Re: Font readability?

[Romay Jean Sitze <rositze -at- NMSU -dot- EDU>]

On Fri, 7 Apr 1995, Arlen P. Walker wrote:

> I can't quote the source, but I remember reading that san serif makes for good
> display type, but serif fonts are more readable in smaller, book-style
 printing.
> There's something about the serifs which leads your eye to the next character,
> making words more clearly seen.

> Anybody else, or am I halucinating again?

You're not hallucinating.  Tom Lichty  (_Design Pringiples for Desktop
Publishers_) says that serifs cut down on the reflection of light from
around the letter (halation), links the letters in a word and provides a
horizontal guideline, and helps distinguish one letter form another, thus
making life easier for the reader.  He also recommends sans serif fonts
for anything under 8 points in x-height.  He also mentions that many
experts claim that sans serif typefaces are just as readable at any
height as serif fonts.

I suspect that what it all boils down to is: Use whatever you prefer when
it comes to serif or sans serif typefaces.


        RoMay Sitze, rositze -at- nmsu -dot- edu
        The body of every organization is structured from four kinds of
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