Do you double-space after a period? Forum

[Shaggier1]

I single space everything I write.

Double-spacing is an obsolete practice.

[GATORTIM]

I tend to believe it is better to put as many spaces after an punctuation as possible. That way if you have a visually challenged professor, they will naturally pause even if they cannot see the period, comma, hyphen, etc. Best of luck to you on the L. S. A. T. !

[dextermorgan]

I always use double-space.

...after my English teacher told us to in middle school. It's a force of habit. Unbreakable.

This. I am surprised by how many people have never heard of this. I figured everyone had a teacher tell them to at some point.

[Leeroy Jenkins]

I single space everything I write.

Double-spacing is an obsolete practice.

You don't seem to understand the meaning of obsolete, so let me be the first to tell you the fact that you single-space everything you write is the least of your worries.

[azlawlady]

I always use double-space.

...after my English teacher told us to in middle school. It's a force of habit. Unbreakable.

This. I am surprised by how many people have never heard of this. I figured everyone had a teacher tell them to at some point.

I was surprised too. I thought the whole "double space after a period" thing was a universal rule that every kid was taught in elementary/middle school.

[Rocketman11]

Single spacing is pretentious

[Shaggier1]

Shaggier1 wrote:
I single space everything I write.

Double-spacing is an obsolete practice.

You don't seem to understand the meaning of obsolete, so let me be the first to tell you the fact that you single-space everything you write is the least of your worries.

I don't?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/obsolete

"no longer in general use; fallen into disuse: an obsolete expression."

Also, why so snarky?

[Leeroy Jenkins]

Shaggier1 wrote:
I single space everything I write.

Double-spacing is an obsolete practice.

You don't seem to understand the meaning of obsolete, so let me be the first to tell you the fact that you single-space everything you write is the least of your worries.

I don't?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/obsolete

"no longer in general use; fallen into disuse: an obsolete expression."

Yea, so if half the people in this thread double space and are completely clueless as to how some people who single-space aren't aware of the practice, how can that be construed as 'obsolete'?

[LawandOrder]

Single space 100% of the time. Anyone else can get bent.

[Shaggier1]

Yea, so if half the people in this thread double space and are completely clueless as to how some people who single-space aren't aware of the practice, how can that be construed as 'obsolete'?

I see what you mean. Well, in that sense, I guess you could say it was a misuse (though a two page thread on an internet forum can hardly be considered representative).

I called double-spacing it obsolete because modern word-processors have rendered it unnecessary, out-of-date with modern technology.

Regardless, I see no reason to have cherry-picked my statement in the way that you did.

[GATORTIM]

Single space 100% of the time. Anyone else can get bent.

[AmicusCuriae]

Law firms still seem to be stuck in the "we use 2 spaces after periods" realm.

My 1L legal writing professor was insistent that we used only 1 space, in part because the circuit that the school was in had incredibly detailed guidelines on brief submission, including a 1 page diatribe about why 2 spaces after periods are no longer necessary.

However, this summer I found that literally every attorney at firm I was at thought it was simply wrong to not put 2 spaces. There was no discussion or explanation, just an admonishment that it was just wrong to only put 1 space. So I had to break myself of the 1 space habit and put 2.

[Pearalegal]

I only use one space. I was never told not to. Not one teacher, professor or attorney I work with has ever said anything ever.

The only person who ever commented was a roommate I had in college, after she looked over one of my papers.

[Rocketman11]

I honestly don't know what this thread is going to accomplish at this point.

[Pearalegal]

I don't know....maybe it can be some great cultural schizm on TLS.

OP: I think you're fine either way.