Posted by: Jack Henry | April 11, 2017

Editor’s Corner: One Space

This one’s for those of you who have asked, wondered, or argued about whether we should use one or two spaces after a period. From our big daddy guidebook, the Chicago Manual of Style and its April Q&A:

Q. I recognize all writing formats today say there is to be one space between the period of a sentence and the first letter of the next sentence. I believe this fails to take into account studies that refer to visual cues that assist the reading process. So I start here with you to request this be fully discussed and reviewed with the hope that we may at minimum note that two spaces are acceptable between sentences. Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

A. I’m so sorry to report that that ship sailed long ago. You are a lone voice, crying in the wilderness. Too little, too late; a bolted horse, a dollar short. No metaphor can express how hopeless this is. Our best advice to you is to look for a silver lining in the single space.

Kara Church

Technical Editor, Advisory

Symitar Documentation Services


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