Typography and Layout
What the domain tests
Typography and Layout tests type anatomy, classification, measurement, spacing controls and page composition. Expect labelling of type parts, point and pica arithmetic, leading calculations, identification of faults such as widows and bad rag, and layout planning.
Core rules
- Anatomy: baseline, x-height, cap height, ascender, descender, stem, bowl, counter, serif, terminal, ear, ligature (fi, fl).
- Classification: serif (old style, transitional, modern, slab), sans-serif (grotesque, geometric, humanist), script, blackletter, display/decorative. Serif body text suits long print reading; sans suits screen and signage.
- Measurement: 12 points = 1 pica; 6 picas = 72 points = 1 inch. Leading is the baseline-to-baseline distance; a safe default is point size plus 2 (10/12).
- Spacing: kerning adjusts one pair; tracking adjusts a range; word spacing adjusts gaps.
- Layout: margins, columns, gutter, grid types (manuscript, column, modular, baseline), optical centre slightly above geometric centre, and a comfortable measure of 45–75 characters.
- Hierarchy: two or three type families at most; build contrast with size, weight and case, not novelty fonts.
Worked example
Body text is set 10 pt on 10 pt leading, 120 characters wide, and reads badly. Diagnosis: leading equals the point size, so ascenders and descenders collide; the measure is far too long, so the eye loses the line return. Fix: 10/12 leading and a two- or three-column grid giving roughly 50–65 characters per line. Each change is tied to a named typographic principle, which is what earns marks.
Traps
Confusing leading with line length; confusing kerning with tracking; setting long text in all caps; stretching type horizontally instead of choosing a condensed face; ignoring the 72-points-per-inch system in measurement questions.