Technola : Public Interest Law & Technology Updates & Commentary : Matthew Burnett & Kate Bladow : Tech Advice for the Non-Profit Legal Sector

When writing instructions, your word choice isn't the only factor that determines whether people follow through. The font that you choose also plays an important role. Lifehacker reports that using clear fonts, like Arial, makes instructions seem easier to follow and the tasks more likely to get done. - K

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It's always helpful to have a few interesting fonts on hand to spruce up a report, distinguish your PowerPoint, or to help ensure that your marketing materials attract attention. Most fonts cost money, but not at dafont.com, where all of the fonts are absolutely free. To load a new font on your machine, first download the font and unzip it. Next, if you're using Vista, simply right-click on the font file and select "Install" (same goes for Mac OS X, but double click and select "Install font"). If you're using XP, just save the font file to C:\Windows\Fonts. After the font is is installed, you can select it from the drop-down list as you would any existing font on your machine.

And remember: just because you can use a fancy font doesn't mean that you should. Accessibility is important, so be sure to use fonts that are legible. -M

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'alif ba' ta' by erinscafeamerician

This summer, I've been taking Introduction to Arabic. Most introductory language classes cover greetings, numbers, and days of the week first; however, with Arabic, my class has focused on learning the alphabet. So far we're twenty-four letters in with four more to go. I can't quite pronounce many of those letters right and I get my ya' confused with my ta', but going through the process of learning the Arabic alphabet has made me think a lot about language acquisition. In particular, I had one big "Whoa! That's what it feels like." moment. A DVD came with the book and has a section that shows pictures from street signs. The fonts that are used are decorative and not the fonts that we've been learning to recognize. Most of the letters were incredibly difficult to make out. I made it through a few signs but got really tired and frustrated fast. But then came the "Aha." People learning English feel this way, too. This is why legal forms and community education materials need to use legible fonts, like Times New Roman, Arial, and Helvetica.  Fancy fonts, though pretty, are a barrier for people struggling to read. When you learn to read, you get big letters and clear fonts because it is easier to recognize the letters. (Check out Dick and Jane if you've forgotten.) As you become a stronger and more competent reader, you start to see and understand more variation because you recognize the underlying letter patterns. If you don't become a strong reader or haven't had the chance to become a strong reader yet, those variations are going to be difficult to see and interpret. So now, except for certain very special occasions, I'll be sticking to Arial- and Times-like fonts.  It will make my writing more accessible for everyone. - K

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