Does APA require one or two spaces after a period?
Use one space after a period (or other punctuation mark at the end of a sentence) when writing in APA Style. However, if your instructor or non-APA publisher has other requirements (e.g., to use two spaces), follow their specifications. This guidance has been revised from the 6th edition. American Psychological Association. (2019).
How many spaces should you put after a period?
Two Spaces. While there are many formal rules for punctuation marks and formatting, it’s easy to get tripped up on whether to use one or two spaces after a period. Learn why two spaces were originally used after a period and why the general rule today is to use one space after a period.
Should you put one or two spaces after a period?
Unless you are typing on an actual typewriter, you no longer have to put two spaces after a period. Or a question mark. Or an exclamation point. The rule applies to all end punctuation. Just one space. Really. Yes, really. Here’s why: Back when we used typewriters, every character was given the exact same amount of space on the page.
Are you supposed to put two spaces after a period?
Very few style guides advise using two spaces after a period. The APA, Chicago Manual of Style, AP and US Government Printing Office Style Manual all recommend a single space between sentences. The contemporary benefits of using it are few, aside from taking up more space on a page.
How many spaces after a period?
When to use single space?
When did the two space rule start?
What is the AP stylebook?
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About this website
Two Spaces After a Period or Just One? Please Get It Right!
In the The Complete Manual of Typography, author James Felici writes the early history of typing was an exercise in inconsistency.But in the early 20th century, European typesetters began to settle on a single space and America followed soon after. Most style manuals, including the Chicago Manual of Style, also advocate the single space.
When did it change from two spaces to one space after a period?
Answer (1 of 5): The rule changed when we switched from typewriters to word-processing software. Typewriters (most of them, at least) allowed the same horizontal space for every letter, no matter its actual width. A space was allotted the same width. You needed two spaces after a period to give a...
How many spaces after a period?
While there are many formal rules for punctuation marks and formatting, it’s easy to get tripped up on whether to use one or two spaces after a period. Learn why two spaces were originally used after a period and why the general rule today is to use one space after a period.
When to use single space?
Single spaces should also follow commas, as well as periods after abbreviations.
When did the two space rule start?
The two-space rule took hold in the early twentieth century and became the norm in many high school typing classes. Eventually, sophisticated typewriters and word processing software like Microsoft Word introduced proportional fonts, which made it easier to distinguish the period at end of a sentence as a full stop.
What is the AP stylebook?
Associated Press Stylebook (also known as the AP Stylebook) by the Associated Press. MLA Handbook by the Modern Language Association. The Chicago Manual of Style by the University of Chicago. APA Style by the American Psychological Association. The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications by Microsoft.
How many spaces are there between the end of a sentence and the beginning of another?
These days, depending on what you’re reading, you can find either one or two spaces between the end of one sentence and the beginning of another.
Why do we need double space in sentences?
Although there has been plenty of back-and-forth on the topic, a recent study may have concluded why many people still prefer seeing a double space between sentences: that extra space can help you read faster. While it may only cut down on reading time by a few seconds, some people can find that time invaluable.
Why do we need double space?
Once considered an advanced form of technology themselves, older typewriters were known to produce uneven or unpredictable line spacing. A double space between the end of one sentence and the beginning of another helped to create some uniformity on the page, and made typed pages easier to read.
Is single space correct?
According to the AP Stylebook, single-spacing is correct. The same goes for the Chicago Manual of Style. However, the Modern Language Association Style Center offers different advice, and suggests that writers use a single space after a period unless they have been explicitly told otherwise.
Is it better to give space bar a single tap?
Since either way can be considered correct, depending on the audience you’re writing for, the right answer seems to be to err on the side of caution and give that space bar a single tap. Not only is it the more widely acceptable method, it saves space (no pun intended) which can be especially important when working with limited character use—we’re looking at you, Twitter!
How many spaces after a period in APA?
The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA) was the only style guide that overtly recommended two spaces after a period, and even that long-time holdout for two spaces changed its guideline to one space in its 2019 update. The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers (MLA) waffles.
Why do you need two spaces after a period?
The extra space was needed to delineate the beginning of a new sentence because the spacing between words was uneven on a typewriter.
Why do typewriters use extra space after punctuation?
Because there is so much extra spacing in the typewritten monospace font, writers using typewriters needed the extra space after punctuation to indicate a full stop, such as a period, question mark, or exclamation point.
What is monospaced typesetting?
Typewriters gave every character the same space on the screen. This is called monospaced typesetting.
