Testy Copy Editors

Our new website is up and running at testycopyeditors.org. This board will be maintained as an archive. Please visit the new site and register. Direct questions to the proprietor, blanp@testycopyeditors.org
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 9:04 am

All times are UTC - 5 hours




Forum locked This topic is locked, you cannot edit posts or make further replies.  [ 9 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: Readability survey
PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2004 9:57 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 744
Location: HuskerLand
I'm doing a presentation next month on improving readability of print whatevers and would be interested in getting a list of the typefaces TCEs and layout folks prefer. Am I correct in thinking that most newspapers use 10 pt copy?<p>Thanks for your info.


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Readability survey
PostPosted: Thu May 13, 2004 3:47 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Apr 05, 2004 12:01 am
Posts: 101
Location: Inner Baltimore
For minute statistical detail, I think that the Wall Street Journal's stock-quote typeface (sold by Hoefler as "Retina") is great. It has specially designed cut-outs that compensate for ink spread (like those nasty Futura Ns, Ms, and Ws -- only throughout the font). Of course, the problem is that increased legibility makes it easier to cram more detail into a smaller space, which doesn't necessarily make things easier for TCEs. I'll give it some more thought.<p>[ May 13, 2004: Message edited by: JPSheehan ]</p>


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Readability survey
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2004 12:19 am 
Offline

Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2004 1:01 am
Posts: 69
Location: N.Y.
We use 9 point over 10.5, News 706.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Readability survey
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2004 12:35 am 
Offline

Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2003 12:01 am
Posts: 3137
Location: Homebush NSW Australia
We use 9.5pt on 9.5pt New Century School book with a horizontal squeeze of 95% and splashes of 9pt New Century bold weight with a 95% squeeze.
The crucial thing to remember here is x-height explained neatly by http://graphics.sbcc.net in the graphic below. 9.5pt will seem taller or shorter in different fonts. The key reason for the 9.5pt body time is that we are a tap with a 7 col grid of 8p3 with 10pt gutters (non layout people's eyes will be glazing over at this point).
Best advice for any publication, do some tests with slug type on layouts that match the realty of your ad shapes and are being produced at the normal designer's pace.<p>[img]C:\WINNT\Profiles\ldrpage\Desktop\x-height.jpg[/img]<p>[ May 14, 2004: Message edited by: Paul Wiggins ]</p>


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Readability survey
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2004 3:18 am 
Offline

Joined: Mon Apr 08, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 1775
Location: Baltimore
<blockquote><font size="1" face="TImes, TimesNR, serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Paul Wiggins:
Best advice for any publication, do some tests with slug type on layouts that match the realty of your ad shapes and are being produced at the normal designer's pace.
<hr></blockquote><p>Good advice.<p>When my previous employer was preparing to switch to narrower broadsheet pages, mock pages were prepared with varying typefaces and measures, then posted on a conference room's walls for side-by-side comparisons. All newsroom workers had the opportunity to write comments on paper beside them.


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Readability survey
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2004 8:44 am 
Offline

Joined: Tue Apr 09, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 744
Location: HuskerLand
Thanks for all the answers. I guess I'm surprised that cited examples are 9 pt. Is anyone using a larger size type?


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Readability survey
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2004 1:02 pm 
Offline

Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2004 1:01 am
Posts: 37
Location: Batavia, NY
We use 10.5 pt Times. It looks a little cartoonish -- but you *can* read it from 10 yards.


Top
 Profile E-mail  
 
 Post subject: Re: Readability survey
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2004 1:25 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2003 1:01 am
Posts: 1324
Location: N 36° 57' 9", W 121° 24' 2"
We used B Stone Sans 9.5 on 10 at my old paper. More recently, when I was helping a friend design a start-up weekly, I went with Palatino 10 on 10.5.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Readability survey
PostPosted: Fri May 14, 2004 1:34 pm 
Offline

Joined: Thu Apr 18, 2002 12:01 am
Posts: 1399
Location: In the newsroom
We use News Miller 9, which I like a lot.


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Forum locked This topic is locked, you cannot edit posts or make further replies.  [ 9 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 5 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 12 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group

What They're Saying




Useful Links