best font for dissertation

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Academic Appeal: The 11 Best Fonts for Academic Papers

• BY Bogdan Sandu
• 26 February 2024

Imagine settling into the rhythm of crafting your academic magnum opus—the words flow, ideas chime, yet it all hinges on how your prose meets the reader’s eye. You’re well aware that  the best fonts for academic papers  don’t just whisper to the intellect; they shout to the discerning critic in each evaluator. Here unfolds a narrative, not merely of  typography  but your academic saga’s silent ambassador.

In forging this guide, I’ve honed focus on one pivotal, often underestimated player in the academic arena:  font selection .

Navigate through this roadmap and emerge with a treasure trove of  legible typefaces  and format tips that ensure your paper stands hallmark to clarity and professionalism.

Absorb insights—from the revered  Times New Roman  to the understated elegance of  Arial —paired with indispensable  formatting nuggets  that transcend mere compliance with  university guidelines .

Dive deep, and by article’s end, unlock a dossier of sage advice, setting your documents a class apart in the scrutinous world of academic scrutiny. Here’s to  typography  serving not just as a vessel but as your ally in the scholarly discourse.

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What font should I choose for my thesis?

This post is by DrJanene Carey, a freelance writer and editor based in Armidale NSW. She occasionally teaches academic writing at the University of New England and often edits academic theses, articles and reports. Her website is http://www.janenecarey.com

Arguably, this question is a classic time waster and the student who poses it should be told to just get on with writing up their research. But as someone who edits theses for a living, I think a bit of time spent on fonts is part of the process of buffing and polishing what is, after all, one of the most important documents you will ever produce. Just bear in mind that there is no need to immerse yourself so deeply in the topic that you start quibbling about whether it’s a font or a typeface that you are choosing .

Times New Roman is the standard choice for academic documents, and the thesis preparation guidelines of some universities stipulate its use. For many years, it was the default body text for Microsoft Word. With the release of Office 2007, the default became a sans serif typeface called Calibri. Lacking the little projecting bits (serifs) at the end of characters makes Calibri and its many friends, such as Arial, Helvetica and Verdana, look smoother and clearer on a screen, but generally makes them less readable than a serif typeface when used for printed text . The other problem with choosing a sans serif for your body text is that if you want passages in italics (for example, lengthy participant quotes) often this will be displayed as slanted letters, rather than as a true italic font.

You would like your examiners to feel as comfortable as possible while their eyes are traversing the many, many pages of your thesis, so maximising legibility and readability is a good idea. Times New Roman is ubiquitous and familiar, which means it is probably the safest option, but it does have a couple of drawbacks. Originally designed for The Times in London, its characters are slightly narrowed, so that more of them can be squished into a newspaper column. Secondly, some people intensely dislike TNR because they think it has been overused, and regard it as the font you choose when you are not choosing a font .

If you do have the luxury of choice (your university doesn’t insist you use Times New Roman, and you have defined document styles that are easy to modify, and there’s enough time left before the submission deadline) then I think it is worth considering what other typefaces might work well with your thesis. I’m not a typographical expert, but I have the following suggestions.

• Don’t use Calibri, or any other sans serif font, for your body text, though it is fine for headings. Most people agree that dense chunks of printed text are easier to read if the font is serif, and examiners are likely to expect a typeface that doesn’t stray too far from the standard. To my eye, Calibri looks a little too casual for the body of a thesis.
• Typefaces like Garamond, Palatino, Century Schoolbook, Georgia, Minion Pro, Cambria and Constantia are all perfectly acceptable, and they come with Microsoft Word. However, some of them (Georgia and Constantia, for example) feature non-lining numerals, which means that instead of all sitting neatly on the base line, some will stand higher or lower than others, just like letters do. This looks nice when they are integrated with the text, but it is probably not what you want for a tabular display.
• Consider using a different typeface for your headings. It will make them more prominent, which enhances overall readability because the eye scanning the pages can quickly take in the hierarchy of ideas. The easiest way to get a good contrast with your serif body text is to have sans serif headings. Popular combinations are Garamond/Helvetica; Minion Pro/Myriad Pro; Times New Roman/Arial Narrow. But don’t create a dog’s breakfast by having more than two typefaces in your thesis – use point sizes, bold and italics for variety.

Of late, I’ve become quite fond of Constantia. It’s an attractive serif typeface that came out with Office 2007 at the same time as Calibri, and was specifically designed to look good in print and on screen. Increasingly, theses will be read in PDF rather than book format, so screen readability is an important consideration.  Asked to review Microsoft’s six new ClearType fonts prior to their release, typographer Raph Levien said Constantia was likely to be everyone’s favourite, because ‘Even though it’s a highly readable Roman font departing only slightly from the classical model, it still manages to be fresh and new.’

By default, Constantia has non-lining numerals, but from Word 2010 onwards you can set them to be lining via the advanced font/number forms option, either throughout your document or in specific sections, such as within tables.

Here is an excerpt from a thesis, shown twice with different typefaces. The first excerpt features Calibri headings with Constantia body text, and the second has that old favourite, Times New Roman. As these examples have been rendered as screenshots, you will get a better idea of how the fonts actually look if you try them on your own computer and printer.

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What Is The Best Font For A Dissertation?

Published by Alvin Nicolas at April 9th, 2024 , Revised On April 9, 2024

For many students, embarking on a dissertation is a daunting task. Beyond the research, writing, and analysis , a seemingly insignificant detail can cause unexpected stress: font selection. While it might seem like a minor concern, the right font can significantly impact the readability, professionalism, and overall look of your dissertation and can highly influence the decision of the readers. 

This blog will help you in choosing the right font for your dissertation. Let’s explore!

Why Does Font Choice Matter?

While the content of your dissertation is paramount, the presentation also plays a crucial role. The chosen font can influence how easily your reader absorbs the information. A poorly chosen font can lead to eye strain, reduced comprehension, and even a negative first impression.

Here are some specific reasons why font choice matters:

• Readability: The primary function of your dissertation is to communicate your research effectively. A clear and readable font is essential for ensuring your reader can easily grasp the information presented.
• Professionalism: Certain fonts convey a sense of seriousness and formality, aligning with the academic tone of your dissertation.
• Consistency: Maintaining a consistent font throughout your dissertation creates a sense of unity and professionalism.

Key Factors To Consider When Choosing A Font

Before discussing the specific font recommendations, let’s explore some key factors to consider when making your decision:

University Guidelines

Many universities have specific guidelines regarding font choices for dissertations. Always refer to your university’s style guide or handbook to ensure you adhere to any established requirements.

Readability

Opt for fonts with clear letterforms, adequate spacing, and sufficient contrast between the font and background colour. Avoid decorative or script fonts that can be challenging to read.

Serif Vs Sans-Serif

Serif fonts, characterised by small lines extending from the ends of characters (e.g., Times New Roman), are generally considered more readable for extended reading, making them ideal for the body text of your dissertation. Sans-serif fonts lacking these serifs (e.g., Arial) can be suitable for headings or short text snippets.

Font Size & Line Spacing

Maintain a comfortable reading experience with an appropriate font size (typically 10-12 points) and line spacing (usually 1.15 or 1.5 lines).

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Popular Font Choices For Dissertations

Now, let’s explore some popular font options that meet the criteria for dissertation writing:

Times New Roman

The classic academic font, Times New Roman, remains a widely accepted and safe choice for dissertations due to its readability and formal appearance.

Similar to Times New Roman, Georgia offers good readability with a slightly wider design, making it suitable for screen-based reading.

This elegant serif font adds a touch of sophistication while maintaining excellent readability.

A modern serif font, Cambria provides a clean and professional look often favoured for on-screen reading.

While not ideal for the body text due to its lack of serifs, Arial can be a good choice for headings and subheadings due to its clarity and clean lines.

Additional Tips for Font Selection

Here are some additional tips to ensure your font choice shines:

• Consistency is key: Maintain the same font throughout your dissertation, including body text, headings, subheadings, and captions.
• Avoid excessive font variations: Stick to one or two fonts, with variations reserved for specific purposes (e.g., different fonts for headings).
• Consider the overall design: Ensure your chosen font complements the overall visual style of your dissertation, including layout and graphics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What font should i use for my dissertation uk.

Use a clear and readable font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri for a UK dissertation. Most universities recommend a serif font like Times New Roman, size 12, for the main text, with clear distinctions for headings and subheadings. Always follow your institution’s guidelines for formatting and font selection.

What font should a dissertation be in?

Use a legible serif font such as Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri for a dissertation. Typically, the font size should be 12 points for the main text, with variations for headings and subheadings as specified by your institution’s guidelines. Consistency and readability are key for academic documents.

What size font should my dissertation be?

Your dissertation’s main text should generally be in a 12-point font size for readability and consistency. Headings and subheadings may vary, typically larger than the main text, to emphasise hierarchy and organisation. Always adhere to your institution’s specific formatting requirements for font sizes and styles to ensure compliance.

What font shall I use for my undergraduate dissertation?

For an undergraduate dissertation, using a clear and legible font like Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri is advisable. Aim for a font size of 12 points for the main text to ensure readability. Follow any specific formatting guidelines your university or department provides for consistency and professional presentation.

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Great fonts for a PhD thesis – and terrible ones

There are thousands of fonts out there – which one should you choose for a great-looking PhD thesis? I will explain the differences between serif and sans-serif fonts, what ligatures are and why you shouldn’t use that fun free font you found on the internet.

Great fonts for a PhD thesis: Serif vs. sans-serif

As I explained in my Ultimate Guide to preparing a PhD thesis for printing , there are two basic kinds of fonts: Serif fonts and sans-serif fonts. Serif fonts have small lines – serifs – at the ends of all lines. Sans-serif fonts don’t have those lines. Compare these two, Palatino Linotype and Arial:

Serifs guide the reader’s eyes, making sure that they stay in the same line while reading a printed text. In turn, your reader’s brain won’t get tired so quickly and they can read for longer.

But there is another feature that many serif fonts have. Look at these three (which are all great fonts to use in your PhD thesis, btw):

If you look closely, you will see that serif fonts often have different stroke thicknesses within every letter. This is called “weight contrast”. A subtle weight contrast further improves legibility of a printed text. Hence, I recommend you use a serif font with a bit of a weight contrast for your main text.

Which serif font should you choose?

But whatever you do, this one thing is extremely important: Choose a font that offers all styles: regular, italics , bold , and bold italics . Since these four styles all need to be designed separately, many fonts don’t offer all of them. Especially bold italics is absent in most free internet fonts and even from many fonts that come with your operating system or word processor.

Also: In your bibliography and in-text citations (if you go with an author-year citation style) you will have to display author’s names from all over the world. Many of them will contain special letters. For example German umlauts (ä, ö, ü), accented letters used in lots of of languages, i.e. French or Spanish (à, é, ñ, etc.), and dozens of other special letters from all kinds of languages (ç, ı, ł, ø, etc.). Be aware that only a very limited number of fonts offer all of these!

If you have mathematical equations in your thesis that require more than +, – and =, your font choices are limited even further . After all, the vast majority of fonts do not offer special operators.

As you can see, these criteria severely limit your choice of font for the main text. Needless to say, they rule out free fonts you can download from dafont.com or 1001fonts.com . That is why I urge you to go with a classic font. To make things easier for you, here is a table with serif fonts that offer all the characters you could dream of:

Failsafe serif fonts for your PhD thesis

These fonts are heavily based on fonts that have been in use since the invention of the mechanical printing press in the 15th century. Hence, these types of fonts have been tried and tested for more than 500 years. Hard to argue with that!

But which of these fonts is The Best TM for a PhD thesis? That depends on how much text you have in your thesis vs. how many figures, tables, equations, etc. As I have noted in the table, fonts have different widths. Look at this image showing the same text in Times New Roman (TNR), Cambria, and Sitka Text; all at the same size:

Hence, setting entire pages of text in TNR will make the page look quite dense and dark. So, a thesis with a lot of text and few figures is best set in a wider font like Sitka Text. On the other hand, if you have a lot of figures, tables, etc., TNR is a good choice because it keeps paragraphs of text compact and therefore the page from looking too empty. Medium-width fonts like Cambria are a good compromise between the two.

To see some of these fonts in action, check out this example PhD thesis where I show all sorts of font combinations and page layouts.

When to use a sans-serif font in your PhD thesis

This covers serif fonts. But which sans-serif fonts are great for your PhD thesis? And when do you use them?

As mentioned above, serif fonts are good for the main text of your thesis. But titles and headings are a different story. There, a sans-serif font will look very nice. Plus, using a different font in your headings than in the main text will help the reader recognize when a new section begins.

Here are some examples for good sans-serif fonts:

Each of these fonts – Futura, Franklin Gothic Book, and Gill Sans – are wonderful for headings in a PhD thesis. Why? Because they are easily readable, well-balanced and don’t call undue attention to themselves. Also, they have many options: regular, light, medium, bold, extra bold, including italics for all of them. And most operating systems or word processors have them pre-installed.

The criteria for heading fonts are not nearly as strict as those for main text fonts. If you have Latin species names in your headings, make sure the font offers (bold) italics. If you need to display Greek letters in your headings, make sure the font offers those. Done.

