Re: serif & sans serif fonts

Subject: Re: serif & sans serif fonts
From: "Pro TechWriter" <pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: "Mary Elaine Lora" <mlora -at- fugro-jason -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:20:13 -0400

Hi Mary Elaine:

Here is a link to the Microsoft site.

http://www.microsoft.com/typography/default.mspx

There is some information here about what font to use for different
applications. The research is divided about whether serif or sans serif is
better for online. The last I read, preferences varied widely by age group,
which was interesting. The most important thing to pay attention to for
online use is if the fonts have been designed for use on-screen. The
Microsoft typography site provides some information about that.

Online documentation or Web sites traditionally use sans-serif fonts. This
is because of the screen resolution, and the "dot" issue for displays. If
you look at the Typography site, they have some diagrams and illustrations
that show that a serifed font can be "jaggy" online. But, again, they do
have serif fonts that are designed for on-screen use, such as Georgia. I
personally prefer sans-serif fonts for online use, and find them easier to
read. I am one of those "older" users though, who needs reading glasses now
:-)

For printed documentation, most research leans toward using serif fonts to
increase readability. There are more visual cues with a serif font that can
make letter and word processing faster for the reader. In some environments,
though, the users are so used to seeing a sans-serif font like Arial that it
could be more distracting to change the typeface than to go with what they
are used to. This is particularly true in engineering evironments.

The STC Usability SIG may have some information:
http://www.stcsig.org/usability/index.html
I rely on the STC most heavily because the information they provide is
usually based on scientific research and not just someone's opinion or
personal likes and dislikes.

Some pertinent links from that page are:

Design Topics

- *Documentation and Help
Usability<http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/docs-usability.html>
*
Articles and checklists for print and online documentation (*Updated: 10
July 05)*
- *Educational
Software*<http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/educational.html>
Designing and evaluating educational software or online training
- *Forms Design <http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/forms.html>*
Creating usable forms for web sites, applications or on paper (*Updated:
27 Dec 05)*
- *Games <http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/games.html>*
Design, usability and documentation of games *(Updated: 20 Dec 05)*
- *Interface
Design<http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/design-for-usability.html>
*
Design tips, techniques and checklists *(Updated: 26 Jan 02)*
- *Intranets* <http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/intranets.html>
Design and usability issues in intranets* (Updated: 26 Jan 02)*
- *Internationalization*<http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/international.html>
Global interfaces, localization and translation *(Updated: 22 Dec 02)*
- *Patterns <http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/patterns.html>*
User interface design patterns and pattern languages *(Updated: 17 Dec
06)*
- *Prototyping<http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/prototyping.html>
*
Using prototyping for usability and interface design *(Updated: 31 Dec
05)*
- *Readability
Research<http://www.stcsig.org/usability/topics/readability.html>
*Studies of reading habits, readability of different designs *(Updated:
14 July 06)*


I do have some research, but I will have to look for it. I will check and
send you what I can find for references. Human Factors for Technical
Communicators (Coe, Marlana) has some information about this as well, and is
research based. My copy is a bit old, and I am not sure if there is an
updated version, but it's still a good reference.

I hope this helps you!

--PT

On 7/19/07, Mary Elaine Lora <mlora -at- fugro-jason -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Do you use serif or sans-serif fonts for (1) printed documentation and (2)
> online documentation (i.e., PDF files)? Can you give me links to
> authoritative articles on the readability of serif vs sans-serif? A
> Google
> search turned up thousands of sites with conflicting opinions/research.
> Whom
> do you feel is the real authority on this issue?
>
> --
> PT
> pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com
>
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-

To unsubscribe send a blank email to
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.


Follow-Ups:

References:
serif & sans serif fonts: From: Mary Elaine Lora

Previous by Author: NOW OT Re: Your signature line
Next by Author: Re: FrameMaker Graphics
Previous by Thread: RE: serif & sans serif fonts
Next by Thread: Re: serif & sans serif fonts


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads