Arial vs. Times New Roman

The never-ending debate continues:

Which font is more readable: Times New Roman or Arial? And the answer?

Yes.

Yes?

Yes.

What the heck does yes mean? Well, it means that both fonts are highly readable and both have their place in the print world.

Of course both fonts have their followers who claim that the opposing font is old or over used or boring or ... You get the idea. Yet if everyone would stop their quibbling, they would have to admit that not only are both fonts highly readable and usable, they will be for years to come.

And Testing Proves What?

Innumerable tests have been done that verify that both fonts have desirable reading qualities. Some test results have indicated that Arial has an edge for online reading, while Times New Roman is preferred for hard copy. Other testing results show that Times New Roman is the preferred, "most readable," font for both print and the Internet; while different studies show that Arial is the most readable font, even though it must be read slower than Times New Roman.

So, putting all these conclusions together, the answer to the on-going, untiring debate is yes, Both fonts are readable and both fonts have value -- not to mention loyal followers.

Serif vs. Sans Serif

A serif font is one with tails or flourishes that make the print look more like writing. Serif fonts are direct descendants of ancient manuscript writing. Some serif fonts are simple and very readable, such as the Times New Roman font in question; others are lavish and harder to read; for example, the wildly decorative Gigi font.

A sans serif font is a font without any flourishes (sans meaning "without"). Some favorites, besides the popular Arial, are Helvetica and Verdana. These fonts are without flourish and have been deemed by some as easier for Internet reading, while others state emphatically that the serifs are easier reading on the net and in print.

Additional tests have indicated that it's not the serif flourishes, or lack thereof, that makes a font easier or harder to read, it is actually the spacing between the letters. This means that if a font style has letters that are close together, it will be much harder to read in comparison to a font where the space between the letters is more open. Testing fonts by widening the space between the letters has substantiated this conclusion.

Use What Works

Remember, all fonts have value; use Arial where it looks the best and seems the most readable. Consequently, do not be afraid to place Times New Roman where it will do you the most good. Forget about people nagging on issues of font over-use or of being too old. If the font is readable for your project, looks good and customers or fans can read and enjoy your website or hardcopy, then you have chosen the correct font for the right use.

So, with all this in mind, what is the answer to the ongoing debate?

It's still "Yes!"

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