus he or she must:

Use web safe colors on the pages.
Preview the pages in both Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator.
Design for a standard 640x480 monitor.
Use small graphics files to accommodate visitors with only a 28.8 bps modem connection.

Web Design Center Readings
Last Revised: May 28, 2009
� Agatha Taormina