Re: Spacing

[Valiant 96]

While reading up on the style needed for my writing assignment, I came across this on the Chicago Manual of Style site.

 

Below is a response regarding the use of a single or double spacing after a period.

 

The view at CMOS is that there is no reason for two spaces after a period in published work. Some people, however—my colleagues included—prefer it, relegating this preference to their personal correspondence and notes. I’ve noticed in old American books printed in the few decades before and after the turn of the last century (ca. 1870–1930 at least) that there seemed to be a trend in publishing to use extra space (sometimes quite a bit of it) after periods. And many people were taught to use that extra space in typing class (I was). But introducing two spaces after the period causes problems: (1) it is inefficient, requiring an extra keystroke for every sentence; (2) even if a program is set to automatically put an extra space after a period, such automation is never foolproof; (3) there is no proof that an extra space actually improves readability—as your comment suggests, it’s probably just a matter of familiarity (Who knows? perhaps it’s actually more efficient to read with less regard for sentences as individual units of thought—many centuries ago, for example in ancient Greece, there were no spaces even between words, and no punctuation); (4) two spaces are harder to control for than one in electronic documents (I find that the earmark of a document that imposes a two-space rule is a smattering of instances of both three spaces and one space after a period, and two spaces in the middle of sentences); and (5) two spaces can cause problems with line breaks in certain programs.

 

So, in our efficient, modern world, I think there is no room for two spaces after a period. In the opinion of this particular copyeditor, this is a good thing.

 

 

I believe that we can stick to either way of writing, as long as it is presentable and legible and suits your preference.

 

Now, back to my assignment

[Roromi 438]

I never found out that you could even do that until i was almost done in college. Never been a fan of double spacing anyways lol

[carpenoctum 0]

Really? At Eastern Michigan University(where i go) its the required standard right along with double spacing between lines and MLA.

[HHLkill3r 3]

err..... double spacing.... the only time i ever used it was like when i was in yr 9 and the english teacher required it and like 1 assignment for law in uni earlier this year.... never liked to use it cause it wasted too much paper. the easiest way to do it would prob be ctl+A then ctl+5 in word.... the only advantages that i can see from double spacing would prob be space for comments and it makes ur assignment look bigger.....

[liubei013 0]

I was one of those that learned it that way and I still use it.  Habit, I suppose.

As for double-spacing, only for drafts or if my professors require it (so they can 'hack and slash' their comments through it ). 

[Kaizer 0]

Luckily I don't take many writing classes, so I've had few people bother me about grammar and punctuation (ah the wonders of mathematics, as long as the numbers are in the right order, they don't care if you can spell your own name right or not ).

 

I often use the double-spacing rule myself, though it was more something I picked up on my own rather than something I was taught.  At least for me, it's nice to see that little bit of spacing to keep sentences from running together, whether or not it makes a difference for anyone else is another matter entirely. 

[Janus 5]

It's a waste of paper! lol that and I dont see how it improves my reading pace or anything for that matter. My english teacher tells us to use double so that she could write comments, but I use one and a half instead enough space there.

[carpenoctum 0]

My classes waste tons of paper, I had to write up a 320 page RFP for a telecommunications system in a class last semester and that was only my portion in a group of 5 people.  Even worse  2 copies were required.  Thats a lot of freaking paper just for one assignment. 

[Janus 5]

O.O hell that is alot of paper wasted! Screw your eyes, save the trees!!!

[Temari-Desert-Storm 0]

Janus, I agree. Me, I can't stand wasting space. I had a few lines on the top of a page in my notebook, and it took me five minutes to force myself to rip the page out and hand it in. It was such a waste.

[Valiant 96]

It all boils down to a matter of taste... unless I happen to need to copy and paste a passage my group mate wrote that's typed with double spacing into my report.

[Shaftronics 0]

To be honest...

 

I'd rather just paragraph more rather than double-space. I don't really see the point of it at all.

[Valiant 96]

Umm.. the double space is after each period at the end of the sentence. I doubt you'll want to paragraph each sentence