Do you double-space after a period? Forum

[bulldog4574]

I've always double-spaced after ending punctuation in my college papers and i have never gotten flack (sp?) from anyone about it, but usually i didn't care because it would only make my paper longer, which is a good thing. But now i'm trying to save space with this PS. Is it ok to just single space after ending punctuation? is that what most people do? Am i just stupid?

[Judicial]

Traditionally, I double-space after periods. However, I was forced to single-space due to length requirements as you mention. From the little research I did, there is nothing grammatically incorrect about it.

[bulldog4574]

Ok great thanks

[snaps]

i sent my essay to my creative writing teacher to edit, and he went in and put two spaces after every period.

i, however, had never heard of it until i saw his edits. i think it's your choice.

but i have found that two spaces after each period actually didn't affect the length of my essay at all. i'm keeping the double spacing.

whatever you do, just be consistent throughout everything, including addenda and other essays.

[nsrellow]

Only double space after a period if you are using a typewriter. I believe computer word processing programs incorporate extra space automatically after a period so it is unnecessary to manually double space.

[summertimechi]

Double-spacing after periods is pointless unless you're still in school and have an old-fashioned prof who obsesses over it IMO. One space is fine.

[frazz]

ALWAYS double space. Single spaces can't help you, only hurt you.

[JuryDueT1000]

A double-space after a period was traditionally used on old-school style typewriters. Since the inception of computers and word processing, it has been the practice to switch two ONE space. Some older style teachers aren't familiar with the new rules of computers and just remember being taught on the typewriter with two spaces. But one space is fine.

[bulldog4574]

ALWAYS double space. Single spaces can't help you, only hurt you.

A double-space after a period was traditionally used on old-school style typewriters. Since the inception of computers and word processing, it has been the practice to switch two ONE space. Some older style teachers aren't familiar with the new rules of computers and just remember being taught on the typewriter with two spaces. But one space is fine.

Wow, im actually kind of surprised by the lack of a consensus on this one, so i guess the bottom line is that both are acceptable

[nsrellow]

ALWAYS double space. Single spaces can't help you, only hurt you.

A double-space after a period was traditionally used on old-school style typewriters. Since the inception of computers and word processing, it has been the practice to switch two ONE space. Some older style teachers aren't familiar with the new rules of computers and just remember being taught on the typewriter with two spaces. But one space is fine.

Wow, im actually kind of surprised by the lack of a consensus on this one, so i guess the bottom line is that both are acceptable

I am also surprised by the lack of consensus. This is from the MLA website (http://www.mla.org/style_faq3), however I think in the discipline of Law I think Chicago is prefered to MLA. Its a start though.



How many spaces should I leave after a period or other concluding mark of punctuation?
Publications in the United States today usually have the same spacing after a punctuation mark as between words on the same line. Since word processors make available the same fonts used by typesetters for printed works, many writers, influenced by the look of typeset publications, now leave only one space after a concluding punctuation mark. In addition, most publishers' guidelines for preparing a manuscript on disk ask authors to type only the spaces that are to appear in print.

Because it is increasingly common for papers and manuscripts to be prepared with a single space after all punctuation marks, this spacing is shown in the examples in the MLA Handbook and the MLA Style Manual. As a practical matter, however, there is nothing wrong with using two spaces after concluding punctuation marks unless an instructor or editor requests that you do otherwise.

[bulldog4574]

Because it is increasingly common for papers and manuscripts to be prepared with a single space after all punctuation marks, this spacing is shown in the examples in the MLA Handbook and the MLA Style Manual. As a practical matter, however, there is nothing wrong with using two spaces after concluding punctuation marks unless an instructor or editor requests that you do otherwise.

So i guess the next question is, is there some unwritten rule i don't know about in which adcoms demand that we single-space or double-space? but i think i'm just going with my usual double-space, it's never caused me problems before.

[nsrellow]

Anyone know what the Chicago Manual of Style says on the issue?--> the website requires a subscription.


I would have to agree with the others that probably the most important thing is consistency. But this has certainly turned out to be more of an issue than I ever would have thought.

[johnnyg7]

To be safe, I'd go with three...

[bulldog4574]

To be safe, I'd go with three...

I'm just gonna put a page break after each sentence

[specialist73]

Anyone know what the Chicago Manual of Style says on the issue?--> the website requires a subscription.


I would have to agree with the others that probably the most important thing is consistency. But this has certainly turned out to be more of an issue than I ever would have thought.

CMS says "A single character space, not two spaces, should be left after periods at the end of sentences (both in manuscript and in final, published form) and after colons."

[StCuervo]

It sounds like you'll be fine doing either.

FWIW I was taught in a typing class (with actual typewriters) to use a double space so I do it. But it was 20 years ago when I had that class and I have noticed many people use a single space nowadays.

I bet few people give it as much thought as you do and will do whatever seems natural to them. So the ad comms will get a bunc of two space essays and a bunch of one space essays. I can imagine some things they would care about (funny margins, going over the page limit) but this isn't one of them.

[Portal]

I always use a single space.

[kjunfood]

I always use double-space.

[Other25BeforeYou]

I always use double-space.

Seconded.

[TammyG]

I always use double-space.

Seconded.

Third-ed

[cougarlive]

For what it's worth--APA requires only a single space.

[joopy]

I've always done single space, and it was always a choice that my professors would give me. This is the story of the double space.

Back in the ol' days typewriters had a type set of monospaced characters. What this means is that the same spacing for each letter was set the same. So an O would have the same spacing around it as an i. When reading a document with this ends of sentences may be overlooked because the spacing between all letters looked spread out over the page. The solution! Double Space after a period. This helped people reading the document to better identify the end of a sentence.

Today we have what is called propotional character spacing. Notice that as i type each letter has a width that is equal to its typed size. meaning if i write i it only takes the space that i needs and if i type O it only takes the space it needs. When reading documents typed in this format it is easier not only to recognize words, but endings to sentences.

The resistance for this change is extremely strong, and I know of professors that will tear a paper apart if it isn't typed the way they want it. Dont argue just go with what they believe. You know the truth now, and soon all those old farts will die off and we will be free to rule the world and use only one space after a period. Thank you.

[gahthelaw]

i've always put two spaces after a period automatically, even in casual emails/texts, and no one has ever mentioned anything to me about it. i always assumed that two spaced was the more 'formal' and correct way, and that single spacing was a result of our email/texting messaging, character-space-conscious culture.

it might be too late to switch now. one space just seems wrong to me. though if it would buy me space on my ps...

[Leeroy Jenkins]

I always use double-space.

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

[azlawlady]

I always use double-space.

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

+1