Use Readable Font Sizes

Use at least a 10-point font to achieve the best possible reading performance. Research has shown that fonts smaller than 10-point elicited slower performance from users.

example:

12 point font: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

10 point font: abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

8 point font:   abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz

Use Familiar Fonts

Use either a familiar serif or sans serif font to achieve the best possible reading speed. Do not mix serif and sans serif fonts within the text, because it may decrease reading speed. Research shows no reliable differences in reading speed or user preferences between 10-point Times Roman, Georgia serif fonts, Helvetica, or Verdana sans serif fonts .

Test for Readability

The readability of online text is affected by a variety of factors including font type and size, and color contrast between the text and background. Since color appearance varies between different monitor types, you should test for readability using a variety of monitors.

Design for Default Browser Fonts

Browsers display different default font types and sizes, depending on the type of browser, browser version, and operating system the browser runs on. Make sure your text looks good when displayed in the client environment. The default fonts for PC computers are Times New Roman and Arial. For MacIntosh, the default fonts are Times and Helvetica. You should at least check that your design succeeds using these fonts. Some users modify their browser preferences to display font types and sizes of their own choosing, and these choices are not possible to anticipate. If your design looks good with the default fonts displayed by your users' browsers, you have maximized your control over the appearance of text.

Make Paragraph Text Flush Left

Text which is flush left is easier to read than text which is either flush right or centered: Doing this also aids in text reflow if the user resizes their browser window frame.