Sivutusta

Sivutusta is a Finnish term describing the act or process of pagination and page layout in printing and digital documents. Derived from sivu, meaning page, and the abstract noun suffix -tus, it refers to the organization of content into pages and the decisions that govern the reading flow, such as page breaks, margins, column grids, and the placement of headers, footers, and page numbers. The aim is to create a coherent, readable, and navigable document or publication.

In practice, sivutusta encompasses typographic discipline and layout planning. It involves choosing typefaces, line length, spacing, and the overall balance of text and images on each page. In traditional print publishing, it is closely tied to the use of layout software or typesetting systems. In modern digital contexts, sivutusta interacts with responsive design: content can be paginated for print or fixed layouts, while digital interfaces may employ infinite scrolling or dynamic paging, sometimes preserving print-like pages for export or navigation.

Related terms include sivutus (the pagination process or practice) and asettelu (layout). The concept appears mainly in Finnish publishing, library, and academic contexts, as well as among editors and designers discussing document preparation. While primarily a Finnish term, its general concerns—readability, visual balance, and navigability—have parallels in pagination and typesetting discussions in other languages.