However, there are some criteria for headings. Just for fun, let’s have a look at some sans-serif fonts that would be a bad choice for a thesis:

I’d like to explicitly state that these are wonderful, well-designed fonts – you just shouldn’t use them in a scientific document. Heattenschweiler is too narrow, Broadway has too much weight contrast and Aspergit Light is too thin. All of these things impair readability and might make your opponents squint at your headings. Of course, you will want to do everything in your power to make the experience of reading your thesis as pleasant a possible for your opponents!

How are these fonts great for my PhD thesis? They are boring!

Why yes, they are, thanks for noticing!

Seriously though, the fonts not being interesting is the point. Your PhD thesis is a scientific document showing your expertise in your field and your ability to do independent research. The content of your thesis, the science, should be the sole focus. A PhD thesis is not the place to show off your quirky personality by way of an illegible font.

However, you can infuse your personality into your thesis cover and chapter start pages. There, you can use a fun font, since you probably don’t have to display any special characters.

Choosing the right font is too much pressure? Contact me for help with your layout!

Don’t use fonts made for non-Latin alphabets (Cyrillic, Hanzi, etc.)

Every computer nowadays comes pre-installed with a number of fonts made for displaying languages that don’t use the Latin alphabet (Latin alphabet = The alphabet in which this very article is displayed). Prominent examples for languages that don’t use the Latin alphabet are Asian languages such as Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Thai, etc. Other examples include the Arabic, Brahmic, and Cyrillic script. But there are many more fonts for a myriad of non-Latin alphabets. These fonts were optimized to make the characters of their languages easily readable.

However (and this is why I’ve written this entire section) they usually also contain Latin characters to be able to display the occasional foreign word.

Hence, you might want to honour your roots by using a font in your thesis that was made for your native language, by someone from your home country. It is tempting, because all the Latin characters are there, right? I completely understand this wish, but I strongly advise against it since there are some serious drawbacks.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not throwing shade on these fonts, they are fantastic at what they were made for. Displaying long stretches of text in the Latin alphabet, however, is not one of those things. Let me explain why.

They don’t offer all necessary characters

Firstly, fonts made to display languages with a non-Latin alphabet contain the bare minimum of Latin characters. That is, the basic letters and the most important punctuation marks. Hence, they don’t have all those math operators and special characters I talked about in the section about serif fonts.

Also, the Latin characters in these fonts are usually sans-serif, so less suitable for long text.

But let’s say the non-Latin alphabet font you chose does offer all special characters and has serifs. Unfortunately, they are still not suitable to use in your PhD thesis, for the following reasons:

They are often too small or large for use with greek letters

Do you mention β-Mercaptoethanol or α-Histidin antibodies in your Materials and Methods? Or any other Greek letter? Since Latin characters are scaled differently in fonts made for non-Latin alphabets, Greek letters will not be the same size as the rest of the text anymore. For example, look at this text, where I rendered everything (I swear!) in the specified font size:

In the first panel (Cambria), the Greek letters are the same size and weight as the main text. As I have said, Cambria is one of the fonts explicitly recommended for your thesis. If you look closely at the enlarged line on the bottom of the panel, you can see that the alpha is the same height as the lower-case letters, whereas the beta is the same height as the upper-case letters. It looks neat and tidy.

However, by using a non-Latin font for your PhD thesis, you are asking for trouble.

In the second panel, I show Cordia New, a font for Thai script. At 12 pt, it is way smaller than the Latin font. The Greek letters – which are also at 12 pt! – stand out awkwardly. Also, Cordia New produces a line distance that is larger than it should be when using it for a text in the Latin alphabet.

In the last panel I show Microsoft YaHei for displaying Hanzi characters. Here, the Latin characters are larger. This leads to the Greek letters being too small. And, as you can see in the second and third lines of the paragraph of text, the line distance is quite narrow. However, the Greek letter β requires a regular line distance. So, it pushes the following line down, making the paragraph look uneven.

They don’t offer ligatures

Now, what on earth are ligatures? I could dive into the history of book printing here but I’ll spare you those details. In essence, Ligatures are two or more letters that are printed as one single glyph. Let me show you:

In the top line, you can see that the characters inside the boxes “melt” into each other. This single shape made out of several letter is called a ligature. They are mostly common with the small letter f. If you take a magnifying glass and look at the pages of a novel, you will quickly find these same ligatures. E-readers also display ligatures. Heck, even WhatsApp does it!

Ligatures also make the text easier to read. However, in order to display them, a font actually has to have the glyphs for the ligatures. And many fonts don’t. In order to find out whether a font you chose offers them, go to the character map of that font. (In Windows 10, simply click the windows logo in the corner of your screen and start typing the word “character”.) Pick a font in the drop-down menu. Now, search for the word “ligature” in the character map. If the map is empty after this, the font has no ligature glyphs.

All that being said, ligatures are not super important. I just wanted to mention them.

You can still use fonts made for non-Latin alphabets

If you want to honour your roots by way of a font, you can still do this. For example in your thesis title and/or for the chapter start pages.

In a word: Don’t go crazy with those fonts! Let your science do the talking. If you want to see what your thesis could look like with some of the fonts I recommended, check out the example PhD thesis .

Do you want to see a font combination that’s not in the example thesis? Contact me and I’ll set a few pages in your desired font, free of charge!

Click here for help with your PhD thesis layout!

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• Formatting Your Dissertation
• Introduction

Harvard Griffin GSAS strives to provide students with timely, accurate, and clear information. If you need help understanding a specific policy, please contact the office that administers that policy.

• Application for Degree
• Credit for Completed Graduate Work
• Ad Hoc Degree Programs
• Acknowledging the Work of Others
• Advanced Planning
• Dissertation Advisory Committee
• Dissertation Submission Checklist
• Publishing Options
• Submitting Your Dissertation
• English Language Proficiency
• PhD Program Requirements
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On this page:

Language of the Dissertation

Page and text requirements, body of text, tables, figures, and captions, dissertation acceptance certificate, copyright statement.

• Table of Contents

Front and Back Matter

Supplemental material, dissertations comprising previously published works, top ten formatting errors, further questions.

• Related Contacts and Forms

When preparing the dissertation for submission, students must follow strict formatting requirements. Any deviation from these requirements may lead to rejection of the dissertation and delay in the conferral of the degree.

The language of the dissertation is ordinarily English, although some departments whose subject matter involves foreign languages may accept a dissertation written in a language other than English.

Most dissertations are 100 to 300 pages in length. All dissertations should be divided into appropriate sections, and long dissertations may need chapters, main divisions, and subdivisions.

• 8½ x 11 inches, unless a musical score is included
• At least 1 inch for all margins
• Body of text: double spacing
• Block quotations, footnotes, and bibliographies: single spacing within each entry but double spacing between each entry
• Table of contents, list of tables, list of figures or illustrations, and lengthy tables: single spacing may be used

Fonts and Point Size

Use 10-12 point size. Fonts must be embedded in the PDF file to ensure all characters display correctly. 

Recommended Fonts

If you are unsure whether your chosen font will display correctly, use one of the following fonts: 

If fonts are not embedded, non-English characters may not appear as intended. Fonts embedded improperly will be published to DASH as-is. It is the student’s responsibility to make sure that fonts are embedded properly prior to submission. 

Instructions for Embedding Fonts

To embed your fonts in recent versions of Word, follow these instructions from Microsoft:

• Click the File tab and then click Options .
• In the left column, select the Save tab.
• Clear the Do not embed common system fonts check box.

For reference, below are some instructions from ProQuest UMI for embedding fonts in older file formats:

To embed your fonts in Microsoft Word 2010:

• In the File pull-down menu click on Options .
• Choose Save on the left sidebar.
• Check the box next to Embed fonts in the file.
• Click the OK button.
• Save the document.

Note that when saving as a PDF, make sure to go to “more options” and save as “PDF/A compliant”

To embed your fonts in Microsoft Word 2007:

• Click the circular Office button in the upper left corner of Microsoft Word.
• A new window will display. In the bottom right corner select Word Options . 
• Choose Save from the left sidebar.

Using Microsoft Word on a Mac:

Microsoft Word 2008 on a Mac OS X computer will automatically embed your fonts while converting your document to a PDF file.

If you are converting to PDF using Acrobat Professional (instructions courtesy of the Graduate Thesis Office at Iowa State University):  

• Open your document in Microsoft Word. 
• Click on the Adobe PDF tab at the top. Select "Change Conversion Settings." 
• Click on Advanced Settings. 
• Click on the Fonts folder on the left side of the new window. In the lower box on the right, delete any fonts that appear in the "Never Embed" box. Then click "OK." 
• If prompted to save these new settings, save them as "Embed all fonts." 
• Now the Change Conversion Settings window should show "embed all fonts" in the Conversion Settings drop-down list and it should be selected. Click "OK" again. 
• Click on the Adobe PDF link at the top again. This time select Convert to Adobe PDF. Depending on the size of your document and the speed of your computer, this process can take 1-15 minutes. 
• After your document is converted, select the "File" tab at the top of the page. Then select "Document Properties." 
• Click on the "Fonts" tab. Carefully check all of your fonts. They should all show "(Embedded Subset)" after the font name. 
•  If you see "(Embedded Subset)" after all fonts, you have succeeded.

The font used in the body of the text must also be used in headers, page numbers, and footnotes. Exceptions are made only for tables and figures created with different software and inserted into the document.

Tables and figures must be placed as close as possible to their first mention in the text. They may be placed on a page with no text above or below, or they may be placed directly into the text. If a table or a figure is alone on a page (with no narrative), it should be centered within the margins on the page. Tables may take up more than one page as long as they obey all rules about margins. Tables and figures referred to in the text may not be placed at the end of the chapter or at the end of the dissertation.

• Given the standards of the discipline, dissertations in the Department of History of Art and Architecture and the Department of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Urban Planning often place illustrations at the end of the dissertation.

Figure and table numbering must be continuous throughout the dissertation or by chapter (e.g., 1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2, etc.). Two figures or tables cannot be designated with the same number. If you have repeating images that you need to cite more than once, label them with their number and A, B, etc. 

Headings should be placed at the top of tables. While no specific rules for the format of table headings and figure captions are required, a consistent format must be used throughout the dissertation (contact your department for style manuals appropriate to the field).

Captions should appear at the bottom of any figures. If the figure takes up the entire page, the caption should be placed alone on the preceding page, centered vertically and horizontally within the margins.

Each page receives a separate page number. When a figure or table title is on a preceding page, the second and subsequent pages of the figure or table should say, for example, “Figure 5 (Continued).” In such an instance, the list of figures or tables will list the page number containing the title. The word “figure” should be written in full (not abbreviated), and the “F” should be capitalized (e.g., Figure 5). In instances where the caption continues on a second page, the “(Continued)” notation should appear on the second and any subsequent page. The figure/table and the caption are viewed as one entity and the numbering should show correlation between all pages. Each page must include a header.

Landscape orientation figures and tables must be positioned correctly and bound at the top so that the top of the figure or table will be at the left margin. Figure and table headings/captions are placed with the same orientation as the figure or table when on the same page. When on a separate page, headings/captions are always placed in portrait orientation, regardless of the orientation of the figure or table. Page numbers are always placed as if the figure were vertical on the page.

If a graphic artist does the figures, Harvard Griffin GSAS will accept lettering done by the artist only within the figure. Figures done with software are acceptable if the figures are clear and legible. Legends and titles done by the same process as the figures will be accepted if they too are clear, legible, and run at least 10 or 12 characters per inch. Otherwise, legends and captions should be printed with the same font used in the text.

Original illustrations, photographs, and fine arts prints may be scanned and included, centered between the margins on a page with no text above or below.

Use of Third-Party Content

In addition to the student's own writing, dissertations often contain third-party content or in-copyright content owned by parties other than you, the student who authored the dissertation. The Office for Scholarly Communication recommends consulting the information below about fair use, which allows individuals to use in-copyright content, on a limited basis and for specific purposes, without seeking permission from copyright holders.

Because your dissertation will be made available for online distribution through DASH , Harvard's open-access repository, it is important that any third-party content in it may be made available in this way.

Fair Use and Copyright 

What is fair use?

Fair use is a provision in copyright law that allows the use of a certain amount of copyrighted material without seeking permission. Fair use is format- and media-agnostic. This means fair use may apply to images (including photographs, illustrations, and paintings), quoting at length from literature, videos, and music regardless of the format. 

How do I determine whether my use of an image or other third-party content in my dissertation is fair use?  

There are four factors you will need to consider when making a fair use claim.

1) For what purpose is your work going to be used?

• Nonprofit, educational, scholarly, or research use favors fair use. Commercial, non-educational uses, often do not favor fair use.
• A transformative use (repurposing or recontextualizing the in-copyright material) favors fair use. Examining, analyzing, and explicating the material in a meaningful way, so as to enhance a reader's understanding, strengthens your fair use argument. In other words, can you make the point in the thesis without using, for instance, an in-copyright image? Is that image necessary to your dissertation? If not, perhaps, for copyright reasons, you should not include the image.  

