Text & Typography

Move all font tags to CSS. The W3C spec for the <font> tag was deprecated in '96.

Header tags

• Use grouping and subheadings to break large amounts of data into smaller units.
• Do not overuse them.
• H1 is an important tag for search bots.
• Use the least amount of different Headers that you can.
• Spec out your headers within your css sheet for control over look
• Headers should be left-justified.
• Titles and headings text should NOT be in all caps

Fonts

• Times new Roman is the easiest text to read.
• 12 point Times new Roman is the fastest text to read.
• 12 point Arial font (anti-alilased and not) is the most preferred.
• 12 point Times New Roman second most preferred.
• Anti-aliased type is more legible if you increase the letter spacing slightly.
• As a general rule, don't anti-alias type that is smaller than 10 pixels.
• Only specify standard fonts.
• Always specify the equivalent fonts for MAC and PC.
• Always specify alternative fonts            
• Always specify either a serif or a sans-sarif alternative.

Typography         

• Limit the width of lines to about a dozen or so words.
• Limit the height of blocks to para’s of 4 sentences or less.
• Never to be placed on top of loud or busy backgrounds.
• Always have proper contrast between bkg and text.
• Text needs air around it, to breathe.
• Never underline text in web pages
• Structure all text for rapid reading/scanning
• Print documents are too wordy for the web, so convert them.
• Use correct spelling and grammar.
• Make your organization logical
• Make your sequences contiguous.
• Eliminate sprung, disjointed, or awkward sentences
• Eliminate spelling and punctuation errors
• All information should be accurate.
• All information should be complete.
• All information should be appropriate to the purpose of the site.

Never use anything like these:

• Click here!
• Change these browser settings…
• Open the browser window |--- this wide ---|
• Stop right now and download this other browser
• Best viewed with ...
• Only viewable with ...
• Click here if your browser supports frames
• If you're using a browser that does not auto-refresh Click Here.
• Download this plug-in
• Set up this helper application
• Turn off the underlining on links
• Download this special font
• How to print this page (Don't I just say "Print"?)
• Click here for a tutorial on how to view this site
• You don't have Java? Go away!
• If you lived here, you'd be home now.
• Coming Soon!

Re-read and revise all your text.

• Inrease the clarity.
• Incease the concision.
• Increase the consistency of tone and level of formality
• Increase the coherence.