Typography Tips

Font Selection

  1. Consider the audience when selecting typefaces and point size
  2. Consider the type of paper and method of printing when choosing typeface and point size.
  3. Match the personality of the typeface with the publication.
  4. Limit typefaces—between one and three. Some sources say that multi-page publications can go to four. Use size, styles and other formatting techniques to add contrast.
  5. The two typefaces should be significantly different—like a serif and a sans serif, or a sans serif and a display font, etc.
  6. Be consistent in the use of fonts—all headlines the same, all body text the same, etc.
  7. Use display and decorative fonts in moderation—never for body text

Font Size

  1. Body text point size should range from 9 to 12 point. Start with 10 and make adjustments.
  2. Match point size to readership. 14 point for young children and over 65.
  3. Heading size should be approximately 2 points greater than the body text size (or bigger)—remember contrast is important.
  4. Balance line length with type size (in body copy). Lines that are too short or too long slow down reading and comprehension. The shorter the line length, the smaller the text needs to be.

Font Style

  1. Avoid the use of upper case letters. When necessary, slightly reduce the point size to increase readability
  2. Avoid setting script typefaces in all caps
  3. Use bold lightly.
  4. Avoid using underlined text.

Spacing, Punctuation & Alignment

  1. Use only one space after end-of-sentence punctuation.
  2. Don’t use double-hard returns after paragraphs. Use paragraph formatting to create the spacing needed. You can actually fit more text on a page that way.
  3. Use em and en dashes where appropriate
  4. Use the ellipsis character rather than periods
  5. Adjust leading to line length. The longer the line, the more leading is needed.
  6. Use centered text sparingly. It is harder to read. Always left-align numbered and bulleted lists.
  7. Avoid justification in narrow columns

Hyphenation

  1. The last word on a page should never be divided
  2. No more than two consecutive end-of-line hyphens are recommended.
  3. Don’t have too many hyphenated line endings in a single paragraph, even if they’re not in successive rows. Too many broken words reduce readability.
  4. At least two letters must appear on the line before a hyphen, and at least three letters must appear on the line following.