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Academic Appeal: The 11 Best Fonts for Academic Papers

  • BY Bogdan Sandu
  • 26 February 2024

good fonts for assignments

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.

The Best Fonts for Academic Papers

Serif High Formal papers, journals Standard and widely accepted
Sans-serif High Presentations, less formal Clean and modern appearance
Sans-serif High General academic work Default in Microsoft Word, well-balanced
Sans-serif High Professional papers Classic and neutral, can be less formal
Serif Moderate Long texts, books Old-style, gives a classic look
Serif High Humanities papers Elegant and easy-to-read
Serif Moderate Formal and traditional works Professional and authoritative
Serif High Academic journals Traditional and long-lasting readability
Serif High Online and printed text Specifically designed for screen readability
Serif High Electronic and printed papers Designed for on-screen readability and output

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Academic Appeal: The 11 Best Fonts for Academic Papers

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25 Best Fonts For Reports and Professional Documents

The art of crafting a compelling report & professional documents goes beyond just the content; the choice of font plays a crucial role in enhancing readability, conveying professionalism, and setting the tone of the document. Whether the report is intended for print or on-screen reading, the right font can significantly impact the reader’s experience and comprehension.

This guide provides a selection of recommended fonts for reports, considering factors such as readability, professionalism, and the context in which the report will be read. From classic serif fonts like Times New Roman and Garamond to modern sans serif fonts like Arial and Calibri, these fonts have been chosen for their proven effectiveness in professional and academic settings.

In this post, we shall focus on the 25 best fonts that you can use on professional documents and reports.

We shall also see how these fonts enhance readability and aesthetic appeal while keeping readers hooked on the documents’ contents.

Quick word : These fonts include Arial, Calibri, Garamond, Verdana, Helvetica, Georgia, and Cambria, among others.

Read on to find out more.

Also Read : Most Common Fonts & When To Use Them ?

Best Fonts for Reports & Professional Documents

1. times new roman.

good fonts for assignments

Times New Roman is a serif typeface perfect for professional documents and reports. It is based on an old serif font called Plantin and is one of the most popular fonts used in Microsoft Word.

In 1929, The Times hired Stanley Morison to create a new text font. Together with Victor Lardent, Morison created the Times New Roman font, which was unveiled in 1932 for the British newspaper, Times, with great fanfare.

Times New Roman is a top choice for professional documentation for its legibility, narrow spacing, and formal appearance. You can use it for writing business proposals, resumes, academic papers, and business reports.

good fonts for assignments

Another popular font for your professional documents and reports is Arial. Arial is a sans-serif typeface based on the Neo-grotesque style. It comes in many styles, including regular, italic, bold, bold italic, medium italic, and extra bold, just to mention a few.

Robin Nicholas and Patricia Saunders created the Arial font in 1982 with angled terminals as its identity. The Arial font is one of the few approved fonts for use on court documents.

It is also an excellent choice for magazines, newspapers, advertising, and promotion.

Arial is a top choice font as it is clean, visually appealing, easy to read, and versatile. Its range of weights and styles makes it ideal for various projects. Whether you use it in the body text or headline, Arial remains professional.

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good fonts for assignments

Lucas de Groot designed Calibri, a sans-serif font between 2002 and 2004. The font was released to the public in 2007 with Windows Vista and Microsoft Office 2007. Upon its release, Arial replaced Times New Roman as a default Word typeface.

De Groot gave the Calibri font a subtly rounded design that gives it a warm and soft character. No wonder it easily replaced the Arial font as a default PowerPoint, Outlook, and Excel typeface.

Calibri is a modern and humanistic font featuring real italics, small caps, and various numeral sets. While the font works well in both professional and informal settings, it might not suit all projects.

4. Garamond

good fonts for assignments

Garamond is another exciting font fit for professional documents and reports. Its unique styles include Garamond regular, Garamond medium, Garamond medium oblique, Garamond bold, and Garamond Demi, among others.

The Garamond font was designed by URW Type Foundry , a German-based company with a rich history of type design and engineering.

Initially designed for print media, it turned out to be an excellent choice for body text and book printing.

The modern Garamond is preferred for text-heavy printed materials like academic papers and books for its timeless elegance and readability.

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good fonts for assignments

Verdana is another humanistic typeface created by Matthew Carter for Microsoft Corporatio n . It is your go-to font for professional documents and reports, thanks to its readability.

Verdana was created specifically for computer screens. It is an excellent choice, especially for large blocks of text. Some of this font’s standout features include wider spacing, large x-heights, wider typeface, and bigger counters.

Its pixel patterns are carefully crafted to ensure readers can tell the difference between the most confused letters in their small sizes. It might not be an exciting font, but it’s definitely a functional one.

6. Helvetica

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Helvetica is a widely used sans-serif typeface developed in 1957 by a Swiss designer called Max Miedinger. The font instantly became an icon in Swiss designs and could be spotted on numerous advertising posters and billboards across the USA and Europe.

Helvetica’s success and appeal can be attributed to its modern appearance, versatility, and understated elegance.

The font is available in three different versions: micro for small screens, display for larger formats, and text for normal text.

Each size comes in 48 different weights. Its character shapes are better spaced and more legible even on small electronic devices.

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good fonts for assignments

Georgia is another serif typeface designed by Matthew Carter in 1993 . Matthew’s aim was to create a typeface that would appear elegant but be legible even in small print or on low-resolution screens.

The Georgia font has multiple traditional features that make it elegant and flawless. You can use it on multiple platforms, as it’s highly legible and works well with print and display projects.

You can use the Georgia font on your professional website, books, reports, etc. Its notable styles include Georgia Regular, Georgia Italic, Georgia Bold, and Georgia Bold Italic.

good fonts for assignments

Another font that can work well for your professional documents and reports is Cambria. Cambria is a transitional font that was commissioned by Microsoft and distributed by Windows and Office.

Jelle Bosma, a Dutch typeface designer, created the Cambria font in 2004. He designed the font for on-screen reading but still the font looks good even when printed in small sizes.

Its spacing is even and proportional, which is why it’s accepted by many professionals, who term it simple and professional, making it perfectly acceptable for essay body texts.

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9. Open Sans

good fonts for assignments

If you are interested in Google fonts that are perfect for professional documentation and reports, consider Open Sans. The humanistic font was designed by Steve Matson, Type Director for Ascender Corp, in 2011 .

Open Sans is based on an earlier version called Droid Sans, created specifically for Android mobile devices. The current version of the Open Sans font has 897 characters, including Latin CE, ISO Latin 1, and the Cyrillic character set.

The font was also created with upright anxiety and a friendly look. Open Sans was optimized for print and mobile interfaces. But what makes it more ideal for professional documentation and reporting is its outstanding legibility characteristics.

good fonts for assignments

Roboto is a Google font with a dual nature. It features a mechanical skeleton and largely geometric forms, as well as friendly, open curves. The font was developed in 2011 by Google as the system font for its Android mobile operating system.

Roboto is a unique neo-grotesque font that is distinctively modern. Each letter has a unique hand-drawn ink pattern, although it was made with outer grey lines.

While other grotesque fonts twist their letter forms to achieve a more rigid rhythm, Roboto does not compromise. All its letters seamlessly settle in their natural width to give a more natural reading rhythm.

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good fonts for assignments

Lato is another sans-serif font that was created during the summer of 2010 by a Warsaw-based typeface designer called Lukasz Dziedzic.

Lato was considered a corporate font made for a big client. However, the client decided to opt for a different style. Hence, the font was released to the public.

At this point, Lukasz was keen to balance some initial conflicting priorities and make a transparent typeface when used in body texts.

He also ensured that the font would still display its original traits, even in bigger sizes. As mentioned earlier, the font was created for corporate use; therefore, it will look good on your resume or your business report.

12. Montserrat

good fonts for assignments

Montserrat is another exciting Google font designed by an Argentine graphic designer named Julieta Ulanovsky in 2011 .

Julieta was inspired by the old signs and posters in her traditional neighborhood, so she created a typeface that rescued the beauty of urban typography.

Montserrat consists of two sister families, namely Subryada and Alternates. Each family has unique characters, making the font flexible for various uses. You might have known Montserrat for its use on logos, posters, banners, and advertising.

However, it’s essential to note that you can use Montserrat as a primary font for your professional website and documentation. You can also use it for your academic or business projects.

13. Proxima Nova

good fonts for assignments

Proxima Nova is a strong and versatile sans-serif font worth trying for your next professional documentation and reporting. Mark Simonson created the geometric font with industrial quality.

Proxima Nova is a hybrid of modern proportions and geometric appearance. The font was officially released in 1994 with three basic weight characters in italics.

The font was later re-released in 2005 with full features of 42 fonts, comprising seven weights in three widths with italics.

The modern Proxima Nova is fully updated with features, including support for Greek, Vietnamese, Cryllic, and various currency symbols.

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good fonts for assignments

The Futura font is a unique creation of a German designer called Paul Renner . Futura can be used in various contexts thanks to its great readability and aesthetic appeal.

It has been used in social media bios, and it was used on American Football jerseys in 1997 and various video games and movies.

The Futura font family comprises about 20 fonts in six different weights and two widths. Unlike most sans-serif fonts, Futura was created primarily for display. The font is relatively low in weight, making it ideal for body text.

Futura is a work of art based on geometric shapes. The font supports lower and upper case characters and special characters. It contains 22 fonts in otf and tff formats and is perfect for daily use in print or digital purposes.

15. Franklin Gothic

good fonts for assignments

Morris Fuller Benton created the Franklin Gothic font family in 1904 . The sans-serif typeface is a famous typeface you might have spotted in most software in Microsoft, advertisement texts, and newspaper headlines.

Benton gave the font the name Franklin Gothic to honor Benjamin Franklin, whom he admired for his contribution to American history and culture.

Franklin Gothic was inspired by Kabel and Futura . It has different weights, including bold, heavy, and condensed.

16. Century Gothic

good fonts for assignments

Morris Fuller Benton created the Century Gothic font in 1930 . The geometric sans-serif font was initially created to replace the less versatile and legible Futura font.

Its design was heavily influenced by the 1920 and 1930 Art Deco style to reflect its sleek and modern appearance.

Since its creation, the font has become one of the most popular typefaces, best known for its clean lines, versatility, and simplicity. However, its popularity can be primarily attributed to its ability to work well with print and digital projects.

While some users may find it less legible than most sans-serif fonts, especially in small sizes, Century Gothic remains a popular choice for professional projects.

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17. Baskerville

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Baskerville is one of the oldest sans-serif fonts. John Baskerville created the font in 1757 in England. The font is regarded as a transitional font since it was a stepping stone from older fonts like Caslon to modern ones like Bodoni and Didot.

Baskerville is popular for its distinct differentiation between thick and thin strokes. This differentiation makes this font look good in large sizes.

Its professional look, readability, and eye-catching appeal make it a better choice for all writing, including headers and website content.

good fonts for assignments

Another excellent font for professional documentation and reports is Didot serif, which promises a clear and enjoyable reading experience. The most popular fonts from the Didot family were created between 1784 and 1811 .

Didot is believed to have drawn inspiration from John Baskerville’s experimentation with increased stroke contrast and condensed armature.

The font is perfect for any project, so go ahead and use it for all your professional projects.

Explore the best alternatives to Helvetica & Helvetica Neue here.

good fonts for assignments

Myriad is a geometric sans-serif typeface created by two renowned American designers, Carol Twombly and Robert Slimbach, in the 1990s .

The Myriad font family provides a variety of styles and weights, including regular, bold, italic, bold italic, and condensed.

One of Myriad’s font family variants, Myriad Pro, has earned a good reputation worldwide for its versatility. It’s a popular logo font but also an excellent choice for multiple assignments, including writing headlines for websites, official tasks, and professional documentation.

20. Palatino

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Palatino is an old sans-serif font created by Hermann Zapf in 1948. It is based on Italian humanistic fonts from the Renaissance and named after the 16th-century calligraphy master Giambattista Palatino.

Palatino was primarily created for headings. As time went by, the font became popular for body texts, overshadowing the Aldus font that Hermann had expected to be used for this role.

To date, Palatino remains one of the most widely used text fonts. It is also a creative font that will work well for your design projects.

21. Rockwell

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Rockwell was designed by Frank Hinman in 1934 as a first-time font published by Monotype. It features a robust and adaptable design and is made of 15 styles. It is a popular choice for branding, body text, and other display purposes.

Its simple shapes and heaty serifs make it a top choice for brief blocks of text both for print and on-screen reading.

Its light and bold weights are perfect for creating blocks of text, while its extra bold and condensed style brings authority to display copies.

Throw in some color, and be sure to leverage Rockwell’s messaging power. Its regular and italic styles perform optimally even in the most modest screen resolutions.

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good fonts for assignments

Tahoma is a humanist sans-serif font created by Matthew Carter for Microsoft Corporation . Microsoft distributed Tahoma and Verdana as standard fonts for Windows 95.

It is a popular Windows font, which replaced Sans Serif on Windows 2003.

Tahoma is a Truetype font made of two Windows fonts, regular and bold. It was created to address on-screen display challenges, especially the small size of dialogue boxes and menus. You can rotate or scale it to any size.

23. Trebuchet MS

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Vincent Connare designed the Trebuchet MS font in 1996 for Microsoft Corporation . Trebuchet MS was used for titles in the Windows XP default theme, replacing Tahoma and MS Sans Serif.

The font was released as part of Microsoft’s core fonts for the web package. To date, Trebuchet is still a popular body text font for most web pages. The Trebuchet font stands out for its appearance.

It borrows elements from geometric and humanistic classifications to infuse energy and personality into any page. Given its narrow letterforms, it’s suited for extended texts, web pages, and user interface scenarios, among others.

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good fonts for assignments

Ubuntu is a sans-serif font with 22 styles and a variable with adjustable weights and width axes. The new Ubuntu font was created to enable the personality of Ubuntu to be felt in menus, buttons, and dialogues.

The scope of the Ubuntu font family includes all Ubuntu users’ languages. The font highly subscribes to the Ubuntu philosophy, which states that “every user should be able to use their software in the language of their choice.”

25. Source Sans Pro

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Lastly, we have the Source Sans Pro font. This font family was created by Paul D. Hunt as the first open-source typeface for Adobe.

It draws inspiration from the clear and legible America’s 20th-century gothic typeface designs.

Besides providing clarity in short text sets, Paul’s other fundamental consideration in creating the Source Sans Pro font was a typeface that would read well in extended settings. This has been realized in its generous widths and shorter majuscule letters.

Also Read : Best CSS Web Safe Fonts

Best Fonts for Reports – Recap

In summary, Times New Roman, Garamond, Arial, and Calibri are among the most recommended fonts for reports due to their readability and professional appearance.

It’s also important to consider the medium of the report when choosing between serif and sans serif fonts.

The font size also plays a big role. A font size of 10 to 12 points is generally recommended for the body text to ensure readability.

For headings, subheadings, and labels, a sans serif font can be used for contrast and emphasis.

Boldface type font can be used sparingly to highlight important words or phrases.

good fonts for assignments

Tom loves to write on technology, e-commerce & internet marketing. I started my first e-commerce company in college, designing and selling t-shirts for my campus bar crawl using print-on-demand. Having successfully established multiple 6 & 7-figure e-commerce businesses (in women’s fashion and hiking gear), I think I can share a tip or 2 to help you succeed.

good fonts for assignments

15 Best Fonts for Teachers: Making Learning Fun and Engaging

When it comes to education, every detail matters, and fonts are no exception. Whether you’re creating study materials, handouts, or presentations, the font you choose can significantly impact how well your content is received. In this article, we’ll explore the 15 best fonts for teachers . We’ll not only tell you why they’re the best but also how to use them effectively. So,

Font Selection Criteria

Readability.

First and foremost, a font should be easy to read. After all, the goal is to convey information effectively. Fonts that are clear and legible help students stay focused on the content, rather than struggling to decipher the text.

Fonts have personalities, and some can capture attention more effectively than others. For teachers, fonts that connect with students and make them feel comfortable can enhance the learning experience.

Versatility

The best fonts for teachers are versatile. They can be used in various contexts, from assignments and presentations to posters and handouts. Adaptability is key.

The 15 Best Fonts for Teachers

Font 1: arial.

Arial (2)

Why it’s great for teachers:

Arial is a clean and straightforward font that’s easy to read, making it ideal for educational materials.

How to use Arial effectively:

Use Arial for your typed assignments and reports to maintain a professional and easily readable appearance.

Font 2: Comic Sans MS

Comic Sans MS (2)

Why it’s perfect for classroom materials:

Comic Sans MS is a playful and friendly font that’s perfect for engaging students. It’s great for making study materials more approachable.

Examples of its usage:

Consider using Comic Sans MS for headings and labels in your classroom posters or fun classroom activities.

Font 3: Times New Roman

Times New Roman (2)

Classic and academic appeal:

Times New Roman has a timeless academic feel, making it suitable for formal documents like research papers and essays.

Incorporating Times New Roman in your assignments:

Use Times New Roman when typing your essays and formal reports to maintain a traditional and academic appearance.

Font 4: Open Sans

Open Sans

Modern and clean design:

Open Sans has a contemporary and clean design that works well for presentations and digital content.

When to use Open Sans in presentations:

Choose Open Sans for your PowerPoint presentations to give them a modern and polished look.

Font 5: Chalkboard SE

The nostalgic touch for teaching:

Chalkboard SE adds a nostalgic touch, perfect for creating materials that remind students of the classroom experience.

Creative ways to integrate Chalkboard SE:

Try using Chalkboard SE for headings in your handouts or for special notes in your study guides.

Font 6: Roboto

roboto (1)

Contemporary and versatile:

Roboto is a versatile font with a contemporary feel, making it suitable for a wide range of educational materials.

Creating engaging handouts with Roboto:

Experiment with Roboto when designing handouts to give them a fresh and modern appearance.

Font 7: Tahoma

Tahoma

Clarity and readability:

Tahoma offers excellent clarity and readability, making it a solid choice for study notes and assignments.

Enhancing your study notes with Tahoma:

Consider using Tahoma for your study notes to ensure they are clear and easy to read.

Font 8: Century Gothic

Century Gothic

Minimalistic and stylish:

Century Gothic’s minimalistic and stylish design is great for making your project posters look sleek.

Designing visually appealing project posters:

Use Century Gothic for headings and titles on your project posters to give them a polished look.

Font 9: Verdana

Verdana

Clear and accessible on screens:

Verdana is highly legible on screens, making it ideal for creating PowerPoint slides.

Crafting effective PowerPoint slides with Verdana:

Choose Verdana for your PowerPoint presentations to ensure that your content is easy to read, even on a screen.

Font 10: Quicksand

quicksand

Friendly and approachable:

Quicksand’s friendly and approachable appearance is perfect for classroom activities and materials.

Using Quicksand for fun classroom activities:

Consider using Quicksand for headings and instructions in your classroom games and activities.

Font 11: Montserrat

Montserrat

Professional and elegant:

Montserrat is a professional and elegant font that can elevate the look of your school reports.

Elevating your school reports with Montserrat:

Use Montserrat for the headings and subheadings in your school reports to give them a sophisticated appearance.

Font 12: Droid Sans

Droid Sans

A great choice for digital content:

Droid Sans is an excellent choice for digital learning materials, such as online assignments and quizzes.

Customizing your online learning materials with Droid Sans:

Experiment with Droid Sans when creating online learning materials to make them more engaging.

Font 13: Raleway

Raleway

Sleek and contemporary design:

Raleway’s sleek and contemporary design can give your handouts a modern touch.

Giving a modern touch to your handouts with Raleway:

Use Raleway for headings and important information in your handouts to make them visually appealing.

Font 14: Helvetica Neue

Helvetica

Timeless and versatile:

Helvetica Neue is a timeless and versatile font that can work well in various educational contexts.

Utilizing Helvetica Neue for effective teaching materials:

Choose Helvetica Neue for creating teaching materials like worksheets and study guides to maintain a clean and professional look.

Font 15: Garamond

Garamond

Classic and elegant:

Garamond exudes classic elegance, making it suitable for adding a touch of sophistication to your class presentations.

Adding sophistication to your class presentations with Garamond:

Use Garamond for your presentation titles and headings to create a polished and refined look.

In conclusion, the fonts you choose for your educational materials matter more than you might think. They can significantly impact how your content is perceived and understood. By selecting the right fonts, you can make learning more fun and engaging for both you and your fellow students. So, don’t hesitate to experiment with these 15 fonts and discover how they can elevate your educational experience.

Additional Resources

  • Where to find and download these fonts: Check online font libraries and resources for free or paid font downloads.
  • Typography tips for students and teachers: Explore guides on typography and design principles to enhance your font usage skills.
  • Further reading and resources for font selection and design: Delve deeper into the world of fonts and design with recommended books and online courses.

Closing Thoughts

Remember, fonts are not just letters on a screen; they are tools that can enhance your learning journey. So, as you continue your educational adventure, keep exploring and experimenting with fonts to create materials that not only convey information effectively but also make learning an enjoyable experience.

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12 Best Fonts for Academic Papers in Microsoft Word

Good academic papers deserve good academic fonts. You might not have thought too much about which font you use before, but they play a big part in whether people will take your paper seriously or not. This article will explore the best fonts for academic papers.

Best Fonts for Academic Papers in Microsoft Word

The best fonts for academic papers are Times New Roman, Baskerville Old Face, and Georgia. There are plenty of good options, but you’ll mainly want to stick to serif fonts. They look much neater and more professional while showing that the reader can trust what you say.

Best Fonts for Academic Papers in Microsoft Word

Times New Roman

Times New Roman is the most famous font on Microsoft Word. It should come as no surprise that it’s a good pick when writing academic papers. It’s got everything you could possibly need when it comes to professionalism and readability.

Times New Roman is the best font to use in most situations. If you’re looking for a more formal font, you’ll find that Times New Roman ranks very highly on the list, regardless of what else is required.

It’s a fairly small font, which looks more appealing for an academic paper. A common pitfall that most people fall for is they try to use a font that’s too large, which can make their paper look less trustworthy and more informal. Neither of those traits is good for academics.

Baskerville Old Face

Baskerville Old Face is a great font to use in an academic paper. There have been studies in the past about different fonts and how they engage readers. It’s believed that Baskerville is one of the most reliable fonts, and the writer tends to be more “truthful” when using it.

Whether you buy into studies like this or not isn’t important. What is important is that Baskerville Old Face is a fantastic choice for most academic papers. It looks really good (like a more concise Times New Roman), and it’s very popular.

Baskerville is a fairly popular choice for published novels, so you might already be familiar with the font style. If you like the way it looks in some of the novels or publications you’ve read, you’ll find that it converts very well to your academic papers.

Georgia ranks very highly when looking for a formal font that will work well in an academic paper. It’s slightly larger than Times New Roman, but a lot of people say that this helps it to become a more “readable” font.

When writing academic papers, it’s wise not to overwhelm your reader with information. The more condensed the font is, the harder it can be to make sense of what you’re writing. With Georgia, this isn’t an issue.

Georgia might be one of the larger fonts listed here, but it makes for an easy read. Plenty of readers will be happy to read through an entire paper written in Georgia, but they might be a bit against reading one in something smaller.

Garamond is another decent option that can work well for academics. Garamond is the smallest font we have included on the list, which can allow you to get a lot of information into a very small space without overwhelming a reader too much.

While it’s not always ideal for including lots of information, Garamond does it really well. It’s readable and professional, allowing your readers to make sense of even the most concise explanations you might include.

It’s also quite a popular choice for many writers. You’ll find that it ranks quite highly simply because of how popular it’s become among a lot of writers on Word.

Cambria is a solid font choice that a lot of people like to use. It’s another default font (though it’s mainly reserved for sub-headings in most Word formats). It runs true to the font size, making it a fairly decent choice if you’re looking for something compact.

The serif style of this font makes it easy to read. It’s nearly indistinguishable from some of the other more popular serif fonts like Times New Roman and Georgia, which is why it is such a popular choice.

However, since it looks so similar, it can make it difficult for people to recognize the font or to figure out which font you’re using. While this isn’t the end of the world, it certainly won’t help you to create a unique feel for your paper either.

Book Antiqua

Book Antiqua is another suitable serif font. It’s not as popular as some of the others, but it looks really good as far as formal fonts go. People like it because it offers a slightly more authentic feel and looks like it could be used in a published novel or academic study.

It’s a standard-sized font, and it’s quite easy to read. A lot of people enjoy using it because it can offer a lot of character to their writing. You might not think that a font has that much power, but you’d be surprised once you try and use Book Antiqua a bit more.

Bookman Old Style

Bookman Old Style is another good font that can look like something out of a published paper. What makes this one special is its size. It’s quite a large font with a decent amount of width to each letter (without going too overboard with the letter spacing).

This font is quite popular for people looking to make their academic papers stand out. It’s not the same style as most of the other serif fonts, allowing your paper to bring a little bit extra that some other people might miss out on.

We encourage you to try this one in multiple different situations. It can work both formally and informally, depending on what you’re looking to get out of it.

Palatino Linotype

Palatino Linotype is a good font for many occasions. You’ll often find it used in academic papers because of the interesting style that comes with it. It looks like a classical font, which takes inspiration from some of the older styles of writing that came before computers.

If you want your academic paper to come across as a bit more traditional or formal, you’ll love this font.

Palatino Linotype offers a great deal of character without changing too much of the original formula that makes fonts like Times New Roman and Georgia so special.

Lucida Bright

Lucida Bright is a great font that is very large compared to most. It works well in academic papers, but you’ve got to make sure you know when to use it. If your paper is particularly word-heavy, it might not be wise to use a font that makes each word much larger.

For example, if you have a page limit on your paper, it might be wise to use a smaller font. Lucida Bright will definitely carry you far over that page limit before you come close to the words you might need to use to explain something.

Nevertheless, it’s still a very attractive font that looks really good in most academic papers. If you’re looking for something that’s stylish and readable, Lucida Bright is a good option.

Calibri is a sans serif font, and it’s the first of its kind on the list. We have only included serif fonts because they tend to be more readable and professional. However, Calibri can work really well if you’re looking for a slightly more approachable feel with your font.

Calibri is like the Times New Roman of the sans serif fonts. It is very popular, and most Microsoft Word versions come with it preloaded as the default font for most written pieces.

That’s what makes it such a valuable choice. You can use it in almost any situation (informal and formal) to a great degree.

Arial is another popular sans serif font that you will be able to use in your academic writing. You don’t always have to use the more formal serif fonts, and Arial is a great example of what can be achieved when you’re a little less formal with your presentation.

Arial is much larger than Calibri when the same font size is used. This makes it a lot more visually appealing, though you have to make sure you don’t overdo it with the number of pages it uses.

Before Calibri replaced it, Arial was also the default sans serif font on Microsoft Word. This has allowed it to be a fairly popular choice for many users, and it remains one of the most popular ones today.

Century Gothic

Century Gothic is the final font we want to cover. It’s a sans serif font that can work really well if you’re looking for a slightly larger font. It’s larger than Arial, making it an easy-to-read font that a lot of people like to utilize.

The only issue you might come across is that the size of it can make it seem much more informal. You should be careful with how you use this font, as it could take away from the professionalism or reliability of your academic paper.

You may also like: 12 Best Fonts for Notes in Microsoft Word 12 Best Victorian Fonts in Microsoft Word 12 Best Chalkboard Fonts for Microsoft Word

martin lassen dam grammarhow

Martin holds a Master’s degree in Finance and International Business. He has six years of experience in professional communication with clients, executives, and colleagues. Furthermore, he has teaching experience from Aarhus University. Martin has been featured as an expert in communication and teaching on Forbes and Shopify. Read more about Martin here .

  • 12 Best Serif Fonts in Microsoft Word
  • 12 Smallest Fonts In Microsoft Word
  • 12 Best Victorian Fonts in Microsoft Word
  • 5 Best LaTeX Fonts in Microsoft Word

The 24 Most Professional Fonts to Use

Selecting the right font is an important design choice that can enhance—or detract from—the professionalism of a document. With thousands of fonts to choose from, the possibilities may seem endless. However, not all fonts are well-suited for professional business communications and documents.

This comprehensive guide explores the 24 most professional fonts to create polished, credible business documents that leave a positive impression. We analyse characteristics like readability, legibility, clarity, formality, visual appeal, and versatility to determine which fonts will top for professional use cases in 2024.

A Serif Sensation: Traditional Serif Fonts Offer Readability & Polish

1. times new roman.

This quintessential serif font designed for the New York Times newspaper 1931 remains a staple choice to exude professionalism. The fluid serifs and sturdy letterforms allow Times New Roman to be readable in print. The versatile design also displays well digitally. This font suggests the competence and trustworthiness key for professional communications.

Times Vs Times New Roman

Designed by Matthew Carter in 1993, this serif typeface contains thick, bracketed serifs for enhanced readability. Slightly wider letter proportion compared to Times New Roman improves clarity while maintaining a highly legible 11-point font size. The chunky, semi-bold weight is warm and refined for formal business uses.

Georgia Most Professional Font

3. Bookman Old Style

This classic, versatile serif face echoes Old Style typefaces used in publishing from the mid-1500s into the 1900s. Designed in 1884 by Alexander Lawson for the Century Schoolbook , the slightly condensed letterforms offer a more compact footprint without compressing readability. The sturdy serifs, graceful curves and horizontal stress suggest Old World heritage, perfect for adding gravitas to professional communications.

Bookman Old Style Professional Font

Key Takeaway: Traditional serif fonts like Times New Roman, Georgia and Bookman Old Style offer proven readability and polish well-suited for formal business documents.

Distinctive & Dignified: Transitional Serifs Bridge Generations

4. baskerville.

This refined, stately serif face designed by John Baskerville in 1757 defined transitional serif styles, forging a bridge from Old Style to modern looks. The crisp edges offer exceptional clarity, while distinctive ball terminals on letter curves add flair. Baskerville brings heritage elegance to contemporary professional settings, from resumes to reports.

Baskerville Font

5. New Baskerville

Released in 1917, this refreshed Baskerville interpretation by designer George W. Jones is often preferred for clarity on screens and modern printing presses. The slightly thicker strokes offer a bolder definition without compromising legibility. Pair with Georgia for font contrast that delivers professional polish.

New Baskerville Font

6. Times Ten

Photosetting provider Linotype released this updated take on Times New Roman in 1990 to improve output on low-resolution printers and poor-quality paper stock. Subtle changes like shortened ascenders and descenders optimise modern legibility without forfeiting professional persona. The economical proportions also save space.

Times Ten Font Download

Key Takeaway: Transitional serif typefaces like Baskerville, New Baskerville and Times Ten marry historical richness with sharp digital display for today’s professional contexts.

Modern Serifs Marry Heritage With Contemporary Flair

Created by renowned German typographer Jan Tschichold in 1964, Sabon draws inspiration from classic Garamond designs but optimises for modern requirements. The Roman letterforms offer exceptional clarity and even texture suitable for continuous business reading—an excellent choice to communicate expertise.

Sabon Font Download

8. ITC Legacy Serif

This 1993 serif release from the International Typeface Corporation retains Times New Roman’s professional personality but exhibits tighter spacing and finer hairlines for improved modern display. The condensed proportions occupy less real estate, allowing more content presentation.

Itc Legacy Serif Fonts

9. Merriweather

Designed by Eben Sorkin in 2010 for Google Web Fonts, this free serif selection exhibits classic proportions and styling adapted for optimal clarity across print, web and digital media. The understated design promotes continuous reading while conveying competence for various professional communications, from handouts to websites.

Merriweather Font Free Download

Key Takeaway: Modern serif font interpretations like Sabon, ITC Legacy Serif and Merriweather smartly evolve heritage styling for today's professional, multi-media business needs.

Sans Serif Fonts Signal Modernity For The Digital Era

Initially designed by Monotype in 1982 to offer Helvetica -style appeal more economically, this ubiquitous neo-grotesque sans serif font conveys professionalism and modernity. The comfortably spaced proportions ensure approachability while promoting exceptional on-screen readability.

Arial Sans Serif Font

11. Helvetica Neue

This seminal, globally recognised neo-grotesque face originated from the 1957 Helvetica release. Designer Max Meidinger evolved the styling in 1983 to enhance spacing and strokes for improved digital rendering. The Swiss heritage of architectural clarity and purity perseveres through this digitally-optimized typeface.

Neue Helvetica Font

12. Calibri

As the default font for Microsoft Office programs and Windows since 2007, Calibri offers a humanist sans serif option deeply familiar to modern business professionals. The rounded contours ensure approachability while the reliable rendering remains professionally polished across documents, slides, forms and other uses.

Calibri Font Download

Key Takeaway: Leading neo-grotesque sans serifs like Arial, Helvetica Neue, and Calibri adopt simplified styling that crisply conveys professional digital-age messaging.

Specialised Sans Serifs Target Professional Needs

13. clearviewhwy.

Specifically tailored for road signage by designer Don Meeker in 1998, this humanist sans serif face allows extraordinary readability for content viewed from a moving vehicle. Tested and proven across state transportation departments, Clearview denotes authority for wayfinding signage applications.

Clearviewhwy Font

14. Frutiger

This Univers-inspired sans serif, designed by Adrian Frutiger in 1976, improves visual hierarchy through letter variation. Numerals and glyphs are easily distinguished from letters to enhance clarity for signage and labelling purposes. The streamlined Swiss styling also denotes modern efficiency.

Frutiger Font Top 10

15. FF Mark

Designed by Erik Spiekermann in 2009, FF Mark offers a simplified, dotless construction derived from industrial German engineering and architectural signage applications dating to the 19th century. The functional format, stripped of superfluous strokes, delivers clear communication of professional content.

Ff Mark Professional Font

Key Takeaway: Field-specific sans serifs like ClearviewHwy, Frutiger , and FF Mark provide optimised displays targeted for professional signage or technical applications.

Authoritative & Distinctive: Professional Slab Serifs

16. rockwell.

Designer Frank Hinman released this bold, sturdy slab serif font 1934 for the Inland Type Foundry. The thick, monolinear strokes offer substantial visual presence, while softened rectangles lend friendlier allure. Rockwell brings commanding gravitas yet approachable warmth simultaneously to business communications.

Rockwell Font Download

HCI editor Matthew Carter designed this efficient slab serif family in 2001 for media conglomerate Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia exclusive use. Structured, compact strokes ensure clarity even at small sizes on inferior printing presses, maximising professional polish for publishing at scale.

Archer Font Download

18. Roboto Slab

Christian Robertson expanded his 2013 Roboto humanist sans serif into serif and slab serif families as core Google Fonts selections. Roboto Slab’s modern appearance and responsiveness across digital platforms offer a distinctive professional personality deviating from traditional expressions.

Roboto Slab Fonts

Key Takeaway: Distinctive professional slab serifs like Rockwell, Archer and Roboto Slab couple commanding visual presence with sturdy legibility to elevate business content .

Specialist Display Fonts Grab Professional Attention

This imposing caps-only Roman square capital's face echoes the solid strokes displayed prominently on Trajan ’s Column monument erected circa 113 AD. The all-caps letterforms project monumentality, allowing this font to emphasise professional titles, logos, signage and headlines with gravitas.

Trajan Font

Paul Renner’s 1927 milestone project encapsulated Modernist design with ideological efficiency through ordered, geometric strokes. Branding professionals leverage Futura to communicate focus and innovation, while design principals rely on minimal expression to emphasise information density.

