MS Word: Spacing before, after, or both?

Subject: MS Word: Spacing before, after, or both?
From: Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 08 Sep 2005 18:46:02 -0400


Dick Margulis wrote: <<Several people have alluded to space before and/or after body paragraphs... My Body Text style has no space before or after, but it has an indent for the first line. You know, just like a regular friggin' paragraph in a regular friggin' book.>>

That's my preference too, but we both have to recognize that this may not conform with everyone else's worldview. Many years ago, I got into a discussion with an author about between-paragraph spacing (his preference) vs. using first-line indents (mine) instead, and we agreed that rather than coming to blows over this, we should actually <gasp> do some audience research.

Anecdotal (unscientific) results: To my everlasting surprise, I discovered that a large majority of my audience preferred the space between paragraphs. The audience was biased strongly towards the over-40 crowd, and there was a strong correlation between age and the desire for space between paragraphs. (That is, the older readers wanted the spacing; the younger readers couldn't care less, but had a slight preference for no spacing.) Asking why revealed that the alterkockers found it easier to read with paragraph spacing; it wasn't an esthetics issue.

Please don't take this as a blanket recommendation to use spaces between paragraphs. Small sample size, unique audience, specific book design. Just one data point, not a complete Hart's Law of Page Layout.

<<But that's just me, tilting against windmills as usual...>>

So the moral of the story, Don Quixote: I'll be right behind you on my <ahem> donkey, but let's not forget that sometimes the windmills are right. <g>

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - --
Geoff Hart ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca
(try geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com if you don't get a reply)
www.geoff-hart.com
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Now Shipping -- WebWorks ePublisher Pro for Word! Easily create online
Help. And online anything else. Redesigned interface with a new
project-based workflow. Try it today! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l

Doc-To-Help 2005 converts RoboHelp files with one click. Author with Word or any HTML editor. Visit our site to see a conversion demo movie and learn more. http://www.componentone.com/TECHWRL/DocToHelp2005

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Send administrative questions to lisa -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



References:
RE: MS Word: Spacing before, after, or both?: From: Jonathan West
Re: MS Word: Spacing before, after, or both?: From: Dick Margulis

Previous by Author: Advice/survey on professional development?
Next by Author: RE: salary for entry level position...
Previous by Thread: Re: MS Word: Spacing before, after, or both?
Next by Thread: RE: MS Word: Spacing before, after, or both?


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads