An article that helped me understand better the topic on typographic readability and legibility is an online article written by Jeremy Loyd. Although my focus in mainly on editorial design I decided to research the way typography is being used to communicate on web. I found this important in order to distinguish certain traits and characteristic that are found in both online and web based designs.
Loyd begins by saying that there are a few important key elements to keep in mind regarding a typeface's legibility. The first being display and text. Display faces refer to those typefaces which are intended to be used in a large size and would be less readable if they were portrayed in a smaller size. These should not be used for body copy but rather, for instance, as headlines. Text or body faces refer to typefaces which are created for use in large areas of smaller body copy.
Naturally, there are many other variants of the two types. A common question is which between Serif or Sans-Serif is more legible. Traditionally, Serif typefaces were considered as more legible since they were more frequently used in print for larger text. The reason for this may be due to the fact that this font permits the eye to flow more easily whilst reading the text allowing a faster reading speed and lessening eye fatigue. Sans-Serif on the contrary seems to be increasingly utilised as body text. This those face is characterised by simpler letterforms which may be considered modern and which looks better with other popular designs and the "in" trends. This font also works better for many online articles which usually feature relatively short passages of text. However the matter is still subject of an on-going debate. Some believe that Serif faces decrease legibility and don't work well on screen whilst others do not recognise any difference.
X-Height may be described as the height of the lowercase "X" in a given font, purposely omitting the height of the ascenders and descenders. This normally applies to body text sizes. It is interesting to note that in smaller font, typefaces with larger X-Heights tend to be more easily read.
According to Loyd, readability may be defined as the sorting of words in a manner that permits the readers' eye clear and easy access to the content. This form of art is constantly increasing as more and more successful combinations are discovered. Grasping the concept only readability may not always be plain-sailing. It may be useful to keep the below points in mind.
The first is spacing or else something on the web known as line height. Proper spacing and adequate hierarchy is vital to allow the reader to skim through the text at a comfortable pace and also access it at desired points. A helpful technique one may consider is that the space around a block of type (the space before and after a paragraph) and the letter spacing can be proportionally related to the line height of a paragraph. Line height may be referred to as, “The vertical difference between lines of text” (Loyd, 2013). Another useful technique to assess the relationship of paragraph spacing with line height is to ensure the paragraph spacing (above or below a paragraph) is approximately half of the line height. This avoids creating extra space between paragraphs which may be considered as impeding readability of the passage.
Secondly, it nearly goes without saying that the element of size is vital in displaying a readable text. It is important to always take into consideration the age of the audience one is aiming to attract as naturally an elder audience may have a lower quality of eyesight. Text should never be too small, posing any difficulty to read. Nowadays, with advancement in technology it is also important that one keeps in mind the different text sizes used on different devices. It is suggested that for smaller screens such as mobile phones, there should be an increased body copy width in contrast to larger screens such as a desktop.
Measure (or line length) refers to the width of horizontal lines, which also have an effect on readability. It should be noted that if a line of text is too long, it becomes tedious to read, whilst tiring on the human eye to return back to the left side of the text block to commence to read the next line. Finding a very long body of text may also refer the audience from a first glance, without even attempting to read such passage. The maximum line length of a text box is dependent on the size of the text. Larger text may proportionately allow a longer line measure.
Letter spacing (or tracking) is "the consistent increase or decrease in distance between the letterforms in a word or block of text.” (Loyd, 2013) This can affect the density of a block of text or even a separate headline. If the letter spacing is not precise, it could easily compromise the readability of text. However reducing letter spacing is not a hard-and-fast rule as there are instances when increased letter spacing facilitates reading, such as in uppercase text. It all depends on the typeface which is being used.
Contrast is another element which affects disability of a text, especially on-screen. Whilst it may be exciting for a designer to play around with contrast between different parts of a body of text, it should never be forgotten that different body text does show up differently on different screens and never look the same. Therefore one should remain cautious when trying to experiment with contrast.
Finally, readability also depends on hierarchy. An organised hierarchy may render the text more successful in the sense that it is more easily looked at and more of a pleasure to read and access the text.
Loyd, J. (2013). Typographic Readability and Legibility - Envato Tuts+ Web Design Article. [online] Web Design Envato Tuts+. Available at: http://webdesign.tutsplus.com/articles/typographic-readability-and-legibility--webdesign-12211 [Accessed 3 Feb. 2016].