2) What is the nature of the work to be used?

• Published, fact-based content favors fair use and includes scholarly analysis in published academic venues. 
• Creative works, including artistic images, are afforded more protection under copyright, and depending on your use in light of the other factors, may be less likely to favor fair use; however, this does not preclude considerations of fair use for creative content altogether.

3) How much of the work is going to be used?  

• Small, or less significant, amounts favor fair use. A good rule of thumb is to use only as much of the in-copyright content as necessary to serve your purpose. Can you use a thumbnail rather than a full-resolution image? Can you use a black-and-white photo instead of color? Can you quote select passages instead of including several pages of the content? These simple changes bolster your fair use of the material.

4) What potential effect on the market for that work may your use have?

• If there is a market for licensing this exact use or type of educational material, then this weighs against fair use. If however, there would likely be no effect on the potential commercial market, or if it is not possible to obtain permission to use the work, then this favors fair use. 

For further assistance with fair use, consult the Office for Scholarly Communication's guide, Fair Use: Made for the Harvard Community and the Office of the General Counsel's Copyright and Fair Use: A Guide for the Harvard Community .

What are my options if I don’t have a strong fair use claim? 

Consider the following options if you find you cannot reasonably make a fair use claim for the content you wish to incorporate:

• Seek permission from the copyright holder. 
• Use openly licensed content as an alternative to the original third-party content you intended to use. Openly-licensed content grants permission up-front for reuse of in-copyright content, provided your use meets the terms of the open license.
• Use content in the public domain, as this content is not in-copyright and is therefore free of all copyright restrictions. Whereas third-party content is owned by parties other than you, no one owns content in the public domain; everyone, therefore, has the right to use it.

For use of images in your dissertation, please consult this guide to Finding Public Domain & Creative Commons Media , which is a great resource for finding images without copyright restrictions. 

Who can help me with questions about copyright and fair use?

Contact your Copyright First Responder . Please note, Copyright First Responders assist with questions concerning copyright and fair use, but do not assist with the process of obtaining permission from copyright holders.

Pages should be assigned a number except for the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate . Preliminary pages (abstract, table of contents, list of tables, graphs, illustrations, and preface) should use small Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). All pages must contain text or images.  

Count the title page as page i and the copyright page as page ii, but do not print page numbers on either page .

For the body of text, use Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.) starting with page 1 on the first page of text. Page numbers must be centered throughout the manuscript at the top or bottom. Every numbered page must be consecutively ordered, including tables, graphs, illustrations, and bibliography/index (if included); letter suffixes (such as 10a, 10b, etc.) are not allowed. It is customary not to have a page number on the page containing a chapter heading.

• Check pagination carefully. Account for all pages.

A copy of the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (DAC) should appear as the first page. This page should not be counted or numbered. The DAC will appear in the online version of the published dissertation. The author name and date on the DAC and title page should be the same. 

The dissertation begins with the title page; the title should be as concise as possible and should provide an accurate description of the dissertation. The author name and date on the DAC and title page should be the same. 

• Do not print a page number on the title page. It is understood to be page  i  for counting purposes only.

A copyright notice should appear on a separate page immediately following the title page and include the copyright symbol ©, the year of first publication of the work, and the name of the author:

© [ year ] [ Author’s Name ] All rights reserved.

Alternatively, students may choose to license their work openly under a  Creative Commons  license. The author remains the copyright holder while at the same time granting up-front permission to others to read, share, and (depending on the license) adapt the work, so long as proper attribution is given. (By default, under copyright law, the author reserves all rights; under a Creative Commons license, the author reserves some rights.)

• Do  not  print a page number on the copyright page. It is understood to be page  ii  for counting purposes only.

An abstract, numbered as page  iii , should immediately follow the copyright page and should state the problem, describe the methods and procedures used, and give the main results or conclusions of the research. The abstract will appear in the online and bound versions of the dissertation and will be published by ProQuest. There is no maximum word count for the abstract. 

• double-spaced
• left-justified
• indented on the first line of each paragraph
• The author’s name, right justified
• The words “Dissertation Advisor:” followed by the advisor’s name, left-justified (a maximum of two advisors is allowed)
• Title of the dissertation, centered, several lines below author and advisor

Dissertations divided into sections must contain a table of contents that lists, at minimum, the major headings in the following order:

• Front Matter
• Body of Text
• Back Matter

Front matter includes (if applicable):

• acknowledgements of help or encouragement from individuals or institutions
• a dedication
• a list of illustrations or tables
• a glossary of terms
• one or more epigraphs.

Back matter includes (if applicable):

• bibliography
• supplemental materials, including figures and tables
• an index (in rare instances).

Supplemental figures and tables must be placed at the end of the dissertation in an appendix, not within or at the end of a chapter. If additional digital information (including audio, video, image, or datasets) will accompany the main body of the dissertation, it should be uploaded as a supplemental file through ProQuest ETD . Supplemental material will be available in DASH and ProQuest and preserved digitally in the Harvard University Archives.

As a matter of copyright, dissertations comprising the student's previously published works must be authorized for distribution from DASH. The guidelines in this section pertain to any previously published material that requires permission from publishers or other rightsholders before it may be distributed from DASH. Please note:

• Authors whose publishing agreements grant the publisher exclusive rights to display, distribute, and create derivative works will need to seek the publisher's permission for nonexclusive use of the underlying works before the dissertation may be distributed from DASH.
• Authors whose publishing agreements indicate the authors have retained the relevant nonexclusive rights to the original materials for display, distribution, and the creation of derivative works may distribute the dissertation as a whole from DASH without need for further permissions.

It is recommended that authors consult their publishing agreements directly to determine whether and to what extent they may have transferred exclusive rights under copyright. The Office for Scholarly Communication (OSC) is available to help the author determine whether she has retained the necessary rights or requires permission. Please note, however, the Office of Scholarly Communication is not able to assist with the permissions process itself.

• Missing Dissertation Acceptance Certificate.  The first page of the PDF dissertation file should be a scanned copy of the Dissertation Acceptance Certificate (DAC). This page should not be counted or numbered as a part of the dissertation pagination.
• Conflicts Between the DAC and the Title Page.  The DAC and the dissertation title page must match exactly, meaning that the author name and the title on the title page must match that on the DAC. If you use your full middle name or just an initial on one document, it must be the same on the other document.  
• Abstract Formatting Errors. The advisor name should be left-justified, and the author's name should be right-justified. Up to two advisor names are allowed. The Abstract should be double spaced and include the page title “Abstract,” as well as the page number “iii.” There is no maximum word count for the abstract. 
•  The front matter should be numbered using Roman numerals (iii, iv, v, …). The title page and the copyright page should be counted but not numbered. The first printed page number should appear on the Abstract page (iii). 
• The body of the dissertation should be numbered using Arabic numbers (1, 2, 3, …). The first page of the body of the text should begin with page 1. Pagination may not continue from the front matter. 
• All page numbers should be centered either at the top or the bottom of the page.
• Figures and tables Figures and tables must be placed within the text, as close to their first mention as possible. Figures and tables that span more than one page must be labeled on each page. Any second and subsequent page of the figure/table must include the “(Continued)” notation. This applies to figure captions as well as images. Each page of a figure/table must be accounted for and appropriately labeled. All figures/tables must have a unique number. They may not repeat within the dissertation.
• Any figures/tables placed in a horizontal orientation must be placed with the top of the figure/ table on the left-hand side. The top of the figure/table should be aligned with the spine of the dissertation when it is bound. 
• Page numbers must be placed in the same location on all pages of the dissertation, centered, at the bottom or top of the page. Page numbers may not appear under the table/ figure.
• Supplemental Figures and Tables. Supplemental figures and tables must be placed at the back of the dissertation in an appendix. They should not be placed at the back of the chapter. 
• Permission Letters Copyright. permission letters must be uploaded as a supplemental file, titled ‘do_not_publish_permission_letters,” within the dissertation submission tool.
•  DAC Attachment. The signed Dissertation Acceptance Certificate must additionally be uploaded as a document in the "Administrative Documents" section when submitting in Proquest ETD . Dissertation submission is not complete until all documents have been received and accepted.
• Overall Formatting. The entire document should be checked after all revisions, and before submitting online, to spot any inconsistencies or PDF conversion glitches.
• You can view dissertations successfully published from your department in DASH . This is a great place to check for specific formatting and area-specific conventions.
• Contact the  Office of Student Affairs  with further questions.

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• Knowledge Base

Dissertation layout and formatting

Published on October 21, 2015 by Koen Driessen . Revised on February 20, 2019.

The layout requirements for a dissertation are often determined by your supervisor or department. However, there are certain guidelines that are common to almost every program, such as including page numbers and a table of contents.

If you are writing a paper in the MLA citation style , you can use our  MLA format guide .

Table of contents

Font, font size, and line spacing, tables and figures, referencing, paragraph marks, headers and footers, page numbering, dissertation printing.

Use a clear and professional font. Some examples include Verdana, Times New Roman, and Calibri (which is the default font in Microsoft Word). Font size is best set to 10 or 11.

In scientific articles and theses, a line spacing of 1.15 or 1.5 is generally preferred, as it makes the document more readable and enables your supervisor to post comments between the lines of text.

Receive feedback on language, structure, and formatting

Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

• Academic style
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With tables, the number and title should be placed above; with figures and all other illustrations, the number and title should be placed below.

Microsoft Word has a feature that can help you to automatically place these numbers and titles in the correct position. Select the graphic, right-click, and choose “Insert Caption…” In the dialogue box that appears, specify whether it is a table or figure and enter a title. Once you click “Okay,” the number and the title will be generated in the right place.

Another advantage of using this Word feature to label your graphics is that you will later be able to generate lists of tables and figures with a push of a button.

Different heading styles are frequently used to help the reader differentiate between chapters, sections, and subsections of your dissertation. For instance, you may choose to bold all chapter headings but to italicize all lower-level headings.

Once you decide on the scheme you will use, it is important that you apply it consistently throughout your entire dissertation. Using the “Styles” feature of Microsoft Word can be very helpful in this regard. After you have created a heading, just highlight it and select a style (such as Heading 1 or Heading 2) from the home tool bar. Keeping a list may help you keep track of what style to use when.

Citing sources in a correct and appropriate manner is crucial in a dissertation, as failing to do so can make you guilty of plagiarism . It is important that these references follow certain standards.

The APA standard is most commonly used. After realizing how difficult it is to create correctly formatted citations manually, we developed the APA Citation Generator  to assist you. You can use this free and simple tool to easily generate citations that follow the official APA style.

We also recommend that you use a plagiarism scanner to check for unintended plagiarism.

Using the “Show paragraph marks” feature can help you to avoid this scenario. To turn it on, click on the paragraph symbol in your home tool bar (as shown in the above illustration). A black paragraph symbol will then be shown after every paragraph and “hard return” in your document, which allows you to see how the layout is constructed.

This can be very helpful when you are trying to determine the cause of mysterious jumps and other problems.

Headers and footers can give your dissertation a very professional look. They also make it immediately clear to readers what document is before them.

A header or footer can be added by double-clicking respectively at the top or bottom of a page in your document. There are generally no firm rules about what you must include; the following are common choices:

• The name/logo of your home educational institution
• The name/logo of the company or organization where you completed a placement
• The title of your dissertation (which may be shortened if necessary)
• Page numbers

Page numbers are commonly placed in the lower right-hand corner of the page. They can easily be added by simply creating a footer. Bear in mind that a page number is usually not included on the title page of a dissertation.

• To ensure that the page numbering doesn’t start on the cover page, but the numbering begins on page 1, place the cursor on the bottom of the page where you want to start with page numbering (if you want to start on page 2, click at the bottom of the first page).
• Next go to “Page layout” and then “Breaks”. Next, choose the submenu “Next page”.
• Switch to the side, where the numbering should begin (in this case, page 2). In the edit mode of the header or footer, choose “link to previous”, after that click on “Move to footer” and click on the “Link to previous” again.
• Now, to add a page number, click on the “Insert” tab, then on the “Header and footer” group, and then click “Page number”. Now you can also choose where the page number should be (top of the page, bottom of the page or page margins) and you can choose a design.
• Finally select the option “format page number” and enter the page numbers, in what page you want the numbering to begin. After you have pressed “ok”, the page number then begins with the number from the previously selected break.

A clear and well-presented title page is a nice finishing touch for your dissertation. Certain information should be included here by default. We have prepared a separate article on title pages that includes a handy checklist you can use to make sure you don’t forget anything.

Always make sure that everything in your dissertation is in the correct order and placed in the appropriate chapter. More information on how to put your document together can be found in our article on structure a dissertation .

If you are interested in seeing how other students have tackled preparing their theses, you may find it useful to check out these dissertation examples .

The last step is usually to prepare a hardcopy of your final document. There are many issues to think about, such as whether you will make it single- or double-sided.

Before you print, however, we recommend that you check one last time that your document meets all of the below requirements!