How to remove extra space in Word?
Use the "Find and Replace" option in your word processor (Control + F on most systems) to remove the extra space. In more recent versions of Word, look for the Replace in the Home ribbon at the top of the screen.
When did Microsoft change to one space?
Additionally, the American Psychological Association’s Publication Manual, after decades of recommending two spaces changed their recommendation to one space in its most recent update in October, 2019.
Is it correct to have two spaces after a period?
UPDATE: As of April 24, 2020, Microsoft has settled the great space debate, and sided with everyone who believes one space after a period is correct, not two. The software giant has started to update Microsoft Word to highlight two spaces after a period as an error, and to offer a correction to one space. Microsoft recently started testing this change with the desktop version of Word, offering suggestions through the Editor capabilities of the app.
How Many Spaces Go After a Period?
When in doubt, always use one space after a period. The majority of word processors recognize this as the correct way. Also, almost all of the most used style guides advise this, including:
How many em spaces are there in a sentence?
Printers loosely followed style guides that stated sentences should be em-spaced (which is approximately the width of a capital letter M) and words must be 1/3 or 1/2 em-spaced.
Why was spacing variable?
Back then, spacing was highly variable to account for any size of spaces and to allow for consistent justification (how spaces between words and letters are adjusted to align the ends of consecutive lines).
Why do typographers use two spacers?
While modern typographers prefer the single-space method because of its continuity and seamlessness, “two spacers” claim that extra spaces after sentences are better for distinguishing a complete thought and marking the end of a sentence.
Why do magazines use single space?
Perhaps it’s a way to cram more letters into a page and simplify manuscripts, or maybe it’s simply an aesthetic change. The exact reasons are unclear and still up for debate.
Do you add spaces after a period?
This is why, for those who were taught to use the typewriter at school, adding two spaces after a period was the norm.
Is sentence spacing a controversy?
Of all the issues people debate about today, you’d be surprised that sentence spacing is among the fiercest controversies, to the point that researchers felt it needed to be studied.
Is APA Single or Double Spaced?
In APA 7 th edition, the default line spacing guideline is to use double-spacing throughout your paper, including block quotations and the reference list. Also, you should not add blank lines before or after headings or add extra spacing between paragraphs.
One Space Requirement
One space is required after a period at the end of a sentence, when the period separates parts of a reference entry, and after the author’s abbreviations in the reference list. Also put one space after any other punctuation mark at the end of a sentence.
APA Spacing for Title Page
Insert a double-spaced blank line between the title and your name. Double space the rest of the information.
APA Spacing for Tables and Figures
Double space the title and table number and title above the table or figure itself, and any note that you provide below the table or figure. The spacing inside the cells of your table or figure can be adjusted to whatever spacing best presents your information.
APA Spacing for an Image
Double space the image’s caption that is below the image. You can space any text in the actual image any way that best presents your information. You can add an extra blank line above and/or below the image to separate it from the text that is on the same page.
APA Spacing for Abbreviations
Do not put a space after internal periods in abbreviations, such as U.S., B.A., e.g., and p.m. Do not put a space between a word and a colon.
APA Spacing for Colons
When writing hours and minutes in numeral form, do not put a space before or after the colon.
When to use period in APA?
Periods. APA recommends using one space after a period or other punctuation mark at the end of a sentence. However, follow the guidence of your instructor or publisher. (see page 154, Section 6.2 in the APA 7th edition manual) Use a period in the following cases: to end a sentence. with intials in names ex: Bazerman, M.H.
Why are commas important in APA?
Commas play an important role in academic writing because it helps the authors communicate technical information. Here are a few tips for using commas in APA style.
How many spaces after a period?
While there are many formal rules for punctuation marks and formatting, it’s easy to get tripped up on whether to use one or two spaces after a period. Learn why two spaces were originally used after a period and why the general rule today is to use one space after a period.
When to use single space?
Single spaces should also follow commas, as well as periods after abbreviations.
When did the two space rule start?
The two-space rule took hold in the early twentieth century and became the norm in many high school typing classes. Eventually, sophisticated typewriters and word processing software like Microsoft Word introduced proportional fonts, which made it easier to distinguish the period at end of a sentence as a full stop.
What is the AP stylebook?
Associated Press Stylebook (also known as the AP Stylebook) by the Associated Press. MLA Handbook by the Modern Language Association. The Chicago Manual of Style by the University of Chicago. APA Style by the American Psychological Association. The Microsoft Manual of Style for Technical Publications by Microsoft.
