The New Intimacy

One or Two Spaces?

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Contributor: Silverdrop Silverdrop
Quote:
Originally posted by LicentiouslyYours
Two spaces is a hold over from those of us who were, at one time, using typewriters. Current computer software, which most of us use to type these days, automatically increases the visual space after periods for us.

This means there is ... more
I was actually taught in a typing class filled with electric typewriters and even one manual typewriter, so we could at least get used to the feel of them. I've tried to retrain my fingers to the new rules, but it's not an easy task.
12/21/2011
Contributor: Silverdrop Silverdrop
Quote:
Originally posted by LicentiouslyYours
Two spaces is a hold over from those of us who were, at one time, using typewriters. Current computer software, which most of us use to type these days, automatically increases the visual space after periods for us.

This means there is ... more
I was actually taught in a typing class filled with electric typewriters and even one manual typewriter, so we could at least get used to the feel of them. I've tried to retrain my fingers to the new rules, but it's not an easy task.
12/21/2011
Contributor: Chirple Chirple
For personal writing, I am in the habit of punctuating ! Like this. See ?

But for academic writing, including reviews, I try to remember to do it the "standard" way.
12/21/2011
Contributor: Steph Steph
in school i was taught two spaces but now at my job, they require only one space after a sentence. So i write with only one.
12/22/2011
Contributor: voenne voenne
I don't know. Two spaces just looks a little awkward to me... Does anyone else feel that way?

Okay, done experimenting with that. I like using one space.

Huh? When I posted the double space didn't show up. Psh.
12/23/2011
Contributor: Entropy Entropy
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
I was always taught that it was one space after the end of a sentence, not two, but have encountered numerous people that put two spaces. How many spaces do you typically put after a period/after the end of a sentence?
I never really noticed; I thought everyone put two spaces like I did. I also took typing in high school, and Ms. Keys (yah, that was her name, wild huh?) would have a meltdown if you didn't put two spaces in.
12/26/2011
Contributor: Rossie Rossie
I put two spaces, can't break the habit. But what does it matter, the computer will rearrange it anyway.
12/26/2011
Contributor: xoflxokcxo xoflxokcxo
I was always taught in high school to use two. Now in college, my journalism class requires one, while my other classes requires two. It's not annoying at all. Generally in my everyday writing (like this) I use just one.
12/26/2011
Contributor: Lindsey123 Lindsey123
I've never even heard of people typing two..
12/27/2011
Contributor: CrystaCat CrystaCat
I know MLA and APA fomat you need two spaces!
01/06/2012
Contributor: Apirka Apirka
I've always used two spaces.
02/20/2012
Contributor: Wide Awake Daydream Wide Awake Daydream
I was taught two, but usually only put one. Unless I mess up and hit the space bar twice out of habit...
02/20/2012
Contributor: NarcissisticLust NarcissisticLust
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
I was always taught that it was one space after the end of a sentence, not two, but have encountered numerous people that put two spaces. How many spaces do you typically put after a period/after the end of a sentence?
Two spaces creates bulky and lengthy documents. Just use one.
02/24/2012
Contributor: cottonxcandy cottonxcandy
I was taught to use two spaces in all the typing classes I took so I always use two.
02/29/2012
Contributor: ViVix ViVix
Quote:
Originally posted by Annemarie
I was always taught that it was one space after the end of a sentence, not two, but have encountered numerous people that put two spaces. How many spaces do you typically put after a period/after the end of a sentence?
I usually just put one.
07/26/2012
Contributor: PropertyOfPotter PropertyOfPotter
I was taught to use two spaces, and I don't think I'd ever get used to only doing one if I had to change it!
07/26/2012
Contributor: SexyStuff SexyStuff
I strongly prefer 2.
07/27/2012
Contributor: travelnurse travelnurse
I was taught 2. I had an editor send my review back to me because of it.
08/12/2012
Contributor: pasdechat pasdechat
I was initially taught two, but was later told that most word processing programs now automatically put the length of two spaces after a period, so you only have to hit the space bar once.
08/12/2012
Contributor: SneakersAndPearls SneakersAndPearls
Wow, how things change in just a few years! My degree is in English, and was taught 2, so that's what I do. I don't have an interest or need to retrain my brain for one, but I suppose I would if I had to do it professionally. The writing I do these days could only be considered semi-professional (writing for established businesses and getting perks but not payment. And no, I don't mean Eden).
08/12/2012
Contributor: Trysexual Trysexual
Wow, it is 2 spaces. I just thought people who put one were lazy.
08/13/2012
Contributor: AHubbyof2SexualMinds AHubbyof2SexualMinds
My mother the English professor drilled two spaces into my head as a child.
08/16/2012
Contributor: kitty1949 kitty1949
I only use one space.
08/16/2012
Contributor: panthercat23 panthercat23
At one point I was taught 2 spaces but that was following the modern language association style of writing but they changed it to 1 space later and now I'm required to write using the american psychological association style and that one requires 1 space.
08/16/2012
Contributor: skeeterlynn skeeterlynn
Collage taught me two spaces while attending in 2009. Out of habit, I now always have two spaces. It just all depends. Neither option is really more correct or incorrect than the other. If a job is telling you one way, do it that way since that's how the job's writing style is and how the job is portrayed.
08/20/2012
Contributor: skeeterlynn skeeterlynn
Quote:
Originally posted by skeeterlynn
Collage taught me two spaces while attending in 2009. Out of habit, I now always have two spaces. It just all depends. Neither option is really more correct or incorrect than the other. If a job is telling you one way, do it that way since ... more
And we used normal electronic computers. I may have been taught that way though due to it being the Medical field and my teacher is/was a transcriptionist, but I was also taught that way in high school as well. Was always taught one after a coma and word, two after a sentence to separate the statements. But really anymore, it's all on the writer. Doesn't make a difference either way.
08/20/2012
Contributor: LikeSunshineDust LikeSunshineDust
I was taught two in high school then was taught later that it is actually one. Two spaces is a huge pet peeve of mine when I'm editing. It's such a tedious thing to correct.
02/09/2013
Contributor: nikki0668 nikki0668
I use just 1 space all the time.
02/09/2013
Contributor: Llewey Llewey
I have always put just one. I feel like the two spaces things is irrelevant nowadays, and I mostly see it used by peer students to "fluff" their papers to more easily meet their minimum length requirements.
02/09/2013
Contributor: Mikemanz Mikemanz
i was taught two after a period
02/09/2013