Glossary
Binding
The fastening of papers to create a brochure or book. The most common binding styles
are saddle-stitch, perfect-bound, side-stitched, case or edition, and mechanical.
Black & White
Original or reproduction art printed in black, as distinguished from multi-color.
Bleed
An extra area of printed image that extends beyond the crops or trim edge of a sheet
or page.
Blu-ray
Blu-ray is a high definition disc format. The name Blu-ray is hyphenated with a lowercase
r.
Body Type (body copy)
Type used in the main part or text of an ad or layout, as distinguished from Headline
Type.
Camera-Ready
Artwork or copy that is ready for reproduction.
Card Stock
Also call cover stock. A stiff paper often used for postcards, catalog covers, and
other items that require rigidity.
Coated Paper
Paper with a surface coating that produces a smooth finish.
Condensed Type
Type characters that have been narrowed in width.
Continuous Tone
An image that contains gradient tones from light to dark.
CMYK (process color)
Cyan, magenta, yellow and black, four-color printing.
Crop Mark
Markings that show where a page, photograph, illustration, or other transparency is
to be trimmed.
Die-Cutting
The process of cutting special shapes for labels, boxes, pocket folders and other
printed materials.
Dingbat
Typographic term for a font that consists of symbols or bullets. Zapf Dingbats is
a common example.
Display Type
Generally used for headlines, 14 point type or larger.
Dot
The individual element of a halftone.
DPI (Dots-per-inch)
In offset printing, the number of dots that fit horizontally and vertically into a
one-inch measure. Generally, the higher the dpi, the sharper the printed image.
Embossing
Impressing an image in relief into the surface of paper or other materials.
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript)
File format for images or graphics.
Extended
A typeface with wide or expanded characters.
Flush Copy
Flush refers to the alignment of type; flush left copy aligns along the left edge,
flush right copy aligns along the right edge.
Folio
A page number.
Font
Typographic characters of certain design. GillSans Light is one font in the font family
GillSans. Also called a typeface.
Gutter
The inside space between pages; that is, the inside margin toward the back or binding
edge of a book.
Halftone
Ink-printable image produced photo mechanically or electronically to convert a continuous-tone
image (for example, photograph, drawing, print, etc.) into a regular grid pattern
of various-sized dots with equidistant centers to stimulate shades of gray when viewed
from a normal reading distance. This reproduction method contrasts with line art (no
shading of tones), mezzotints (irregular shapes in random placement), and stochastic
screening (same-size microdots in a controlled random placement within a given area).
Hi-res
High-resolution image, usually 300 to 350 dpi.
Imposition
Arrangement of pages so they print correctly on a press sheet and the pages are in
proper order when the sheet is folded.
JPEG Joint Photographic Experts Group.
File format commonly used for photographic images.
Justified Copy
Refers to typesetting lines of copy to even widths, so both edges align.
Kerning
Adjusting the measure between type characters so they appear evenly spaced.
Leading
Distance between lines of type measured in points.
Letterspacing
Adding space between letters.
Line Art
Artwork that is ready for reproduction, or camera-ready.
Logotype
Name or symbol for a company that is specially designed and used as a trademark.
Lower Case
The small letters of an alphabet, as distinguished from capital letters.
Low-res
Low-resolution image, such as 72 or 100 dpi.
Magenta
One of the four primary colors used in traditional four-color printing.
Mechanicals
Commonly used to designate the paste-up boards that camera-ready artwork is mounted
on.
Offset Printing (offset Lithography)
A printing process using an intermediate blanket cylinder to transfer an image from
the printing plate to the paper (or substrate).
Paper Grades
Paper is classified by weights and grades in general terms according to how it is
going to be used for printing. Common weights are book, cover, bond and index. Grades
reflect the manufactured quality of the paper, premium versus inexpensive, for example.
Pantone Matching System (PMS)
A color and ink matching system that designates color with a numbering system.
PDF (Portable Document Format)
Adobe Systems file format to facilitate cross-platform viewing of documents in their
original form. Phototypesetting Setting type with photographic reproduction, as distinguished
from digital systems that use lasers for image formation.
Pica
Unit of measurement used in typesetting. One pica equals approximately 1/6 of an inch.
Picture Font (Pi Font)
Special character font that consist of symbols or pictures.
Pixel
Abbreviation for picture element. The smallest unit that can be sensed, manipulated,
or output by a digital system or displayed on a computer screen. More pixels per inch
mean better resolution. Point Unit of measure used mainly to designate type sizes.
There are 12 points to a pica, approximately 72 points to an inch.
Prepress
RIPing files, platemaking, and other work performed by the printer, separator or service
bureau in preparation for printing.
Primary Grid
The primary grid divides the page into equal quarters both horizontally and vertically.
All type and visual elements are then aligned according to the design on this grid
system. The alternative primary grid is a six-column page layout format that allows
flexibility in column widths for copy-heavy documents.
Proof
Print made from negatives or plates to check for errors and flaws, predict results
on press and record how a printing job is intended to appear when finished.
Raster Graphics
Computer image made up of pixels. Photoshop is the most common raster program.
RGB
Red, green and blue - the additive primaries used in monitors. They are not printing
colors.
Saddle-stitching
A binding method where a signature is opened up and stapled at the center. Pamphlets,
folders, leaflets and magazines (of a maximum thickness) that consists of folded sheets
bound by staples through the centerfold are call saddle stitched.
