AMA Manual of Style - Stacy L. Christiansen, Cheryl Iverson 2020

Layout
Editing, Proofreading, Tagging, and Display

Layout is the arrangement of all the elements of design and typography on the page or screen for optimal readability, taking into account the context and aesthetic requirements of the content. To create emphasis, complementary typefaces and various fonts within a typeface may be used. However, only a few compatible typefaces should be used at once. Multiple typefaces on a single page can compete for attention, are distracting, and impede readability.^6,8 Two typefaces (a serif for body text and a sans serif for titles and subheads) with appropriate use of styles, such as bold and italics, will most often suffice for a print scholarly publication. The type size and weight create emphasis or continuity, as needed. Headings and subheadings create the outline within the text to frame the article.

In page layout for a scholarly journal, all the elements of design and typography are governed by style and composition rules, often directed by the tagging of the XML. See Figure 21.6-1 for examples. HTML and cascading style sheets are often used to direct the structure and layout. Good web design will be optimized for mobile use. For more details on overall design elements, see resources at the end of this chapter and chapter 22.0, Publishing Terms.