Alignment


 * Alignment** also known as **justification** refers to lining up the top, bottom, sides, or middle of text or graphic elements on a page. Horizontal alignment includes flush-left (also called left-justified or ragged right), flush-right (also called right-justified or ragged left), centered, and fully justified. With vertical alignment elements can be aligned vertically -- top, bottom, or middle (center), for example.


 * There are four basic typographic alignments:**
 * **flush left**—the text is aligned along the left margin or gutter, also known as //ragged right//;
 * [[image:alignment_flush_left.jpg]]
 * **flush right**—the text is aligned along the right margin or gutter, also known as //ragged left//;
 * [[image:alignment_flush_right.jpg]]
 * **justified**—text is aligned along the left margin, and letter- and word-spacing is adjusted so that the text falls flush with the right margin, also known as //full justification//;
 * [[image:alignment_justified.jpg]]
 * **centered**—text is aligned to neither the left nor right margin; there is an even gap at the end of each line.
 * [[image:alignment_centered.jpg]]

Alignment in Web design
Margins define the reading area of your page by separating the main text from the surrounding environment. Margins provide important visual relief in any document, but careful design of margins and other "white space" is particularly important in Web page design because Web content must coexist on the computer screen with the interface elements of the browser itself and with other windows, menus, and icons of the user interface. Margins and space can be used to delineate the main text from the other page elements. And when used consistently, margins provide unity throughout a site by creating a consistent structure and look to the site pages. They also add visual interest by contrasting the positive space of the screen (text, graphics) from the negative (white) space.



Alignment. (2002, March 5). //Web Style Guide. Lynch and Horton.// http://webstyleguide.com/type/align.html Design Principles. (2008, January). //In About Inc. The New York Times Company.// http://desktoppub.about.com/od/designprinciples/g/alignment.htm Sample Web Layout Alignments. (2008, January). //In// About Inc//. The New York Times Company.// __http://webdesign.about.com/od/layout/ig/Sample-Web-Layout-Alignments/What-s-Wrong-Here-.htm__
 * Sources**

Edited by janicema