NationStates Jolt Archive


Whats the best font, for a formal essay?

Criik
31-12-2006, 22:55
Your opinions please, I can't decide on a good font.
Psychotic Mongooses
31-12-2006, 22:55
Times New Roman. 12pt. Double spaced.
Criik
31-12-2006, 22:56
Times New Roman.

They are always times new roman, I think it looks a bit informal now. Any other ideas?
Tirindor
31-12-2006, 22:59
If we're talking MLA format (i.e., a college paper), Times New Roman is all you're allowed to use.

I think you can skate by with Courier, though.

Really, though, you don't want a flashy or interesting font. You're writing an essay to highlight your opinions (or something), you don't want a gaudy layout distracting people from it.
Psychotic Mongooses
31-12-2006, 23:00
They are always times new roman, I think it looks a bit informal now. Any other ideas?

You want it formal? Use Times New Roman. Doesn't matter what you feel, it's the standard font for a formal paper.
Layarteb
31-12-2006, 23:02
Times New Roman. 12pt. Double spaced.

Yes this is precisely how you are supposed to type formal documents. I always laughed when people handed in papers in different fonts and sizes to make it look bigger and then, when they counted words they would just throw the paper back at them. Even funnier is when they take the paper and give you a crappy grade because you didn't follow instructions.

Hint: If you are out of things to say with space to go, reiterate what you said with different connections.
Criik
31-12-2006, 23:04
What is the NSG font?
Katganistan
31-12-2006, 23:10
Your opinions please, I can't decide on a good font.

Times New Roman, 12 pt, double spaced.
Ariel, 12 pt. double spaced.
Courier new, 12 pt, double spaced.

Take your pick.
Amarenthe
31-12-2006, 23:14
My profs would shoot me if I handed them a paper typed with a font other than Times New Roman. :p
The Metal Horde
31-12-2006, 23:14
I never liked double spaced, nor single spaced. I'm more of a 1.5 kinda guy; right in the middle.
The Alma Mater
31-12-2006, 23:15
Your opinions please, I can't decide on a good font.

Type your essay in LaTeX instead of Word. It will result in much better typesetting and forces you to focus on content and structure instead of looks.
Psychotic Mongooses
31-12-2006, 23:16
I never liked double spaced, nor single spaced. I'm more of a 1.5 kinda guy; right in the middle.

Yeah, the larger the paper was for me I'd go for 1.5. For my thesis and such, due to the size, it was 1.5
Desperate Measures
31-12-2006, 23:17
Type your essay in LaTeX instead of Word. It will result in much better typesetting and forces you to focus on content and structure instead of looks.

And wear this when you type it. http://www.unitard4u.com/latexebay/red.jpg
Criik
31-12-2006, 23:17
Can soemone please tell me what the NSG font is. plzplzplz
Ifreann
31-12-2006, 23:17
Type your essay in LaTeX instead of Word. It will result in much better typesetting and forces you to focus on content and structure instead of looks.

That requires learning LaTeX first though.
The Alma Mater
31-12-2006, 23:18
And wear this when you type it. http://www.unitard4u.com/latexebay/red.jpg

Only if it helps you focus ;)
IL Ruffino
31-12-2006, 23:18
Chiller.
The Alma Mater
31-12-2006, 23:20
That requires learning LaTeX first though.

Which is where "the not so short introduction" comes in ;)
In the long run, LaTeX saves time. Especially if you produce documents with scientific formulas.
Angry Swedish Monkeys
31-12-2006, 23:21
I never liked double spaced, nor single spaced. I'm more of a 1.5 kinda guy; right in the middle.

get off the fence, man! we're in the middle of a war!
The Metal Horde
31-12-2006, 23:23
get off the fence, man! we're in the middle of a war!

I can't help it! The fence is too nice.
Desperate Measures
31-12-2006, 23:31
Only if it helps you focus ;)

True dat, Homeslice.
Swilatia
31-12-2006, 23:34
Wingdings.
Bolol
31-12-2006, 23:38
All glory to the MLA Format! Praise be...

Man! That was stupid...
CthulhuFhtagn
31-12-2006, 23:43
Can soemone please tell me what the NSG font is. plzplzplz

Arial.
Yootopia
01-01-2007, 03:38
Comic Sans gives every essay a certain integrity that most essays miss, really.
Smunkeeville
01-01-2007, 03:41
Trebuchet?

that's really bad advice, I would go with Times New Roman and call it a day, be creative on personal stuff.
Kroisistan
01-01-2007, 03:42
The one, the only, the Times New Roman. If it's good enough for the Empire, it's good enough for you.
Rejistania
01-01-2007, 03:47
computer modern, the standard font, LaTeX uses.
Rhaomi
01-01-2007, 03:49
The Georgia font purportedly gets its users better grades than Times New Roman or Trebuchet MS, if this (http://fadtastic.net/2006/03/12/the-secret-lives-of-fonts/) anonymous college student is to be believed. Something about serif fonts being pleasing to the eye, and Georgia being just different enough to stand out from TNR.

(The above paragraph is in Georgia, btw.)
The Infinite Dunes
01-01-2007, 04:05
The font you see on these forums will be one of the following - verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial or helvetica. You can find this list if you open up the source for this page and search for 'font: '. I can't remember if it's the first font that you have on the list, or your browser's preference of this sans-serif set.

Having just previewed my post I believe my computer is showing me verdana and does not have either the geneva, lucida, or 'lucida grande' fonts. Hence it is showing them in the default font for this site - verdana.
Rejistania
01-01-2007, 04:09
The font you see on these forums will be one of the following - verdana, geneva, lucida, 'lucida grande', arial or helvetica. You can find this list if you open up the source for this page and search for 'font: '. I can't remember if it's the first font that you have on the list, or your browser's preference of this sans-serif set.

It's Sans Serif here. and the font-tags were ignored...
The Infinite Dunes
01-01-2007, 04:12
It's Sans Serif here. and the font-tags were ignored...Well my point, which I didn't get across too clearly is that everyone will be seeing different fonts depending on their browser settings. I suppose you have the setting that ignores font tags and puts all text in the your browser's favoured font - sans serif.
Consumer Reports
01-01-2007, 04:21
Times New Roman... Just looks standard, orderly, and well, professional.
Rejistania
01-01-2007, 04:22
Well my point, which I didn't get across too clearly is that everyone will be seeing different fonts depending on their browser settings. I suppose you have the setting that ignores font tags and puts all text in the your browser's favoured font - sans serif.
No, I use a non-Windows OS! Linux...

My favorite fonts surely do not display here: AR PL ShanHeiSun Uni, Nimbus Roman No9 L, DejaVu Sans or Ani
The Infinite Dunes
01-01-2007, 04:38
No, I use a non-Windows OS! Linux...

My favorite fonts surely do not display here: AR PL ShanHeiSun Uni, Nimbus Roman No9 L, DejaVu Sans or AniWell I don't see your fonts, but do you? I mean your browser should be able to handle them and you could set them as fonts to be viewed. Can't you even set a browser to show a certain different font if a font tag specifies another?

A random font I picked out of open office - Latha.
Nobel Hobos
01-01-2007, 04:43
The Font of Wisdom, definitely.
Rejistania
01-01-2007, 04:56
Well I don't see your fonts, but do you? I mean your browser should be able to handle them and you could set them as fonts to be viewed. Can't you even set a browser to show a certain different font if a font tag specifies another?

A random font I picked out of open office - Latha.


I don't have Latha installed and I do see the different fonts in my font tags. What I meant is that every OS has different fonts (and under Linux, every distro...)
IL Ruffino
01-01-2007, 05:30
This font.