Joe Mackiewicz article What Technical Writing Students Should Know About Typeface Personality describes the importance of typeface in a document as a form of visual rhetoric.  Typeface choices such as broadway, garamond, verdana, or calibri can affect the tone and an artefacts ability to persuade its audience.  Mackiewicz comments that students need more guidance when it comes to typeface choices, as it is rarely taught and highly accessible with the use of computers, but only offers that technical writing should occur in fonts that are neutral and professional.  While this is appropriate ideal for technical writing, I can think of many typefaces that would fit into that catergory (calibri, cambria, times new roman, etc.) and Mackiewicz does little to guide a student into which of these typefaces may be more appropriate than the next.

Mackiwicz also mentions that certain fonts hold historical meanings that a writer should consider when choosing an appropriate typeface.  He mentions that the typeface helvetica "dredge[s] up the emotions and memories connected to the Helvetican IRS" as it is used on many government documents (9).  Many conventions of font exist from times before access to typeface was easy, which makes choosing fonts difficult when thinking historically.  Many fonts, as depicted below, are associated with certain brands.  One can easily distinguish the letter "G" representing Google and the "P" associated with the Playstation brand. 


 There are conventions dictated by the past that we still cling to in the age of computers.  Newspaper headlines are still created in an ornate manner, as was the convention of newspapers dating back to 1906 (depicted below on the left).  The New York Times still uses the same typeface for its headline, even though the paper now is able to integrate more use of visual rhetoric, with graphic and multiple typeface choices.  While it is not necessary for the New York Times to "cling" to its typeface, I think it lends to its ethos and the convention allows the reader to see the document as a newspaper without having to actually read any of the present text.  

                     
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Trap. The combination of the genres of trance and rap usually through sound mixing and editing, has become a staple of parties and festival shows. They share similar use of synth, heavy base and spoken words to create music.
When we talked in class about usability and the internet, it sounded like the conclusion as to what makes a usable website is simplicity. Creating a website to serve a very obvious purpose is the key to usability.
Every day we are faced with multiple typefaces: the good, the bad and the ugly. Some help us to read faster and more clearly, some to invoke a specific feeling or emotion, all the while persuading us to do something (or buy something).
... and how clashing implications continue to shape our reactions to these colors.

Depending on the region and cultural upbringing, one may have different connotations associated with the colors black, white, and red.
When talking about the ethics and rhetoric of data displays in class, I brought up the example of geographic information system (GIS) and their technique of interpolation.
"The Cognitive Style of Powerpoint" makes the assertion that:

The core ideas of teaching- explanation, reasoning, finding

things out, questioning, content, evidence, credible authority not patronizing

authoritarianism-are contrary to the cognitive style of PowerPoint.
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What’s wrong with this picture?

How about this one?

Personally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with them at all. Most Americans wouldn’t.
Words really are not necessary when considering the message contained in this picture. Kostelnick and Roberts would point to the use of familiar icons, and a delivery system that would pull in previous experiences.
Typeface fail

I came across this picture when looking at different typefaces successes and failures and I found this one from the Arthur's Fresh Juice Company. They choose and interesting typeface for their "Pom Plus" juice bottle. I find it hard to not to see it to say something else.
I have always liked the covers of Western Horseman magazines. I am a long time subscriber and enjoy the images and quality of the front covers. I am using this opportunity to apply the Kress Van Leewan tool to the January 2013 cover of Western Horseman.
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