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_Paula_Croisetiere_
Participant
March 3, 2008
Question

Serif vs. Sans Serif for Print

  • March 3, 2008
  • 2 replies
  • 1741 views
When I was in school, serif style fonts were considered the standard for to be used for content text in documents designed for print. Has that position changed? I am looking to redesign a magazine I prepare which is offered as a pdf on line but is designed primarily for print. What are the current standards for optimal legibility? Is there a definitive source of information on this?
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    2 replies

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    D__McCahill
    Known Participant
    March 4, 2008
    Sans works better online, where serifs are too small to be correctly drawn. However if the output is in PDF format, the user can go to 200 or 400 % enlargement and the type will be more readable.

    Thus I would stay with serif for the print edition. If you get to the point of presenting the text in HTML, then you might want to use CSS to convert the text to sans.
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    _Philo_Calhoun_
    Known Participant
    March 3, 2008
    Serif was traditional, but many are using san serif these days. I don't think there is a major difference in legibility across the board, though some serifs and san serifs are more legible than others. There were some studies in the past that suggested serif were more legible, but recent studies don't seem to bear this out.
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