Famous Logos With Futura Font

Inspired by architectural signage, designer Tobias Frere-Jones crafted this bold, structural alphabet in 2000 to evoke steadfast New York heritage. Professional designers rely on Gotham’s straightforward style to communicate confidence through headlines, titles, and branding elements .

Professional Fonts Gotham

Key Takeaway: Columnar Trajan, modern Futura, and architectural Gotham offer scalable display fonts to attract professional interest to titles, branding and headlines.

Handwritten Fonts Convey Personal and Professional Approachability

22. dearsarah sf pro.

Software developers Balance Type Foundry crafted this stylish, contemporary handwritten face in 2021 to inject personal warmth into professional communications. Ligatures between specific letter pairs boost intimacy while practising restraint to sustain polish, befitting more formal contexts like event invitations or featured callouts.

Dearsarah Sf Pro Fonts

23. Sf Handwriting Dakota

This casual handwritten font comes courtesy of the digital agency Design K to resonate authentically with personal correspondence for professional introductions or outreach touchpoints. Designed with multilingual support, the global accessibility remains professionally inclusive.

Dakota Handwriting Font

24. Homemade Apple

Independent type designer Sam Parrett delivers this distinctive, organic handwritten face that combines whimsical, retro warmth akin to scampering chalkboard renderings with the approachability of a trusted neighbour. Professional applications could include feature headers in reports or emphasis lines within newsletters to boost engagement.

Homemade Apple Font Download

Key Takeaway: Casual handwritten fonts like DearSarah SF Pro, SF Handwriting Dakota, and Homemade Apple humanise professional messaging through personalised execution.

Combining Complementary Fonts Creates Hierarchy & Contrast

When combining fonts for professional communications:

  • Align Serif & Sans Serif Faces – Pairing a serif such as Garamond or Times New Roman with a sans serif like Arial or Helvetica offers visual hierarchy through contrast.
  • Vary Weights For Emphasis – Mix heavy, light or condensed weights of compatible font families to make key content stand out.
  • Highlight Display vs Text – Blend sturdy display fonts like Impact or Gotham to accent readable text choices like Georgia or Calibri.
  • Maintain Consistent Typography – Limit professional font combinations to 2 or 3 compatible families and remain consistent across branded touchpoints.

Key Takeaway: Thoughtfully blending 2-3 complementary fonts into professional communications clarifies visual hierarchy through strategic contrast.

5 Key Criteria Define Great Professional Fonts

  • Readability – Strong letterforms deliver content consumption efficiently
  • Legibility – Distinct characters discern at small sizes
  • Clarity – Crisp definition promotes engagement
  • Compatibility – Adapts gracefully across media formats
  • Personality – Unique traits align with context

Key Takeaway: Professional font technical effectiveness must match appropriate contextual emotion and personality to achieve communications goals fully.

Most Professional Fonts – Recap At A Glance

  • Serif – Times New Roman, Sabon, Georgia, Merriweather
  • Sans Serif – Arial, Helvetica Neue, ClearviewHwy
  • Slab Serif – Archer, Roboto Slab, Rockwell
  • Display – Futura, Gotham, Trajan
  • Handwritten – DearSarah SF Pro, Homemade Apple

Conclusion: Apply Thoughtful Typography For Professional Results

This expansive guide highlights 24 exceptional font faces spanning common professional categories like Serif, Sans Serif, Slab Serif, Display and Handwritten. Each recommended font qualifies for business usage through optimal legibility, compatibility across modern media, and personality characteristics that strategically match professional communications goals.

While the highlighted selections represent esteemed options, designers must carefully contemplate additional criteria like industry context, audience demographics and branded guidelines when specifying fonts for professional documents or communications. Traditional selections like Times New Roman remain prudent choices that reliably convey professional expectations for specific formal uses like legal briefs or financial statements. More progressive companies may incorporate distinctive yet legible modern fonts like Helvetica Neue or Roboto Slab to signal forward-thinking, design-focused appeal.

Above all, professional font selections rely on thoughtful implementation aligned to the specifics of the intended communication and consumption formats. Suitable fonts effectively capture attention, sharpen hierarchy, strengthen retention and promote clarity to optimise audience engagement. As fine dining plates must be expertly paired to complemental courses, precision font selections elevate messaging while underscoring competence and care through thoughtful typographic presentation.

Review these 24 versatile professional fonts for your next communications project, effortlessly conveying your expertise through strategic typography optimised for business results.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Professional Fonts

What are the top 5 most professional fonts.

The five most versatile and professionally appropriate fonts include Times New Roman (Serif), Arial (Sans Serif), Archer (Slab Serif), Futura (Display) and DearSarah SF (Script). Each reliably offers legibility, compatibility and polish for business uses.

What font does Google use?

Product Sans is the primary Google font applied in branding and communications. The custom-designed geometric sans serif offers friendly simplicity aligned with Google's accessible brand personality.

What is the most attractive font?

Beauty proves subjective; attractive fonts vary by audience and context. Classic serifs like Bodoni and Didot offer elegant, fashionable appeal. Friendlier picks like Brush Script and Great Vibes provide emotive warmth. Helvetica Neue and Futura convey sleek modernity.

What fonts do lawyers use?

Legal conventions rely on tradition, so most attorneys use customary fonts like Times New Roman, Arial and Courier New for contracts, rulings and communications upholding document integrity expectations. More progressive firms occasionally incorporate contemporary alternatives like Calibri and Georgia.

What font size is best for professional documents?

Content legibility proves essential for professional communications. Print documents should use at least 11pt font size. Digital presentations can scale down to 8pt font size. Headings should run 2-4pts larger to establish hierarchy. More essential documents may use 12-14pt for optimal clarity.

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Home » Fonts » 25 All-Time Best Fonts in Microsoft Word

25 All-Time Best Fonts in Microsoft Word

  • January 11, 2024

Picture of Hana Terber

  • Written by a professional

Summary: While exploring the vast Microsoft Word's font library, I've handpicked 25 fonts that are my all-time favorite. My top three choices include:

  • Impact : A bold choice, perfect for making strong, eye-catching headlines and statements.
  • Goudy Old Style : Offers an elegant, traditional feel, ideal for formal documents.
  • Century Gothic : Clean and modern, it's great for contemporary designs.

Diving into the diverse world of Microsoft Word's fonts, this selection of 25 is tailored for various needs and aesthetics. From enhancing business documents to giving a stylish edge to creative projects, these fonts cover a broad range of uses. Eager to discover these font gems? Join me in exploring their distinctive styles and practical applications, and see how they can transform your Word documents!

TOP 25: best fonts in Microsoft Word

  • Goudy Old Style
  • Century Gothic
  • Baskerville Old Face
  • The Serif Hand
  • Cooper Black
  • Gill Sans Nova
  • Alasassy Caps
  • Avenir Next LT Pro
  • Century Schoolbook
  • Georgia Pro
  • Verdana Pro
  • Vivaldi Italic
  • Chamberi Super Display Regular
  • Mystical Woods Smooth Script
  • Tisa Offc Serif Pro
  • Britannic Bold
  • Baguet Script Regular
  • Modern No. 20
  • Modern Love Caps

good fonts for assignments

  • About Impact: Ideal for headlines and short titles, Impact is perfect for designs needing a bold, assertive font that captures attention instantly.

2. Goudy Old Style

good fonts for assignments

  • About Goudy Old Style: Best suited for formal documents, like legal and academic papers, where a traditional and professional typeface is required.

3. Century Gothic

good fonts for assignments

  • About Century Gothic: A clean and modern sans-serif font, great for business and academic documents that require a sleek, contemporary look.

4. Baskerville Old Face

good fonts for assignments

  • About Baskerville Old Face: Perfect for literary and academic publications, this font offers a classic, elegant feel that enhances the readability of extensive texts.

5. The Serif Hand

good fonts for assignments

  • About The Serif Hand: Ideal for casual, personal documents or creative projects that benefit from a relaxed, handwritten appearance.

6. Cooper Black

good fonts for assignments

  • About Cooper Black: A great choice for playful and bold designs, like posters and book covers, where a friendly and eye-catching font is needed.

7. Gill Sans Nova

good fonts for assignments

  • About Gill Sans Nova: Suitable for both corporate and creative documents, this versatile font offers a modern, clean look for various applications.

8. Alasassy Caps

good fonts for assignments

  • About Alasassy Caps: Perfect for artistic or elegant designs, such as wedding invitations or stylish branding materials, where a decorative touch is desired.

9. Avenir Next LT Pro

good fonts for assignments

  • About Avenir Next LT Pro: A modern and versatile font, great for corporate branding, digital content, and user interfaces requiring a clean, approachable look.

10. Century Schoolbook

good fonts for assignments

  • About Century Schoolbook: Often used in educational materials and children's books, this font is designed for high readability and a comfortable reading experience.

11. Georgia Pro

good fonts for assignments

  • About Georgia Pro: An excellent choice for both print and digital media, this font is renowned for its readability and classic elegance.

12. Verdana Pro

good fonts for assignments

  • About Verdana Pro: Ideal for web content and screen reading, offering exceptional clarity and legibility even at small sizes.

13. Vivaldi Italic

good fonts for assignments

  • About Vivaldi Italic: Best for formal invitations and certificates, this font adds a touch of elegance and sophistication with its ornate, script style.

14. Chamberi Super Display Regular

good fonts for assignments

  • About Chamberi Super Display Regular: A bold, modern font, perfect for impactful headlines, advertising, and any design needing a elegant and sophisticated feel.

15. Garamond

good fonts for assignments

  • About Garamond: This timeless font is suited for formal documents and publishing, offering a professional and classic appearance.

16. Broadway

good fonts for assignments

  • About Broadway: Great for theatrical posters, event announcements, and designs requiring a retro, 1920s flair.

17. Tw Cen MT

good fonts for assignments

  • About Tw Cen MT: A versatile font that works well for both headings and body text, suitable for a variety of professional and creative applications.

18. Gungsuh

good fonts for assignments

  • About Gungsuh: This font is ideal for documents requiring an Asian aesthetic, offering a unique, stylized appearance for multilingual projects.

19. Mystical Woods Smooth Script

good fonts for assignments

  • About Mystical Woods Smooth Script: Perfect for fantasy-themed designs and creative projects that require a whimsical, handcrafted script style.

20. Tisa Offc Serif Pro

good fonts for assignments

  • About Tisa Offc Serif Pro: A contemporary serif font, excellent for editorial content, offering great readability and a modern yet professional look.

21. Britannic Bold

good fonts for assignments

  • About Britannic Bold: This font is a strong and assertive font, perfect for headlines and branding that require a modern, yet slightly playful and approachable character.

22. Rockwell

good fonts for assignments

  • About Rockwell: A strong, slab-serif font, ideal for headlines and statements in both print and digital media that require a solid, authoritative presence.

23. Baguet Script Regular

good fonts for assignments

  • About Baguet Script Regular: This elegant script font is perfect for wedding invitations, formal events, and branding where a touch of sophistication is desired.

24. Modern No. 20

good fonts for assignments

  • About Modern No. 20: Ideal for formal documents, such as certificates and awards, offering a traditional, refined style.

25. Modern Love Caps

good fonts for assignments

  • About Modern Love Caps: Great for fashion and lifestyle branding, where a stylish, contemporary font can add a chic, modern touch.

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How to choose the best font in Microsoft Word?

  • Consider the Purpose: Different documents require different fonts; a formal report may need a more professional font, while a creative flyer might benefit from a more decorative one.
  • Readability: Choose fonts that are easy to read, especially for long texts. Sans-serif fonts are often more readable, particularly on digital screens.
  • Audience and Context: Consider who will be reading the document and in what context. A young audience or a casual event might allow for more playful fonts.
  • Pairing Fonts: If using more than one font, ensure they complement each other. A common approach is pairing a serif font for headings with a sans-serif for body text.
  • Branding and Consistency: For business or personal branding, select fonts that align with the brand's style and use them consistently across all documents.

What are Microsoft Word fonts usually used for?

  • Professional and Formal Documents: Certain fonts are favored for their clean and clear appearance, making them suitable for official reports, business correspondence, and academic writing.
  • Creative and Decorative Purposes: Some fonts offer a more decorative or unique style, which is ideal for designing invitations, posters, and marketing materials that require a creative touch.
  • Digital and Screen Readability: There are fonts specifically designed for digital readability, ensuring clarity and ease of reading on computer screens, tablets, and smartphones.
  • Educational Content: For educational materials, especially those aimed at young learners, fonts that are simple, clear, and easy to read are often chosen to facilitate better comprehension and learning.
  • Branding and Marketing Consistency: In branding and marketing, selecting a consistent font style across all materials is crucial as it helps in maintaining brand identity and recognition in all forms of communication and documentation.

Concluding our exploration of the 25 best fonts in Microsoft Word, the top picks that stand out for me are Impact , Goudy Old Style , and Century Gothic . However, it's important to remember that the term ‘best' is subjective and greatly depends on the specific needs and tone of your project. The ideal font choice will vary based on what you're creating and the ambiance you wish to convey. Approach this journey with excitement and allow your creative instincts to guide you. Each font has its own unique charm and character, ready to enhance and uplift your specific design aesthetic. Embrace this typographic adventure with enthusiasm and discover the perfect font to express your vision!

Picture of Hana Terber

Hana Terber

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Design 101 for Educators: Choose Your Fonts Carefully

Before we dig in, let's start with a quick multiple-choice quiz:

Font : Text ::

A. Hat : Head B. Coffee : Tea C. Voice : Speech

The answer is C. The font you choose to display text is every bit as important as the voice you use to speak if you want a reader to not only understand what they are reading, but also remember it as well. The primary purpose of type is not really to be readable, but to convey information that is to be remembered. Surprisingly, readability might not always lead to the best information retention.

Think about the last really great talk you listened to. Do you remember the content of that speech because it was compelling information or because the speaker spoke compellingly? It was probably a bit of both. However, no matter how vital the content of the speech, a speaker who drones on clearly but monotonously is far less likely to make a lasting impression than someone who speaks with animation and purpose.

Yet we spend very little time considering the font (or typeface) we use to communicate our messages. All too often we stick with the few fonts provided by our word processor, usually the default font, which is going to be the workhorse font Arial. However, imagine a world where everyone sounded exactly the same, where every voice had the same tones and inflections. It would be like a world of monotonous computerized voices. That's what text in Arial (or Helvetica on the Mac) is starting to feel like.

Clarity Does not Always Lead to Understanding

It is often assumed that good typography is about clarity, that the text should be as easy to read as possible. However, blogger Christian Jarret reports in Research Digest that studies by Connor Diemand-Yauman of the Princeton University Department of Psychology and his colleagues may call this assumption into question. Their research found a correlation between the effort it took to read text and the ability of subjects to remember that information for later testing. Yes, information presented in a "harder-to-read" font -- such as Comic Sans -- was better remembered than the same information in easier-to-read type.

One theory is that making the subjects work harder to read text forces them to focus on the text more acutely, engaging deeper parts of their brains than if they could simply breeze through it. Jarret observes from the report by Diemand-Yauman:

An alternative theory on this affect may be that most people pay attention to handwritten text as being more "authentic." Whatever the reason, this seems to be something that many designers inherently know, recognizing that making text more engaging is a better way to convey information that needs to be remembered. There's obviously a balance to be struck. If material becomes too difficult to read, students may simply give up or become more confused. But equally, if it's too easy, they may become bored and complacent.

In Praise of Comic Sans

Comic Sans is often the butt of jokes -- "Comic Sans walks into a bar and the bartender says, 'We don't serve your type here.'" Given what Diemand-Yauman and his colleagues have discovered, that ridicule may be unfair. Comic Sans has a very specific voice, one that -- to a less jaded audience like elementary school students -- feels friendly and familiar, and is very similar to the way in which these students are being taught to write. In fact, one teacher at my son's school explained to my wife that she prefers Comic Sans specifically because it is the only commonly available typeface that shows the form of the letter "a" that she is teaching her children how to write.

However, Comic Sans is not the only handwritten font on the block, nor should we assume that the effect noted by Diemand-Yauman and his colleagues is isolated only to handwritten fonts. There are many alternatives that you can choose from.

Choosing Your Font "Voice"

What designers rely on with typography is finding fonts that help reinforce the message of the text being presented. This may simply be a matter of finding a single typeface or two that will become your unique typographic "voice" -- or it may be that you begin to choose different fonts for the project, picking ones that reflect the tone of the text you are providing your students.

When choosing a font for presenting your own materials, you want to consider two types of content:

  • Titles and Headers: Headers are meant to call attention to themselves and set the mood for the text underneath.
  • Body text: This should generally be a little calmer and clearer to read, but still provide some visual interest to your students in order to keep them engaged. When choosing a typeface for body text, though, make sure the one you choose has a regular, bold and italic style.

You may choose the same font for both cases, but if you do choose different fonts, make sure they are very different. Pairing fonts that are similar but not the same is like wearing two similar but different cloth patterns: they invariably clash.

Finding Fonts

What a lot of people don't realize is that not all fonts are free. In fact, many cost tens or even hundreds of dollars apiece. Even the "free" fonts that come on your computer were actually licensed by the computer manufacturer. You are paying for them in the cost of your computer.

The good news, though, is that there are thousands of free fonts on the Web. One of my favorite repositories for free fonts is FontSquirrel.com . This site has over a thousand fonts to choose from, including over 50 handwritten fonts, and hundreds of clean sans-serif and serif fonts that will work well for body text. My other favorite source for free fonts is Fonts.com , which is home to some of the highest quality typefaces around, including Comic Sans and the new Comic Sans Pro.

