Fonts

With few exceptions, all textual elements in your document should use the same font--that is, both typeface and size should be consistent. The font typeface refers to the kind of font you are using, like Verdana or Times New Roman, whereas font size refers to how large the font is.

If your reviewer has noted an issue with fonts in your document, they may be referring to either typeface or size--check both to ensure they are consistent with the font used in your body paragraphs in your chapters.

Consistent font can most easily be achieved by using styles within Word.

Contents
  1. Formatting Requirements
  2. Troubleshooting
    1. Clearing formatting
    2. Showing formatting markup
    3. Inconsistent font
    4. Kerning
  3. Links

Formatting Requirements

Embed all fonts when you convert your disquisition to a .pdf file, in order to ensure the quality of your pdf file. For more information about how to embed fonts, refer to the instructions provided here.

  • Font type – All elements of the disquisition (including body text, tables, and headings) must appear in the same font type. Exceptions include the font that is used within figures, illustrations, equations, or other special elements; however, we recommend using the same font within images.
  • Font size – All elements of the disquisition (including body text, tables, and headings) should use a consistent font size. In certain cases, font size may be reduced; see the respective pages for information on exceptions related to major headings and very large tables.
  • Font color – Use standard (black) font color throughout all body text. Exceptions may be allowed if a single word or phrase within a paragraph or table must use color for descriptive effect (and only if this practice is accepted by your academic discipline).

To ensure proper conversion to .pdf format, disquisitions must use one of the following fonts. The font size given is the baseline font size (used for most elements, including body text, subheadings, table/figure titles, and page numbers). Certain elements may be in a slightly larger font size (for example, major headings), and these exceptions are outlined in the individual sections of this guide. See our Document Accessibility page for more information on accessible fonts.

  • Arial (size 10)
  • Century (size 11)
  • Courier New (size 10)
  • Garamond (size 12)
  • Georgia (size 11)
  • Lucida Bright (size 10)
  • Microsoft Sans Serif (size 10)
  • Tahoma (size 10)
  • Times New Roman (size 12)
  • Trebuchet MS (size 10)
  • Verdana (size 10)
  • Computer Modern Roman (size 11) (for disquisitions created using LaTeX)

In listings, one the following monospace fonts should be used, regardless of what font you've used for the rest of your document. Choose one font and apply it to all listings in your document.

  • Courier New (size 10)
  • Computer Modern Typewriter (size 11)

Quick Answers

The font used in the the body paragraphs in your chapters is assumed to be the default font of your document, and that same font should be used throughout your document for all text, but there are some exceptions as noted below.

  • Disquisition Approval page
    • For example, the typeface on the Disquisition Approval page should be the same as the paragraph text, but some of the text on this page is in a larger or smaller font. Do not change the alignment, spacing, and font sizes of our Disquisition Approval page; if you have, you can download a new template from our Guidelines, Templates, and Forms page to replace in your document. If you change the typeface you use for paragraph text, change the typeface for the font on the Disquisition Approval page.
  • Large tables
    • For example, the font size within large tables may be reduced if and only if doing so would result in the table fitting onto a single page. Before reducing font size, first try resizing columns to eliminate whitespace or placing the table on a landscape page. Font size should never be reduced more than 4 points, and font size should only be reduced if other options have been exhausted.
  • Images (figures, schemes, etc.)
    • For example, we recommend but do not require that text within images use the same font typeface, size, or color as the paragraph text, and we encourage you to employ a consistent font throughout all of your figures, schemes, etc. Text within images must still meet our minimium size requirements--no smaller than 4 pts less than the paragraph font.
  • Equations
    • For example, the font used in equations may be different, and supporting or explanatory text with an equations can be in the same font as your equations or your paragraph text. References to variables, symbols, or functions outside of your equations may use the same font as your equations. However, do not use Word's equation editor outside of your equations; doing so may cause issues with the tagging and display of your document. If you want to reference a variable, symbol, or function outside of an equation, you can add special symbols from the Insert -> Symbols menu, and other settings like super/subscripting can be formatted directly from the text's font settings. See our equations page for more information and examples.
    • Color-coded text
      • For example, single words or phrases may use a different color for effect, such as coloring a word or phrase in a paragraph to match the color used in an image. Additionally, you may use colored text to emphasize an important result within a table. Do not highlight text.

Yes, absolutely. Not all fonts are acceptable, but any font from our list of approved fonts can be used for your document.

General Troubleshooting

Issues like font typeface or size being inconsistent are most easily solved by using styles in Word. If you are having technical issues with fonts, such as fonts appearing differently between Word and the printed PDF, you may have success using one of the methods below.

Clear Formatting

One of the quickest ways to fix formatting issues with fonts is to clear all formatting.

  1. Select the problematic text.
  2. Home > Clear All Formatting (the eraser icon) or press Ctrl+Spacebar.

Once cleared, you can attempt to reapply the appropriate style. Always check the printed PDF afterwards to ensure the formatting has been applied correctly.

Show/Hide Formatting Marks

Viewing formatting marks can help identify hidden formatting issues.

  • Click the paragraph symbol (¶) on the Home tab or press Ctrl+Shift+8.
  • Look for unexpected paragraph marks, section breaks, or spaces. Section breaks in particular can affect the way fonts are presented.

Issue: Inconsistent Font

Inconsistent font can become an problem when text has been copied from websites, PDFs, or other documents and a style have not been applied afterwards. Additionally, inconsistent font often occurs when equations are used within the paragraph text. To style paragraph text:

  1. Select the affected text.
  2. On the Home tab, navigate to the style pane and select the NDSU Paragraph style. You may need to click it twice to fully apply the font settings.
  3. Repeat for all body paragraphs. You can select multiple paragraphs at once, but you should only have paragraph text selected when you apply the style; do not include other elements such as headings, figures, or captions when selecting text.

Do not use Word's equation editor to place variables, symbols, or functions outside of your equations; doing so may cause issues with the tagging and display of your document. If you want to reference a variable, symbol, or function outside of an equation, you can add special symbols from the Insert -> Symbols menu, and other settings like super/subscripting can be formatted directly from the text's font settings.

While colored fonts may be used under certain conditions, text in the document should be black. If you have copied content from elsewhere, be mindful of different colored fonts; grey font is a common side effect of copying from websites or other documents. You can strip formatting from copied text in several ways, such as using the "Keep Only Text" option when pasting. Alternatively, select the copied text in your document and apply the appropriate style, then check its font settings to ensure the "automatic" font color has been applied. In some cases, you may need to apply a style twice (double-click) in order to apply the style's font settings in addition to its paragraph settings.

Do not select all of the text in your document and apply the same font or style; this will cause as many issues as it fixes, since pages like the Disquisition Approval page use different font settings.

Issue: Character Spacing

The spacing between words is called kerning. If the kerning in your document does not appear to be correct, causing text to be compressed or stretched, try the following.

  1. Select the affected text.
  2. Home > Font dialog box launcher (small arrow in bottom right corner).
  3. Click the "Advanced" tab.
  4. Adjust "Spacing" from "Expanded" or "Condensed" back to "Normal".

Resources

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Center for Writers

Email: ndsu.cfw@ndsu.edu Phone: (701) 231-7927 Campus location: Library 16 Contact Page Manager