Since the topic of legibility vs. readability has been coming up in class lately, and it was told to me that serif typefaces are inherently, more readable, I thought this article, The Serif Readability Myth, was super interesting. For those that don’t want to actually read the article, I’ll summarize it. The “fact” that serif typefaces are more readable than sans-serif typefaces may not actually be true. A researcher named Ole Lund did his PhD dissertation on the fact that all of the past typeface legibility studies that have been done over the past century may have been flawed in their methodology. So, if this is true, then there may not be much of a difference after all in the typeface you choose to use for your designs. Go ahead and Helvetica all the things! …kidding. Anyway, what do you guys think? Do you have an easier time reading serif type or sans serif type? Or are you like me and honestly not really notice a difference?
5 Comments
I agree. I usually don’t notice a difference unless the typeface is horrible. But, there are bad serif and san-serif typefaces, so like all things in life it can go both ways.
Between the two I find it no easier to read one than the other. I do feel as if Serifs are more classical and san serifs more modern.
I find it a little easier to read sans-serif over serif.
In my opinion, I find it easier to read sans serif on a computer screen. However, I find it easier to read print in serif. For me, it differentiates between what medium is being used.
I do think that it is easier to read serif fonts when it is a smaller size but it isn’t much of a difference.
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