Hyperlinks
On January 20, 2023, in Digital Writing for Social Action class, we discussed the topics of hyper reading and hyperwriting. Before our reading and in-class discussion, I had never thought about the concept of either of these topics. Hypertext within digital writing changed the way articles are written and read. Hypertext creates flexibility for the reader to have an active role by navigating a website more in-depth. Additionally, hypertext allows the writer to build credibility and trust with the reader by linking where they got their sources from in order to create the posed argument.
Before learning about hyperlinks, I did not realize how much went into creating them. There are three main ways to use hyperlinks; each helps the writer organize their thoughts or structure the text. The first way is the hierarchical structure, which is contained in a tree-like outline. The second way is the linear structure, which is in a specific sequence that helps guide the reader. The last way is the hypertextual structure, which links other text parts based on association. All these hyperlink structures help the reader interpret the writer’s work, which benefits everyone. According to our textbook, “Understanding Digital Literacies: a Practical Introduction,’ we must ask ourselves as readers the following questions regarding hypertext: what associations does the writer make? What associations does the writer not make? What assumptions do these (non) associations reveal? Personally, I never have asked myself these questions or given much thought to hypertext, but from now on, I certainly will.
