As usual, Mike has provided superb links. I opine that the effect of spacing on readability is likely affected by personal characteristics. In typing class in junior high I learned that a single space between sentences would earn a reprimand. At my current age, and with lost neurons producing visual field deficits in my left eye, I find it difficult to read text with just one space between sentences, especially with proportional fonts. This puts me in the uncomfortable position of agreeing with the APA.
Cheers, Karl L. Wuensch -----Original Message----- From: Mike Palij [mailto:m...@nyu.edu] Sent: Friday, March 27, 2015 8:38 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Cc: Michael Palij Subject: Re: [tips] APA Style: Spaces between sentences A couple of points on this raging debate: (1) As Rick Froman points out below, APA style started out with 2 spaces after the period (what I learned as an undergraduate in lab class and back in my high school typing class), went to 1 space for the 5th ed, and is now back to two spaces. It doesn't really matter since the printer will make it all single space or adjusted in the published article. (2) To get some sense of how ridiculous people are about such a stupid stylistic point, see the Wikipedia entry on "Sentence Spacing": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentence_spacing The entry links out to a few external websites that show how strongly held beliefs about one space or two are, such as: McArdle, Megan (14 January 2011). "You Can Have My Double Space When You Pry it From My Cold, Dead Hands". Atlantic. Atlantic Monthly. http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2011/01/you-can-have-my-double-space-when-you-pry-it-from-my-cold-dead-hands/69592/ and Manjoo, Farhad (13 January 2011). "Space Invaders: Why You Should Never, Ever Use Two Spaces After a Period". Slate.com. Washington Post. http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2011/01/space_invaders.html And for some history, with the realization that single spacing is a recent development, see: http://theworldsgreatestbook.com/how-many-spaces-after-a-period/ and http://widespacer.blogspot.com/2014/01/two-spaces-old-typists-habit.html I think that whether one chooses to use one or two spaces is a matter of perspective. I just had a couple of buildings blow up a few blocks from me and, quoting Rhett Butler, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn." For those unfamiliar with the quote, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankly,_my_dear,_I_don%27t_give_a_damn -Mike Palij New York University m...@nyu.edu P.S. Just keeping my hand in Tips activity while we wait for them to clear the rubble. On Fri, 27 Mar 2015 12:23:00 -0700, Christopher Green wrote: >Two when we were using old typewriter pica fixed font. No need for two >when using modern word processor proportional fonts. On Fri, 27 Mar 2015 11:28:51 -0700, Rick Froman wrote: >APA 6th edition says two (section 4.01 on spacing). The 5th said one >and the 4th and earlier said two. It's the consistency that is most >impressive. On Fri, 27 Mar 2015 11:41:22 -0700, Paul C Bernhardt wrote: >If you are using a monospaced typeface (e.g., Courier), you should use >2 spaces. If you are using a proportional typeface (e.g. Times New >Roman, pretty much anything except Courier), you should use 1 space. I >know APA currently uses 2, but my personal bias is 1 space. When I send >a manuscript to a journal for consideration I make sure I have 2 >spaces, but internally I'm protesting doing that to Times New Roman. > On Mar 27, 2015, at 1:49 PM, Beth Benoit <beth.ben...@gmail.com> > wrote: > APA says one. All touch typing courses taught us to use two. My > thumbs will never be able to unlearn that double space after a > sentence though. >> On Thu, Mar 26, 2015 at 4:47 PM, Karl Wuensch wrote: >> One or two? --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: wuens...@ecu.edu. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13060.c78b93d4d09ef6235e9d494b3534420e&n=T&l=tips&o=43411 or send a blank email to leave-43411-13060.c78b93d4d09ef6235e9d494b35344...@fsulist.frostburg.edu --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: arch...@mail-archive.com. To unsubscribe click here: http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df5d5&n=T&l=tips&o=43413 or send a blank email to leave-43413-13090.68da6e6e5325aa33287ff385b70df...@fsulist.frostburg.edu