Screen Angles
Halftone screens are angled to different degrees when reproducing color artwork so
the printed dots do not produce a noticeable pattern, or moir. With CMYK (cyan, magenta,
yellow and black) process screens, the black screen is normally angled at 45 degrees.
Secondary Grid
A margin around a layout marking the area for the KCTCS logo to be positioned as well
as alignment for copy or visual elements.
Silhouette Halftone
A halftone image with the background removed.
Substrate
Any suitable material that accepts a printed, embossed or transferred image.
Thermography
A printing process where heat is applied to the printing inks, producing a raised,
embossed feel.
TIFF (or TIF - Tagged Information File Format)
Raster file format used for image placement in page layout programs. TIFFs can sometimes
be tinted and modified in a page layout program where EPS images cannot.
Trim Size
The size of the printed pieces in its finished form.
Uncoated
Paper that has not had a final coating applied for smoothness. Uncoated paper is absorbent
and soft in appearance.
Varnish
Thin coating that protects printed sheets. Can be used as a decorative design element.
Varnishes can be gloss, semi-gloss, or matte and can be tinted with inks.
Vector Graphics
Graphics that use mathematical calculations to describe lines and curves. Illustrator
is the most common vector program.
Vignette
Image that fades near its edges and blends gradually with the unprinted paper or background.
White Space
In all KCTCS communication, white space is defined as the open areas of a given layout
and the background for placement of the system trademark.
File Type | File Use |
---|---|
EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) | Color reproduction and high resolution printing. |
WMF (Windows Metafile) | In Word documents, slide presentations and printing to non-postscript laser printers. |
TIFF (Tagged-Image File Format) | High Resolution for printing. |
JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) | To be used for a Web site or computer screen. |
Backup
is not a verb. Something is "backed up." An archive of something is a "backup."
Domain name
A domain name is something like disney.com, usually rendered in lower case. It is
simply a human-readable nickname for an internet address, more useful than something
like 216.69.40.170.
E-mail
"E-mail" is the standard. "Email" is not correct. "E-mail" should not be capitalized
except in standard cases.
Hard drive
A hard drive is a component inside a computer upon which data is stored. "Hard drive"
is not the same thing as the metal box that contains it. That box is your laptop,
or tower, or case, or computer.
Logging in
Refers to the act of providing credentials or identification in order to gain access
to something. If a Web site does not require authentication of any kind, visitors
do not "log in" to it.
Login
is not a word and should never be used in any case.
Log-in
is the correct form for a noun ("My log-in isn't working") or an adjective ("I can't
find the log-in page").
Log in
is the correct form for a verb ("I need to log in to the site before I can find that
information").
MAC
A "Mac" is a particular kind of computer.
Path
The path is a specific location on a server where a resource resides. Paths are generally
something like /documents/mynovel.doc.
PC
A "PC" is a particular kind of computer. "PC" should not be used generically.
Setup
Is not a verb. Something is "set up." The way something is structured is its "setup."
Site visitors
People who visit Web sites.
Subdomain
A subdomain is something like pooh.disney.com or www.disney.com. Never assume that
"www." belongs before any domain or subdomain. www.disney.com and disney.com are NOT
interchangeable by default.
Note:
KCTCS properties should all have ".kctcs.edu" in their subdomain name. Examples are
www.kctcs.edu, coalacademy.kctcs.edu, nara.kctcs.edu, etc.
KCTCS subdomains should never use "www." before the rest of the subdomain. This usage
is incorrect: www.nara.kctcs.edu. This usage is correct: nara.kctcs.edu.
URL
A URL is a specific address for a resource, a web page, a document, or some other
type of file. It typically includes three parts: a protocol, a domain name, and a
path. Examples of URLs are: http://disney.com, ftp://ftp.ncsa.org/downloads/, https://www.smithbarney.com/personalbanking/myaccount_balance.aspx,
http://216.69.40.170/boom/
Note:
A protocol is a way of addressing a certain kind of internet service. The internet
is made of computers running many different kinds of services. The web is just one
of those services. Typically, URLs contain "http://" (indicating the "hypertext transfer
protocol," or "the web") but this is not always the case. Some web URLs may include
"https://," indicating the connection to the web site is encrypted ("secure"). Other
protocols are relatively common, like ftp, file, sip, and more. The vast majority
of URLs will use "http://". Web browsers do not actually require entry of the protocol,
and will default to "http://" if nothing is entered.)
The domain name portion of a URL is the domain or subdomain where the resource can
be found. This can also be an IP address rather than a domain name.
URLs are sometimes referred to as "web addresses." This is fine, as long as the URL
is actually accessible via the web. Not all URLs are.
URLs when typed should always include the minimum amount of necessary information.
For example, the URL https://kctcs.edu/catalog/index.cfm is equivalent to https://kctcs.edu/catalog/,
which is in turn equivalent to http://kctcs.edu/catalog. Check with your Web Services
staff in specific cases.
When typing an e-mail, use of the correct URL is nice, because most e-mail clients will automatically make a link out of a well-formed URL. When using print, it's generally okay to leave off the protocol (http://) as browsers will assume it anyway and it makes the line easier to read in print.
Users
"Users" can be used as an alternative, but generally refers to individuals with access
to particular applications, rather than general Web site visitors.
Web-based
A collection of globally distributed text and multimedia documents and files and other
network services linked in such a way as to create an immense electronic library from
which information can be retrieved quickly by intuitive searches.
Website
One word.
Web
Should always be capitalized. Exception: webcam, webcast, webmaster.