Quick: Need an "authoritative" reference for "one space after ending punctuation"

[Paul F.]

Have a teacher who is doggedly determined to ignore my polite reference that one uses ONE space after a period in modern use (or an em-space, but I don't' want to go into that...)

Need a couple good "authoritative" sources to direct the teacher to...

I've turned up the AP Style Guide and the Chicago Manual of Style, but could use a couple others!
Still Googling, but if you know a "good one" please speak up!


Many thanks!

[Silencio]

The classic:

http://www.amazon.com/Mac-Not-Typewriter...0938151312

[decay]

Two spaces was reserved for typewriters.

I've always used a single space after a period (end of sentence) since I've been setting type - Mac OS 7.x and Quark XPress 3.x - 1993?

sorry that's not authoritative - but it's what i was taught.

we set books for many large publishers - Knopf, etc.
never used two spaces between sentences.

never.

[wurm]

Your two sources should be more than adequate for anyone with half a brain. But absent that, you could always have the teacher ask google. http://search.myway.com/search/GGmain.jhtml?ptnrS=mw&searchfor=single+space+after+period&st=site

[rgG]

So, "Because I said so," isn't getting the job done, eh, Paul?

[michaelb]

I use two spaces. But I guess I did learn on a typewriter. Why does it matter to you? I think this is a matter of style and that writing in the English language is now flexible enough to not have set rules for personal writing. I can see standards for publishing, but that is a different question when the doc is being professionally laid out. Coherent sentences that make sense seems more important, and more a lost art than punctuation.

(oops, I put two spaces after the periods in this post; except, is it taking them out when I post? testing. testing. testing).

[TLB]

Old habits die hard? Can't teach an old dog new tricks? I know a single space is correct, but I used a typewriter for 10 years before my first Mac. So even though I've been using a computer for almost twice as long as I typed I still catch myself reflexively double spacing at the end of a sentence. Emails I usually let go but sometimes I need a lot of editing on more formal writing

[C(-)ris]

michaelb wrote:
Why does it matter to you? I think this is a matter of style and that writing in the English language is now flexible enough to not have set rules for personal writing.

I would think that if this is a TEACHER they might want to teach their students correctly and set a correct example. Any coursework should not be considered personal writing, nor would I consider any business emails or correspondence to be personal.

[Seacrest]

michaelb wrote:

(oops, I put two spaces after the periods in this post; except, is it taking them out when I post? testing. testing. testing).

HTML ignores whitespace (including carriage returns, tabs, etc) except when between the

pre
     or      
code

tags, or otherwise explictly directed not to do so, for instance via a stylesheet declaration or explicit use of the   (non-breaking space) entity.

[Paul F.]

Thanks all!

I will be bringing that teacher a copy of "The Mac is Not a Typewriter"...
I've also sent her links to about 10 different sites explaining it.

It matters because we are SUPPOSED to be teaching the kids skills that are not only useful NOW, but useful for when they are writing college course-work where such little things are taken more seriously.

She might STILL ignore me, but at least I've done what I can as a non-classroom-employee to further education of the teaching staff!