Another great alternative to downloading fonts is to make a custom handwritten font with a program like iFontMaker , which allows even a novice to create his or her own custom handwritten font on an iPad ($6.99) or Windows Tablet ($4.99).

I used it to create my own handwritten font called JasonSpeaking01 . It took me a couple of hours, but the font really has a lot of my own voice in it. If you like this font, you can download it for free.

Whatever font or fonts you choose to get your message out, make sure you choose one that balances readability with personality, and you will find your students becoming increasingly engaged with whatever text they are reading.

Online Resources

  • Free Fonts: FontSquirrel.com
  • More Free Fonts: Fonts.com
  • Another Free Font: JasonSpeaking01
  • Font Tool: iFontMaker
  • Windows Help: Installing Fonts in Windows
  • Mac Help: Installing Fonts in Mac OS X

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.

Calibri Constantia

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The Thesis Whisperer is written by Professor Inger Mewburn, director of researcher development at The Australian National University . New posts on the first Wednesday of the month. Subscribe by email below. Visit the About page to find out more about me, my podcasts and books. I'm on most social media platforms as @thesiswhisperer. The best places to talk to me are LinkedIn , Mastodon and Threads.

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Dr. Mark Womack

What Font Should I Use?

The Modern Language Association (MLA) provides explicit, specific recommendations for the margins and spacing of academic papers. (See: Document Format .) But their advice on font selection is less precise: “Always choose an easily readable typeface (e.g. Times New Roman) in which the regular style contrasts clearly with the italic, and set it to a standard size (e.g. 12 point)” ( MLA Handbook , 7th ed., §4.2).

So which fonts are “easily readable” and have “clearly” contrasting italics? And what exactly is a “standard” size?

For academic papers, an “easily readable typeface” means a serif font, and a “standard” type size is between 10 and 12 point.

Use A Serif Font

Serifs are the tiny strokes at the end of a letter’s main strokes. Serif fonts have these extra strokes; sans serif fonts do not. ( Sans is French for “without.”) Serif fonts also vary the thickness of the letter strokes more than sans serifs, which have more uniform lines.

good fonts for assignments

Books, newspapers, and magazines typically set their main text in a serif font because they make paragraphs and long stretches of text easier to read. Sans serifs (Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Gill Sans, Verdana, and so on) work well for single lines of text, like headings or titles, but they rarely make a good choice for body text.

Moreover, most sans serifs don’t have a true italic style. Their “italics” are really just “obliques,” where the letters slant slightly to the right but keep the same shape and spacing. Most serifs, on the other hand, do have a true italic style, with distinctive letter forms and more compact spacing.

good fonts for assignments

Since they’re more readable for long passages and have sharper contrast in their italics, you should always use a serif font for the text of an academic paper.

Use A Readable Type Size

The standard unit for measuring type size is the point . A point is 1 / 72 of an inch, roughly one pixel on a computer screen. The point size of a font tells you the size of the “em square” in which your computer displays each letter of the typeface. How tall or wide any given letter is depends on how the type designer drew it within the em square, thus a font’s height and width can vary greatly depending on the design of the typeface. That’s why if you set two fonts at the same point size, one usually looks bigger than the other.

Compare the following paragraphs, both set at 12 point but in different fonts:

good fonts for assignments

For body text in academic papers, type sizes below 10 point are usually too small to read easily, while type sizes above 12 point tend to look oversized and bulky. So keep the text of your paper between 10 and 12 point .

Some teachers may require you to set your whole text at 12 point. Yet virtually every book, magazine, or newspaper ever printed for visually unimpaired grown-ups sets its body type smaller than 12 point. Newspapers use even smaller type sizes. The New York Times , for example, sets its body text in a perfectly legible 8.7 point font. So with proper spacing and margins, type sizes of 11 or 10 point can be quite comfortable to read.

Font Recommendations

I usually ask my students to use Century Schoolbook or Palatino for their papers. If your teacher requires you to submit your papers in a particular font, do so. (Unless they require you to use Arial , in which case drop the class.)

One thing to consider when choosing a font is how you submit your essay. When you submit a hard copy or a PDF, your reader will see the text in whatever typeface you use. Most electronic submission formats, on the other hand, can only use the fonts available on the reader’s computer. So if you submit the paper electronically, be sure to use a font your instructor has.

What follows is a list of some widely available, highly legible serif fonts well-suited for academic papers. I’ve divided them into four categories: Microsoft Word Fonts, Mac OS Fonts, Google Fonts, and Universal Fonts.

Microsoft Word Fonts

Microsoft Word comes with lots of fonts of varying quality. If your teacher asks you to submit your paper in Word format, you can safely assume they have Word and all the fonts that go with it.

good fonts for assignments

Morris Fuller Benton designed Century Schoolbook in 1923 for elementary-school textbooks, so it’s a highly readable font. It’s one of the best fonts available with Microsoft Word. Because it’s so legible, U. S. Supreme Court Rule 33.1.b madates that all legal documents submitted to the Court be set in Century Schoolbook or a similar Century-style font.

good fonts for assignments

Hermann Zapf designed Palatino in 1948 for titles and headings, but its elegant proportions make it a good font for body text. Named for Renaissance calligrapher Giambattista Palatino, this font has the beauty, harmony, and grace of fine handwriting. Palatino Linotype is the name of the font included with Microsoft Word; Mac OS includes a version of the same typeface called simply Palatino.

Microsoft Word includes several other fonts that can work well for academic essays: Bell MT , Californian FB , Calisto MT , Cambria , Garamond , and Goudy Old Style .

Mac OS Fonts

Apple has a well-deserved reputation for design excellence which extends to its font library. But you can’t count on any of these Mac OS fonts being on a computer that runs Windows.

good fonts for assignments

Finding his inspiration in the typography of Pierre Simon Fournier, Matthew Carter designed Charter in 1987 to look good even on crappy mid-80s fax machines and printers. Its ability to hold up even in low resolution makes Charter work superbly well on screen. Bitstream released Charter under an open license, so you can add it to your font arsenal for free. You can download Charter here .

good fonts for assignments

In 1991 Apple commissioned Jonathan Hoefler to design a font that could show off the Mac’s ability to handle complex typography. The result was Hoefler Text , included with every Mac since then. The bold weight of Hoefler Text on the Mac is excessively heavy, but otherwise it’s a remarkable font: compact without being cramped, formal without being stuffy, and distinctive without being obtrusive. If you have a Mac, start using it.

Other Mac OS fonts you might consider are Baskerville and Palatino .

Google Fonts

When you submit a paper using Google Docs, you can access Google’s vast library of free fonts knowing that anyone who opens it in Google Docs will have those same fonts. Unfortunately, most of those free fonts are worth exactly what you paid for them, so choose wisely.

good fonts for assignments

IBM Plex is a super-family of typefaces designed by Mike Abbink and the Bold Monday type foundry for — you guessed it — IBM. Plex serif is a solid, legible font that borrows features from Janson and Bodoni in its design. Plex is, not surprisingly, a thoroughly corporate font that aims for and achieves a bland neutrality suitable for most research papers.

good fonts for assignments

John Baskerville originally designed this typeface in the 1850s, employing new techniques to make sharper contrasts between thin and thick strokes in the letter forms. The crisp, elegant design has inspired dozens of subsequent versions. Libre Baskerville is based on the American Type Founder’s 1941 version, modified to make it better for on-screen reading.

Unfortunately. Google Fonts has few really good serif fonts. Some others you might consider are Crimson Pro and Spectral .

Universal Fonts

Anyone you send your document to will have these fonts because they’re built in to both Windows and Mac OS.

good fonts for assignments

Matthew Carter designed Georgia in 1993 for maximum legibility on computer screens. Georgia looks very nice on web sites, but in print it can look a bit clunky, especially when set at 12 point. Like Times New Roman, it’s on every computer and is quite easy to read. The name “Georgia” comes from a tabloid headline: “Alien Heads Found in Georgia.”

good fonts for assignments

Times New Roman is, for better or worse, the standard font for academic manuscripts. Many teachers require it because it’s a solid, legible, and universally available font. Stanley Morison designed it in 1931 for The Times newspaper of London, so it’s a very efficient font and legible even at very small sizes. Times New Roman is always a safe choice. But unless your instructor requires it, you should probably use something a bit less overworked.

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Formatting your assignments

Illustrated step-by-step guides to help you understand the formatting and presentation expectations of university assignments.

A student working on a laptop

Introduction 

Although formatting your essay, report or dissertation can feel like a lesser priority than the process of research and writing itself, it is an important way to ensure your ideas are given the spotlight through visually accessible, professional presentation. Formatting can be a minefield, especially when you’re formatting at the last minute; it’s important to leave a few days at the end of your essay writing process for working on your formatting, and to spend some time familiarising yourself with the different aspects of formatting.

301 Recommends:

Our Essay Structure and Planning workshop will outline how to analyse your essay question, discuss approaches logically structure all your ideas, help you make your introductions and conclusions more effective, and teach how to link your ideas and ensure all essay content flows logically from the introduction.

Below, you will find some general introductions to the key areas. 

Action: know the rules 

Because formatting rules can vary greatly depending on your department or assignment, it’s crucial to check the formatting specifications in your assignment description/rubric, and any general departmental presentation standards, as a first port of call. Many referencing systems also have specific rules about how to format your work, so make sure to familiarise yourself with the university library’s referencing guides . Many referencing systems also have more detailed style guides available via their websites.

Formatting key information  

Assignment cover sheets .

In some departments, you may be expected to include a cover sheet on the front page of your assignment. This is a page including key information about your assignment, such as your module number, student registration number, essay title, and submission date.

You may be asked to submit a plagiarism declaration and to make your markers aware of any disabilities through the yellow sticker system . If you are asked to include a cover sheet in your assignment, your department should make you aware of where you can access this.

Assignment titles

Place your assignment title at the top of your first page, either centre or left aligned, in bold font. At university, you may be assigned a pre-designed essay title/question, or asked to select from several possible titles. You may also be asked to design your own essay title. Here are some top tips on designing your own title:

  • To bring focus to your essay, draft a working title at the essay planning stage. You can come back and review this title in light of your finished essay draft.
  • Make sure to use action words in your essay title that reflect the skills your assessors are looking for, both in the assignment description and the marking criteria you have been given. For example, if heavy emphasis is placed on critical analysis, you could use a title like ‘Analyse the effect of…’ See this glossary of essay terms , containing examples that you can use in your own titles. 
  • The action words you choose can also help you to reflect the structure of the essay in your question. For example, an essay using the action word ‘Discuss’ might use a for/against/conclusion or advantages/disadvantages/conclusion structure, or an essay using the term ‘Analyse’ might break an issue down into parts, e.g. into key themes, to understand its meaning as a whole. Think about the type of essay you want to write: do you want it to be comparative, look at several topics equally, or do you have a clear argument that you want to put forward? You can then create a question that gives you the opportunity to approach the topic from your own perspective.
  • Make sure to include the main terminology you are working with in your assignment title.
  • Make sure your question has a realistic scope, without being so broad that you cannot answer it within the limitations of your essay. To limit your question, you could include any limiting factors you are working with, such as specific time periods, geographical regions or sub-themes within the overall topic area. For example, in the title ‘Evaluate the proposition that a global monoculture will destroy diversity and difference’, the broad topic of global monoculture is limited down through a specific sub-focus on diversity and difference.

Stating word counts 

Depending on the instructions you have been given, you may be asked to state your word count, either on your cover sheet or at the beginning of your essay. If you are asked to include this information, make sure your word count accurately reflects the assessment guidance: for example, are references included in your word count?

Visual clarity  

Line spacing .

Most assignment descriptions specify that you should increase the space between each line on the page, from the standard 1.0 spacing to either 1.5 or 2.0 spacing. You are asked to do this to make the essay more visually accessible and easier to read, by breaking up the number of lines on each page. 

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to line spacing in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Fonts 

All non-examination based assignments should be word processed rather than handwritten. Most assignment descriptions will specify that for visual clarity, and to ensure a professional appearance, you should use a plain, sans-serif font such as Arial. For readability, this should be in 11 or 12 point size. Check your departmental or assignment guidance for any specific rules about font choices. 

Page numbering, headers and footers  

Including page numbers in your assignments makes them more accessible. Depending on the departmental guidance you have been given, you may be asked to include these in either the header or the footer of your essay (the blank space above and below where the text would go on a normal page in a word processor). It may also be helpful to include your registration number and the module code of the essay in the same header or footers that specify the page number. 

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to adding page numbers and using headers and footers in Microsoft Word and Google Docs. 

Page layout   

Margins .

A margin is the amount of blank space on either side of a paragraph in a normal word processor. Traditionally, assignment descriptions specified that the margins should be made wider at the binding edge (the left hand side) of the page, to allow for easier reading of printed essays. However, with the shift to online essays, you might not be asked to do this any more and the default settings on your word processor are likely to be sufficiently wide.

For printed dissertations and theses, you may receive specific guidance about the suitable layout of margins, as these are more likely to be printed: see this university guide on formatting PhD theses . 

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to adjusting margins in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Paragraph alignment 

Most formatting instructions specify that paragraphs should be lined up in a straight line (aligned) on the left hand edge, but left jagged on the right hand edge (like this page). This is called left alignment, or flush-left style, and should be the default alignment setting for your word processor. This style can be helpful for visual accessibility, but check any specific instructions you have been given by your department to see which style of alignment you have been asked to use. 

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to adjusting paragraph alignment in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.  

Paragraph indentation

You may be asked to add indents to your paragraphs: an indent is an additional small gap between the margin and the beginning of a paragraph (it makes a ‘dent’ in the first line of your paragraph). Indents are used to provide extra clarification that the reader is starting a new paragraph after finishing the last one: therefore, they should not be used in the first paragraph of your essay. Indents are not always required, and whether you are expected to use them may depend on your referencing style , and any formatting instructions you have been given by your department.

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to indenting paragraphs in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Formatting referenced material 

Footnotes and endnotes .

Some referencing systems require you to use footnotes or endnotes to format your references (make sure to check the library’s referencing guide to familiarise yourself with the expected format of your referencing style). Inserting a footnote into your word document when you have cited from a source adds a superscript number (a number formatted in a smaller font) to the sentence. It creates a note with a matching number at the bottom of the page you are working on (in the footer), which you can add the reference information to.

Endnotes work in the same way, but instead of appearing at the bottom of the page, the reference list appears at the end of the document.

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to manually inserting footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.  

References and bibliographies  

Instead of, or alongside footnotes/endnotes, some referencing systems ask you to include a bibliography and/or a reference list at the end of the essay (make sure to check the library’s referencing guide to familiarise yourself with the expected format of your referencing style). A reference list is a list of all the sources you have directly referred to in the essay, which could be ordered numerically or alphabetically, depending on your referencing style.

A bibliography could be used alongside, or instead of, a reference list, depending on your referencing style; here, you list all the sources you have consulted that have influenced your ideas, whether they are included in the essay or not. The way this is ordered also depends on your referencing style. 

If you auto-generate your citations in Microsoft Word or Google Docs, you can auto-generate your bibliography instead of creating it manually: instructions for doing so are in the resource below. If you use a different reference manager, such as Mendeley, Zotero, or Endnote, these have their own specific instructions for auto-generating bibliographies. See the reference management resources offered by the university. 

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to manually or automatically formatting a bibliography or reference list in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Block quotations  

When you need to include a quotation in your essay that is three or more lines long, you can add this as a block quotation. A block quotation appears on a separate line to the other parts of the paragraph, and is indented (i.e. there is a wider gap between a block quotation and the left-hand margin than there is between the rest of the paragraph and the left-hand margin). Block quotations aren’t placed in quotation marks, so the indentation is used to indicate that you are using a quotation.

Check your referencing guide and any departmental guidance to learn more about the specific rules on formatting block quotations in your department. Because they take up large chunks of your word count, and break up the flow of your texts, make sure to use block quotations sparingly: they are especially helpful when you are going to perform close analysis of a large section of text. For more information on different types of quotation and how to use them, see our workshop on paraphrasing and using academic sources.

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to formatting block quotations in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Advanced formatting 

Headings and contents tables .

Most standard short essays do not include headings, other than the essay title and reference list and/or bibliography. Section headings may be required for some longer or more structured types of academic writing, such as reports; reports often follow a very closely prescribed structure, so it is essential to pay very careful attention to the specific guidelines issued with your brief. Make sure that any system you use for numbering your headings and subheadings is consistently applied throughout the document.

Depending on the advice you have been given, and the length and complexity of a lab report, you may also be required to include a table of contents to help the reader navigate between headings. Contents tables are generally standard practice in longer assignments such as dissertations and theses. Make sure to check any departmental guidance you have been given about formatting reports.

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to formatting headings and contents tables in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

301 Recommends: Scientific Writing and Lab Reports Workshop

This workshop  will help you to familiarise yourself with some of the specific expectations associated with this assignment format.

Figures and tables 

Some kinds of essays, dissertations and reports will require you to make use of figures (pictures, diagrams, and graphs) and tables (any data in a table format). Figures and tables are normally numbered in sequence, e.g. ‘Table 1’, ‘Figure 4’, and are directly referred to in the text according to their number, rather than according to their location on the page (e.g. ‘as shown in Table 2’ rather than ‘as shown below’). 

If your text is of dissertation or thesis length, or if your text has several figures, it may also be helpful to include a list of figures immediately after the table of contents. Some referencing guides have specific rules about presenting and referencing tables and figures, so make sure to familiarise yourself with these and carefully read any specific instructions about figures and tables in your assignment brief. 

