I recall seeing a poster, I think by the redoubtable Tom Bever, at a conference in Rochester in the mid-1990s, where they found that double spacing between phrases within a sentence served to increased comprehension by some small but measurable amount. 5%? Not bad, especially given the simplicity of the manipulation. Of course, implementing it would require everyone to infallibly know where the phrase breaks are in the sentences they write. :-)
Chris ....... Christopher D Green Department of Psychology York University Toronto, ON M3J 1P3 [email protected] http://www.yorku.ca/christo > On Mar 27, 2015, at 10:23 PM, Wuensch, Karl L <[email protected]> wrote: > > 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:[email protected]] > 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 > [email protected] > > 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 <[email protected]> >> 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: [email protected]. > 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: [email protected]. > To unsubscribe click here: > http://fsulist.frostburg.edu/u?id=430248.781165b5ef80a3cd2b14721caf62bd92&n=T&l=tips&o=43413 > or send a blank email to > leave-43413-430248.781165b5ef80a3cd2b14721caf62b...@fsulist.frostburg.edu > --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [email protected]. 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