Size Matters

The size and measurement of fonts are not standard and unfortunately “[n]owadays the size of a font can generally be considered an almost useless figure” (Gelderman, 1999, p. 98). The ability to change the size of a font is important but choosing by point size alone is not recommended. The actual size changes depending on how the font was designed. Typically “[s]eventy-two points equals approximately one inch [2.5 cm]” and “[d]ocument text is most readable when set within a rage from 9 to 12 point” (Griffee & Casey, 1988, p. 210). Other text such as “titles and headings may be larger (14-72 point)” while “footnotes, indexes, or captions could be set smaller (6-8 point)” (p. 210).