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Driessen, K. (2019, February 20). Dissertation layout and formatting. Scribbr. Retrieved June 11, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/tips/dissertation-layout-and-formatting/

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8 Best Fonts for Thesis Writing to Make It Presentable

Table Of Contents

How do font plays a critical role in thesis, 8 best fonts for thesis writing, tips to choose the best font for thesis, mistakes to avoid while choosing a font, how to format your thesis perfectly.

• Can’t Write a Thesis? Let Our Experts Do It for You

When your professor assigns you a thesis, he excepts it to be perfect at the time of submission. The textual content of the document is the utmost source of information. So, while creating content, you should take care of the font selection. Choosing the best font for the thesis provides an attractive appearance and preserves the aesthetic value of your document. Also, the font professionally presents information. Choosing font in both ways (either online or printed form) of the thesis is crucial. If you are submitting it online, then the font makes a difference in the readability. If you are providing it in the printed form, then the font reflects professionalism.

You May Like This: The Complete Guide to Breaking Down a 10000-Word Dissertation

Sometimes, it is questioned that why the font is necessary. Well, the font is as mandatory as the content. You should know that everything is in proper fonts   for the thesis.

• To highlight headings, you can use bold and stylish fonts.
• To highlight the subheadings, you can use italic and cursive fonts.
• The information that you want to convey must be in a simple and decent font.

This particular formula will grab the reader’s attention to your document. If you don’t focus on the font, then your document will look imprudent. It can create a bad impact on your professor. If you don't show creativity while writing, then the reader will get bored and won’t show interest in your document. So, make sure to always use different fonts in the thesis according to the needs. Now, let’s talk about some of the most appropriate fonts included in the thesis.

This Might Be Helpful: A to Z of Assignment Writing: Everything You Need to Know About It

A thesis can look presentable if you include appropriate fonts in it. The following fonts will create a positive impression on your professor. Let’s take a look:

• Times New Roman Times New Roman was particularly designed for Times Newspaper for London. This font has a separate and different value in a formal style. Most of the universities and colleges suggest students use this font in a document.
• Georgia Georgia font was designed in 1883, especially for Microsoft Corporation. This is the best font for the students who want to submit the document online. It is preferred for the elegant and small appearance for low-resolution screens.
• Serif Serif is originated from Roman from a font written on a stone. Earlier, this font was not accepted universally. The specialty of this font is that every alphabet has a small line or stroke attached to the end of the larger stroke.
• Garamond Garamond is usually used for book printing and body text. If you want to write the main body or long paragraphs, then you can use this font. It is simple and easy to read.
• Cambria Cambria is founded by Microsoft and later distributed with Windows and Office. This font is the easiest to read in a hurry because it contains spaces and proportions between the alphabets. This is suitable for the body and the long sentence.
• Century Gothic Century Gothic is basically in the geometric style released in 1881. This font has a larger height instead of other fonts. If the university allows you to choose the font of your own choice, you can go for this one.
• Palatino Linotype Palatino Linotype font is highly legible for online documents. It enhances the quality of the letter when displayed on the screen. This font is majorly used for books, periodicals, and catalogs.
• Lucida Bright Lucida Bright has a unique quality that the text looks larger at smaller point sizes also. This font can fit words on a single line. To write a thesis, you can choose this font easily.

After getting brief knowledge about the fonts, let's now come to the tips to choose the best font for the thesis. Here are some major key points that you should follow while choosing a font.

• Make sure your font looks attractive.
• It should match your tone.
• Headings and subheadings must be highlighted.
• It should not look congested.
• Avoid choosing complicated or fancy fonts.

Take a Look: How to Write a Good Thesis Statement for an Essay? Best Tips & Examples

Students make some mistakes while choosing a font, which the professor dislikes the most. So, to avoid those, keep the below points in mind.

• Don’t choose fonts on your likes and dislikes.
• Put the reader's preference first and then choose the font.
• Avoid too many fonts as they make the work look unorganized.
• Make sure all fonts match your document instead of making it look like a disaster.
• Choose different fonts for titles, subtitles, paragraphs.

When preparing the thesis for submission, students must follow strict formatting requirements. Any deviations in these requirements may lead to the rejection of the thesis.

• The language should be perfect.
• The length of the thesis should be divided appropriately among the sections.
• The page size, margins, and spacing on the page should be correct.
• The font and point size should be displayed correctly.

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We are known for offering unmatched assistance with thesis and dissertation writing to students across the globe. Our professionals deliver a well-researched and informative academic paper before the deadline. We also provide help to students in research, topic selection, editing, proofreading, etc. So, stop searching for help and quickly start ordering without any delay to avail the best features of Assignment Prime . We are waiting to serve you with the best!

You may like this : How to write a discussion in dissertation

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Scientific Fonts: How to Select the Right One

Choosing the right font for the right kind of content is imperative, this article will aid your decision when it comes to scientific fonts.

It can be very difficult to choose the ideal font for a project, as any graphics designer could confirm. Deciding the font becomes more important when you anticipate its extensive and frequent usage.

It’s an essential part of typography , which is the art of making your design appear visually cohesive. A font group’s general design usually kicks off the search, but with a little digging, you can find yourself in the creator’s most detailed selection.

There are a number of research studies that have focused on typography to discover some good grounds for selecting a particular font for a particular project category.

It is also best to pick a professional font that is easy to read without many extraneous features.

Scientific research, for example, should be written in such a manner that the reader focuses on the information, not just the format.

Some people find today’s scientific fonts boring and overdone. Because of their legibility and simplicity, these fonts are everywhere. Use a trusted font to make your work appear professional.

In terms of font selection, there are more considerations than seem to be apparent at first glance. For instance, some fonts have a reputation for being legitimate, while others don’t.

We have a handful of scientific findings to share throughout this article in the hopes that they will aid your decision-making when it comes to scientific fonts.

If you have ever found the choice of fonts intimidating, the purpose of this article is to offer guidance and information to help you make a decision.

What is the importance of Fonts?

When a typeface is carefully chosen, it is able to deliver the desired effect to the reader, and give the words the sense of life they deserve, all the while reflecting the field it represents.

The font represents the words on a page visually instead of an image, allowing the words to convey their intended meanings as they are read. A font that is too large or small may not convey the seriousness of some issues or messages.

What is the most recent time that you wrote a text or sent an email and the words were read incorrectly? We can communicate more effectively using our vocal tonality, simple hand gestures and expressions, we can convey our message more effectively than simple words on a paper.

On fancy documents such as invitations, using a script font can be spectacular, but on children’s books it can look off, and in the event of too much text it may not be readable.

As you can see, choosing the right font for the right kind of content is very important. However, using the right font is only part of the equation. Misleading fonts result in incorrect information.

7 fonts that strengthen scientific research’s credibility and professional appearance

In recent years, fonts.com has reported that Arial is among the most used typefaces. With its distinctly contemporary design, Arial is more in sync with the last decade of the twentieth century than many of its predecessors.

There is no horizontal line at the bottom of the edges of Arial letters. They are angled instead. It helps give the face a more organic appearance by cutting the terminals on a diagonal.

The Arial family of typefaces is incredibly robust. Suitable for setting text for reports, articles, publications, and for use in display media, newspapers, and promotional materials.

Whether you’re writing small or large chunks of text, Arial makes reading easy. Figures should be formatted in Arial or Helvetica as per Nature’s instructions.

Labels and legends in particular benefit from this typeface. As a rule of thumb, keep font sizes small *8 points when using Arial for figure legends.

2. Baskerville

Designed by John Baskerville in 1757, Baskerville is a typeface that can be read easily and looks good in print.  The letters were straightforward and elegant according to Baskerville.

Here and there, Baskerville font was found to increase reliability of text in comparison to other fonts. The readers’ behavior on the same study was most negatively influenced by Comic Sans.

The Baskerville family of fonts are known as the first transitional roman. These fonts distinguish between thin and thick strokes. The large size of Baskerville looks good because of this feature.

Based on its serif style, Baskerville has “tails” on the edges of its letters. This font is best suited for printing. For long text blocks, it is most suitable.

For best results, try to keep the font size between 8 and 14 points. Then your text will look more professional.

3. Helvetica

The most commonly used font is Helvetica. Max Miedinger, a Swiss designer, initially created Helvetica in 1957.

Designed to be simple to read, the font immediately gained popularity. It is named after the Latin term for Switzerland, Helvetia. Neue Helvetica is the name of the newer version of the font, which was introduced in 1983.

Even a movie has been made about Helvetica. Helvetica is not only a Hollywood (Indie) font, it looks fantastic on screen and print. 

Science, Nature, and Cell ask for the figure captions to be in Helvetica.  Even though it looks good when printed in small formats, it looks even better when printed in large formats.

It’s hard for authors to keep track of how many figures they’ve labelled with Helvetica now, since that’s what publishers use.

In spite of Georgia’s role in providing clarity at low resolutions on the screen, it is imbued with a typographic aesthetic that strikes a chord with readers.

This friendly face is evident even at small sizes. A stunning, smooth italic accompanies Georgia’s design; the artwork minimizes the complexity of making a screen-friendly italic.

As opposed to many contemporary typefaces, it has authentic italics, including the slender lowercase letters a and g.

The bold weight is also carefully tailored, with a heavier weight than the regular; this is particularly useful at small screen sizes where the two weights must be distinguished(phone screens).

5. Garamond

The history of this font also dates back a long way. French King Francis I of France (1515-1547) commissioned Claude Garamond to design a typeface for use in a series of books.

It was revived by Robert Slimbach in 1989 as an electric typeface. Garamond comes in many different variations because there are different sources available. The most commonly used version is Adobe Garamond.

French publishers continue to use Garamond extensively. Size 9 is also a must for Garamond in France.  The history of France’s publishing industry is published in Garamond, as is Histoire de l’édition française . 

This font was chosen due to its elegance, opulence, and legibility as well as a simple layout highlighting the detailed writing and offer an enlightened insight on the contemporary aspect of the content.

In long documents such as thesis papers, dissertations, and academic books, Garamond is a reliable font to use. Garamond is the font that many master’s thesis writers use.

Among the long-established fonts is Caslon. The typeface was designed in the early 1700s by William Caslon. English typefaces began with this one. It was a common font used in colonial America, and even the US Declaration of Independence was written with this font.

Because there is no enforceable trademark on the name “Caslon”, there are many typefaces called “Caslon”, some of which are exact copies of the originals, while others are not.

It is best used in blocks of text since it is a serif font (with tails). If you want best results, keep the font size between 8 and 14 points, as you would with Baskerville. The best place to make use of this would be in an application or a report.

7. Times New Roman

First published by The Times of London newspaper in 1932, this typeface was designed for the publication.

In the years since, it has evolved into one of the most popular typefaces in the world. Victor Lardent at The Times created the original designs under the direction of Stanley Morison.

Monotype’s Type Drawing Office then further refined it in an extensive step-by-step process. Many of its characteristics were taken from Morison’s experiments with Perpetua and Plantin, but it was adapted so that it was highly readable and also very efficient.

There are vast uses for it in books and journals, in reports, in presentations, and in advertising.

Is there anything else you need to think about when selecting the right font?

When choosing a font, there are a number of things to keep in mind besides these categories. For example, does it have all the features you are looking for?

You may be able to get away with just using the letters of the alphabet for the first piece, but what if you have to write a quick article for the public?

Are there symbols such as a currency symbol or exclamation point in the text? Especially when you are submitting a funding proposal. (Read our guide to everything you need to know about Research Proposals .)

Every once in a while, we find ourselves trying to add a price but the symbol we need isn’t there.

As well as the font size, there are other considerations, such as does it come in many sizes and styles or are only light, regular and bold available?

If you don’t have a lot of specifics, that’s alright, but you should take into account a broader perspective and what you intend to accomplish.

When it comes to communicating your message, different font sizes can be really helpful. Despite the fact that it’s good to have different typefaces, there is a rule that suggests only using a maximum of three typefaces in one contribution.

If you use any more than that, you risk-taking away the emphasis of what is being said. Complementary fonts are important, but they shouldn’t be too similar as this could result in a cluttered look that could be confusing.

Lastly, when picking a font, we should consider the print aspects to ensure it will be easy to read. These factors include colour, size, and style. The most decorative script fonts may look good, but they aren’t always a good option.

Hence, make sure to put into consideration every possible aspect of the information that may be published around the world through various mediums.

How to use Scientific fonts?

A reader’s primary objective should be to understand the facts about your project clearly. An easy-to-read document will help you achieve that goal.

The editors of newspapers, as well as publishers of journals, have developed many guidelines to make text more readable. These guidelines are now available for scientific purposes.

• Keep the main body text font size at least 16 points . Any smaller would make the text difficult to read.
• A project title should have a minimum height of 2 inches.
• It is recommended that headlines have at least one inch tall letters .
• If you want to stay with the norm, use Arial , Times New Roman , or another typeface similar to these.
• If you intend to draw attention to anything, use italics or boldface .
• Place your text below your picture ; that makes it easier to read.
• Please refrain from using ALL CAPS ; they can be difficult to perceive.
• You should not use reverse typeface (light text on dark background).
• If you type in a script font, avoid using artistic fonts , since they are harder to follow.
• You can choose between Serif or Sans Serif depending on the medium or the audience you will be addressing to.
• Your poster or paper should not contain more than two or three contrasting fonts .
• For body copy and headings, Time New Roman and Arial combine nicely.

