A: Display type refers to the use of type at large sizes, perhaps 30 points or larger. Some typefaces are considered useful solely at display sizes, and hence are known as display faces. For typefaces used across a wide range of sizes, in the days of metal type, each size was cut individually, or even if panto-graphically scaled would often have adjustments made to the design for larger or smaller sizes, making a "display" face have distinct differences....
....When digital fonts feature a display variation, it is to accommodate other stylistic differences that may benefit type used at larger point sizes. Such differences, which were standard in metal type, are rare in digital type, outside of the very high end of type design. They can include: a lower x-height, higher contrast between thick and thin strokes, less space between letters, and slightly more condensed letter shapes.
Decades into the desktop publishing revolution, few typographers with metal foundry type experience are still working, and few digital typefaces are optimized specifically for different sizes, so the misuse of the term display typeface as a synonym for ornamental type has become widespread; properly speaking, ornamental typefaces are a subcategory of display typefaces.
via Wikipedia - Typeface
Q: Does the layout of the specimen have to be one page large point sized display copy and the facing page to be the same font in smaller point sizes in text blocks form?
A: No, it does not have to be like that. This is David Berlow's type specimen for Font Bureau which is down-loadable as a PDF. It is just an example. If you can not decide where to start for this project it serves as a starting point. Please, examine his specimen and see how he keeps track of each weight he uses for every typeface and how he kerns every display copy properly.
As a substitute for 16 pg signature you could design a poster, a scroll, a motion graphic, etc. Your type specimen could take different forms. Think of it as a portfolio piece. Be creative with the format and laying out of the typography.
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