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to inserting figures and tables and creating lists of figures/tables in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Top tips for formatting tables and figures:

  • Make sure that any tables or figures you use are placed below the paragraph where you refer to them, and that you have directly referred to all figures and tables in the text of the essay.
  • The caption for a table usually acts as its title, so this is placed above the table in the document. The caption for a figure is usually placed underneath the figure. Do not include unnecessary additional titles in the graph image itself, if the title is already included in your image caption. 
  • Make sure to label your captions consistently, choosing between ‘Fig.’ or ‘Figure’ and consistently using either a full stop or a colon after the label (i.e. ‘Figure 1:’ or ‘Fig. 1.’) 
  • Your caption should clearly and succinctly explain what the figure or table is. If the figure is taken from an external source, you must provide a reference that accurately reflects its copyright status (see these university library guides to inserting and attributing images and figures in university work). 
  • Make sure to include legends in any charts you use (a key that helps to explain the data in the chart). Any data series you use should be clearly distinguishable from each other (e.g. avoid printing a report with coloured graphs in black and white!) If you are only using one series of data, a legend is not always necessary. 
  • Make sure tables are clear and easy to read, using sans serif fonts, a readable font size, and avoiding unnecessary use of colour. 
  • Make sure graphs are clear and easy to read, with clearly and appropriately labelled axes. Be wary of 3D effects that may obscure the clarity of a graph.
  • Make sure to avoid presenting the same information in a graph and a table.
  • Images and figures in printed essays, such as dissertations and theses, should be large enough for the text and numbers to be legible on the printed copy. Make sure they do not extend beyond the print margins of the document. 

301 Recommends: Displaying Data in Graphs and Tables Workshop

This workshop will provide more technical advice on using graphs and tables in your work. See also this Engineering department guidance on formatting graphs and tables in Engineering lab reports.

Appendices 

Appendices commonly appear in dissertations, theses, and lab reports. An appendix provides supporting information that gives the reader a better understanding of the essay, but that might be too long, detailed or awkward to insert into the main body of the essay without breaking up its flow. Interview questions or transcripts, sample questionnaires, raw data, figures, photographs, large/complex datasets, and diagrams are all examples of information that could be included in an appendix, if it is relevant to do so.

The reader should be able to understand the essay without reference to this supporting information, as all the most important and relevant information needed to answer the question should be included in the body (i.e., the appendix should not be used to make room for content that doesn’t fit within your word count). Your appendices must be clearly signposted and explained in the body of your report, highlighting any information that is essential for your reader to understand. Do not include any appendices that are not referenced in the text itself.

The appendices should be placed in numerical or alphabetical order, and signposted according to this specific system (e.g. ‘Appendix B indicates that…’) They should be clearly labelled, using headings that match up to the in-text reference. Appendices usually appear at the very end of the assignment, after your references/bibliography. Make sure to list any appendices used in your table of contents; if you have been instructed to do so by your department or within your referencing system, you could include a list of appendices separate to your contents list. 

The specific format of the appendix heading, and the reference made to the appendix in the text, depends on your referencing style , so make sure to carefully review this information before you design your appendices.

Download this step-by-step illustrated guide to inserting appendices and creating lists of appendices in Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

Tips and resources

  • Use this 301 proofreading checklist to check over your work when you are finished.
  • Use the University Library referencing guide for advice about referencing and formatting that is specific to your referencing style. If you need extra clarification about formatting rules, it is often possible to download an extended style guide from the official website for a specific referencing system. 
  • For further training on referencing, using reference generators, and using images in your work, see the University Library workshop programme .

Related information

Academic Writing

Proofreading

Essay structure and planning

Scientific writing and lab reports

Creating accessible Word documents

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The best fonts for google docs documents.

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The internet is not forever, so it's time to preserve what you can, why you need a longer password, quick links, best fonts to use for google doc, what to look for when choosing a font, choose your favorite google font.

Google has a wide library of fonts that can turn your document into a pleasure to read and write. We've selected the best fonts to make your Google Doc documents look the best they can. We'll cover some classics as well as some underrated new fonts.

If you're a Google Docs user, you probably know that it employs the Arial typeface by default. However, there are also other alternatives offered by Google Fonts that provide similar professional flair and readability.

The Inter font

When it comes to documents, readability will always be a top priority, and Inter excels at this game. There are many types of writings that can be done with this typeface. The font was originally designed to work on the 11px font size specifically. It has a tall x-height that aids in the readability of mixed-case and lower-case texts.

The Inter UI font family has nine different weight styles available on Google Docs. It even has OpenType Features and glyphs if you are looking for more design options.

If you like texts that are carefully spaced out and friendly yet formal, then Inter is your best bet. It's such a popular pick that you may even want to use Inter as your default font on Google Docs .

Where you can best use Inter:

  • Blog or article writing
  • Personal documents

The Open Sans font

Clean, sophisticated, and modern---these words best describe this sans serif font. Because of how clear and balanced the typeface is, you will usually see this style being used on the web. In fact, the font is still very readable, even on small screens.

This typeface is considered a humanist sans serif. In simple terms, it means it's written like a human holding a pen with minimalist contrasting strokes. And because of this, humanist sans serif designs are usually used in education, finance, and the government sector.

Since Open Sans is highly legible, it's best to use this font for:

  • Academic requirements like reaction papers, research papers, or any kind of homework
  • Any type of data that you input in a spreadsheet
  • Formal letters

Google Docs only offers 30 fonts by default. To see Open Sans in the fonts list option, you'll need to add it to Google Docs .

The Roboto font

Roboto is another sans serif font developed by Google, and it has six available weight styles on Google Docs. If we are going to compare it to the default Google Docs font, which is Arial, the former has a more condensed look.

Because of its condensed look, it is the perfect font to use when a lot of content is needed, but there is not a lot of space to work with. When you use Roboto, the typeface appears to be largely geometric since it belongs to the neo-grotesque family of sans serif typefaces. It also has open curves, which makes it a friendly and versatile font to use overall.

Roboto is part of the regular family, and you can also use this font together with the other family type, the Roboto Condensed, and Roboto Slab.

Now, where should you consider using this sans serif font?

  • Documents that will be opened using a phone or a small screen
  • Documents where you have to condense the content in one page

Bonus fact: Roboto is the system font of the Android operating system!

Merriweather

The Merriweather font

Another one of our top Google fonts is called Merriweather. It's a free, open-source serif typeface, and it has a full set of weights and styles available on Google Docs. It also has an interesting set of Glyphs.

Related: What's the Difference Between a Font, a Typeface, and a Font Family?

This font was designed by Sorkin Type, and its signature style balances aesthetics, expression, and utility. No wonder why Merriweather gives off a polished and elegant look, making your documents look more professional.

As for Merriweather's best feature, it's the ability to stand out due to its unique flair. However, it also blends in well when paired with other sans serif fonts such as Roboto, Montserrat, and Merriweather Sans.

Merriweather is best used for:

  • Paragraph headings
  • Professional letters and documents

Inconsolata

The Iconsolota font

Coming from the monospace family, Inconsolata is designed for printed code listings and is favored by programmers. As we've mentioned, it is monospaced, meaning the letters occupy the same amount of width. This kind of typeface dates back to the typewriter days.

One drawback for monospaced fonts is that they may be a bit harder to read than the other types. But Inconsolata is one of the few monospaced fonts that does not compromise legibility. While each character has the same width, the spaces in between them are just right. It's not too condensed but also not too spaced out.

Consider using Inconsolata if you are doing these types of documents:

  • Code listings
  • Manuscripts
  • Screenplay or scriptwriting

Additionally, you can also try to use Inconsolata as paragraph headings and pair it with sans serif fonts.

The PT Mono font

We have another humanist sans-serif on the list, and it's PT Mono. This font is part of the Public Type family where they have sans and serif typefaces. But as its name suggests, this is a monospaced typeface. It's very similar to Inconsolata, except PT Mono is sharper on the edges, making it look more straightforward and more formal compared to the other font.

If you are a heavy user of spreadsheets, this font should be your go-to. Each character has the same amount of width, so it's easier to calculate the size of entry fields, cells, or tables. To activate PT Mono on your Google Docs, you have to go to the font options list and select "More fonts."

We recommend you use PT Mono on your next spreadsheet file so you can get a feel of this humanist monospaced font.

In addition to worksheets, this font can also be used for:

  • Making work tables
  • Creating work forms

Source Sans Pro

The Source Sans Pro font

Source Sans Pro is Adobe's first Open Source typeface family, and it's best for user interfaces .

But what is an Open Source font? These are free fonts that are developed to be used for any purpose, including commercial work. Most designers use an Open Source font because the design is open for modification. The simplicity of Source Sans Pro makes it very pleasing to the eyes. It is sleek and slender, and the style is known for its minimalist approach.

Source Sans Pro makes a good paragraph heading too. The next time you create something on Google Docs, try pairing Source Sans Pro with Roboto or Open Sans for variation.

You can use Source Sans Pro when you are doing the following types of documents:

  • Article writing or blog writing
  • Note-taking

Nunito Sans

The Nunito Sans font

The last on the list is Nunito Sans. It has seven weight styles available on Google Docs. This font is a well-balanced sans serif typeface.

This font's design looks more rounded than the other sans serif fonts, which makes it more appealing. But it's not so round to the point that it makes the style look soft. If you look at it carefully, the uniformity of the strokes balances out the roundness of the design. Overall, it gives that professional yet friendly vibe.

Similar to Source Sans Pro, designers like to use Nunito Sans as well because it's simple yet formal enough. You can use this font to give more personality to your document while still keeping it formal.

Nunito Sans is best used for these kinds of documents:

  • Recommendation letters
  • Research papers

Selecting a font to use may look pretty simple, but there are actually many factors to think about. The most essential one to consider is whether the document you're working on is for print or web. Viewing from a screen and from paper are two completely different experiences, so formatting decisions like what font style to use for each should be distinct from each other.

With that, here are the considerations you should review when choosing a font:

Character Line Spacing

When characters are too close to each other, this can cause your content to look denser and messier. Choose a font with wider character spacing so they're easier to read regardless of how small the sizes can be.

Serif vs. Sans-Serif

Related: What Do "Serif" and "Sans Serif" Mean?

Serif fonts have decorative strokes on them that give your writing a more elegant look. However, choosing consistently readable serifs can be challenging. Sans-serif fonts tend to be cleaner, simpler, and easier to read. Choose according to the mood you're going for and, of course, the readability.

Degree of Legibility

The way you use typefaces matters. You have to think about the size, range of weights and ligatures, clarity of the characters, and height and contrast ratio standards. Choose was reads best to your target audience.

There are over a thousand accessible Google fonts to choose from. All of them are 100% safe to use and can easily be downloaded from their website. In addition, there are no licensing restrictions, as all the fonts listed in their directory are open source and free. You can use them on your Google documents, websites, commercial projects, and even on print.

So, take some time exploring these awesome font options and narrow down your choices until you come up with the ones that can best express your message.

Related: How to Find, Add, and Remove Fonts in Google Docs

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Handwriting, college fonts, permalink to these settings, blockletter by sharkshock, pirate keg +1 by sharkshock, mutant academy +1 by blambot comic fonts, varsity team by don marciano, soccer league +3 by vladimir nikolic, sf collegiate +5 by shyfoundry fonts, college block by sharkshock, octin sports by raymond larabie, octin stencil by raymond larabie, octin vintage by raymond larabie.

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Fonts for Business Communications

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In the business world, the font you choose can significantly impact the readability and professionalism of your communications.

Here are some top font recommendations for business communications:

  • Sans-serif Fonts : With the rise of electronic communication, it’s been observed that sans-serif fonts are generally easier to read on computer screens compared to their serif counterparts. Examples include Arial, Helvetica, and Calibri.
  • Serif Fonts : While sans-serif fonts dominate digital screens, serif fonts like Times New Roman and Georgia can still be effective for printed business documents, offering a touch of formality and tradition.
  • Email Fonts : When it comes to emails, readability is paramount. Some of the best fonts for email design include Arial, Verdana, and Tahoma. It’s essential to ensure that the chosen font appears correctly across different email clients and devices.
  • Logo and Branding : For logos and branding materials, the font should reflect the brand’s personality. There are numerous logo font ideas ranging from simple to complex, but the key is to choose one that aligns with your brand’s identity.

In conclusion, the font you select for your business communications can influence how your message is received. It’s important to choose fonts that are both readable and appropriate for the medium, whether it’s an email, a business proposal, or a company logo.

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Frequently asked questions

What font should i use for a college essay.

Use a standard font such as Times New Roman or Arial to avoid distracting the reader from your college essay’s content.

Frequently asked questions: College admissions essays

When writing your Common App essay , choose a prompt that sparks your interest and that you can connect to a unique personal story.

No matter which prompt you choose, admissions officers are more interested in your ability to demonstrate personal development , insight, or motivation for a certain area of study.

The Common App essay is your primary writing sample within the Common Application, a college application portal accepted by more than 900 schools. All your prospective schools that accept the Common App will read this essay to understand your character, background, and value as a potential student.

Since this essay is read by many colleges, avoid mentioning any college names or programs; instead, save tailored answers for the supplementary school-specific essays within the Common App.

Most importantly, your essay should be about you , not another person or thing. An insightful college admissions essay requires deep self-reflection, authenticity, and a balance between confidence and vulnerability.

Your essay shouldn’t be a résumé of your experiences but instead should tell a story that demonstrates your most important values and qualities.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding your message and content. Then, check for flow, tone, style , and clarity. Finally, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors .

If your college essay goes over the word count limit , cut any sentences with tangents or irrelevant details. Delete unnecessary words that clutter your essay.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

If you’ve got to write your college essay fast , don’t panic. First, set yourself deadlines: you should spend about 10% of your remaining time on brainstorming, 10% on outlining, 40% writing, 30% revising, and 10% taking breaks in between stages.

Second, brainstorm stories and values based on your essay prompt.

Third, outline your essay based on the montage or narrative essay structure .

Fourth, write specific, personal, and unique stories that would be hard for other students to replicate.

Fifth, revise your essay and make sure it’s clearly written.

Last, if possible, get feedback from an essay coach . Scribbr essay editors can help you revise your essay in 12 hours or less.

Avoid swearing in a college essay , since admissions officers’ opinions of profanity will vary. In some cases, it might be okay to use a vulgar word, such as in dialogue or quotes that make an important point in your essay. However, it’s safest to try to make the same point without swearing.

If you have bad grades on your transcript, you may want to use your college admissions essay to explain the challenging circumstances that led to them. Make sure to avoid dwelling on the negative aspects and highlight how you overcame the situation or learned an important lesson.

However, some college applications offer an additional information section where you can explain your bad grades, allowing you to choose another meaningful topic for your college essay.

Here’s a brief list of college essay topics that may be considered cliché:

  • Extracurriculars, especially sports
  • Role models
  • Dealing with a personal tragedy or death in the family
  • Struggling with new life situations (immigrant stories, moving homes, parents’ divorce)
  • Becoming a better person after community service, traveling, or summer camp
  • Overcoming a difficult class
  • Using a common object as an extended metaphor

It’s easier to write a standout essay with a unique topic. However, it’s possible to make a common topic compelling with interesting story arcs, uncommon connections, and an advanced writing style.

Yes. The college application essay is less formal than other academic writing —though of course it’s not mandatory to use contractions in your essay.

In a college essay , you can be creative with your language . When writing about the past, you can use the present tense to make the reader feel as if they were there in the moment with you. But make sure to maintain consistency and when in doubt, default to the correct verb tense according to the time you’re writing about.

The college admissions essay gives admissions officers a different perspective on you beyond your academic achievements, test scores, and extracurriculars. It’s your chance to stand out from other applicants with similar academic profiles by telling a unique, personal, and specific story.

A college application essay is less formal than most academic writing . Instead of citing sources formally with in-text citations and a reference list, you can cite them informally in your text.

For example, “In her research paper on genetics, Quinn Roberts explores …”

There is no set number of paragraphs in a college admissions essay . College admissions essays can diverge from the traditional five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in English class. Just make sure to stay under the specified word count .

Most topics are acceptable for college essays if you can use them to demonstrate personal growth or a lesson learned. However, there are a few difficult topics for college essays that should be avoided. Avoid topics that are:

  • Overly personal (e.g. graphic details of illness or injury, romantic or sexual relationships)
  • Not personal enough (e.g. broad solutions to world problems, inspiring people or things)
  • Too negative (e.g. an in-depth look at your flaws, put-downs of others, criticizing the need for a college essay)
  • Too boring (e.g. a resume of your academic achievements and extracurriculars)
  • Inappropriate for a college essay (e.g. illegal activities, offensive humor, false accounts of yourself, bragging about privilege)

To write an effective diversity essay , include vulnerable, authentic stories about your unique identity, background, or perspective. Provide insight into how your lived experience has influenced your outlook, activities, and goals. If relevant, you should also mention how your background has led you to apply for this university and why you’re a good fit.

Many universities believe a student body composed of different perspectives, beliefs, identities, and backgrounds will enhance the campus learning and community experience.

Admissions officers are interested in hearing about how your unique background, identity, beliefs, culture, or characteristics will enrich the campus community, which is why they assign a diversity essay .

In addition to your main college essay , some schools and scholarships may ask for a supplementary essay focused on an aspect of your identity or background. This is sometimes called a diversity essay .

You can use humor in a college essay , but carefully consider its purpose and use it wisely. An effective use of humor involves unexpected, keen observations of the everyday, or speaks to a deeper theme. Humor shouldn’t be the main focus of the essay, but rather a tool to improve your storytelling.

Get a second opinion from a teacher, counselor, or essay coach on whether your essay’s humor is appropriate.

Though admissions officers are interested in hearing your story, they’re also interested in how you tell it. An exceptionally written essay will differentiate you from other applicants, meaning that admissions officers will spend more time reading it.

You can use literary devices to catch your reader’s attention and enrich your storytelling; however, focus on using just a few devices well, rather than trying to use as many as possible.

