A study of close-set text type

Abstract

260 undergraduates read advertising copy set in close and regular letterspacing as well as in serif and sans serif typefaces to study the readability of close-set text type. The average number of words read in 1.75 min was recorded for each typeface/letterspacing variation. Findings show that a higher average number of words was read with the messages set in close-type, suggesting that under certain conditions this type holds the promise of increased legibility. (10 ref) (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)