Font Use
Font Use
(OP)
This is related to report writing.
Which font styles are typically prefered when writing reports? I prefer Sans Serif over Serif. I find reading Arial easier on the eyes compared to Times New Roman.
Which font styles are typically prefered when writing reports? I prefer Sans Serif over Serif. I find reading Arial easier on the eyes compared to Times New Roman.
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RE: Font Use
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RE: Font Use
RE: Font Use
I use Arial for most of my work, including engineering reports and spreadsheet. I change to Times New Roman in smaller fonts (10 or 8) for printing for proofreading purposes to save paper.
RE: Font Use
Gunnar Englund
www.gke.org
RE: Font Use
Chris, Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
zeusfaber (Military)
I'm told that sans serif fonts like Arial are less difficult for sufferers of dyslexia than serifed fonts like Times and Courier.
analogkid2digitalman (Electrical)
Wingdings anyone?
ctopher (Mechanical)
only if needed.
HgTX (Civil/Environmental)
I'm unreasonably old-fashioned. Sans-serif fonts just don't look professional to me. I *know* they're easier to read, etc...I just can't help it. Just can't bring myself to let go of Times New Roman. (I do use Arial for PowerPoint though.)
apsix (Structural)
I don't have a choice as the font style, along with a lot of other things, is dictated to us from above. However, I'm perfectly happy with Times New Roman, it's not something I've thought about much.
Roadbridge (Civil/Environmental)
I prefer to use “Tahoma” myself for personal letters, Times New Roman for reports and Business.
dbuzz (Structural)
Arial, 10pt, 1.5 line spacing, for mine.
Beggar (Mechanical)
I use Palatino. I find serif fonts to be easier to read. It seems like most books are set with serif fonts. Perhaps that's why I find it easier to read -- it's what I'm most accustomed to.
Haf (Mechanical)
I was taught that Times New Roman was easier to read in printed form, i.e., reports, papers, letters, etc. For presentations, however, I was taught to use Arial or Helvetica.
jhardy1 (Structural)
Quick test - go to your nearest bookshelf, and pick any book out at random.(Choose a novel - something that is meant to be "read" rather than "browsed".) Now, go and check out today's newspaper.
25362 (Chemical)
Try MS Dialog.
chemELK (Chemical)
Book Antiqua is my favorite. It has a smaller serif than Times NR, and looks slightly cleaner at the same size.
johnwm (Computer)
General rule:
DReimer (Mechanical)
I ususally use Arial myself, although I like that Verdana font that skogsgurra mentioned. A little too big in 12pt however.
Skogsgurra (Electrical)
DReimer,
Bung (Electrical)
I'm with JulianHardy on this one.
ForceMajeure (Structural)
Thinking of serifs as tails is a useful device, or at least a fun one. However, the French word for "tail" is "queue". Although "serif" is indeed a French word, it has the same meaning in French as it does in English.
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ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
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RE: Font Use
A.
RE: Font Use
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RE: Font Use
Chris
Sr. Mechanical Designer, CAD
SolidWorks 05 SP3.1 / PDMWorks 05
ctopher's home site (updated 06-21-05)
FAQ559-1100
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RE: Font Use
Our official house style is supposed to be Arial for letters, but all but the highest levels have stuck with Times New Roman instead.
Hg
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RE: Font Use
RE: Font Use
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RE: Font Use
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RE: Font Use
RE: Font Use
What typeface are they set in? Is it serif or sans serif?
London to a brick, they are set in a serif font (generally resembling "Times New Roman"). Sans serif fonts (like "Arial") are probably restricted to chapter headings, picture captions etc.
Why? Quite simply, the serifs help the brain distinguish between similar letter and word forms without requiring so much of a conscious act of interpretation. In short, classic serif fonts are generally more "readable" than sans serif fonts when being used for more than brief periods.
When design and visual image is important, and where extended reading sessions are not envisaged, then a clean, crisp modern style like Arial may be the most suitable. But if you are publishing the latest 700-page blockbuster airport novel, you probably want to stay with a Times New Roman style font.
(There is some evidence that readers find whichever font type they are most familiar with as being the most "readable". As there is noways increasing usage of sans serif fonts (like Arial), it is possible that "readability" scores of various fonts may tend to change. When you start seeing Tom Clancy novels come out in a sans serif font, you will know the critical mass has been achieved!)
RE: Font Use
RE: Font Use
When doing specifications (not reports), I'm told to use New Courier. Personally, I feel it's a waste of paper and more difficult to read.
RE: Font Use
Serif fonts for paper media
Sans-serif for screen
as seen in most design guides.
Good Luck
johnwm
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RE: Font Use
analogkid - could you be any more obvious about being a Rush fan? ;)
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Leaving life to go on as it was...
RE: Font Use
I use Verdana 11 for headlines and 10 for text.
Sometimes (quite often) I have introductory remarks in italics.
Gunnar Englund
www.gke.org
RE: Font Use
The only time I've found readability to be a real issue is in low lighting or if the paper is somewhat "off square" (eg sideways or rotated so the text is upside down), or if the text is very small. In those cases, the "tails" on the serif font are a great help in leading the eye in the right direction (serif is French for tail).
Bung
Life is non-linear...
RE: Font Use