Please note that every journal or publication house has different guidelines based on how they handle submissions, so make sure you check them.

It is also important to consider the medium on which the text will appear when choosing a font. Posters will need to have better fonts that appear decent when printed.

Selecting the wrong font can negatively affect future decision-making. It is important to remember that the typeface that you select to present your research or information will have a major impact on its effectiveness.

Make sure you make the right choice because it will leave a meaningful impression on the reader. (You can learn how to create an outstanding presentation that will leave the audience impressed, here )

Fonts for scientific illustrations and infographics

Infographics, or informational graphics, are a growing trend in data presentation. This style of presentation allows you to convey your message quickly and easily.

In order to make complex topics understandable, illustrations are extremely useful. A good font is essential no matter what.(See our guide to scientific illustrations )

Your choice of font is as important as the research itself when it comes to presenting it. (In most cases.) Generally, book, journal, and newspaper fonts are serif fonts, which are characterized by small lines at the end of each stroke.

The vast majority of online content uses sans serif fonts. Serif fonts make it easier for readers to follow lines of text, which is certainly useful when designing illustrations or use the infographic maker.

The best typeface for graphic design is sans serif. Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Verdana, and open sans, which are readily available, improve content legibility significantly.

If you understand how certain font choices affect the composition of your content, deciding on a family of fonts and a typography scheme becomes much more straightforward.

As you become more familiar with the values, tone, and vision of the work, you will begin to can identify what works. It is possible to convey your ideas in a non-verbal and yet powerful way, using fonts.

Now that we have reached our final section, you should also know where to find all the fonts in one place.

You can find all the best science fonts for graphic design at one place

We at mind the graph understand the importance of typography and how it plays an integral part in representation of scientific ideas. Mind the graph, the most user-friendly tool.

Scientists and academicians from over 100 top academic, educational, and industrial institutions trust Mind the Graph. This is why everything is up-to-date and scientifically sound.

You will find all the A to Z fonts you need for all things scientific here. Besides that, we also suggest fonts that are appropriate for your content type. You can choose from the list we have.

Furthermore, we have many templates to assist in the creation of posters and graphics. Additionally, they can be customized according to your needs. However, guess what is even better than that? We offer a FREE trial, so you can decide what plan fits you best. 

When you join, you join us in our mission to increase easy access to the best science tool for as many people as possible. Our blog section has a variety of information about everything from making Science posters to a list of the best science podcasts of 2022, definitely worth checking out.

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About Fabricio Pamplona

Fabricio Pamplona is the founder of Mind the Graph - a tool used by over 400K users in 60 countries. He has a Ph.D. and solid scientific background in Psychopharmacology and experience as a Guest Researcher at the Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry (Germany) and Researcher in D'Or Institute for Research and Education (IDOR, Brazil). Fabricio holds over 2500 citations in Google Scholar. He has 10 years of experience in small innovative businesses, with relevant experience in product design and innovation management. Connect with him on LinkedIn - Fabricio Pamplona .

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Fonts for Dissertation Success: What to Choose?

For any student undergoing the dissertation process, fonts can be an underestimated yet valuable asset for achieving success. Picking the right font is essential to making your work look professional and clear: two factors that are key to obtaining a high grade on your paper. Read this article now to learn what type offonts you should choose when writing your dissertation for maximum impact.

1. Crafting a Perfect Dissertation: Making the Right Font Choice

The quality of a dissertation is highly influenced by the choice of font used in it. As an academic writing, it’s important to select a legible and appropriate font that doesn’t interfere with the overall readability as well as clarity of content. There are many options available when it comes to choosing from various fonts for dissertations but there are certain criteria which must be taken into consideration before making any selection.

• Legibility – Choose fonts such as Times New Roman, Calibri or Arial due to their easy-to-read nature and improved visibility on printed documents; avoid elegant typefaces because they have sharp edges which can make reading difficult.

Another factor “which font for dissertation” , one needs to consider is size – generally 12 point character sizes are considered normal but depending upon personal requirement might go up higher than 14 points (for headings) or even lower than 10 points. The bottom line here is not just how large these characters appear − instead try focusing more about how clearly they can be seen. “Which font for dissertation?” . It’s also essential that you keep margins wide enough so texts don’t get too close together and end up looking jumbled/messy on paper.

2. Aesthetic Appeal and Professionalism: Key Factors in Choosing Typeface

Creating an Aesthetic Appeal When choosing a typeface for a dissertation, aesthetics are of the utmost importance. Typefaces should be chosen based on their legibility and readability, as well as how they complement each other with respect to hierarchy and balance. When determining which font is best to use for your dissertation, consider if it creates harmony among body text, headings & titles; features light proportions that allow for easier reading across long blocks of texts; avoids clash when used in equal weight (i.e., two fonts at the same size); works well at both small and larger sizes; and looks modern yet professional.

Maintaining Professionalism Professionalism comes into play when deciding which font you will use for your paper’s body text or titles/headings. Fonts make reading faster while ensuring clarity- especially important elements to keep in mind when writing something like a dissertation- so choose wisely! Generally speaking, opt for classic sans serif fonts such as Helvetica rather than playful script typefaces – they lend themselves better towards achieving an overall level of professionalism that matches academic standards. Be careful not to get carried away though: using too many different fonts could become distracting or seem unbalanced thus impacting visual appeal negatively – think twice before adding multiple weights & styles!

3. The Benefits of Serifs for Academic Writing

Serif fonts can help academics to make their dissertation more readable for readers. They are often used in academic writing because they give a classic and traditional feeling that allows the reader to focus on the content rather than be distracted by ornate typefaces. The serif is a small line attached at the end of every letter, making it easier for people to follow each sentence as separate thoughts.

• Which Font For Dissertation? A solid choice would be Times New Roman, which provides an excellent readability score while still being professional-looking and having enough versatility for other formats besides text.
• Style: : Serifs contribute greatly towards creating an overall style or look when combined with other elements such as color, layout and graphics. This helps convey important information clearly without taking away from its message or detracting from its visual appeal.

The presence of serifs makes reading long blocks of texts easier compared to purely sans-serif font types. First impressions matter; this means if potential readers find your work visually appealing then they’ll stay engaged throughout the entire document even as you get into deeper details about research results or theories.

Additionally, serif fonts provide guidance during scanning tasks — skimming through different segments quickly showing what’s relevant within vast documents like dissertations — helping them pick up important cues amidst large amounts of data. “Which font for dissertation?” , therefore affects how well your ideas come across – using the right ones pays huge dividends!

4. Sans-Serif Typesetting: Simplicity and Legibility Under Pressure

• Sans-serif typesetting is primarily about creating legible text from a readable font. The general consensus among typographers is that sans-serif typefaces, such as Helvetica or Arial, achieve this goal cleanly and simply in print and digital formats.
• The aesthetics of sans-serif fonts have been cemented into the design lexicon since the 1950s when the Swiss school of graphic designers made it their standard choice for visual communication projects like posters and brochures.

Most universities expect students to submit dissertations in some form of serif font – Times New Roman being an example – but there are other options available which may be more suited to certain contexts. For instance, if you’re looking for a simple solution with maximum impact then using one of these new weighty sans serifs could be beneficial; they provide clarity under pressure due to their lack of ornamental features. It can still remain difficult however knowing which font best fits your dissertation project so research should always play a key role. Consider factors such as how widely adopted it is; does it lend itself particularly well to body copy or headline? Will contrast issues arise when used on different mediums (print vs screen) etc.? Ultimately asking yourself ‘which font for dissertation’ will help fine tune any decision making process you enter into during typographic experimentation.

5. Understanding Different Font Size Preferences for Readability

Font size is an important factor when it comes to readability. It can often be the deciding factor in determining whether readers find your dissertation easy or difficult to read. As such, understanding font size preferences for optimal readability is key when choosing which font for dissertation writing.

When selecting a particular font size preference, there are several factors that need to be taken into consideration including:

• Audience : What type of audience you’re targeting and their reading level should heavily influence the selection process.
• Length : Longer documents require larger fonts sizes so text isn’t too cramped together with lines running on for pages.

In addition, certain fonts styles (e.g., sans serif) render better than others at smaller sizes while still maintaining good clarity and legibility; this also needs to be considered before opting-in which font for dissertation composition. Thus, finding the right balance between style/appearance and functionality is essential in order to make sure readers don’t struggle making sense out of your content due solely to a poor choice of optical resolution consistency across various screens through different devices/operating systems as well..

6. Using Decorative Fonts with Careful Consideration

Incorporating decorative fonts into a dissertation is a great way to jazz up the design. However, this should be approached with careful consideration as it can detract from or emphasize certain visuals within your work if used incorrectly.

It’s important that the font selection and formatting blends well with existing elements on each page of your document. Your chosen typeface should still read clearly and not distract from its content when deciding which font for dissertation layout; A complexity-barrier could arise between audience comprehension and designer intention if too much emphasis was placed upon stylistic qualities as opposed to legibility.

7. Setting Yourself Up for Dissertation Success: Final Lineup of Recommended Typefaces

The success of your dissertation is dependent upon many factors, but an important factor which often goes overlooked is typeface selection. Selecting the right font for your dissertation can be a daunting task with endless choices available, and so it’s crucial to carefully consider each decision you make to ensure that you are setting yourself up for ultimate success.

When choosing a typeface for your dissertation there are several things to take into account; readability, functionality, legibility and personality being some of the top qualities needed in making this personal choice. Certain fonts such as Times New Roman or Georgia look great when printed on paper whereas other sans serifs like Calibri or Open Sans tend to work well digitally due to their clean lines and tall letterforms. For those who aren’t sure which font for dissertation works best – Arial tends to be one of the safest options due its simple yet professional appearance across both print and digital platforms. Ultimately however, it’s important that whichever typeface you decide on reflects who you are because after all – Your Dissertation represents You! With the right font, you can help make your dissertation look professional and impressive. Whether it’s a modern sans-serif for an eye-catching title page or a traditional serif font to ensure easy readability through tiring chapters, choosing the perfect font to aid in your dissertation success is key. With this helpful guide by your side, finding that ideal typeface shouldn’t be too daunting of a task!

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KU Thesis and Dissertation Formatting: Fonts and Spacing

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Office of Graduate Studies Thesis and Dissertation Formatting Guidelines

These rules are taken from the KU Office of Graduate Studies Thesis or Dissertation Formatting Guidelines. To see the full thesis or dissertation formatting requirements, visit https://graduate.ku.edu/submitting

• Students should use the same font size (11- or 12-point) and style (typically Times New Roman) through the thesis, including labels and references.
• Tables, captions, and footnotes should use the same font style but may be smaller in size (usually 10-point).
• Chapter and section headings may be bold and no more than 2 points larger than the text size.
• Non-standard typefaces, such as script, are generally not acceptable except for commonly used symbols.
• The Office of Graduate Studies recommends that students get their font choice approved by their department and their graduate division before the thesis defense.
• Lettering and symbols in tables and figures should be no less than 10 points.
• Normally theses and dissertations use double-spaced formatting.
• Single-spaced formatting is acceptable in the table of contents, footnotes, end notes, charts, graphs, tables, block quotations, captions, glossary, appendices and bibliography.
• Students may use singe- or one-and-a-half-spacing for the body of the text with prior written approval of their thesis committee and graduate division.

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Thesis and Dissertation Guide

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• Introduction
• Copyright Page
• Dedication, Acknowledgements, Preface (optional)
• Table of Contents
• List of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations
• List of Abbreviations
• List of Symbols

Non-Traditional Formats

Font type and size, spacing and indentation, tables, figures, and illustrations, formatting previously published work.

• Internet Distribution
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• Registering Copyright
• Using Copyrighted Materials
• Use of Your Own Previously Published Materials
• Submission Steps
• Submission Checklist
• Sample Pages

II. Formatting Guidelines

All copies of a thesis or dissertation must have the following uniform margins throughout the entire document:

• Left: 1″ (or 1 1/4" to ensure sufficient room for binding the work if desired)
• Right: 1″
• Bottom: 1″ (with allowances for page numbers; see section on Pagination )
• Top: 1″

Exceptions : The first page of each chapter (including the introduction, if any) begins 2″ from the top of the page. Also, the headings on the title page, abstract, first page of the dedication/ acknowledgements/preface (if any), and first page of the table of contents begin 2″ from the top of the page.

Non-traditional theses or dissertations such as whole works comprised of digital, artistic, video, or performance materials (i.e., no written text, chapters, or articles) are acceptable if approved by your committee and graduate program. A PDF document with a title page, copyright page, and abstract at minimum are required to be submitted along with any relevant supplemental files.

Fonts must be 10, 11, or 12 points in size. Superscripts and subscripts (e.g., formulas, or footnote or endnote numbers) should be no more than 2 points smaller than the font size used for the body of the text.