To decide on a good college essay topic , spend time thoughtfully answering brainstorming questions. If you still have trouble identifying topics, try the following two strategies:

  • Identify your qualities → Brainstorm stories that demonstrate these qualities
  • Identify memorable stories → Connect your qualities to these stories

You can also ask family, friends, or mentors to help you brainstorm topics, give feedback on your potential essay topics, or recall key stories that showcase your qualities.

Yes—admissions officers don’t expect everyone to have a totally unique college essay topic . But you must differentiate your essay from others by having a surprising story arc, an interesting insight, and/or an advanced writing style .

There are no foolproof college essay topics —whatever your topic, the key is to write about it effectively. However, a good topic

  • Is meaningful, specific, and personal to you
  • Focuses on you and your experiences
  • Reveals something beyond your test scores, grades, and extracurriculars
  • Is creative and original

Unlike a five-paragraph essay, your admissions essay should not end by summarizing the points you’ve already made. It’s better to be creative and aim for a strong final impression.

You should also avoid stating the obvious (for example, saying that you hope to be accepted).

There are a few strategies you can use for a memorable ending to your college essay :

  • Return to the beginning with a “full circle” structure
  • Reveal the main point or insight in your story
  • Look to the future
  • End on an action

The best technique will depend on your topic choice, essay outline, and writing style. You can write several endings using different techniques to see which works best.

College deadlines vary depending on the schools you’re applying to and your application plan:

  • For early action applications and the first round of early decision applications, the deadline is on November 1 or 15. Decisions are released by mid-December.
  • For the second round of early decision applications, the deadline is January 1 or 15. Decisions are released in January or February.
  • Regular decision deadlines usually fall between late November and mid-March, and decisions are released in March or April.
  • Rolling admission deadlines run from July to April, and decisions are released around four to eight weeks after submission.

Depending on your prospective schools’ requirements, you may need to submit scores for the SAT or ACT as part of your college application .

Some schools now no longer require students to submit test scores; however, you should still take the SAT or ACT and aim to get a high score to strengthen your application package.

Aim to take the SAT or ACT in the spring of your junior year to give yourself enough time to retake it in the fall of your senior year if necessary.

Apply early for federal student aid and application fee waivers. You can also look for scholarships from schools, corporations, and charitable foundations.

To maximize your options, you should aim to apply to about eight schools:

  • Two reach schools that might be difficult to get into
  • Four match schools that you have a good chance of getting into
  • Two safety schools that you feel confident you’ll get into

The college admissions essay accounts for roughly 25% of the weight of your application .

At highly selective schools, there are four qualified candidates for every spot. While your academic achievements are important, your college admissions essay can help you stand out from other applicants with similar profiles.

In general, for your college application you will need to submit all of the following:

  • Your personal information
  • List of extracurriculars and awards
  • College application essays
  • Transcripts
  • Standardized test scores
  • Recommendation letters.

Different colleges may have specific requirements, so make sure you check exactly what’s expected in the application guidance.

You should start thinking about your college applications the summer before your junior year to give you sufficient time for college visits, taking standardized tests, applying for financial aid , writing essays, and collecting application material.

Yes, but make sure your essay directly addresses the prompt, respects the word count , and demonstrates the organization’s values.

If you plan ahead, you can save time by writing one scholarship essay for multiple prompts with similar questions. In a scholarship tracker spreadsheet, you can group or color-code overlapping essay prompts; then, write a single essay for multiple scholarships. Sometimes, you can even reuse or adapt your main college essay .

You can start applying for scholarships as early as your junior year. Continue applying throughout your senior year.

Invest time in applying for various scholarships , especially local ones with small dollar amounts, which are likely easier to win and more reflective of your background and interests. It will be easier for you to write an authentic and compelling essay if the scholarship topic is meaningful to you.

You can find scholarships through your school counselor, community network, or an internet search.

A scholarship essay requires you to demonstrate your values and qualities while answering the prompt’s specific question.

After researching the scholarship organization, identify a personal experience that embodies its values and exemplifies how you will be a successful student.

A standout college essay has several key ingredients:

  • A unique, personally meaningful topic
  • A memorable introduction with vivid imagery or an intriguing hook
  • Specific stories and language that show instead of telling
  • Vulnerability that’s authentic but not aimed at soliciting sympathy
  • Clear writing in an appropriate style and tone
  • A conclusion that offers deep insight or a creative ending

While timelines will differ depending on the student, plan on spending at least 1–3 weeks brainstorming and writing the first draft of your college admissions essay , and at least 2–4 weeks revising across multiple drafts. Don’t forget to save enough time for breaks between each writing and editing stage.

You should already begin thinking about your essay the summer before your senior year so that you have plenty of time to try out different topics and get feedback on what works.

Your college essay accounts for about 25% of your application’s weight. It may be the deciding factor in whether you’re accepted, especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurricular track records.

In most cases, quoting other people isn’t a good way to start your college essay . Admissions officers want to hear your thoughts about yourself, and quotes often don’t achieve that. Unless a quote truly adds something important to your essay that it otherwise wouldn’t have, you probably shouldn’t include it.

Cliché openers in a college essay introduction are usually general and applicable to many students and situations. Most successful introductions are specific: they only work for the unique essay that follows.

The key to a strong college essay introduction is not to give too much away. Try to start with a surprising statement or image that raises questions and compels the reader to find out more.

The introduction of your college essay is the first thing admissions officers will read and therefore your most important opportunity to stand out. An excellent introduction will keep admissions officers reading, allowing you to tell them what you want them to know.

You can speed up this process by shortening and smoothing your writing with a paraphrasing tool . After that, you can use the summarizer to shorten it even more.

If you’re struggling to reach the word count for your college essay, add vivid personal stories or share your feelings and insight to give your essay more depth and authenticity.

Most college application portals specify a word count range for your essay, and you should stay within 10% of the upper limit to write a developed and thoughtful essay.

You should aim to stay under the specified word count limit to show you can follow directions and write concisely. However, don’t write too little, as it may seem like you are unwilling or unable to write a detailed and insightful narrative about yourself.

If no word count is specified, we advise keeping your essay between 400 and 600 words.

In your application essay , admissions officers are looking for particular features : they want to see context on your background, positive traits that you could bring to campus, and examples of you demonstrating those qualities.

Colleges want to be able to differentiate students who seem similar on paper. In the college application essay , they’re looking for a way to understand each applicant’s unique personality and experiences.

You don’t need a title for your college admissions essay , but you can include one if you think it adds something important.

Your college essay’s format should be as simple as possible:

  • Use a standard, readable font
  • Use 1.5 or double spacing
  • If attaching a file, save it as a PDF
  • Stick to the word count
  • Avoid unusual formatting and unnecessary decorative touches

There are no set rules for how to structure a college application essay , but these are two common structures that work:

  • A montage structure, a series of vignettes with a common theme.
  • A narrative structure, a single story that shows your personal growth or how you overcame a challenge.

Avoid the five-paragraph essay structure that you learned in high school.

Campus visits are always helpful, but if you can’t make it in person, the college website will have plenty of information for you to explore. You should look through the course catalog and even reach out to current faculty with any questions about the school.

Colleges set a “Why this college?” essay because they want to see that you’ve done your research. You must prove that you know what makes the school unique and can connect that to your own personal goals and academic interests.

Depending on your writing, you may go through several rounds of revision . Make sure to put aside your essay for a little while after each editing stage to return with a fresh perspective.

Teachers and guidance counselors can help you check your language, tone, and content . Ask for their help at least one to two months before the submission deadline, as many other students will also want their help.

Friends and family are a good resource to check for authenticity. It’s best to seek help from family members with a strong writing or English educational background, or from older siblings and cousins who have been through the college admissions process.

If possible, get help from an essay coach or editor ; they’ll have specialized knowledge of college admissions essays and be able to give objective expert feedback.

When revising your college essay , first check for big-picture issues regarding message, flow, tone, style , and clarity. Then, focus on eliminating grammar and punctuation errors.

Include specific, personal details and use your authentic voice to shed a new perspective on a common human experience.

Through specific stories, you can weave your achievements and qualities into your essay so that it doesn’t seem like you’re bragging from a resume.

When writing about yourself , including difficult experiences or failures can be a great way to show vulnerability and authenticity, but be careful not to overshare, and focus on showing how you matured from the experience.

First, spend time reflecting on your core values and character . You can start with these questions:

  • What are three words your friends or family would use to describe you, and why would they choose them?
  • Whom do you admire most and why?
  • What are you most proud of? Ashamed of?

However, you should do a comprehensive brainstorming session to fully understand your values. Also consider how your values and goals match your prospective university’s program and culture. Then, brainstorm stories that illustrate the fit between the two.

In a college application essay , you can occasionally bend grammatical rules if doing so adds value to the storytelling process and the essay maintains clarity.

However, use standard language rules if your stylistic choices would otherwise distract the reader from your overall narrative or could be easily interpreted as unintentional errors.

Write concisely and use the active voice to maintain a quick pace throughout your essay and make sure it’s the right length . Avoid adding definitions unless they provide necessary explanation.

Use first-person “I” statements to speak from your perspective . Use appropriate word choices that show off your vocabulary but don’t sound like you used a thesaurus. Avoid using idioms or cliché expressions by rewriting them in a creative, original way.

If you’re an international student applying to a US college and you’re comfortable using American idioms or cultural references , you can. But instead of potentially using them incorrectly, don’t be afraid to write in detail about yourself within your own culture.

Provide context for any words, customs, or places that an American admissions officer might be unfamiliar with.

College application essays are less formal than other kinds of academic writing . Use a conversational yet respectful tone , as if speaking with a teacher or mentor. Be vulnerable about your feelings, thoughts, and experiences to connect with the reader.

Aim to write in your authentic voice , with a style that sounds natural and genuine. You can be creative with your word choice, but don’t use elaborate vocabulary to impress admissions officers.

Admissions officers use college admissions essays to evaluate your character, writing skills , and ability to self-reflect . The essay is your chance to show what you will add to the academic community.

The college essay may be the deciding factor in your application , especially for competitive schools where most applicants have exceptional grades, test scores, and extracurriculars.

Some colleges also require supplemental essays about specific topics, such as why you chose that specific college . Scholarship essays are often required to obtain financial aid .

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Formatting and presenting your assessments correctly is important because many include marks for presentation.

This may include marks for things such as:

  • formatting and layout
  • APA referencing
  • writing style
  • grammar and spelling.

Before you start on your assessment:

  • check your assessment question, emails from your course leader, and learning materials for how it should be presented
  • read the instructions carefully. Make sure you understand them and follow them exactly
  • if you're not sure about what’s required contact your course leader.

Please note that assessments for psychology courses have specific requirements for formatting and presentation. Refer to the information and guidance provided on our Library and Learning Centre website:

APA Style for Psychology assessments

General guidelines for electronic submissions

  • Most assessments should be produced using Microsoft Word.
  • You can also submit assessments using: .doc, .docx, .xls, .xlsx or .rtf.
  • if you don’t have Microsoft Word go to My Open Polytechnic to download and access your free version
  • if you're not sure about the file type required, contact your course leader.
  • Use a clear, readable font, such as Verdana, Calibri, Tahoma or Arial and use the same font throughout.
  • Use black text on a white background.
  • Avoid coloured backgrounds or text in a colour other than black, unless you have special permission to use them.
  • Use 11 or 12 point font for the body of your assessment.
  • Use 1.5 spacing and 2.53 cm (1”) wide margins.
  • Leave a blank line between paragraphs.
  • If the questions are short, leave a blank line between each question. If they are long, start each question on a new page.
  • Left-justify your work (also known as left-aligned).
  • Use bold for headings.
  • Essays don’t usually need subheadings; reports usually do.

Most assessments need a title page, which should include:

  • the title and number of the assessment
  • the course number and name
  • the due date
  • your full name and student number.

Centre this information on the page, starting approximately one-third of the way down the page.

  • Number and clearly label figures and tables.
  • Add numbers as follows: Figure 1, Figure 2, Table 1, Table 2, and so on.
  • Put table and figure captions above the table.
  • Don't number the items in a reference list.

For more help with figures and tables, check:

Get more help with tables  and figures – APA  Style website

Headers and footers

Insert a header or footer on each page (except the title page). It should contain:

  • your name (last name, first name/s)
  • your student number
  • the course code
  • the assessment number
  • page numbers.

Reference list

The reference list comes at the end of the assessment and should start on a new page labelled 'References'.

Need more help with reference lists? Check out the guides below:

Quick referencing APA guidelines  (PDF 47 KB; opens in a new window)

Guide to APA referencing  (PDF 395.11 KB; opens in a new window)

Appendices are used for information that:

  • is too long to include in the body of your assessment
  • supplements or complements the information you are providing.

Start each appendix (if applicable) on a new page. If there's just one appendix label it ‘Appendix’ without a number. If there is more than one, label them Appendix A, Appendix B, and so on.

In the main text of your assessment, refer to the Appendix by the label – for example, Appendix A.

Tops and bottoms of pages

Check the top and bottom of your pages to ensure they avoid:

  • widows – single lines of text at the top of a page
  • orphans – first lines of paragraphs at the bottom of a page
  • tombstones – headings or subheadings alone at the bottom of a page
  • split lists – lists that are divided between two pages (if possible).

General guidelines for hard copies

Most of the guidelines above also apply to hard copies (printed or handwritten documents).

If your course requires or allows handwritten assessments, be sure to follow the course instructions on presenting handwritten assessments.

Word limits and word count guidelines 

Word limits support the development of concise writing skills. Word count guidelines help you to understand the expectation of workload for an assessment.

 For more detailed information about these go to:

Word limits and word count guidelines  

Got a question?

If you want to talk with someone about formatting and presenting your assessments, contact The Library and Learning Centre | Te Whare Pukapuka Wāhanga Whakapakari Ako. 

Contact the Library and Learning Centre

Rent My Words

Best Fonts for Word (And Where You’ve Seen Them Before)

Believe it or not, Microsoft Word is packed full of stylish and cool fonts and typefaces—you’d just never know it because you’ve only used the program for basic word processing, right?

So, I’m sorry to burst your Calibri-filled bubble, but take a look at all that’s waiting for you under that mile-long font dropdown.

Think—what is the purpose of a font? To help your words stick in the mind of the reader, right? It’s certainly one thing a good font is supposed to do. Well, beyond where Garamond has been used out there in the real world (which we will get to in a second) Garamond is one of the best fonts in Word because it instills confidence in writers. 

I’ve heard this from others, and tweets like this confirm—there is something about writing in Garamond that just makes you feel like you’re writing the absolute best text ever. 

What’s your writing Hill I will Die On and why is it that Garamond is the best font? — Ally Ally Oxen Free (This Appearing House out now) (@AllyMalinenko) November 4, 2022

Now, in terms of where you might have seen Garamond used before, does this look familiar? As solopress.com notes, the Notting Hill font is in fact Garamond (and remember American Eagle Outfitters ?)

this notting hill poster makes it look like hugh grant is standing beside a window where a 12 ft tall julia roberts peers in pic.twitter.com/lwDK1JZtPr — Lou (@gothhorsegirl) March 3, 2018

“Thick and thin” is a great way to describe Bodoni as mentioned in this helpful tweet.

5. Bodoni Designed by Giambattista Bodoni in the late 1700s, this font – with its extreme contrast between thick and thin strokes – takes us back to a different era of typefaces. Though rather sophisticated, you can tell it wasn’t designed for digital display. pic.twitter.com/71MFycsvvq — The Cultural Tutor (@culturaltutor) October 4, 2022

A fancy and luxuorious font, Bodoni is used in more places than you might have originally noticed, but seeing where in fact it is used will cement the thought of it being an elite and upscale vessel.

I had no idea, but Vogue , Calvin Klein, Elizabeth Arden, and the movie Mamma Mia! all utilize Bodoni.

First, though, I love this tweet because it mentions Garamond, which is already on this list, and because it is from someone who says they studied typography. So, while I and others might simply think Futura is cool (and love the fact that it is in Word), you have experts out here also giving the font praise.

I like serifed fonts, always have. For books, nothing beats Garamond for legibility and family flow. But my favourite font has always been Futura. Especially when weights are combined. Studied Typography, so my opinion is biased 😉 pic.twitter.com/nZw85WhkfQ — Cheryl Lawson (@CherylLCreative) November 6, 2022

Next, in terms of where you’ve seen it, The Hangover seems to be a popular source. Besides that, though, and what you have to appreciate about fonts, is that simple tweaks allow for words to take on a completely different look, feeling, and meaning.

As Solo Press points out , in addition to The Hangover, Futura has been used for The Help , Gravity, and other movies. As you can compare here, The Hangover poster gets its point across in all caps, while The Help opts for mixed case, with both working beautifully. Then you have Gravity which also uses all caps, but utlizes spacing for a, well, more spaced out feel.

Because of this, FUTURA is often used in many sci-fi IPs. For things like Destiny, Gravity & as Interstellar’s secondary type. Neat. pic.twitter.com/7qScJi1bUQ — Liam Wong (@liamwong) March 27, 2017

I went through a lot of this when talking about Star Wars fonts on Canva , but having a good space-age font on standby is always a valuable endeavor. On Word, that font is Eurostile, and it might look familiar if you’re a fan of the show Space Force . Never mind that the show is a parody, Eurostile has a place in all things space-age (as cemented by the tweet below).

The Andersons “helped to cement Eurostile’s reputation as the go-to science fiction typeface.” James Millner takes a look at the futuristic type used in the 60s/70s British TV series UFO, Captain Scarlet, and Thunderbirds. https://t.co/HprjpJbLjP pic.twitter.com/CggBhL0HR8 — Fonts In Use (@FontsInUse) November 16, 2021

Cooper Black

Without beating around the bush, Cooper Black is all over the place. I mean, Vox even has an article titled “Why this font is everywhere” with the subhead of “Cooper Black is pop culture’s favorite font.” That same piece goes on to mention the use of Cooper Black…

“Perhaps you know it from the Garfield comics, Tootsie Roll logo, or the Pet Sounds album cover by the Beach Boys. It’s called Cooper Black, and its popularity and ubiquity have never waned in the 100 years since it was first designed.”

