,
This section includes information on:
Your choice of typeface or font is important and may be determined by departmental of agency policy. Size and contrast with the paper used are crucial.
You should be using fonts that maximise legibility and readability. There is some evidence that this varies according to reading task and audience, so that, for example, while Arial works well for electronic communications, other fonts may be preferable for print.
Recent research suggests that whether a font is serif or sans serif may be less crucial than other factors - and indeed different audiences. For example older and younger people may prefer differ fonts and the former as a group certainly prefer larger sizes.
While sans serif fonts are generally thought to provide a benchmark for legibility, research suggests that serif fonts can also perform very well. Characteristics other than the presence or absence of serifs seem to affect font effectiveness. In particular, condensation and complexity, appeared to determine font effectiveness in small-print applications.
On both objective and subjective measures, Times New Roman helps readability relative to some other fonts and appears to be particularly suitable for small print applications.
Wherever possible, select fonts on the basis of empirical data, for a specific reading task and piece of content and according to the characteristics of the target audience.
Look for a font that spaces letters rather than running them closely together. Fonts that have unusual shaped letters can create difficulties for people with dyslexia or visual impairments.
Sans serif fonts are standard for many government departments. Examples are:
Among serif fonts, Times New Roman performs well:
Things to avoid include italics, simulated handwriting and overly ornate typefaces. Examples are:
Underlining also reduces legibility.
The clear print standard specifies a minimum type size of 12 point, The RNIB recommends 14 point to reach more people and this should be used when older or disabled people are the target audience or a key constituent group of the target audience, alongside other measures to improve readability, including choice of font.
Using 14 point means that there is no need also to provide a stock of large print documents, as long as large print in various sizes is available on request.
Bold or semi-bold weights can be useful if material is being prepared specifically for people with visual impairments, although some fonts are difficult to read in bold. Lighter type weights can affect legibility, as good contrast means good readability.
It's important to avoid using blocks of capital letters in titles or the body of text. If necessary, they may be used to give emphasis to a single word or short phrase. Italics and underlining should be avoided, as people with visual impairments are likely to find this text difficult to understand.
The space between one line of type and the next (the leading) is very important for accessibility. As a general rule, the space should be 1.5 to 2 times the space between words on a line.
Aligning text left rather than right or justifying it improves legibility. Text that is aligned left is easy to locate for those with limited sight and means that there is an equal amount of space between letters and words. However, alignment and justification need to be appropriate to the language being used.
If you print documents with numbers in them, such as sets of accounts or benefits information, it is important to ensure that the numerals are distinct. People with visual impairments can easily misread 3, 5 and 8 and, in certain typefaces, 0 and 6 too. Wherever possible, write out the word eight or five instead of the numeral. When presenting financial information use a large point size wherever possible. Using 14 point may be helpful in these circumstances.
Line length should be between 60 and 70 characters per line, except where you are using columns, or 12 to 18 words. Lines that are too long or too short tire the eyes (the same applies to sentence and paragraph length). Splitting words between lines, by using hyphens, disrupts reading flow so should be kept to a minimum.
The best design is simple and uncluttered. Tints can be helpful to break up a document and make it easier on the eye, particularly when statistical material, graphs and charts are involved. Always ensure that there is a strong contrast between text and tint.
Use line spacing between paragraphs to break up text. Use wide margins and headings. Use of boxes for emphasis or to highlight important text can be effective. Avoid dense blocks of text by using short paragraphs.
The contrast between the text and the background on which it is printed (or photocopied) is extremely important. As a general rule, contrast dark against light. Black type on off-white or yellow paper makes a good contrast. Many people who have a visual impairment also have difficulty with colour perception. Colours such as red and green are particularly problematic. Some people with dyslexia find light text on a dark background difficult to read.
This can be particularly important for posters, boards and leaflets, which usually have to catch people's eye at a distance. For these products, it is particularly important to:
If using white type, make sure that the background colour is dark enough to provide sufficient contrast. Some people prefer to have white on black text because it reduces the amount of glare from the page. However, in terms of print, it can be very difficult with some print processes to provide dense ink coverage on coloured surfaces.
You also need to pay special attention to type weight and size when reversing type, as white text on a coloured background appears smaller. This might mean increasing the font size and changing the type weight from regular to bold. When using reversed type, try to avoid switching between black on white and white on black, as this can be confusing and tiring to the eye.
A reader with a visual impairment or dyslexia requires longer to read than someone without, so it is important to use features that make the layout easy to follow and the information easy to find.
It is helpful if recurring features, such as headings and page numbers, are always in the same place.
Including a list of contents and using rules to separate different sections can also be useful.
Leave a space between paragraphs. Dividing the text up gives the eye a break and makes reading easier.
Avoid fitting text around images if this means that lines of text start in a different place and are therefore difficult to find.
Set text horizontally — text that is set at an angle or follows a curved line is more difficult to find and read.
Allow enough space on forms. When designing a form, it is worth noting that people with visual impairments or dyslexia often need a generous amount of space to fill in details that have to be hand-written, as their writing tends to be larger than average. Tick boxes also need to be enlarged. This will benefit people with conditions affecting coordination or manual dexterity, such as stroke survivors and people with arthritis.
If you are setting text in columns, make sure the space between the columns clearly separates them. Don't put pictures in the middle of columns, as this can be confusing.
Don’t assume that a reader with a visual impairment can see images. Core information should be conveyed through the text but pictures can help people with learning disabilities to understand information better.
Don’t rely on images to be the only source of relief from the text. The use of white space, headings and rules can do this as effectively. If you are including a graph in your document, explain its contents in words too. If pictures are placed within boxes include a frame, or outline, around the box so that it is easy to locate.
Illustrations should be line drawings with thick, dark strokes or outlines.
Make illustrations and photographs as large as possible without being grainy. Don't lay one photograph over another, as this can be confusing. Don’t use photos that contain a lot of detail or in which the foreground and background are not well contrasted.
Avoiding setting text over images — this will detract from the type, making it harder to read.
People with dyslexia often prefer cream or off-white paper instead of pure white.
Avoid glossy papers, as reflected light obscures the print and the glare makes it difficult to read. Choose uncoated paper that weighs over 90gsm (a sheet of photocopying paper usually weighs 80gsm). If the text is showing through from the reverse side, the paper may be too thin.
When folding paper, avoid creases that obscure the text. People who use scanners or screen magnifiers need to place the document flat under the magnifier, so take care about the number of pages in your document and the binding methods you choose.
Some people with visual impairments need to hold the text close to their eyes and find very large documents unwieldy. Very small documents can also be frustrating. A4 size tends to be the most user-friendly. The binding method needs to be appropriate to the layout and the number of pages. For large documents, particularly large print formats, a ringbound binding can help readability.
For practical tips, visit the top tips section of this guidance.
For other information resources, go to the resources section of this guidance.
Page last reviewed: 11 August 2008