Text Considerations in Graphs
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Text Size Matters
The best data visualizations are ones where the data is center stage driving the story. Text should always be secondary and serve to describe the chart clearly and efficiently.
Consider these key tips for ensuring appropriate text sizing in your graph:
- Avoid distracting away from the data: oversized text can draw attention away from the data
- Ensure legibility: undersized or compressed text can be difficult to read, impacting clarity and efficiency of understanding the graph. For standard paper sizes, a minimum text size of 10 points should be used.
- Text sizes should match information hierarchy: different levels of text such as titles, subtitles, and axis labels should be clearly differentiated, often through varying text sizes. The title should generally be the largest text element, with each hierarchical step-down being 2 points smaller. For example, a title can be set at 14 points, with subtitles at 12 points, and axis labels at 10 points. This helps guide the viewer to read information in the intended order.
- Caution: too many hierarchical levels can be confusing. It’s best to present 3 or fewer levels of information hierarchy on a graph.
Formatting your text is easy with BioRender Graph. Learn more today.
Why Text Formatting Is Important
In addition to size, formatting is an important consideration for ensuring that text is not distracting and serves it’s purpose of enhancing clarity and comprehension efficiency.
Consider these key tips for ensuring appropriate text formatting in your graph:
- Use simple, easy to read fonts: Highly stylized or embellished fonts should always be avoided as they are difficult to read and distracting. Both serif and sans-serif fonts contain simple options, and their usage may depend on the media in which the graph will be presented:
- Sans-serif fonts are easier to read on small, lower resolution digital screens. Although modern screens have very high resolutions, data visualization that is likely to be consumed on phone or tablet screens should utilize sans-serif fonts (e.g. Roboto, Calibri, and Arial)
- Serif fonts are easier to read in printed documents. The small lines or strokes (serifs) attached at the ends of letters can make the text flow better in print (e.g. Times New Roman, Georgia, and Baskerville).
- Don’t use ALL CAPS: this is a distracting way of highlighting information. Instead, consider text size and hierarchy (as previously discussed) or bold text that should be emphasized.
- Use bold and italic formatting sparingly: bold and italic formatting can be used to emphasize important information, but should not be used simultaneously. It’s also important to bold and italicize sparingly; emphasizing everything means nothing is emphasized. For example, numbers on a scale should not be bolded.
BioRender Graph Tip
Default text sizes and formatting in BioRender Graph are set to follow design best practices: axes labels and numbering are sized at 12 point, and the default font is Roboto (sans-serif). The font options have also been carefully curate to a set of standard, clear fonts (including both serif and sans-serif options). Default text formatting can be easily changed to suite your individual requirements and preferences.
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References
- The Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics: The Do's And Don'ts Of Presenting Data Facts And Figures by
- Data Visualization: a practical guide to producing effective visualizations for research communication by Rebecca Wolfe (2014. RESYST Consortium)