Space and indent your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:

• The text must appear in a single column on each page and be double-spaced throughout the document. Do not arrange chapter text in multiple columns.
• New paragraphs must be indicated by a consistent tab indentation throughout the entire document.
• The document text must be left-justified, not centered or right-justified.
• For blocked quotations, indent the entire text of the quotation consistently from the left margin.
• Ensure headings are not left hanging alone on the bottom of a prior page. The text following should be moved up or the heading should be moved down. This is something to check near the end of formatting, as other adjustments to text and spacing may change where headings appear on the page.

Exceptions : Blocked quotations, notes, captions, legends, and long headings must be single-spaced throughout the document and double-spaced between items.

Paginate your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:

• Use lower case Roman numerals (ii, iii, iv, etc.) on all pages preceding the first page of chapter one. The title page counts as page i, but the number does not appear. Therefore, the first page showing a number will be the copyright page with ii at the bottom.
• Arabic numerals (beginning with 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) start at chapter one or the introduction, if applicable. Arabic numbers must be included on all pages of the text, illustrations, notes, and any other materials that follow. Thus, the first page of chapter one will show an Arabic numeral 1, and numbering of all subsequent pages will follow in order.
• Do not use page numbers accompanied by letters, hyphens, periods, or parentheses (e.g., 1., 1-2, -1-, (1), or 1a).
• Center all page numbers at the bottom of the page, 1/2″ from the bottom edge.
• Pages must not contain running headers or footers, aside from page numbers.
• If your document contains landscape pages (pages in which the top of the page is the long side of a sheet of paper), make sure that your page numbers still appear in the same position and direction as they do on pages with standard portrait orientation for consistency. This likely means the page number will be centered on the short side of the paper and the number will be sideways relative to the landscape page text. See these additional instructions for assistance with pagination on landscape pages in Microsoft Word .

Format footnotes for your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:

• Footnotes must be placed at the bottom of the page separated from the text by a solid line one to two inches long.
• Begin at the left page margin, directly below the solid line.
• Single-space footnotes that are more than one line long.
• Include one double-spaced line between each note.
• Most software packages automatically space footnotes at the bottom of the page depending on their length. It is acceptable if the note breaks within a sentence and carries the remainder into the footnote area of the next page. Do not indicate the continuation of a footnote.
• Number all footnotes with Arabic numerals. You may number notes consecutively within each chapter starting over with number 1 for the first note in each chapter, or you may number notes consecutively throughout the entire document.
• Footnote numbers must precede the note and be placed slightly above the line (superscripted). Leave no space between the number and the note.
• While footnotes should be located at the bottom of the page, do not place footnotes in a running page footer, as they must remain within the page margins.

Endnotes are an acceptable alternative to footnotes. Format endnotes for your thesis or dissertation following these guidelines:

• Always begin endnotes on a separate page either immediately following the end of each chapter, or at the end of your entire document. If you place all endnotes at the end of the entire document, they must appear after the appendices and before the references.
• Include the heading “ENDNOTES” in all capital letters, and center it 1″ below the top of the first page of your endnotes section(s).
• Single-space endnotes that are more than one line long.
• Number all endnotes with Arabic numerals. You may number notes consecutively within each chapter starting over with number 1 for the first note in each chapter, or you may number notes consecutively throughout the entire document.
• Endnote numbers must precede the note and be placed slightly above the line (superscripted). Leave no space between the number and the note.

Tables, figures, and illustrations vary widely by discipline. Therefore, formatting of these components is largely at the discretion of the author.

For example, headings and captions may appear above or below each of these components.

These components may each be placed within the main text of the document or grouped together in a separate section.

Space permitting, headings and captions for the associated table, figure, or illustration must be on the same page.

The use of color is permitted as long as it is consistently applied as part of the finished component (e.g., a color-coded pie chart) and not extraneous or unprofessional (e.g., highlighting intended solely to draw a reader's attention to a key phrase). The use of color should be reserved primarily for tables, figures, illustrations, and active website or document links throughout your thesis or dissertation.

The format you choose for these components must be consistent throughout the thesis or dissertation.

Ensure each component complies with margin and pagination requirements.

Refer to the List of Tables, Figures, and Illustrations section for additional information.

If your thesis or dissertation has appendices, they must be prepared following these guidelines:

• Appendices must appear at the end of the document (before references) and not the chapter to which they pertain.
• When there is more than one appendix, assign each appendix a number or a letter heading (e.g., “APPENDIX 1” or “APPENDIX A”) and a descriptive title. You may number consecutively throughout the entire work (e.g., 1, 2 or A, B), or you may assign a two-part Arabic numeral with the first number designating the chapter in which it appears, separated by a period, followed by a second number or letter to indicate its consecutive placement (e.g., “APPENDIX 3.2” is the second appendix referred to in Chapter Three).
• Include the chosen headings in all capital letters, and center them 1″ below the top of the page.
• All appendix headings and titles must be included in the table of contents.
• Page numbering must continue throughout your appendix or appendices. Ensure each appendix complies with margin and pagination requirements.

You are required to list all the references you consulted. For specific details on formatting your references, consult and follow a style manual or professional journal that is used for formatting publications and citations in your discipline.

Your reference pages must be prepared following these guidelines:

• If you place references after each chapter, the references for the last chapter must be placed immediately following the chapter and before the appendices.
• If you place all references at the end of the thesis or dissertation, they must appear after the appendices as the final component in the document.
• Select an appropriate heading for this section based on the style manual you are using (e.g., “REFERENCES”, “BIBLIOGRAPHY”, or “WORKS CITED”).
• Include the chosen heading in all capital letters, and center it 1″ below the top of the page.
• References must be single-spaced within each entry.
• Include one double-spaced line between each reference.
• Page numbering must continue throughout your references section. Ensure references comply with margin and pagination requirements.

In some cases, students gain approval from their academic program to include in their thesis or dissertation previously published (or submitted, in press, or under review) journal articles or similar materials that they have authored. For more information about including previously published works in your thesis or dissertation, see the section on Use of Your Own Previously Published Materials and the section on Copyrighting.

If your academic program has approved inclusion of such materials, please note that these materials must match the formatting guidelines set forth in this Guide regardless of how the material was formatted for publication.

Some specific formatting guidelines to consider include:

• Fonts, margins, chapter headings, citations, and references must all match the formatting and placement used within the rest of the thesis or dissertation.
• If appropriate, published articles can be included as separate individual chapters within the thesis or dissertation.
• A separate abstract to each chapter should not be included.
• The citation for previously published work must be included as the first footnote (or endnote) on the first page of the chapter.
• Do not include typesetting notations often used when submitting manuscripts to a publisher (i.e., insert table x here).
• The date on the title page should be the year in which your committee approves the thesis or dissertation, regardless of the date of completion or publication of individual chapters.
• If you would like to include additional details about the previously published work, this information can be included in the preface for the thesis or dissertation.

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Thesis / dissertation formatting manual (2024).

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Selecting a Font (Typeface)

Be consistent in the use of font/typeface throughout your manuscript. All text material must be in the same font/typeface; all headings and figure/table titles/captions must be in a consistent typeface.

Please select a font, size, and color that are highly legible and will reproduce clearly. Ornate or decorative fonts such as script, calligraphy, gothic, italics, or specialized art fonts are not acceptable. For electronic submissions, embedded fonts are required.

Any symbols, equations, figures, drawings, diacritical marks, or lines that cannot be typed, and therefore are drawn, must be added in permanent black ink.

Below are suggested fonts and sizes.

Establish and follow a consistent pattern for layout of all headings.  All headings should use the same font size, font weight, typeface, etc.

For example: center all major headings; place secondary headings at least two lines below major headings.

Typeface/Printing Quality (Paper Submissions Only)

If you are submitting your manuscript on paper, printer quality is critical to produce a clean, clear image. You are strongly urged to use a laser printer, as ink jet and line printers generally do not produce fully clear, legible results. Dot matrix-type printers are not acceptable.

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11 ideal fonts for dissertation writing |helpwithassignment.com.

• Dissertation

Times New Roman, Georgia, Garamond, Arial, Verdana, Cambria, Century Gothic, Constantia, and Arial Narrow are some of the ideal fonts for dissertation writing.

What is Dissertation Writing ?

In the term – Dissertation writing, the word “Dissertation” has originated from the Latin language where ‘ dissertare’ means ‘to debate’. This word was first used in the English language in around 1651 which gave us a definition to write extensively on a certain subject. It is also defined as a long piece of writing on any particular topic which you have studied.

In a dissertation writing, the writer should always choose to write with the help of using a clear font like Arial, Times New Roman, etc. They should also set perfect font sizes such are 10 to 12 also the line spacing should be done of 1.15 or 1.5 which is generally accepted as it makes the document appear more neat and tidy and allows the reader to put comments in between.

Mistakes that should be avoided while choosing the Font for dissertation writing:

• Do not choose fonts on the basis of your personal likes and dislikes. Always the writer should keep in mind that they should choose the font on the basis of the reader’s perspective as it is not easy to go through a 20 pages dissertation with a complex font.
• Always avoid using too many fonts as the write-ups become too much complicated and is also not considered well organized.
• All fonts for dissertation do not match or work together, therefore, a student should make sure that they should choose fonts which go along their write up
• Try separating the fonts of your subtitles and the paragraphs as the same fonts used might make your writing monotonous and boring for the reader.

11 Best Font for Dissertation Writing

Times new roman: most common fonts for dissertation.

This font was originally designed for Times Newspaper of London. This font has a separate and different aesthetician a formal style that is prescribed or assigned by many universities and colleges. It is also quite easy to read.

This is a serif type font designed by Matthew Carter and was founded by Microsoft Corporation. It was created and released in 1993 and 1996 respectively.

This another font which has a pleasant-looking appearance on dissertation writing and is also considered as an old-style serif typeface which was named for 16th-century Parisian engraver Claude Garamond. This font is very much popular and is used for printing books etc.

This is also a Serif style typeface commissioned by Microsoft which was designed by Steve Matteson, Robin Nicholas and Jelle Bosma in 2004. It is distributed by windows and office.

Century Gothic:

This is also designed in a sans serif typeface style and a geometric style that was released in 1991 by Monotype Imaging. 

Palatino Linotype:

This font was first released in 1949 by Stempel foundry. This serif typeface style font was designed by Hermann Zapf. It has bee also classified as old style font.

This font style is one of the commonly used font styles which is also displayed sometimes as Arial MT. It has been classified as neo-grotesque sans-serif which was released in 1982 and was designed by Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders.

This font style is widely used for writing dissertations or any other academic papers as they provide a very cleaned and very simple – smooth look to the paper and also to the eyes of the reader. This was designed by Matthew Carter for Microsoft Corporation.

Constantia:

This was designed by John Hudson, a serif style design that was commissioned by Microsoft. The developmental work for this writing began in 2003 and was finally released in 2006

Century schoolbook: Fonts for dissertation

It is again a serif style typeface that was designed by Linn Boyd and Morris F Benton. This belongs to the century writing font family which was released in between 1894-1923.

Arial Narrow:

This is a high style font that is available for free download for personal and commercial use. However, the free version provides all upper case and lower case with some special character and features.

Therefore above are some of the most popularly used ideal fonts for dissertation writing. Times Roman is the most chosen font styles for thesis and dissertation writing but still, it has some common drawbacks as this font was created mostly to create spaces in between the words and letters but according to some professionals, the usage of this font causes overuse of view.

Similarly, Verdana and Arial fonts for dissertation might provide a simple and clear look on the screen but on the paper, it appears a little congested and a little less formal. But still, all of these fonts discussed above are some of the most appropriate fonts which are ideally used in writing a thesis, dissertation, essays or any writing assignment given to a student in college.

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What Font Should I Choose for My Dissertation?

Date published November 06 2020 by Ella James

As I sat in front of my screen with all my notes gathered around me, I was quite mind boggled when I thought about this.

What is the best font for dissertation?

It seems like a very silly question but when you have been working your brains out for a few months, you get a bit paranoid ( and that is understandable).

Let’s be quick here, finding the correct font for dissertation didn’t require any rocket science or assistance from a dissertation format service. So to keep things short for you the answer is: Times New Roman.

Yep, that’s the right one but it’s not all. There are a lot of other things that you have to keep in mind. From size to spaces to margins, you have to consider everything and get everything right to be able to submit a completely legit dissertation.

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Recommended Font Size

The recommended font size in a dissertation is 10 to 12 points at max. Having larger or smaller fonts can give you a bad time in structuring your dissertation according to the pages.

Margins… Are They Important?

Oh yes, they are…

Don’t you ever think: “oh, why should I care about the spacing on the sides? Does it matter?”

Margins play an important role in structuring your dissertation. So make sure that there are 1.5 inches on the left while 1 inch on the right, top, and bottom.

Final Words

You don’t have to go to professionals and ask them “write my dissertation please, I don’t know about the fonts, margins or spacing” ever. Although, if you want, you can still take assistance from services to help you write your dissertation.

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Times New Roman is considered the best font for dissertation. You can use it for your dissertations and thesis unless your supervisor or professor recommends any other font.