Happy birthday to the Tootsie Roll. Keeping dentists and Cooper Black typophiles happy for more than a century. Celebrate by listening to our episode on display fonts that left an impression. https://t.co/OqHUr7WX5w #tootsieroll #cooperblack #typophile #podcast #popculture pic.twitter.com/rS2TN3Ydfs — TwoDesignersWalkIntoABar (@2deswalkin2abar) February 23, 2022

Just by me mentioning it here you’ll start seeing it more and more.

So, let’s just focus on this list from Daily Synopsis , and look at how many times some form of Helvetica is mentioned on their list of “Fonts Used in Famous Logos.”

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What font do you use the most in your assignments?

I've always used Times New Roman 12pt in all my essays and lab reports, because I heard its the most legible. Also it was the only font allowed in APA 6. But ever since APA 7 allows any font (so long as it is used consistently) I have been thinking of trying a sans serif font. What font do you guys use, and why? (Also, If other, please elaborate)

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The 4 Best Fonts For A Resume In 2023

What is the best font for a resume?

Your resume is the most important part of the job application process, because without a well-written one, hiring managers will not consider you. Not only does well-written mean that it is properly structured, contains all the right information, and is grammatically correct, but you should also write your resume in the right font. Unfortunately, there are several fonts that will get your resume ignored and avoided so here is more information about the best fonts for resumes in 2023.

The Best Fonts to Use on Your Resume

A good font will make your resume stand out in a sea of candidates applying for the same job. Here are some of the best fonts to use for your resume.

Calibri: The Calibri font has a contemporary style with a modern, clean, and professional appearance. The font is easy to read and aesthetically pleasing. Calibri is a default font on Microsoft MSFT , making it compatible across the board. The fonts compatibility eliminates the risk of formatting issues that can happen when using less common fonts.

Garamond: Garamond is the alternative to Times New Roman. It gives the resume a more polished, and classic look, making it a lot more interesting in comparison to the Times New Roman. The font allows more text to fit on the page without reducing the size and compromising readability.

Lato: Originally designed for corporate use, Lato , a sans-serif font is serious, but friendly, making it perfect for resumes. It has several varieties including light weights, thin, and hairline.

Verdana: The Verdana font was specifically designed for onscreen viewing, making it great for both digital and print formats. It’s even proportions and wide letter spacing give it an organized, and refined look.

Fonts Not to Use on Your Resume

If you want to make a good first impression with your resume, there are several fonts you should avoid, here are some of them.

Times New Roman: While this may come as a surprise because the majority of people use Times New Roman , it is one of the worst fonts to use for resumes. Here are some of the main reasons why:

  • Generic and Overused: Since Times New Roman is the most popular font, everyone uses it, which gives your resume a generic appearance.
  • Not Easy on the Eye: The font has small lines at the end of each character, and this can make it difficult to read.
  • Outdated Appearance: Times New Roman was originally designed for print and looks outdated in the modern digital era.

Arial: Arial is not the best font for resumes because it lacks the unique characteristics required to give your resume that extra appeal. It is a bland sans-serif font with no distinctive features which makes it a bad choice for small text. Additionally, it’s easy to confuse some of the letters. For example, lower case ‘L’ can be mistaken for uppercase ‘I.’

Comic Sans: Comic sans was inspired by comic lettering and so it has a fun and playful appeal. Therefore, it is not suitable for a professional document like a resume. Also, the font has varying and irregular character shapes which can make your resume look unorganized and unpolished. Consistency in readability and design are essential for a well-structured resume.

The Best Font Size to Use For Your Resume

The best font size to use for normal text are 11-12pt, and 14-16pt for section titles and headers. These font sizes will ensure there is a demarcation between sections, and that the text is easy to read.

Choosing the right font for your resume is essential for presenting your skills and qualifications effectively. Although there isn’t a universal “best” font, as you have just read, there are several to choose from. Ultimately, the best font is the one that boosts your resume’s impact, so try out a few to see which one appeals to you the most.

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Best tech fonts

Future-Ready Typography: Meet the 14+ Best Tech Fonts for Modern Design

Are you in search of the best tech fonts to give your digital creations that cutting-edge, futuristic edge they deserve? If so, you’re in the right place.

In the vast landscape of fonts, tech fonts stand out as the unsung heroes of design. They are the digital architects of typography, meticulously crafted to convey innovation, sleekness, and a touch of sci-fi sophistication. These fonts are more than just letters on a screen; they are the building blocks of the tech-driven world we live in.

From the early days of computing to the modern era of responsive web design and app development, tech fonts have evolved to keep pace with our digital age. They have transcended their functional roles and become an integral part of user experiences, branding, and visual storytelling.

In this article, we will delve deep into the realm of tech fonts and curate a list of the best options available today. Whether you’re a web designer, app developer, content creator, or simply someone with an appreciation for the aesthetics of technology, this compilation is here to help you make informed choices that enhance your digital projects.

So, if you’re ready to embark on a typographic journey through the world of technology, join us as we explore the best tech fonts to elevate your designs to the next level. Let’s get started!

See our publication on  Robotic Fonts  &  Cyberpunk Fonts  as well.

What Defines the Best Tech Fonts?

Tech fonts are more than just letters on a screen. They are the architects of the digital realm, carefully crafted to convey a sense of modernity and sophistication. These fonts exude a unique character, making them a powerful choice for various digital applications. From website headers to app interfaces, the right tech font can elevate your design to a whole new level.

But what sets the best tech fonts apart from the rest? It’s their ability to seamlessly blend form and function. These fonts are not just aesthetically pleasing; they also enhance the user experience, ensuring that your audience connects with your content on a deeper level. In a world where technology reigns supreme, choosing the right font is a critical decision.

Why Opt for the Best Tech Fonts?

Selecting the best tech fonts for your digital projects offers a multitude of advantages. Firstly, these fonts have an innate ability to capture the attention of your audience. They make your design stand out, just as a striking tattoo font would in the world of body art.

Additionally, tech fonts are versatile. They cater to a wide range of design preferences, whether you’re going for a classic, minimalist look or a cutting-edge, futuristic vibe. With a plethora of tech fonts readily available, you have the freedom to choose one that aligns perfectly with your creative vision.

In the digital realm, fonts are more than just text; they are brand identity, user experience, and aesthetics rolled into one. The best tech fonts make your content memorable, engaging, and user-friendly.

So, if you’re on the hunt for fonts that can add a touch of tech-savvy sophistication to your digital designs, the world of tech fonts awaits. Get ready for a typographic journey that will transform your creations and leave a lasting impression.

What are some of your favorite tech fonts? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s explore the world of digital typography together!

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best tech fonts

Best Tech Fonts Collections : Image Credit - Envato Elements

1. Bergan – Cyberpunk Futuristic Techno Font

good fonts for assignments

Introducing BERGAN, a cutting-edge mecha industrial tech font that adds power and inspiration to any project. Perfect for headlines, magazines, websites, branding, and more, this futuristic typeface offers three styles—Regular, Outline, and Slant—each with 113 glyphs. With uppercase, numerals, punctuation, and symbols, BERGAN helps your design project stand out with its futuristic touch.

2. Kroigs – Futuristic Techno Cyberpunk Font

Kroigs – Futuristic Techno Cyberpunk Font

Introducing KROIGS, the ultimate tech font for futuristic projects. This display font is designed to add power and inspiration to your designs, whether for headlines, websites, or branding. With three styles—Regular, Outline, and Slant—each containing 113 glyphs, KROIGS offers versatility and style. Compatible with True Type, Open Type, and Web Open Font Format, KROIGS ensures seamless integration into any project requiring a futuristic touch.

3. Bexago – Futuristic Techno Cyberpunk Font

good fonts for assignments

Unveiling BEXAGO—a cutting-edge tech font designed to amplify your projects with its futuristic flair. Whether it’s headlines, billboards, websites, or logos, BEXAGO delivers unmatched power and inspiration. With three versatile styles—Regular, Outline, and Slant—and a whopping total of 999 glyphs across all styles, this font is your key to making a bold statement. Compatible with True Type, Open Type, and Web Open Font Format, BEXAGO also offers seamless multilingual support, ensuring your creations shine on a global scale.

4. Madsden – Futuristic Font

good fonts for assignments

Madsden – Futuristic Font is not merely a typographic tool but an experience in itself. It represents the future of typography, offering sleek, dynamic, and visually captivating characters that redefine modern design. Whether it’s a sci-fi project, tech branding, or any creative venture in need of a contemporary touch, these fonts are the ideal resource.

Key Features of Madsden – Futuristic Font

  • Uppercase Characters
  • Lowercase Characters
  • Punctuation
  • Multilingual Support

Within this comprehensive list of top tech fonts, each font will be individually explored, providing in-depth descriptions and insights on how to harness their full potential. Design enthusiasts can elevate their creative projects to new heights and embrace the future of typography with Madsden – Futuristic Font and the other fonts in this carefully selected collection. It’s an opportunity to stay at the forefront of design trends and leave a lasting impact with the perfect font for any project.

5. Qrosbi Futuristic Tech Font

good fonts for assignments

The Qrosbi Futuristic Tech Font is your answer to the demand for modern, sleek, and trendy fonts in the market. It’s the ideal choice for contemporary logo design, offering a stylish and user-friendly approach.

Qrosbi Font: Versatile and Modern Whether you’re working on logos, branding, fashion, menus, quotes, album covers, or other projects, the Qrosbi font has you covered. It’s here to enhance your designs and take them to the next level.

As part of a collection of the best tech fonts, this font will be featured alongside others, each with its own unique features and applications. Discover how the Qrosbi Futuristic Tech Font can elevate your modern design projects.

6. Dzruik Futuristic Font

good fonts for assignments

Experience the elegance of  Dzruik Futuristic Font, where minimalist design meets sophistication. With graceful curves at its letter ends, this font seamlessly bridges the past and the future. It’s the perfect choice for various applications like branding, design templates, invitations, calendars, posters, headlines, brochures, and more, catering to the visual needs of modern technology. Its adaptability suits headlines, logos, and lettering, ensuring clear communication with a sharp visual appeal. ‘Dzruik’ embodies a timeless fusion of futuristic style and sophistication, inviting you into a visually compelling world with a touch of Y2k aesthetics.

7. Hacker Technology Font

good fonts for assignments

In the world of best tech fonts, Hacker – Technology Font takes the spotlight. This rounded display font is a nostalgic nod to the computer revolution of the 1980s, combining inviting aesthetics with a distinctive boldness that’s undeniably appealing.

Its versatility knows no bounds, making it a perfect choice for anything related to cyber, security, internet, technology, communication, coding, data, electronics, mathematics, networking, commerce, and more. As part of our latest blog post, this font will be featured in a serial list of fonts, each with its unique description and applications, providing readers with a comprehensive guide to the best tech fonts available.

8. Aeion Tech Logo Font

Aeion Tech Logo Font

In the world of devil demon fonts, Aeion Tech Logo Font emerges as a notable contender. It is a condensed monospaced font that offers seven different weights and the flexibility of a variable font. Aeion has been meticulously crafted with a focus on all things tech.

Aeion exudes an air of unyielding intensity; humor and levity have little space in its presence. Its aesthetic is a harmonious fusion of modern elements with a subtle retro touch, making it a fitting choice for contemporary design projects.

For those deeply entrenched in the world of technology, Aeion proves to be an invaluable asset as a display font. It finds its place in a variety of applications, including posters, branding, social media, magazines, logos, and more.

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9. Maztech Military Technology Font

good fonts for assignments

In the world of tech fonts, Maztech’s Military Technology Font stands out as a top contender. This typeface is a blend of sci-fi, robotics, and futuristic aesthetics, making it a versatile choice for various design applications.

Best tech fonts are crucial for modern branding and creative projects. They offer a unique touch to logos, branding materials, sci-fi posters, product packaging, invitations, advertisements, sportswear designs, and more. Maztech’s Military Technology Font, a cutting-edge choice for tech enthusiasts, adds a futuristic and robotic feel to typography design projects.

Tech font enthusiasts are sure to appreciate the versatility and creativity this font brings to the table. Whether you’re working on a tech startup’s branding or a science fiction movie poster, Maztech’s Military Technology Font can elevate your design game. Embrace the future of typography with this extraordinary typeface, and let your creativity soar.

Explore the possibilities of tech fonts with Maztech’s Military Technology Font and unlock a world of possibilities for your design projects.

10. Siegra – Sporty Tech Font

good fonts for assignments

Siegra represents a harmonious blend of power, sportiness, elegance, and futuristic aesthetics. This versatile techno font offers a dynamic appeal that complements various design styles. With its wide, sharp, and curvy letterforms, Siegra infuses energy and confidence into design projects.

This font is suitable for a wide range of applications, including posters, branding, campaigns, logos, keychains, stickers, t-shirts, and automotive designs. Siegra doesn’t stop at letters; it includes stylish ligatures that enhance your design’s impact. Moreover, it provides multilingual support and is PUA encoded, making it a powerful tool for designers seeking to elevate their work.

With Siegra, designers can harness the font’s innovation to unlock new dimensions of visual appeal and creativity. Whether you’re working on a logo or a sporty poster, Siegra’s versatility and style will make your design stand out. Explore the potential of this remarkable typeface to enhance your design projects.

11. Biomorph Modern Tech Font

Biomorph Modern Tech Font

Biomorph, a recent addition to the world of modern tech fonts, is poised to captivate designers. This condensed sans font family offers versatility and a range of styles, making it perfect for various projects, including branding, publishing, titles, books, magazines, and websites.

Biomorph boasts a font family that includes thin, extra light, light, regular, medium, semibold, and bold versions, giving designers the freedom to shape their creations according to their preferences. Whether you’re crafting a sleek brand identity or adding a modern touch to your website, Biomorph is here to elevate your designs with contemporary typography.

12. Ransom – Modern Technology Font

Ransom - Modern Technology Font

Ransom, a cutting-edge addition to modern tech fonts, caters to technology, sci-fi, and contemporary design. With a futuristic and modern aesthetic, it ensures your projects are unforgettable.

This font is ideal for headlines focusing on the future, technology, and dynamic themes. Ransom is designed with a bold action style and modern touch.

It provides characters tailored for tech-focused projects and comes in .otf, .ttf, and .woff formats for compatibility. Discover design inspiration in its preview and utilize all-uppercase characters to stand out.

Ransom empowers designers to infuse modernity and innovation into their work, ensuring their ideas shine. Whether it’s technology content or futuristic projects, Ransom elevates your designs to new heights, making them visually compelling and impactful.

13. Auranouva – a Hi-Fi Tech Font

good fonts for assignments

Auranouva captures the essence of futuristic vibes in a sleek and modern techno style. Inspired by the latest trends, this font is your go-to choice for all things technology and futuristic.

14. Maztech – Military Technology Font

Maztech tech font

Maztech is the ultimate choice for all your military and futuristic design needs. Perfect for logos, branding, posters, packaging, invitations, and more, this font brings a robotic and futuristic touch to any project in the sci-fi or gaming industry. Unleash your creativity with Maztech and embark on a journey of futuristic typography design.

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Logo

Best Fonts For Logos: Top 30 Design Choices

  • November 6, 2023
  • No Comments

Logo design plays a major role when analyzing brands that have made a significant impact on the market and in the minds of people. Designing a logo is as crucial as launching a product for your business. However, choosing the right font for the logo design can be another hectic task.

Modern logo fonts are significant in contemporary design, conveying innovation and a clean aesthetic that contrasts with classic fonts.

Why do graphic designers stress the importance of choosing a professional logo that works best for your brand?

  • Statistics show that 93% of consumers trust a brand or company with a logo that’s clean and professional
  • Other studies show that font alone accounts for 40% of a logo’s impression on viewers.
  • Creating your logo with an eye-catching and neat font can work wonders for your brand.

So, fonts do play an important role, whether you’re starting a business or have already achieved success. Fonts in your logo design help with branding, and choosing the right one elevates your presence in the market.

Table of Contents

In this article, we will look into 📝

What is a logo font and types of logo fonts, serif fonts, sans-serif fonts, script fonts, display fonts, brand identity, target market, legibility & scalability, minimalistic designs, 2. proximo nova, 5. helvetica, 7. garamond, 8. avant garde, 9. gill sans, 10. univers, 11. choplin, 12. centrio, 14. sassoon, 15. brando grotesque, 16. open sans, 18. rockwell, 20. sanchez, 22.  ff meta, 23. neue swift, 25. horizon, 28. quiche sans, personal opinion:.

  • Understanding Logo Fonts: Here, I’ve included a brief paragraph explaining typefaces that are used for logos and different types of logo fonts that will help you decide which logo font to choose.
  • How to choose a logo font: I’ve also given a small guide to personally help you choose a logo font that matches your brand’s vision and identity.
  • Top 30 best logo fonts : I have surfed through a lot of parts of the web to finalize the top 30 best fonts for logos and all the information related to typography.

Not sure which font you want your logo to be?  I’ve gathered around 30 fonts for you to become an expert in logo fonts or fonts. From finding the perfect logo fonts to downloading free fonts, we’ve got it all covered.

Imagine your brand identity is about power and professionalism. Using a script logo font for your business would never convey the message. Instead, when you use a different font, like a sans serif display font, it can make a big difference in the way consumers perceive your identity.

Fonts fall under typography , justifying the fact that it’s indeed tricky. However, once you grasp the basics, you can easily incorporate typographic rules into your design elements. Different fonts evoke distinct emotions , and we perceive them differently. There are essentially four categories of logo font, where you can begin your search for the perfect font for your brand. Exploring different types of logos can help you determine the visual identity that aligns best with your business values and message.

