Preferred font for an essay?

for me i used to stick to the basics - Arial or Tahoma (hate Times New Roman) and the largest size i could get away with :D any way to write the least amount i could and still fill up lots of pages :devil:
 
Helvetica.

Don't use 12pt though cos it's massive.

Knock it down to about 10pt and increase the line spacing a little.
 
Will it be printed or read electronically?

If printed, and assuming you're using Word, then Arial 10 or Times New Roman 12 are recommended. Although it's not my choice, most people seem to prefer TNR. Also, set the line spacing to 1.5. It will use more paper but be easier to read (always consider the reader before yourself).

If read electronically, then I would use Arial 10 and single line spacing. The reader can always adjust it himself for his own comfort.
 
It will be submmited on paper and requires to be double spaced.
 
For reading on screen, I like Tahoma. Times New Roman is ideal for printed material however.
 
From an accessibility perspective (if that is of any concern) you should choose 14points. Alternative a 12 or 11 is fine. These days I think a 10 is considered too small by most people and you wouldn't want to have them feel embarrassed when they can't read your essay ;-)

Serif or non-serif that is entirely your choice.
 
Academically speaking my university say that font must be times new roman or arial size 12

Comic Sans - 14

Sure for academic work comic sans is a no go due to professional quality
 
What subject is it?

I used to use Times New Roman a lot, but for technical documentation, it doesn't really cut the mustard. Words in block capitals look a bit odd. I changed to Arial for a bit, but got caught out by lower case l and upper case I looking too similar (IT documentation is full of "ID"s). I now use Verdana almost exclusively.
 
Academically speaking my university say that font must be times new roman or arial size 12



Sure for academic work comic sans is a no go due to professional quality

Yea, i kind of forgot this smiley on the end of my last post :D
 
Arial seems to get used a lot for such things. It's the one I usually go to.
 
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We have to use arial size 12 at my college, it looks big on screen but once its printed its just right size
 
Arial - size 10 - 1.5 line spacing, uni always used to say double but 1.5 is better, and they never said anything to me.
 
The marketing and psychology gurus at my work always recommend sans-serif font.
 
Yet another Arial vote here :thumbsup: 12 or 14. Or 18 if I need to read it myself :)
 
Font size isn't really the issue. I'm trying to avoid the reader loosing the will to live by being as easy on the eye as academically acceptable.
 
Why don't you do a little experiment with paragraphs.

Use different typefaces and see which one you like the best. Essentially you are asking a subjective question to a bunch of people who will all have their own ideas.

Try Arial, Helvetica, Trebuchet, Verdana, Times, etc etc and see which one you like the best.
 

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