Why do students often type TWO spaces after a period - POLL added

[Free4Life11]

I must have missed something in high school because any time I have done a group project involving a typed report, whoever types it always uses 2 spaces after a period! It drive me nuts -- what is the point? I've always type one space after a period. What is the logic behind using two spaces. This happens anytime I have done a group paper. Am I missing something here?

I did learn that when typing an address you should type two spaces after the state abbreviation (before the Zipcode). But new two spaces after a period...??

 

[JadenLayne]

We were taught to type two spaces after a period in high school typing. I have no idea which is correct but I've always done it. It's habit now and I doubt I could stop. I would like to know what's correct though.

 

[disykat]

I was taught two spaces after a period, one space after a comma.

 

[PrincessTiff]

That's the way I was taught in high school. None of my college professors have said anything about it, I'm pretty sure it's the correct way. I'd actually never heard of only using one space before.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

When we learned on typewriters way back when, the rule was: two spaces after a period.

I just read this off of a term paper site that says:

8. Remember standard typing conventions, especially the following rules:

Put two spaces after a period or colon.

Put one space before the opening parenthesis.

When using citations, put end punctuation after the closing parenthesis.

When using quotations, put end punctuation inside quotation marks.

 

[Free4Life11]

I honest to God have never heard this. But it appears that the DIS only allows one space after a period....

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

Yep, I learned it that way too! And I still do it to this day... even though I've heard things for and against it. It just looks way too... run together to me not to :/

 

[disykat]

The DIS also has smileys, something a term paper doesn't have.

 

[Free4Life11]

The DIS also has smileys, something a term paper doesn't have.

True. I don't know what it is, but the two spaces just grates my eyes. I just don't see the point. I've never had a problem reading things that only use one space.

 

[poohandwendy]

It was taught because back when typewriters walked the earth, the characters were different than fonts are now. They were all the same size. So, in order to let the reader know the sentence was coming to an end, there would be a larger space before the next sentence. (because people generally read ahead) It just made for more comfortable reading. Sort of the same idea of separating paragraphs or avoiding run-on sentences. Just an effort to make typed writing flow.

Todays fonts are proportional, so it is unnecessary.

That is pretty much it, in a nutshell.

 

[azgal81]

I am reading a self-study document for one of our program reviews for the university I work at and they are using two spaces after every period. It's annoying sometimes it even looks like three spaces so much wasted space. I think I learned two spaces in high school too but then later on learned that one space is the right way.

 

[crazee4mickey]

Two spaces after a period and one space after a comma---that's how we were taught.

 

[trip]

I was taught two spaces after a period, one space after a comma.

That's how I was taught also.

 

[Nite0wl71]

I was taught two spaces after a period, one space after a comma.

That's the way I was taught also.

 

[DISUNC]

Two spaces after a period and one space after a comma---that's how we were taught.

Yup thats the LAW of English Grammer! It has to do with a longer break between sentences.

Also if you dont do it while typing using MS WORD...it will do it for you. You will get error msgs if less then two spaces. Every magazine, book & printed anything has 2 spaces between the sentences.

ps.. it 5 spaces between the State & Zip code.

Class dimissed!

 

[Kristi1357]

Two spaces after a period and one space after a comma---that's how we were taught.

I think it's looks funny without 2 spaces.

 

[Mamu]

Also learned this in typing class. I think it makes for a neater paper. Words and sentences don't seem to run into each other.

 

[TheDisneyTraveler06]

We were taught two spaces after a period, which I don't do.

 

[Galahad]

I was taught two spaces after a period, one space after a comma.

 

[MushyMushy]

Wow, it never occurred to me that anybody would NOT do it.