Geometric sans serif fonts, such as Akzidenz-Grotesk and Avenir, have had a significant impact on design and branding from the early 20th century to contemporary applications. These typefaces exemplify the historical significance and enduring appeal of geometric sans serif fonts.

Still confused?

typography

Typography is the art of arranging letters in a specific way so that a normal human eye can read them without any confusion.

Font category refers to categorizing fonts based on their design, style, shape, and size similarities.

Comment by u/apathyzeal from discussion in typography

A typeface is a family of fonts where characters and glyphs are grouped together and share the same design. Fonts are the individual characters found within a typeface. Each typeface can have fonts with different styles

Basically, all you need to know is that there are four types of logo fonts, or you can view it as there being four font categories from which you can select a font or a typeface that matches your brand’s vision.

Serif Fonts

The oldest and eternal type of font among the four serif logo fonts are characterized by the small strokes or tails at the end of each letter. Serif logo fonts are associated with tradition, elegance, and reliability, often favored by prestigious brands. It has been around for 200 years, and most brands prefer this font as it exudes a trustworthy logo font style, evoking credibility and a timeless feel.

‘Serif’ means dash or line, representing the extending features of the letter ends. They are typically designed for longer forms of content because it’s believed that serifs help the eyes read content faster in print. Most newspapers still use serifs, even in 2023. There are many fonts available under this typeface. The most popular serifs are Times New Roman, Georgia, and Baskerville.

Sans-Serif Fonts

Sans serif font is a typeface that doesn’t have ‘serifs,’ meaning the letters in this typeface lack the usual tails, extensions, or lines at their ends. Sans means without, so sans serif fonts are characterized by clean fonts with no decorative strokes in their letters. This absence of serifs gives the letters lower stroke contrast compared to serif font. However, sans serif styles have fewer stroke width variations but high x-height, shorter descenders, and ascenders. A modern sans serif font is known for its clean, simple lines and versatility, making it a popular choice for branding, logo design, and digital applications.

The best logo fonts come from this family of fonts. They feature more geometric letters, making them easy to read on screens and making the font suitable for creating logos and merchandise design. Sans serif logo fonts are particularly appealing for their minimalistic and straightforward design, making them ideal for online brands due to their excellent screen readability.

Script Fonts

The script font typeface imitates calligraphy and handwritten fonts, giving it a decorative appearance. The letters are not geometric but resemble traditional cursive handwriting . They have flowing and connected letterforms, including ligatures and textures, feature elegant and decorative elements, lack serifs, and exhibit variations in stroke weights to mimic natural handwriting . Homegrown brands particularly favor script fonts when aiming for a friendly and approachable image with customers.

These fonts showcase elegance and style with a modern touch in logo designs. They are widely known for their playful and casual personality, characterized by strokes called swashes defined by curls and letter extensions.

Display Fonts

Display logo fonts are a diverse category suitable for both short and long-term content. They are designed to grab attention, make content stand out, and ensure easy readability. This modern logo font category perfectly defines the fonts ideal for logo designs, enabling them to make a strong statement.

These fonts come in various styles, such as decorative, elegant, modern, and bold. While they are unsuitable for lengthy body copy due to their lack of clarity, they are highly preferred by brands for headlines, logos, branding, and advertisements.

How To Choose A Logo Font

I guess now you have an idea about which font category your logo should be from. Before you choose a logo font, consider a few factors. Here’s a pro tip: when thinking about how many fonts to use in your logo, remember that no more than two fonts should be utilized. This helps maintain a cohesive and visually pleasing design, avoiding a cluttered and overwhelming appearance. Some brands utilize different fonts from various categories to make the logo unique and beautiful.

Comment by u/addaydreamer from discussion in typography

Before deciding on which font to use, always remember the following things when considering your business.

There are different types of logos where the logo clearly communicates the brand theme to customers. Use your brand’s personality as a reference before proceeding further with a font. What is the idea behind the business? Does your logo font reflect the purpose of your business? The main aim is to create a logo that reinforces the message of your brand to the audience, and one way to do so is by selecting the right kind of font that suits the external personality.

Choose a serif font if your brand exudes sophistication and class. Opt for a sans-serif for a modern and forward-thinking vibe. If your brand is warm, personal, and friendly, a script font suits you well. For a unique and edgy brand, go for a display font.

It’s easy and similar to movie logos, where the font communicates the movie’s theme to the audience. Ensure your brand personality shines through with your font choice.

Always consider your target market. Align your logo with your customers’ needs by identifying and analyzing your target audience. For example, if you’re a law firm, choose a mature or traditional logo font to convey trust and experience.

On the other hand, if you’re a homegrown soap brand, opt for a cool logo font to make your brand approachable. Tailoring your logo font selection according to your customer’s needs and values can be beneficial for your brand’s future.

Why do the brands emphasize and prioritize legibility in their logo design? Because if the fonts used for the logo aren’t readable, what’s the point? Creating a unique font logo can make the brand stand out, but what if it’s not readable when shrunk to a small size? Another factor to consider is scalability.

Comment by u/Cutie_Suzuki from discussion in graphic_design

If the brand logo is not legible on small business cards, you must choose a font that considers the logo’s scalability. Your logo will be used on various designs, from billboards to email letters and print advertisements.

Here are some personal tips to strike a balance between legibility and scalability:

• Understand the basics of visual hierarchy , ensuring alignment between letter spacing, color, and font.

• Pair a thin font with a monogram or symbol. If the font can’t be scaled well, you can rely on the logo symbol or monogram.

• Use scripted logo fonts sparingly. They might lose legibility when shrunk to small sizes. Maintain spacing between scripted letters and increase the x-height of letters. Avoid going all caps with the script font.

• Consider color combinations carefully. Light-colored text on a light background can strain the eyes. Opt for contrasting colors to ensure readability and catch the viewer’s attention.

Lastly, focus on minimalistic designs for your logo. Prioritizing color should come second because color might not be available on all mediums. Minimalist designs tend to capture the attention of your audience. If you observe the most successful brands like Apple, Samsung, Nike, Target, and more, their logo designs are simple yet striking. As mentioned before, always stick to one or two fonts for your logo. If you overcomplicate it, the logo can feel cluttered and less attractive.

Top 30 Best Fonts For Logo Design

myriad

Bodoni is a widely used font in logo design and is used by top logos for fashion. It was created by Italian type designer Giambattista Bodoni in the late 18th century. This serif typeface exudes a sense of luxury and timeless charm. It is a popular choice among fashion brands like Zara, Gucci, and Elizabeth Arden. Bodoni has also been used in fashion magazine publications like Harper’s Bazaar and Metropolis.

Proximo Nova

Modern and geometric, The Proxima Nova font was designed by Mark Simonson in 2005. Its popularity soared, particularly after the introduction of ligatures, enhancing both readability and aesthetic appeal. Brands such as Spotify, Mashable, and Samsung opted for Proxima Nova as their logo font to achieve a modern, edgy appearance. Online platforms like BuzzFeed, Wired, and NBC News also utilized Proxima Nova for their logo design.

3. Didot

Didot has been considered the most fashionable serif for almost 200 years. It is one of the best fonts redesigned by typography designer Adrian Frutiger. The letterforms have high-contrast strokes, vertical stress, and flat serifs.  These features give the font an attractive and luxurious appearance, suitable for fashionable logo typefaces. It remains a trendy font within the design community. You can spot this font from Vogue magazine and clothing brands like Giorgio Armani.

4. Futura

Futura is an all-caps font that was essentially created by Paul Renner in 1927. One of the most popular fonts, Futura, is a beautiful geometric font inspired particularly by circles. It is still considered a modern font even after its introduction 85 years ago. There’s a connection between Dolce and Gabbana, a fashion brand, and Domino’s Pizza. You guessed it right, both these successful brands used Futura for their modern logo design. Other brands like Nike, Volkswagen, and Gillette look professional using the Futura font.

Helvetica

The word ‘ Helvetica’ is derived from ‘Helvetia,’ a Latin term for Switzerland. This perfect logo font was designed by Swiss typeface designer Max Miedinger in 1957. Helvetica gained significant popularity as numerous brands, including Apple, Adobe, BMW, Microsoft, Panasonic, and Jeep, chose this font for their logo designs.

6. Avenir

“Avenir” means “future” in French, reflecting forward-thinking and modernism in graphic designs. The renowned typeface designer Adrian Frutiger also crafted an organic variation of geometric fonts, Avenir, in 1988. This versatile font has been employed by brands like Toyota and AliExpress to convey their message effectively. Its well-balanced letters offer visual appeal, making it a suitable choice for business logos.

Garamond originated in the 16th century by designer Claude Garamond. This free logo font is renowned for its readability and is often considered the most legible font, boasting an authoritative and luxurious appeal.

The font’s timeless versatility has influenced major global brands, leading them to incorporate it into their visual identity, including logos and branding. Garamond clearly conveys tradition, trust, and prestige, making it a favored choice for fashion brands like Rolex and Abercrombie and Fitch.

Avant Garde

If you’re seeking a retro logo style, Avant Garde is the font to go for. It’s a bold sans-serif font designed by Herb Lubalin and Tom Carnase, featuring geometric shapes, sharp angles, and innovative letterforms. This font is best suited for edgy and contemporary brands, such as Adidas and Remax.

9. Gill Sans

Gill Sans , inspired by traditional lettering, was created by Eric Gill in 1928. It’s a modern font known for its high legibility. Popular digital brands such as Pixar and BBC utilize Gill Sans. Fashion brand Tommy Hilfiger also employs this logo typeface to make a bold statement with Gill Sans.

10. Univers

With high readability, the Univers Typeface is the most legible, versatile, and adaptable font. Universe font was a groundbreaking font family designed by Adrian Frutiger in 1954. Univers lends a sense of steadfastness, stability, and forward-thinking vision. You can find this font in the logos of brands like eBay, Unicef, Western Union, and more.

11. Choplin

Choplin , a geometric serif designed by René Bieder, is an excellent choice for assertive branding. It’s particularly suitable for magazine and print brands, ensuring your design logo stands out effectively.

12. Centrio

For unconventional and modern makeup brands, Centrio , a modern retro font, can be a perfect choice for logos. Ideal for brands that want to convey fun escapism and simplicity in their brand personality, Centrio fonts offer limitless serif customizations.

13. Gotham

The Gotham typeface stands out as the most recognizable and timeless font of the last decade. It was designed by Tobias Frere-Jones for Hoefler & Co. in 2000. This font often captures the attention of readers and convinces them of its trustworthiness. Gotham’s letterforms are highly legible and unforgettable. Notable brands that have utilized the Gotham font for their logos, titles, and website content include Discovery, Taco Bell, and DC Comics, among others.

14. Sassoon

For businesses targeting children or kids, consider the free logo font Sassoon , created in 1995. This sans-serif typeface was initially designed for children’s books, featuring playful swirls and curls in letters. Toystores, children’s clothing shops, and playschools can utilize this font to attract young audiences effectively.

15. Brando Grotesque

Brandon Grotesque is a captivating and influential font crafted by Hannes von Döhren in 2009. This font is particularly ideal for tech startups, youth-oriented businesses, and lifestyle brands aiming to convey originality and sophistication. Media conglomerate Comedy Central employs this font for its logo due to its clarity, making it work seamlessly on digital screens and in print. The letterforms feature subtle rounded corners and a slightly tilted axis.

16. Open Sans 

Open Sans , a humanist font created by Steve Mattson in 2010, is favored by major brands like Google, Ikea, and WordPress for their logos due to its easy recognition on screens. Its friendly and open appeal makes it perfect for modern and contemporary branding. The rounded shapes of letters such as ‘o,’ ‘e,’ and ‘s’ lend Open Sans a softer and more organic look.

17. Minion

The Minion font was introduced in 1990 as part of the Adobe Systems font family. It’s a nice modern font for logos. Highly legible, it is commonly used for body text in both print and web designs. A prominent example of its use is The New York Times, which extensively employed the Minion font for its rebranding in 2003, including the newspaper’s logo and headlines. Minion can be considered a trustworthy font for logos due to its Renaissance-inspired design, which makes it easy for the eyes to read.

18. Rockwell

Rockwell is a bold font that emphasizes heavy lines, pushing boundaries. Brands using Rockwell tend to attract audiences with its loud personality, exuding clout and confidence. Due to its thick lines, it’s well-suited for logos but not for long texts. IBM’s iconic logo is a prime example of a brand effectively utilizing Rockwell.

19. Myriad

Myriad is a versatile typeface designed by Robert Slimbach and Carl Twombly in 1992. This font is clean and neutral and conveys a minimalistic message, making it ideal for logos. Apple Inc. used Myriad as the brand’s main font for many years. Other popular brands that love this font include Rolls-Royce, Wells Fargo, Walmart, and more.

20. Sanchez

The letterforms of the Sanchez font exude confidence and attitude, making it ideal for brands with innovative personalities. Part of the Latinotype family, this font offers 12 styles with rounded edges inspired by South American typography. Despite being an underrated font for creative logos, this contemporary font is well-suited for branding

21. Foco

Foco is an excellent choice for your font if your brand targets a youthful audience. The letters are neatly enclosed inside a circle with rounded edges, giving the font an aesthetic and cute appearance. Foco is suitable for logo designs, taglines, and headers, offering a unique option for your brand.

22.  FF Meta

FF Meta can be considered the antithesis of Helvetica. Designed by Spiekermann, FF Meta is more fluid and rounded compared to Helvetica, enhancing readability. This font was especially prominent during the 90s, often referred to as the Helvetica of that era. Brands like Herman Miller and The Weather Channel use this font for their logos.

23. Neue Swift

Brands looking for a logo in financial, health, or non-profit organizations can definitely choose  Neue Swift. The font was designed to guide the eyes in a horizontal flow, making words and lines appear separated for easy reading. This makes the font a popular choice for wordy logos. The typeface features sharp angles and sloping strokes on each letter, creating good spacing between the letters.

24. Caslon

Caslon was originally designed by William Caslon I in 1725. In 1990, the font was revitalized by Carol Twombly and is now known as Adobe Caslon. It possesses a traditional yet contemporary charm, maintaining the trustworthy factor for brands when used in logo designs, advertisements, or website content. Many political parties utilize this font to create an attention-grabbing factor, and the University of Virginia uses this font for its logo.

Harizon

Horizon is a futuristic font with cropped angles and sharp curves. It is inspired by the avant-garde movement and is primarily used in science fiction books, comic brands, and TV series logos. This font can be easily spotted in the Star Trek series; it was initially named Star Trek but later renamed Horizon.

Azedo1

Azedo was named after Pedro Azedo, a Portuguese typeface designer. The minimalist letterforms fascinate you with their charm and neatness. It is among the top fonts for logo design due to its striking, well-balanced, and bold typography.

Urbine

If your brand is a modern Gen Z urban fashion line, you can consider Urbine for your branding. The font features soft edges and geometric letters, making it popular among graphic designers for logo designs.

Quiche Sans

Quiche Sans is a perfect font choice for logo design in restaurants, consulting, and personal branding. It adds elegance through its subtle curves and small strokes. The high-contrast letters and striking appearance can grab attention from afar.

Cookie

30. Cenzo Flare

Cenzo Flare

Cenzo Flare is a typeface designed by Bana Arasanz. Block fonts for logos are currently trending, and Cenzo Flare stands out as the top choice in this category. The design inspiration comes from old American advertisements, resulting in curvy, smooth edges and strong, bold characters. You can design your logo, which is well suited for billboards, advertisements, and building your own corporate identity.

Logo fonts are very easy to choose if you’ve already fixated on a brand vision in your mind. Make sure if you, as a brand, design the logo yourself, always use free licensed fonts and it doesn’t come with any legal issues. You can always connect with services that offer you unlimited graphic design , like Graphically.io . We have professional in-house designers who help you with all kinds of graphic design needs.

Now that you have the top 30 logos, you can start choosing fonts for your own logo needs for your brand.  You can also make logos using a logo maker. However, before making a final decision, it’s important to understand the principles of logo design . Choosing the best font for your brand can significantly impact how your audience perceives and interacts with your brand. So, make sure you’re well-versed in the basics of typography before delving into any branding decisions.

1. Which font looks more professional?

Popular fonts like Helvetica, Times New Roman, Avenir, and Gill Sans tend to exude professionalism and cleanliness. Sans serif typefaces are commonly preferred for professional logos for business, often used to convey modern elegance and luxury while maintaining a brand’s sophistication.

2. Which modern fonts are suitable for logos?

Some modern logo typefaces, such as Bodoni, Futura, Univers, Proxima Nova, Gotham, and Didot, offer a fresh perspective on traditional typographic designs and bring an edge to logo designs. These fonts are widely appreciated and utilized by top brands worldwide and are available for free download.

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    Best Fonts for Academic Papers in Microsoft Word. The best fonts for academic papers are Times New Roman, Baskerville Old Face, and Georgia. There are plenty of good options, but you'll mainly want to stick to serif fonts. They look much neater and more professional while showing that the reader can trust what you say.

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    The Modern Language Association (MLA) provides explicit, specific recommendations for the margins and spacing of academic papers. (See: Document Format.)But their advice on font selection is less precise: "Always choose an easily readable typeface (e.g. Times New Roman) in which the regular style contrasts clearly with the italic, and set it to a standard size (e.g. 12 point)" (MLA ...

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    The script font typeface imitates calligraphy and handwritten fonts, giving it a decorative appearance. The letters are not geometric but resemble traditional cursive handwriting.They have flowing and connected letterforms, including ligatures and textures, feature elegant and decorative elements, lack serifs, and exhibit variations in stroke weights to mimic natural handwriting.