atw: Re: Extra spacing after full stop

  • From: "David Godley" <david@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:27:58 +0000

The whole 1 space, 2 space issue is a type-writer vs type-setter thing. Both trying to obtain a clear visual separation between the endof one sentence and the start of the next.

The two spaces was a typewriter convention designed to get the same visual separation as a typesetter was able to achieve.  Like the QWERTY keyboard, it also helped to slow down keystrokes to stop jamming.

You also have to bear in mind that the CMoS, at its core is a document designed to make it easier for their CUP to deal with manuscripts.

I bet if you went back to a typewriter vintage version of the CMoS it would want 2 spaces to give a better visual cue to the type setters. Now with electronic documents they don't want the extra characters because they have to clean up the documents to control the way it will look on paper.  

David 



From: a ustechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of O'Connor, Deirdre [Beacon Technology]
Sent: Friday, 18 January 2008 4:01 PM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Extra spacing after full stop

Can anyone provide a yes/no answer to the question of whether extra spacing between sentences should/shouldn't be used in Manual/Guideline/Standard type documentation? I find many professionals use two spaces after each full stop and as a Technical Writer this bothers me. After researching it (Chicago Manual of Style and various Google pages) I have found that it is not correct practice.

Chicago Manual of Style:
"2.12 Line spacing and word spacing
For the hard copy, the entire text and, if possible, all extracts, notes, bibliog raphy, index, and other material should be vertically double-spaced. A single character space, not two spaces, should be left after periods at the ends of sentences (both in manuscript and in final, published form) and after colons."

I am writing up a Formatting Guide for my company and I would like to state that extra spacing should not be used as common practice but I would just like any other opinions/facts on this please.

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