Types

• Serifs appear as small lines on the tops and bottoms of characters.the letter a image by feisty from Fotolia.com
  
  Serif is a typography term used to describe the ornamentation on characters. Serifs appear on the tops and bottoms of individual characters forming perpendicular feet. Serif fonts include Bookman Old Style, Courier, Garamond, and Times New Roman.
  
  Sans serif fonts do not include any type of ornamentation on the characters. They appear as straight lines without any flourishes. Some have curved tops to appear softer and friendlier when reading. The sans serif fonts include Arial, Calibri, Franklin Gothic, and Helvetica.
  
  

Reading Benefits

• Fonts provide different benefits to the reader.book image by charles taylor from Fotolia.com
  
  Sans serif fonts produce characters that are easy to distinguish in print, creating text that is clean and readable, making them better for younger, beginning readers, according to SIL International. Serif fonts are used to help draw the reader's eyes in a straight line by following the direction of the ornamental line, making them an ideal choice for more experienced readers.
  
  

Font Size

• Larger typefaces are easier to read on paper.newspaper and spectacles image by NatUlrich from Fotolia.com
  
  Size has a role in how easy a font is for reading. Font size refers to how small or large the characters appear in print. Large, clear text on paper is the easiest to read. Using a larger-sized font makes serif fonts easier to read, and improves the document's appearance.