What Does Your Email Font Say About You?

Usability News, published by Wichita State University, reports on a research paper by A. Dawn Shaikh, Doug Fox, and Barbara S. Chaparro called "The Effect of Typeface on the Perception of Email." The purpose of the study was "to investigate the effect of selected typefaces on the perception of the email creator’s ethos and gender. In addition, the perceived personality of the email document was evaluated." 

The study rates perceptions of email senders' knowledge, professionalism, maturity, and trustworthiness, and the quality of the information presented based on the font used. The study suggests that "there is a relationship between typeface selection and the reader’s perception of an email. 

Documents presented in typefaces that are viewed as less appropriate are seen as less serious and less professional in nature. The appropriateness of the typeface also affected the perception of the email author in that the email using Gigi created a perception of an author who is less professional, less trustworthy, and less mature. Finally, the typeface that was lower in appropriateness led participants to conclude that the author was a lower level trainee employee.

When choosing a typeface for a document, the level of appropriateness should be taken into account in order to avoid sending unintentional messages."

Read the complete paper online.

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