Posistioning
In fact, a study by Morkes and Nielsen (1997) found that their experimental website scored higher in usability when text was:
• Written concisely (58%)
• Easily scannable (47%)
• Written in an objective instead of a promotional style (27%)
than web pages in their control condition. That is, viewers tend to move quickly from page to page. Instead they usually scan for information that is of direct interest to them. Accordingly, it is suggested that text should be:
• Very succinct
• Include only one key idea per paragraph
• Use highlighted keyword or phrases, and
• Use bulleted lists when possible
Fluid layouts are significantly preferred to both centered and left-justified layouts.
In a study by Bernard and Larsen (2001) participants indicated they perceived the fluid layout (which the margins are not fixed at any particular width) as being the best suited for reading and finding information, as well as having a layout that is most appropriate for the screen size (for both small and large screens). They also indicated that the fluid layout looked the most professional, and consequently preferred it to other layout conditions. Conversely, the consistently least preferred condition was the left-justified layout. A possible reason for the lack of preference for this layout is that users had to horizontally scroll in order to see all the information on the page. As discussed above, users particularly dislike to horizontally scroll.