Keep that in mind that Sans Serif fonts are usually not considered an ideal choice while writing your research papers or any other professional papers. Although they are not used for body text you can use Sans Serif fonts for headings. You can such combinations such as in the format of body text/headings:

• Garamond/Helvetica
• Minion Pro/Myriad Pro
• Times New Roman/Arial Narrow

Using Calibri or any other Sans Serif might not be the valid option generally. It is recommended to use a Serif font like Times New Roman or Garamond . Although, you can use Arial Narrow for the headings in a combination with Times New Roman.

There is an endless number of new fonts being made by developers and designers every other day. Although many fonts are recognized just by their names or their designs such as:

• Times New Roman

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Graduate students can find "how to" guides and support information on our Workday support page .

Choice of font

For most theses, the font should be one that is appropriate for an academic paper. Generally, the same font should be used throughout the thesis (dedication page and scholarship-appropriate alterations excepted).

Normally the font should be equivalent to 10 to 12 point font in Times New Roman or Arial for main text, and at least 2mm high in tables and figures.

Font colour should normally be black throughout, except for web links which should be blue.

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How to choose the font type for your dissertation?

It’s time for the design: your texts are finished and have been approved by your reading committee. One of the most important elements of a good layout is the font type. How do you choose a suitable font type for your manuscript? In this article, we will give you some tips and tricks!

Appearance of the font

The first thing to keep in mind when choosing a font type, is the general appearance/feeling you would like your thesis to have. Are you going for a modern appearance or would you like a more classical style? We’d like to refer you to see some examples of different styles of design . Once you have made your decision regarding the appearance of your dissertation, you are ready to choose a font type that matches this style. If you have an example that you like that’s not from our website, your designer with us can always check if we know what font it is.

Modern font

If you want a more modern feel to your thesis, we recommend you opt for a sans serif font type. This means no serifs have been placed on the letters. More specifically, this results in letters without any thin dashes on the ends of the vertical and horizontal beams of a letter.

Some sans serif font types that are often used are:

Classic font

For a more classic appearance, we recommend you go for a font type that does have serifs. These font types will give your dissertation a classic appearance, comparable to older scientific publications and novels.

Popular serif font types that can be found in theses more often are:

• Times New Roman

Now you have decided whether you would like a font type with or without serifs, you are ready to go through enormous lists of possibilities. We would have liked to give you some more tips and guidelines, however that is not possible anymore. The choice for a certain font type is very personal and totally depends on your taste. We do have some last points of attentions that might help you in finding the perfect font type for your dissertation.

How many variants does the font type have?

Most font types have many variants like italic , bold , light (a slim version) etc. This number of variants is important for your designer, because this will offer more possibilities in designing the lay-out. Almost every thesis has bolds and italics, so they’re often also simply necessary in the design. Therefore, we recommend you to always choose a font type with several variants; or at least one with ‘regular’, ‘italic’ and ‘bold’.

Is it a free font or are you required to pay for a license?

Perhaps you already knew this, but fonts can be really expensive. Every variant of a certain font type could come at additional costs between ten and hundred euros. Therefore, please ask us if we already have your desired font type in our database. This could save you a lot of money!

Already have a nice font in your Word-file?

If you are used to working with a specific font type – especially if you’ve written your thesis in it for several years – you will probably be very accustomed with the way it looks. Because of your habituation with this specific font type, it might be that you will disapprove of other font types without good consideration. Many doctoral students opt for Calibri because they’ve got accustomed to it, even though this font was originally designed for good screen readability (for example in Word) and not for print specifically. But because it’s so familiar, it’s a very popular choice for doctoral students’ theses.

Are you not yet sure which font would suit your thesis, to make sure the readability and design are the best they can be? Don’t hesitate to contact us, we’re happy to think along with you. Sometimes the best font depends on the content, tables or data in your thesis, so we can always advise you personally.

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Top 5 Best Fonts for Dissertation to Make it Look Organized

Table of Content

Every student hates the fact that professors deduct their marks in the dissertation for not choosing an appropriate font in their writing. Most of the time, students choose times new roman font for their dissertation writing. But before making any decision regarding font selection for this type of document, students should first consider reading university guidelines. It will certainly help them in selecting the best fonts for dissertation writing without any hassle.

As we said above, in case your font doesn't match with the guidelines, then the professor might reject your dissertation. It would affect your overall academic career and lead to negative feedback, as well. So, to make the dissertation look organized, students can seek dissertation writing service from the Assignment Desk. Our writers always ensure delivering the content with the best fonts in it that certainly follow the university guidelines. Experts have listed all the font styles that are best for dissertation writing , so let's have a look at it.

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1. Times New Roman

Times new roman is the most preferred font in dissertation writing. Most of the universities have this font in their guidelines that must be followed by the students. It is because, from many years, times new roman is the default body text for Microsoft Word. This font help students in making their content look structured and aligned properly. So, apart from almost every font, times new roman is considered the best font that universities accept. This is the reason students always use it in their dissertation writing.

Apart from times new roman, students can choose Georgia font for their dissertation writing. Georgia is a type of font which was created back in 1993 by Matthew Carter. According to university professors, students who use this font certainly make their content organized. It is also considered that by using this font, you will make your writing look elegant.

3. Garamond

According to our expert writers, Garamond font is considered the most professional font style, among others. This is why our experts advise students to use this font in their dissertation writing. It also helps in making their document look structured with all required elements in it. When students use this font, they can easily create a good impression on the entire dissertation committee. This font is used in the dissertation because it helps in making long passages more readable than any other font.

Cambria font style is designed specifically for on-screen reading. When students write their dissertation, they often use this font style. It is because it helps in constructing letters more sturdy that helps in making the dissertation content look presentable in the eyes of professors. Apart from being sturdy, it also helps in retaining legibility even at small sizes as well. So, Cambria is indeed a good choice for students to use in their dissertation writing.

Calibri is considered as the universally readable sans-serif font. It is because of replacing times new roman font style from the default setting of Microsoft word. According to professionals, it is the second-best font style that students can use while writing their dissertations. Professors also suggest this type of font style to students as it looks great on-screen, which makes them read every word easily without any hassle. So, to make a dissertation organized properly, Calibri is another font style that can be used.

Now, it is all up to you that whichever font you like to use according to the university guidelines. If not restricted, try using subtle fonts that can make your overall content look organized. With all this explanation, isn't it quite obvious to buy dissertation  and eliminate your stress related to the selection of best fonts in your dissertation writing? We at Assignment Desk, provide the best assignment help to students who are struggling with writing their assignments.

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What kind of fonts can I use for academic presentation? [closed]

Many videos and documents say that we should use Arial as the font for academic presentation. However, I think Arial is really ugly.

Certainly, there are other fonts suitable for academic presentations. How can I recognise them? Is it just every sans-serif font or what do I need to consider?

• presentation

• 4 This is probably to some extent a matter of taste. But for all things concerning academic design and layout, Edward Tufte is a classical go-to reference. –  henning no longer feeds AI Commented Aug 23, 2021 at 20:40
• 4 If your presentation is not about fonts, any boring font is suitable. –  Anonymous Physicist Commented Aug 23, 2021 at 20:50
• 5 Not Comic Sans. –  Captain Emacs Commented Aug 23, 2021 at 20:53
• 3 One advantage of a hideously ugly font is that you will know if someone swipes your slides and posts them online! ;-) –  Ed V Commented Aug 23, 2021 at 21:21

I take it as given that you won’t use typefaces that are not suitable for an academic setting at all, like a comic or blackletter typeface, i.e., any typeface you that is not suitable for a printed poster either. With those constraints, the main thing to consider is that your typeface must render well on a projector or via screencast. Interestingly, those different settings lead to similar conclusions:

You have to expect that projectors have low resolutions (and no sub-pixel hinting ), which causes intricate details such as most serifs look ugly.

For screencasts, you have to expect that they will be scaled on the viewer’s side, which again causes problems with detailed components such as most serifs and works bests with straight lines and similar.

For this reason, most sans-serif typefaces are well suited for presentations while serif typefaces are not. However you can find exceptions such as organic grotesques, which are sans serif but scale badly and render badly on low resolutions – or slab serifs, which work well with scaling as well as on low resolutions.

• Does anyone know the name of the four example fonts in this answer? (Especially the two "good" examples) –  Caleb Stanford Commented Jan 30, 2022 at 0:56
• 2 @6005: The fonts from top to bottom are: Aakar, Ubuntu, Linux Biolinum and Zilla Slab. However, please note that I chose them for highlighting the aspects relevant to this answer, and not to endorse (or attack) these particular fonts. –  Wrzlprmft ♦ Commented Jan 30, 2022 at 9:35
• Thank you! Understood yes –  Caleb Stanford Commented Jan 30, 2022 at 13:24

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged presentation formatting .

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Choice of consistent unicode open-type fonts for Phd Thesis in Engineering

Having written about 60% of my Phd thesis, I gave it to my advisor for review. I used Pdflatex and Latin Modern fonts for text and math. For source code listings, I did not change anything in particular and went with the standard \texttt{} variant of the font. My focus was to get content in quickly.

Now, my adviser knows a lot more about formatting than me, but rather than using latex , he uses inDesign and other WYSIWYG tools for final layout and has challenged me to come up with a contemporary look whilst keeping the overall document's gravitas. Having supervised dozens of students, all producing their thesis with computer modern or latin modern, I guess he is just looking for a fresher alternative. I wish to accept the challenge since I have sufficient time before final submission.

My adviser advised me to use Minion Math, along with Minion/Myriad Pro respectively. He strongly suggested me to use OpenType Unicode fonts and warned that I shall face difficulties when it comes to consistent math typefaces.

It looks like both xelatex or lualatex can handle the basic requirement of using arbitrary system fonts. But my problem is with Minion Math, since it is not free. My adviser said he will pay for it I cannot find an opentype unicode alternative consistent set of text/math/mono fonts.

This puts me in a dilemma. I really wish to use free & open-source fonts for my thesis because of the following reason. My adviser does not use latex and we were using Overleaf to share he document and obtain adviser feedback through its rich text interface, and we both liked this workflow. With proprietary fonts, maintaining this workflow might be difficult.

The only other complete set of open-type Unicode font family with math support seem to be STIX, XITS, STIX TWO, Tex Gyre Variants that all seem to be Times-like. I absolutely do not want to go with Times-like typeface for my thesis.

I recently came across Libertinus, that seems to provide all variants - serif, sans, mono and math, which seems promising. However, the github repository of this font suggests that things are still under development. How risky is it to go for this typeface? Are there other alternatives?

• unicode-math

• 3 There's a free open-type font called Libertinus which I like to use (maybe it's what you meant by Libertinum ). I don't see any "risks" using it. You'll probably end up doing some more manual kerning in math mode, however. –  Christoph90 Commented Apr 2, 2018 at 15:14
• 4 tex gyre are not all times like Termes is Times, the others are clones of New Century schoolbook, Bookman, etc see gust.org.pl/projects/e-foundry/tg-math/… that said, the math font you found should be stable enough (and once you start your document just keep with that font so stability shouldn't be an issue) asana math dejavu math are other possibilities –  David Carlisle Commented Apr 2, 2018 at 15:18
• 3 For the really authentic thesis look, may I humbly suggest this tex.stackexchange.com/a/344272/1090 –  David Carlisle Commented Apr 2, 2018 at 15:46
• 1 well my thesis was written on a real typewriter:-) Also are you sure that you want to use opentype, the math font choices are not as restricted as you suggested but they are restricted and more experimental than if you use pdftex. If your supervisor is more used to indesign than tex, his advice may not be totally what you want to follow You will get more choice and much more stable math typesetting if you use pdftex, and if the document is in the latin alphabet then you will not gain so much. If you need non latin then certainly use xetex –  David Carlisle Commented Apr 2, 2018 at 15:54
• 3 choice of font (and design issues generally) are mostly considered off topic here. Once you choose a design asking how to implement it in tex is on topic. And you don't want to ask me for artistic advice, you've seen my font creation, also drawings: tex.stackexchange.com/a/142834/1090 –  David Carlisle Commented Apr 2, 2018 at 16:10

2 Answers 2

The situation with fonts is much better than you thought! I absolutely agree with your advisor that you should use OpenType fonts (and therefore, the unicode-math package on either XeLaTeX or LuaLaTeX). Any OpenType math font will have more-complete and consistent symbol coverage than any combination of legacy LaTeX packages, but the package also allows you to mix-and-match symbols and alphabets freely.

One thing I’m not entirely clear on is whether you want a monospaced font for code listings or typewriter-letter math symbols. Any complete OpenType math font contains the latter.

