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EDLS 618. PRODUCTION & EVALUATION OF EDUCATIONAL MEDIA. Fall 2009. Unit 2. Development. Module 8: Typography & Design. Key Terms. Typography – The art of letterform Instructional Typography – using letters, words, and passages of text to communicate instructional messages
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EDLS 618. PRODUCTION & EVALUATION OF EDUCATIONAL MEDIA Fall 2009
Unit 2. Development Module 8: Typography & Design
Key Terms • Typography – The art of letterform • Instructional Typography – using letters, words, and passages of text to communicate instructional messages • Typeface – Formal definition of alphabetical and numerical characters that are unified by consistent visual properties; type is synonymous with typeface • Font – A computer-generated typeface for a specific point size; recent interpretation to mean typeface • Type Family – The complete array of typeface; e.g., Arial, Times New Roman, Comic Sans Serif, etc. • Text – The main body of written or printed material; excludes footnotes, appendices, display elements, etc. • Legibility – Degree of ease of reading short segments (bursts) of text • Readability – Degree of ease of reading long passages/sections of text Module 8. Type and Typography
The Power of Type • Create chunks of information to facilitate comprehension, understanding od directions, procedures, etc. • Complex type can express emotion, enhance a message • Type has organizational and communicative power • Facilitates contrast, alignment, repetition, and proximity Module 8. Type and Typography
Classifications of Type • Classifications of type/fonts is based upon the characteristics of the anatomy of each • Type is classified into six groups: • Black Letter • Roman • Square Serif • Sans Serif • Script • Decorative Module 8. Type and Typography
Classifications of Type: Black Letter • One of the oldest type faces • Limited application in instruction • Primarily used for decoration • Drop-cap letters • Old Century Module 8. Type and Typography
Classifications of Type: Roman - Old Style, Modern, Transitional • Old Style • Considered easy to read • Widely used in instructional materials • Tapered and slanted serifs, inclined counters • Garamond, Times New Roman • Modern • Striking in appearance, difficult to read in large quantities of text • Perpendicular serifs, upright counters, high contrast between lines • Bondini • Transitional • Very readable • Share characteristics with Old Style and Modern • Centaur Module 8. Type and Typography
Classifications of Type:Square Serif • Similar to Roman typefaces • Widely used in educational materials; highly readable • Frequently used in children’s books • Often darker than others (contrast) • Century • Georgia (web) Module 8. Type and Typography
Classifications of Type: Sans Serif • Literally means “without serifs” • Considered by some to be more legible for computer-based instruction & presentation than serif types • Frequently used as headings in all types of instructional materials • Franklin Gothic • Trebuchet (screen display) • Verdana (screen display) Module 8. Type and Typography
Classifications of Type: Script • Limited application in instructional materials: difficult to read in text • Used to designate different voice • Certificates, designate historical periods, ornamentation • Cursive • Brush Script • Lucida calligraphy • Freestyle Script Module 8. Type and Typography
Classifications of Type: Decorative - Symbol • Image based typeface – symbols and Dingbats • Qwerty • Menagerie Dingbats • Webdings • Wingdings 1 & 2 • Wingdings 3 (Wingdings 3) Module 8. Type and Typography
Classifications of Type: Decorative - Display • Used for title, headings, other display purposes • Too tiring for lengthy text • Create mood, act as metaphors, attract attention • Snap ITC • Curlz • Jokerman • Ravie Module 8. Type and Typography
How do you know what is best? The “It depends…” Rule • The learner • The content • The task • The environment • Other elements in the visual • Your skills and abilities in graphics and design Module 8. Type and Typography
How do you know what is best? • Serif typefaces tend to be recognized as having high readability • Sans serif typefaces are typically viewed as being clear and legible • Research is inconclusive • A bold sans serif typeface used in conjunction with a lighter font provides excellent contrast; facilitates “chunking” Module 8. Type and Typography
Attributes of Type • Ascender – part rising above body • Descender – part falling below body • Caps height – uppercase letter measured from baseline • Ascender height – height of tallest part of letter • X-height – height of lower case letter without ascender or descender; the taller the x-height, easier to read (Georgia) • Bowl – portion of a letter that encloses a counter • Serif – wings • Baseline – does not include descenders • Cross stroke – horizontal stroke crossing a vertical stroke of a letter Module 8. Type and Typography
Attributes of Type, cont’d. • Counter – enclosed or partially enclosed portion of a type character; width • Readability increases as width of counter increases • Leading – vertical space between lines of text; a.k.a. line spacing in some computer programs • Increase leading to increase interest, attention • Kerning – horizontal space between individual letters or characters in a word • Used mostly with type sizes 30 points and higher • Improves appearance of headings, titles • Can enhance readability • Makes things “fit” better Module 8. Type and Typography
Type and Layout • Alignment: left justified, centered, right justified, justified • Line Length • dependent upon font, font size, page size, direction, leading • Palm width = 4-5” • Break line according to logic/content, not formula • Type Size • 36 points = ½ inch; 72 points = 1 inch • X-height and counter size can affect appearance of font even when point size is equal • 12 point recommended for print and computer-based instruction • 6x6 Rule: projected slide/transparency should have no more than 6 lines of text and no more than 6 words per line • Computer screen – view it from 6 feet @ 100% • For every 10 feet, increase typeface ½ inch Module 8. Type and Typography
Cueing and Typography Change type to signal a change in the text to the reader: • colors • ALL CAPS • bold or italic or underlining • Size • K e r n i n g • Leading Module 8. Type and Typography
Resources and Activities Resources: • Fonts for Teachers http://www.fonts4teachers.com/ Assignments: • Communicating with Typography • Using guidelines provided, create a document that illustrates the variety of possibilities for using typography, layout, design, and other features of Microsoft Word. Module 8. Type and Typography