pocketspeak4e

Select Appropriate Typeface Styles and Fonts

Printed Page 162

A typeface is a specific style of lettering, such as Arial or Times Roman. Typefaces come in a variety of fonts, or sets of sizes (called the point size), and upper and lower cases. Designers divide the thousands of available typefaces into two major categories: serif and sans serif. Serif typefaces include small flourishes, or strokes, at the tops and bottoms of each letter. Sans serif typefaces are more blocklike and linear; they are designed without these tiny strokes. When selecting type sizes for presentation aids, consider these guidelines:

Check the lettering for legibility, taking into consideration the audience’s distance from the presentation. On slides, experiment with 36-point type for major headings, 24-point type for subheadings, and at least 18-point type for text.
Make sure that the lettering stands apart from the background, using either dark text on light background (for a more informal feeling) or light text on dark background (for a more formal look).
Use a familiar typeface that is simple and easy to read, not distracting.
Use standard upper- and lowercase type; this combination is easier to read than all capital letters.
Pair no more than two complementary typefaces, such as Times Roman and Helvetica, in the text body, or use only one font throughout.
Use boldface, underlining, or italics sparingly, to emphasize only the most important points.

Using Serif and Sans Serif Type

For reading a block of text, serif typefaces are easier on the eye. Small amounts of text, however, such as headings, are best viewed in sans serif type. Thus, consider a sans serif typeface for the heading and a serif typeface for the body of the text. If you include only a few lines of text, consider using sans serif type throughout.