Online punctuation #1 – general principles

The essence of grammar and punctuation is to facilitate communication. This is as true on the web as it is in print. But due to their lower resolution and flicker, computer screens are harder to read than printed pages. So some punctation should be modified to increase readability online.

Punctuation marks serve to control the flow of sentences and to organise ideas. But they're small. They get lost easily on-screen. I recommend using online punctuation sparingly. Web writers need to maintain readability while they communicate their message. Use short sentences and short paragraphs. Arrange information into lists.

I'll write more about the specifics of online punctuation in future posts.