OpenType Math Fonts

You can find a list of OpenType math fonts, with samples, at this answer . Going over the list there:

• Latin Modern Math is a clone of Computer Modern plus amssymb , but has more glyphs. It is the default when you load unicode-math . If you use this, you’ll get something that looks exactly like the default settings of TeX.
• TeX Gyre Bonum, Pagella, Termes and Schola are clones of the fonts Bookman Old Style, Palatino, Times and Century Schoolbook, respectively. You said you don’t want Times, but you can have a look at the others.
• TeX Gyre DejaVu Math adds math support to the DejaVu fonts, which are based on Arev, based on Bitstream Vera. There is also a sans-serif font. The DejaVu project calls this DejaVu Math TeX Gyre.
• Asana Math is based on Palatino, and its symbols resemble those of mathpazo , and its successor, newpxmath .
• Libertinus Math is based on Linux Libertine and Linux Biolinum.
• GFS Neohellenic has very small serifs, giving it a unique look good for presentations.
• Neo Euler is a clone of the Euler font by Hermann Zapf, originally created for DEK’s book Concrete Mathematics . This font is incomplete and doesn’t ship with TeX Live. It does not have nearly as many glyphs as the other fonts on this list. Therefore, you would need to download it separately, load only the glyphs it supports, and use another font, such as Asana Math or TeX Gyre Pagella, as your fallback font.
• Stix, Stix Two and XITS are all based on the STIX project, which is based on Times. Since you said you don’t want something that looks like Times, these are out.
• Cambria Math is not free, but it’s included with recent versions of Microsoft Windows and Office, so you might have it on your Windows partition as cambria_01.ttf or as a ttc file. You could also get it gratis with the PowerPoint 2007 viewer if you’re willing to unpack a few cab files. However, it is the default font for equations in Microsoft Office and looks a lot like Times.
• Minion Math and Lucida are proprietary fonts.

You can find a sample of Asana Math here , all the TeX Gyre fonts here , and Libertinus here .

It is also possible to mix-and-match fonts, so as to use the symbols from a math font with the letters from your text font. One popular recommendation, for example, is Neo Euler for math with Palatino for text.

Font Families

Most of these fonts have a matching text font without Math in the name. Asana Math and Neo Euler are good matches for Palatino (and therefore its clone Pagella).

Three of the font families I listed above have matching serif, sans serif and monospace fonts: Latin Modern Mono, DejaVu Sans Mono and Libertinus Mono. Latin Modern Mono is a clone of Computer Modern Monospace, which you might or might not find attractive and again looks just like the default cmtt . Some of the more obscure variants of Computer Modern, such as Upright Italic, are available through Computer Modern Unicode. There is also a monospace font in the TeX Gyre collection, TeX Gyre Cursor, but it is a clone of Courier and therefore not really a match to any of the TeX Gyre Math fonts.

If you don’t use one of these, there are a large number of free monospace fonts out there, in addition to the ones that ship with your operating system.

You can also use any OpenType monospaced font you want for your typewriter-letter math symbols with a command such as \setmathfont[range=\mathtt]{Inconsolata} .

You might or might need an accompanying sans-serif font in your document. If you want to use sans-serif throughout, you would have to remap a sans-serif family to the up , bfup , it and bfit math alphabets, but as an alternative for titles and headers, most of those font families come with small caps.

The Script/Calligraphic Quirk

LaTeX packages historically had separate commands for \mathscr and \mathcal , which displayed different symbols. The Unicode Consortium decided that these were really just presentation forms and no mathematician used both \mathcal{I} and \mathscr{I} to mean different things in the same text. Therefore, it allocated only one range of codepoints for both alpabets.

The unicode-math package by default sets up \mathcal and \mathscr as synonyms for each other, but it supports loading different alphabets into either (as well as \mathfrac , \mathbb , and so on). Furthermore, several math fonts contain separate \mathscr and \mathcal alphabets intended to be used this way. You can load them with one of the commands \setmathfont[range={mathcal,mathbfcal},Alternate,Scale=MatchUppercase]{Asana Math} or \setmathfont[range={mathscr,mathbfscr},StylisticSet=1,Scale=MatchUppercase]{XITS Math} . Stix Math or Stix Two Math use the same syntax as XITS Math.

If you don’t actually use \mathcal or \mathbfcal in your thesis, you can of course completely ignore this.

My Recommendation

I personally like Asana Math, with Palatino (or a clone such as TeX Gyre Pagella) as the text font. However, you say in the comments that you don’t like its upright style. (I assume you mean the slant of symbols such as the integral; it contains both upright and italic letters, like all the math fonts.) Inconsolata is a free monotype font that I think, as a humanist sans, goes well with it. It ships with TeX Live, but only as a Type 1 font, so you would need to download the newer version . (Either double-click on the file and hit the install button, or on Linux, you can copy it to ~/.fonts or /usr/local/share/fonts .)

The official sans-serif companion font for Palatino is the commercial font Palatino Sans, but Optima, its free clone URW Classico, or Gillius No2 (based on Gill Sans) might be a good free alternative, and it ships with TeX Live.

Since you said this is an Engineering thesis, I’ll assume you want to use ISO style, which is the math-style=ISO option to unicode-math . To get upright letters for constants as it recommends, you can use, e.g. , \symup{e} , but unicode-math defines \muppi for the constant π.

I recommend the microtype package to make the right margins and word spacing look neater, with less hyphenation (I contributed a few improvements to it myself).

You also mention the need to support both English and South Asian languages. You should be able to do something like \newfontfamily\devanagarifont[Script=Devanagari]{Shobhika} for Indic and \newfontfamily\malayalamfont[Script=Malayalam]{Free Serif} for Malayalam. That should enable Sanskrit in Polyglossia, but for Malayalam, you would need to select \malayalamfont manually. However, the code will still work if Polyglossia adds support for Malayalam later.

Legacy Fallback

If you absolutely must use pdflatex, first load \usepackage[T1]{fontenc} . It wouldn’t hurt to add \usepackage[utf8]{inputenc} , but that’s now the default. The packages tgpagella , newpxmath , inconsolata and classico would set your main, math, monospace and sans-serif font to a combination I like. (The only real problem with it is that Palatino might be overused, but at least it will be taken seriously.) If you want to tweak the math alphabets some more, look at the package options to newpxmath and consider a package such as mathalfa or isomath .

If you need to support PDFLaTeX, you can use the \iftex package to wrap the leagacy NFSS preamble and the modern unicode-math preamble in conditional blocks. Then, you’ll use modern features if your TeX engine supports them.

I have one other quirk in my papers: Math fonts use wildly different symbols for Q.E.D. I personally like to use the black “tombstone”, introduced by Paul Halmos and used in the 1997 edition of The Art of Computer Programming by DEK. The command for this is \setmathfont[range="220E]{XITS Math} , and to use it with amsthm , \renewcommand{\qedsymbol}{\ensuremath{\char"220E}} .

• 1 That is indeed a very comprehensive answer. Thank you very much for the clear, expository information. Just to clarify, I need the monospaced variant for code listings. In this scenario, I think I shall try libertinus serif for text, sans serif for headings, monospaced for code listings and it's math variant for equations. If this doesn't work for my adviser, I shall fall back to Texas Gyre Schola since that's the only one that seems reasonable to my eyes, atleast –  Dr Krishnakumar Gopalakrishnan Commented Apr 2, 2018 at 21:15
• Okay. By the way, does \newfontfamily\devanagarifont[Script=Devanagari]{Shobhika} (or another font) work for getting your multilingual text in Polyglossia? –  Davislor Commented Apr 2, 2018 at 21:28
• 1 I shall need both Sanskrit and Malayalam in my dedication section, the latter ofwhich is not currently on polyglossia –  Dr Krishnakumar Gopalakrishnan Commented Apr 2, 2018 at 21:35
• 1 Your answer alludes to a "TeX Gyre DejaVu Sans Math" font, which I never saw anywhere, and seems to be unheard of by Google. Where did you found ite ? How can it be obtained ? –  user2903730 Commented Apr 21, 2018 at 8:30
• 2 @tadejsv It’s better to pose a question on the site than to one person, but, here you go: tex.stackexchange.com/questions/422854/… –  Davislor Commented Jun 3, 2019 at 19:19

Summarising the comments into an answer:

Although not as exhaustive as true-type/PS1 fonts, there exist other unicode opentype free families providing the complete set of serif, sans serif, mono and most importantly, math fonts.

Tex Gyre Deja Vu, Asana Math, Libertinus etc are such examples.

Libertinus is considered stable for usage in large documents.

Although the summary on CTAN is a bit outdated, the unicode-math package does indeed support any unicode opentype math family (font with MATH tables)

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Help choosing fonts for dissertation?

First of all, please let me know if this is the wrong subreddit for this question. I have seen a few here, but not that many, so I'm not sure. However, it seems the competence here would suit the question...

I am writing my dissertation for a PhD, and where I live, it is written in the form of a small book. The book will end up perhaps some 80-100 pages, but it is small (S5 = 165 mm*242 mm). I will set the margins so that each line will be around 60 characters, including spaces since I read somewhere that it's a good rule of thumb for readability. The subject is quality of life after surviving intensive care, so the font can't be too "funny". Right now, I am trying Adobe Caslon, Arno Pro, or Baskerville MT. I like them all, but I find Arno to be just a tiny, tiny bit too black (to be honest, I can't decide whether I like that or not). The text will include a number of quotes in larger blocks, and I'm not really fond of the italics in Arno. The italic in Baskerville is perhaps just a tiny bit too condensed, so it seems that Caslon will win that one.

Ok, so my problem is probably just a "kill your darlings" thing. When I first started writing, I used a sans-serif font for the body. By doing so, I found a good balance between the body, block quotes in either of the serif fonts and then the use of a beautiful didone in headlines. Didones are definitely my darlings, I have a hard time imagining this book without them :) However, as the text grew, I guess I really should use serif for the body instead, but then I have a harder time mixing with the didone.

First, I'm totally ok with hearing "kill the didone"...at least I think so.

Any thoughts on the choice of a serif?

Any suggestion for a good pairing sans-serif? Right now I'm using Milo for headlines but I'm open for suggestions. Maybe some other modern font with just a tiny twist/detail making it special without being a clown?

Edit: I should add that I have four levels of headlines.

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Best Fonts for Dyslexia and Why They Work

An easy way to make text clearer for everyone.

According to the International Dyslexia Association , as much as 15 to 20 percent of the U.S. population may have symptoms of dyslexia. Those include slow or inaccurate reading, weak spelling, and poor writing. While not all reading problems are caused by dyslexia, some of the same accommodations can help many struggling students. Using the best fonts for dyslexia is one way you can help.

How do these fonts work?

First, it’s important to understand that switching to a different font will not magically “cure” dyslexia, but they can be helpful. As long as you don’t neglect other proven strategies for helping those with dyslexia (and other learning disorders), these fonts are just one more tool in your toolkit.

According to research , the best fonts for dyslexia (and other learning disorders) share these characteristics:

Image: Creative Spark

This term literally means “without serif.” Serifs are those little projections at the ends of letters some fonts use to make them look a little fancier. Times New Roman is a classic example of a serif font, while Arial is a common sans serif option.

Non-Italic, Non-Oblique

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Oblique fonts are a slanted version of a font, while italic fonts have a slanted and more stylized appearance. Either way, this style significantly reduces readability, so stick to upright fonts, also known as roman style.

Image: Wikimedia Commons

In a monospace font, each letter (and space) takes up the same amount of horizontal space on a line. The opposite is proportional or variable-width fonts. Monospace fonts are harder to find these days, but there are some good options out there.

Specially designed fonts like Dyslexie and OpenDyslexic add one more feature. They strive to make the differences in mirrored letters like “d” and “b” more obvious, with subtle changes to their appearance. Some researchers feel that special fonts like Dyslexie don’t offer any true benefits at all . But they also say there’s no harm in trying them out.

Best Standard Fonts for Dyslexia

With those criteria in mind, these four standard picks are typically recommended as the best fonts for dyslexia . They’re available on pretty much every computer, so consider setting one of them as your default.

This sans serif, non-italic font isn’t monospaced, but Arial is still a good choice as long as you don’t italicize it.

If you’re looking for a serif font, try Courier. It’s monospaced, which makes it easier to read than its cousin Times New Roman.

Here’s another sans serif font to try. Note that like Arial, it’s not monospaced, but it is still clear and easy to read.

Another font that’s not monospaced but is sans serif, Verdana is overall rated as fairly easy to read.

Specially Designed Fonts for Dyslexia

There are a few fonts on the market that may or may not make a real difference for those with dyslexia. While the research is still out, it doesn’t hurt to give them a try.

In Dyslexie , letters have heavier bottoms, slightly adjusted shapes, and longer sticks. This is a licensed font, and you’ll need to pay to use it in all your programs. Learn more about Dyslexie here.

OpenDyslexic is a free font and uses heavier bottoms and irregular shapes just like Dyslexie. Find out more about OpenDyslexic here.

Other Good Fonts for Dyslexia

Try not to shudder, but Comic Sans is often recommended for folks with dyslexia . The irregular design of the letters makes it easier to read. (Only “b” and “d” are true mirrors.) 

You can also try Century Gothic, Trebuchet, Calibri, Open Sans, and Tahoma, among others. In general, just remember to choose simple fonts without serifs that provide good spacing between letters. Avoid fonts that are “condensed,” and don’t use italicized versions.

Have we missed one of the best fonts for dyslexia? Want to talk with other educators on how to help students with dyslexia succeed? Join the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook to share your thoughts and ask for advice.

Plus, check out 10 things about dyslexia every teacher needs to know ., you might also like.

What Are the Different Types of Dyslexia? (Plus How To Identify the Signs)

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