Hypertext Requires Its Own Rhetoric (How is hypertext authoring different?)

Writing Effectively Online: How to Compose Hypertext

Hypertext Requires Its Own Rhetoric

Many have argued that hypertext is a communication medium that requires its own rhetoric. According to Karen Schriver (1997), the conventions of such a rhetoric are currently under construction. As a result, document designers are "groping through the design space and inventing as we go" (p. 379).

The following views support the notion that hypertext requires its own rhetoric:

Henrietta N. Shirk (1991) argues for a special set of rhetorical principles for evaluating the effectiveness of hypertext. This rhetoric should include:

A description of how various cognitive structures effectively convey information and rules for applying these structures

Principles of good screen design

The creation of meaningful metaphors within electronic spaces

Gary Heba (1997) has defined a rhetoric of multimedia communication called "HyperRhetoric" that includes hypertext as one of its rhetorical elements.

He writes: "Traditional models and approaches to written communication are inadequate for explaining the rhetorical phenomenon of multimedia and for preparing students to become multimedia literate because these models do not adequately describe the rhetorical space of electronic documents" (p. 21).

Print writing occupies the rhetorical space of pages while multimedia occupies the space of "screens, speakers, keyboards, mice, and headsets." The traditional models and approaches do not help us learn to "produce linked screens of virtual discourse" that are necessary in this electronic space (p. 21).

Kathleen McCabe (1997) states that hypertext ultimately requires its own rhetoric because the complexity involved in writing hypertext is much greater than writing traditional text.

She argues that whether a writer composes for paper or the screen, many rhetorical issues–the appropriateness of the medium, audience analysis, purpose, organization, and document design–are the same.

Nonetheless, in addressing these issues, the hypertext writer still finds more differences than similarities. Hypertext ultimately requires its own rhetoric because the complexity of the task is much greater online than in print.

In essence, hypertext writers "are not just writing but are more accurately designing–that is, creating logical nodes of information, connecting those nodes, constructing an interface, and programming" (McCabe, 1997). They are "designers who work toward a synthesis of visual and verbal rhetoric" (Kolosseus, Bauer, & Bernhardt, 1995, p. 80).

Tovey (1998) says a major reason for rhetorical differences between online and print documents is that screen displays can create reading problems.

Screen reading problems require thoughtful design decisions (Haas, 1989). Thus, designers need to consider rhetorical issues differently than they would for conventional texts.

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Last Updated: May 2, 2001

(c)2000 by Alysson Troffer. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce or redistribute any material from this document, in whole or in part, without written permission.


			Writing Effectively Online: How to Compose Hypertext
			Writing Effectively Online: How to Compose Hypertext

	Hypertext Requires Its Own Rhetoric
	Many have argued that hypertext is a communication medium that requires its own rhetoric. According to Karen Schriver (1997), the conventions of such a rhetoric are currently under construction. As a result, document designers are "groping through the design space and inventing as we go" (p. 379). The following views support the notion that hypertext requires its own rhetoric: Henrietta N. Shirk (1991) argues for a special set of rhetorical principles for evaluating the effectiveness of hypertext. This rhetoric should include: A description of how various cognitive structures effectively convey information and rules for applying these structures Principles of good screen design The creation of meaningful metaphors within electronic spaces Gary Heba (1997) has defined a rhetoric of multimedia communication called "HyperRhetoric" that includes hypertext as one of its rhetorical elements. He writes: "Traditional models and approaches to written communication are inadequate for explaining the rhetorical phenomenon of multimedia and for preparing students to become multimedia literate because these models do not adequately describe the rhetorical space of electronic documents" (p. 21). Print writing occupies the rhetorical space of pages while multimedia occupies the space of "screens, speakers, keyboards, mice, and headsets." The traditional models and approaches do not help us learn to "produce linked screens of virtual discourse" that are necessary in this electronic space (p. 21). Kathleen McCabe (1997) states that hypertext ultimately requires its own rhetoric because the complexity involved in writing hypertext is much greater than writing traditional text. She argues that whether a writer composes for paper or the screen, many rhetorical issues–the appropriateness of the medium, audience analysis, purpose, organization, and document design–are the same. Nonetheless, in addressing these issues, the hypertext writer still finds more differences than similarities. Hypertext ultimately requires its own rhetoric because the complexity of the task is much greater online than in print. In essence, hypertext writers "are not just writing but are more accurately designing–that is, creating logical nodes of information, connecting those nodes, constructing an interface, and programming" (McCabe, 1997). They are "designers who work toward a synthesis of visual and verbal rhetoric" (Kolosseus, Bauer, & Bernhardt, 1995, p. 80). Tovey (1998) says a major reason for rhetorical differences between online and print documents is that screen displays can create reading problems. Screen reading problems require thoughtful design decisions (Haas, 1989). Thus, designers need to consider rhetorical issues differently than they would for conventional texts.
	[Brief TOC] [Expanded TOC] [Printer-Friendly Version] [Webfolio] [Next]: New Skills for Hypertext Writers Comments? Please email me! Last Updated: May 2, 2001 (c)2000 by Alysson Troffer. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce or redistribute any material from this document, in whole or in part, without written permission.