Wednesday, 11 November 2020

(10.11.2020) COP Reading

Green highlight = important reference
Red text = my thoughts
Yellow highlight = important info 

Serif vs Sans Serif for Text in Print (Serif vs. Sans for Text in Print, n.d.)

Serif Vs. Sans For Text In Print | Fonts.Com. [online] Available at: https://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fontology/level-1/type-anatomy/serif-vs-sans-for-text-in-print [Accessed 10 November 2020].

Serif typefaces have historically been credited with increasing both the readability and reading speed of long passages of text because they help the eye travel across a line, especially if lines are long or have relatively open word spacing (as with some justified type).

many sans serif typefaces exist that are more legible at any size than some serif designs.

Serif strokes can be thin or thick, subtle or robust. Delicate serifs can be challenging to reproduce crisply in certain scenarios, notably: reversing them out of a dark color, photograph, or pattern (as they will tend to break up); or printing them in CMYK (as the edges will look fuzzy or weak). Printing them in a solid, spot color is less risky. If need be, select a serif typeface with sturdy features, or opt for a sans serif.
- This is interesting for the practical, need to keep considerations like these involved in the practical. Thinking about the impact of design choices on each other, not as individual aspects. 

For other shorter text settings – such as captions, credits, column headings, as well as text in charts and graphs – a sans serif typeface can be a good choice. Its simplified letterforms are unencumbered by serifs, which can impede the readability of characters at very small sizes.

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Adult Learning - Collection of Research

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Universal Principles Of User Experience Design (Murphey, 2018)

Murphey, C., 2018. Universal Principles Of User Experience Design — Smashing Magazine. [online] Smashing Magazine. Available at: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2018/01/universal-principles-ux-design/ [Accessed 10 November 2020].

Typography can be used to:

  • Optimize legibility, through the appropriate choices of typefaces;
  • Improve accessibility, by considering contrast between the foreground and background colors; and
  • Improve usability, through a considered typographic hierarchy.
- These support a knowledge I have already, able to be used as a reference to support these points.
- Helps to clarify design principles in terms of legibility, accessibility and usability. 

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With Serifs or Without? (Romney 2005)

Romney, C., 2005. With Serifs or Without?. MW’s Between the Keys, 13(3), pp.4-6.

White (2003) explains noting that sans serif typefaces should be set with wider line spacing. "e extra white space creates a negative or invisible line that the eye can follow; therefore, while serif typefaces are inherently easier to read, sans serif typefaces can be just as readable, if they are used properly.

Even though the research findings are inconclusive, one consistent has emerged: the typeface style which readers are most familiar with is the typeface style that will be easiest for them to read.

- Proposes the argument for when sans serif typefaces can be appropriate.
- Highlights the idea of reader being familiar with type and how this can impact the ease at which the audience can read the text. 

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Line Length (Optimal Line Length in Reading - A Literature Review) (Nanavati and Bias, 2015)

Nanavati and Bias, (2015) Optimal Line Length in Reading-A Literature Review. Visible Language, 39(2).

One of the text variables that has been studied for over 100 years is line length, at times referred as line width.

How long should a column of text be, to optimize readability of the text?

Which view is more preferred by readers--multiple narrow columns or one wide column with the same amount of information content?

Research has led to recommendations that line length should not exceed about 70 characters per line. The reason behind this finding is that both very short and very long lines slow down reading by interrupting the normal pattern of eye movements and movements throughout the text.
- supporting the knowledge of line length and explains the effect it can have on reading. Speed and therefore comprehension. 

Studies reviewed here show that different aspects of reading performance such as comprehension, reading speed, method of movement (e.g., paging and scrolling) and eye movements are affected by changes in line length. In addition to that, various typographic factors such as font type and size, line and character spacing as well as different screen structures such as varying number of columns and screen sizes also affect readability.
- Explaining the impact of line length on cognitive processes in relation to eye movement. 

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Effects of Chunking and Line Length on Reading Efficiency (Keenan, 1984)

Keenan, 1984. Effects of Chunking and Line Length on Reading Efficiency. Visible Language, 18.

Found those who read the chunked format read much slower than standard format, explains that new variable line length may be account for the results as well as reconcile conflicting findings from previous research.

