Compare serif and sans-serif typefaces and when to use each for print and digital.

Compare serif and sans-serif typefaces and when to use each for print and digital.

• A. Serif has small serifs and is commonly used for print body text; sans-serif is clean and legible on screens.
• B. Serif is decorative only; sans-serif must be used for all print.
• C. Serif is for digital headlines; sans-serif for print body text.
• D. There are no readability differences between serif and sans-serif.

Answer: (A)

Serif and sans-serif affect readability differently depending on the medium. Serif typefaces have small finishing strokes, or serifs, at the ends of letters. Those subtle details help guide the eye along lines of text in long printed passages, which is why they're commonly used for body text in print. The way ink sits on paper with high contrast makes these serifs ease reading over many words. Sans-serif typefaces omit those decorative strokes and present a clean, straightforward silhouette. On screens, where pixels and anti-aliasing can blur fine details, simple letterforms tend to stay crisper and more legible at typical reading sizes. That makes sans-serif a reliable choice for digital text, UI elements, and websites. So, the best approach is to use serif for print body text and sans-serif for digital content. (Note that there are design cases where sans-serif is used in print or serif in digital, but this guidance reflects common readability considerations across media.)

Serif and sans-serif affect readability differently depending on the medium. Serif typefaces have small finishing strokes, or serifs, at the ends of letters. Those subtle details help guide the eye along lines of text in long printed passages, which is why they're commonly used for body text in print. The way ink sits on paper with high contrast makes these serifs ease reading over many words.

Sans-serif typefaces omit those decorative strokes and present a clean, straightforward silhouette. On screens, where pixels and anti-aliasing can blur fine details, simple letterforms tend to stay crisper and more legible at typical reading sizes. That makes sans-serif a reliable choice for digital text, UI elements, and websites.

So, the best approach is to use serif for print body text and sans-serif for digital content. (Note that there are design cases where sans-serif is used in print or serif in digital, but this guidance reflects common readability considerations across media.)