Text Layout

Typeface and type size

Begin with the same typeface and type size. Add others as needed.

Typeface / Type Size
Leading and Kerning
Until you have gained experience and training, use the computer software default settings for leading and kerning. Should you wish to experiment, you may be unable to find leading and kerning on the software menu. In Microsoft Word©, for example, kerning is called Character Spacing and leading is called Line Spacing or Paragraph Spacing.

Contrast
Emphasize any shift in typeface, type size, or type weight.
Contrast
White Space
Base the amount of white space on the spatial character of the typeface used.
White Space
Punctuation Spacing
Use a single space after all punctuation marks wherever they appear in the sentence:  periods, commas, semicolons, question marks, and exclamation marks.
Punctuation Spacing
Dashes
Don't leave a space before or after an em-dash or an en-dash. Never use double dashes. Use an en-dash to connect ranges of numbers (e.g. 1936–45).
Dashes
Hyphens
Don't use dashes where hyphens are required.
Hyphens
Punctuation and Prime Marks
Don't confuse apostrophes and quotation marks (punctuation) with prime marks (which indicate inches and feet).
Prime Marks
Ellipses
Don't type three periods for an ellipsis. Insert the special character. Leave a space before and after an ellipsis.

Ellipses
Initial Letters
Don't insert an additional space between initial letters.
Initial Letters