One space or two spaces after a full stop?

edited May 2018 in conversations
"One space or two spaces after a full stop? Scientists have finally found the answer"

Three psychology researchers from Skidmore College, decided it is time for modern science to sort this out once and for all.

“Professionals and amateurs in a variety of fields have passionately argued for either one or two spaces following this punctuation mark,” they wrote in a paper published last week in the journal Attention, Perception and Psychophysics.

They cite dozens of theories and previous research, arguing for one space or two. A 2005 study that found two spaces reduced lateral interference in the eye and helped reading. A 2015 study that found the opposite. A 1998 experiment that suggested it did not matter.

“However,” they wrote, “to date, there has been no direct empirical evidence in support of these claims, nor in favour of the one space convention.”

The study’s authors concluded that two spacers in the digital age actually have science on their side and more research should be done to “investigate why reading is facilitated when periods are followed by two spaces”.
This made me smile...

“But no sooner did the paper publish than the researchers discovered that science does not necessarily govern matters of the space bar. Ms Johnson told Lifehacker that she and her co-authors submitted the paper with two spaces after each period - as was proper. And the journal deleted all the extra spaces anyway.”

Full article...

So, one or two?

Comments

  • edited May 2018
    Fucking one!

    I have to use the ‘double space to single space’, ‘delete trailing whitespace’, and ‘double return to single return’ options for every document I do I work, have been given text as a word file... Bless you, InDesign.
  • Fucking one!
    Yes :!:

    :D
  • All through college it was two spaces. I wrote tons of papers and read Strunk and White and that stuff, too.

    At the very end of college, I noticed others using one space. I also noticed when I made webpages two spaces was not possible. Like this . <- That will be reduced to one space.

    I was annoyed but I saw no reason to fight this one.

    Next question...

    Horizontal or Landscape photos?
  • That's weird...let's try this again below...

    Like this. <- testing...

    Like this . <- testing (is there a break showing up after this line?)

    You can see in html that it is two spaces but it will not render two consecutive spaces until you use code or pre tags.
  • <- I think this is the problem...
  • Something <- More
    Return...
  • There you go...now I see the problem...

    Sorry for taking up all that space de-engineering this. ;)

    lol - I got this message: You have posted 5 times within 60 seconds. A spam block is now in effect on your account. You must wait at least 120 seconds before attempting to post again.
  • edited May 2018
    ^ :D
  • edited May 2018
           Testing       1,       2,       3...

    Non-Breaking Space!
  • edited May 2018
    A friend always seems to leave a space between his words and question or exclamation marks !

    ...that's just wrong. F'ing annoys the hell out of me :!:
  • the animated exclamation thing here (and other emojis) put a fucking space in before, and that really annoys me. sorry guys! :(
  • edited May 2018
    why this bloody space:!:
    why this bloody space :!:

    see?
  • the animated exclamation thing here (and other emojis) put a fucking space in before, and that really annoys me. sorry guys! :(
    :D

    It is, isn't it.

  • correct me if i'm wrong but i don't think you can add 2 blank spaces in basic html. it just recognizes 1, right?

    also, there are a lot more alarming things regarding grammar and spelling than 1 or 2 fucking spaces. :D
  • correct.

    yeah, who cares. but, when it came to pass i was confusing. I remember that night in my apt in college staring at the screen and realizing what was happening.

    i wonder if paul graham has written a couple books on this topic already? ;)
  • correct me if i'm wrong but i don't think you can add 2 blank spaces in basic html. it just recognizes 1, right?

    also, there are a lot more alarming things regarding grammar and spelling than 1 or 2 fucking spaces. :D
    Does the correct use of capitals come under grammar as well? ;)

    :D
  • FUUUUUUUU...

    Correct grammar. ;)
  • Correct grammer!

  • Does the correct use of capitals come under grammar as well? ;)
    :D
    no. that falls under that fact that i'm a fazylucker. ;)

  • 3 minutes in the grammar penalty box!
  • Double space heathens!
  • This thread occupies a pleasant place in my heart. <3
  • edited May 2018
    ^ Haha
    Double space heathens!
    ...just to restate my position, in case it's be lost. One love, one space! :)
Sign In or Register to comment.