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> Can someone out there point me toward any research/studies/published
> material that deals with formatting narrow columns for optimal
> readability? I'd also like to find a source that discusses serif
> vs sans serif for text (as opposed to display) fonts.
The very best book I can imagine is:
Graphic Design for the Electronic Age
Jan V. White 1988 Watson-Guptill Publications
ISBN 0-8230-2121-1 $24.95
Especially for your questions, see:
"Serif or sans-serif?" (pages 12 through 17)
and
"How long a line?" (Pages 24 through 29)
The short answers are:
(1) Hotly debated, many factors, either can work or fail.
(2) Approximately 1.5 alphabets (39 characters, or 8 words)
makes a line of very good readability in most typefaces.
His other books are well worth examining too.
There is quite a history of readability research going back to
the turn of the century. You can read the history of Times New
Roman, of Century Schoolbook, and so on, in excellent books and
articles on the history and theory of typography. But will this academic
argument really win your case in your personal situation? I hope
so.
Ray Bruman In this establishment,
Raynet Corp. we DO NOT DISCUSS
rbruman -at- raynet -dot- com race, religion, politics, serif vs. sans-serif,
415-688-2325 or nutrition.
