JS Tip 262: From the Writing Workshops: Serif, Sans-serif, and Microsoft Word

We appreciate your questions and suggestions.

In our workshops, we suggest you should use serif fonts (like Cambria) for text and sans-serif fonts (like Calibri) for headings.

Staci McLarnon asked—

Would you clarify what the correct font is for headings and text? In my notes, I have Calibri (or Arial) as headings and Cambria (or Times New Roman) as text.

But when I log into Microsoft Word, the suggested fonts are reversed: Calibri for text and Cambria for headings.

Exactly. For several years, Microsoft got it wrong. (Ouch.) 

They suggested their sans-serif font (Calibri, the one without the decorations, the lines, the feet) as the text font. Whoops. Wrong. 

They suggested their serif font (Cambria, the one with the decorations, the lines, the feet) as the headings font. Whoops. Wrong. 

Staci’s computer has one of those packages. Your computer may as well. (Maybe that will make the computer worth more to a collector. Kind of like the airmail stamp with the upside-down airplane.) 

Microsoft has since corrected their font suggestions. 

So . . . Cambria for text and Calibri for headings.  

Howzat? Does that help? We’re grateful to Staci for the question. Thank you.  

Let us know your questions and suggestions. Seriously. We love this stuff.