From literature review we can infer that chunking and shorter line lengths have positive effects on reading efficiency, but high line length variability has a stronger negative effect. Because chunking increases like length variability it can interfere with reading.

- Interesting point to bring up relating to Kouyoumdjiman's publication and the effects of chunking on reading speed.
- If reading speed is slower when chunking is used is this related to desirable difficult? It can't be because the aim of chunking is to break down text into palatable pieces for the audience to encourage effective reading. 

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Size Matters: Balancing Line Length And Font Size In Responsive Web Design (Franz, 2014)

Franz, L. (2014) Size Matters: Balancing Line Length And Font Size In Responsive Web Design. Available at: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2014/09/balancing-line-length-font-size-responsive-web-design/ [Accessed 10 November 2020].

THE IDEAL MEASURE: 45 TO 75 CHARACTERS

Reading a long line of type causes fatigue: the reader must move his head at the end of each line and search for the beginning of the next line.… Too short a line breaks up words or phrases that are generally read as a unit. - quote from designing with type (James Craig)

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Type size, Serif vs San Effects (Morris et al, 2002)

 Morris, A., Aquilante, K., Yager D., and Bigelow, C. (2002). Serifs Slow RSVP Reading at Very Small Sizes, but Don't Matter at Larger Sizes. SID Symposium Digest of Technical Papers, 33(1), p.244.

  • Readers can read sans-serif type about 20% faster at very small sizes. This advantage disappears at larger sizes.
  • Sans serif being read 4 times as fast as serif when in small point (4pt).
- Provides more support for the use of sans serif fonts within publications.
- Is a study that demonstrates the findings that sans serif fonts are appropriate in some situation in particular when using small type. 
- Supports other points about excess "decoration" on elements can cause extraneous processing or distract the audience.

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Typographic Hierarchy

Typographic Hierarchy, n.d. [online] Available at: <https://www.fonts.com/content/learning/fyti/typographic-tips/typographic-hierarchy> [Accessed 10 November 2020].

The viewer’s eye is usually drawn to the largest-sized type first (which is usually, but not always, the headline), and then moves on to other elements. Although headlines most commonly appear at the top of a page, this placement is not a requirement. A well-designed composition will guide the reader to the headline and other important elements no matter where they are located.
- Like the fact they acknowledge that a well designed document will direct the audience's attention to where the designer wants it to go. The rules are there as a guide and aren't fixed. 

Use white, or negative, space to create emphasis and draw attention to important elements. Resist the temptation to fill up every bit of space on a page, which can create too much “visual noise” that can confuse or fatigue the viewer.

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Creating Exciting And Unusual Visual Hierarchies - grid (Knight and Glaser, 2013) (Koranda, 2015)

The grid provides a framework and structure for the combination of type and images. Across multiple pages, a consistent grid enhances communication, brings cohesion and improves legibility.
Knight, C., and Glaser, J. 2013. Creating Exciting And Unusual Visual Hierarchies. Available at: https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2013/02/creating-visual-hierarchies-typography/ (Accessed 14 November 2020).

Whitespace Hierarchy

Koranda, R. 2015. Whitespace Hierarchy. Available at: https://atendesigngroup.com/articles/whitespace-hierarchy (Accessed 10 November 2020).

From a more utilitarian standpoint, it has the power to improve legibility, making it easier for a message to be absorbed by its audience. When people are able to quickly absorb information, it’s more likely the goals of the site will be met.

One key task of whitespace in the context of legibility is establishing visual relationships and associations between different elements on a page.

- These are principles that need to be held in mind when designing, hierarchy can have a big impact on the reading experience, both in terms of navigation but also providing a basic understanding of the text at a glance.

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Useful Junk? The Effects of Visual Embellishment on Comprehension and Memorability of Charts (Bateman et al, 2010)

Bateman, Mandryk, Gutwin, Genest, McDine and Brooks, 2010. Useful Junk? The Effects of Visual Embellishment on Comprehension and Memorability of Charts. CHI '10: Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems,.

Looking into the use of embellishment on charts displaying data, wanting to understand the effects on memory.
Many experts suggest that visual embellishments and ‘chart junk’ cause interpretation problems and should be removed from information charts, but many examples exist of embellished charts that seem to be successful.

- Really interesting about the effects on different memory, left wondering how it works? Is this something that needs ot be included or is this going down a route that's too scientific? 


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