Hello Bob,
Since you ask...
That most ancient and authoritative of all typesetting books, Hart's Rules
for Compositors and Readers at the University Press, Oxford, 1893, of which
I have the 39th edition, in the Appendix: Rules for composition and make-up:
General (page 144 in my edition) states simply:
"(c) Leading between paragraphs is not allowed in continuous text."
By "continuous text", it's evident from other instructions that Hart means
paragraphs otherwise uninterrupted by headings, tables, long quotes etc.
Picking up almost any newspaper or magazine will reveal the same thing. New
paragraphs are usually delineated only by starting with a one-pica (12
points) indent. There is no leading at all between the paragraphs. In other
words, the convention taught at Phillip's and Bob's school in the US, and my
schools in Australia and the UK, followed this rule.
I've had this discussion before, and when I've shown such continuous text
the person has usually said something like "How often have I been reading?
And I never noticed it before."
In case US participants in this newsgroup distrust Limies' usage: Looking to
US sources, The Chicago Manual of Style is consistent with Hart's Rules. In
my 14th edition, chapter 18 (Design and Typography), under successive
headings of ŒSpacing¹ and 'Between lines', the following extract shows the
several factors at play when considering how much leading is appropriate:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
18.23 The space between lines of type is called leading, or lead, because
in hand or Monotype composition it was originally created by strips of lead
inserted between lines of type (see also 2.137-38). To make more space
between lines of text is to lead it, or to lead it out. To close up
lines--leave less space between them--is to delete lead. Leading is measured
in points (one point equaling one-twelfth of a pica) and is always specified
by a designer for each type size used in a book. Where increased leading is
necessary--before and after extracts, for example--the number of points is
usually also specified. If extra leading is used to mark the divisions
between sections, the words 'blank line' or 'line space' circled in the
margin or in the space itself will tell the compositor to insert space
equivalent to one full line of type. A space mark (#) is usually sufficient
to indicate extra space between alphabetic sections in indexes.
18.24 To determine an appropriate amount of leading requires
consideration of a number of factors. The first of these, for text matter at
any rate, is readability, and this is largely dependent upon the type
measurements. The larger the type size, the more leading is required to
prevent the eye from being distracted by the lines above and below the one
being read. Also, the wider the line of type, the greater the leading
needed, because in moving from the end of one line to the beginning of the
next the eye takes a long jump, and in closely set material it may easily
jump to the wrong line. Another factor to consider is economy. Use of a
relatively small type size and reduced leading allows more words per page,
making a thinner book and cutting costs of paper, mailing (weight), and so
forth, although the cost of composition remains the same. The opposite of
this is the desire to make a short work into a longer book. More than the
usual number of points between lines will obviously result in fewer lines
per page and thus more pages in the book.
18.25 The designer's ultimate concern, in specifying leading as in every
other aspect of planning a book, is the nature of the material and the
audience for whom it is intended. [A footnote here states "For examples of
specifications appropriate to various kinds of material see sample layouts
at the end of this chapter"]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Looking at those examples, there are no leading instructions at all for
paragraphs in continuous text; the only such instructions relate to
headings, tables and long quotes. New paragraphs are delineated by one-pica
indents. If one blocks off an inch at either side of the page in the
examples, it's impossible to tell where the paragraphs start and stop.
Why do we customarily use leading to delineate paragraphs in word-processed
documents? My guess is that the great majority decided over a period, back
in typewriter days or in early word-processing days, that it was better to
hit the carriage-return (or Return key) twice than hit the tab key. I
remember having seen both in typewriter days <nostalgic sigh> but had no
great need to take notice -- I just used to dictate to my steno secretary
and she brought back something that I just read, corrected and signed.
Computers were used to get rockets to punch holes in the sky.
Hmm, who would have thought that, decades later, in order to conquer an
often vexatious piece of computer software, I and my good mates McGhie,
Jones, Roper et al would investigate its bowels to the nth degree to save
lots of time and money, then in misguided goodwill descend into this detail
to satisfy the likes of some anonymous, ADHD Generation Y bombast as the
so-called "kkd1411"?
But strangely, I feel better now. It *is* good to know what's proper...
Cheers,
Clive Huggan
============
Hi Phillip -
As I understand it, it isn't a matter of "correct" or "incorrect", it's a
matter of convention. The composition you (and I) were taught as kids
pertained to handwritten work. The accepted U.S. English convention has
traditionally been indentation to indicate separation between paragraphs,
while other English variants & other languages tend toward spacing.
Space between paragraphs is equally acceptable & is preferred in many
professional environments for typeset or printed work. The determining
factor relates to readability. All sources I've consulted agree that
separation of some some sort between paragraphs is necessary to provide the
reader with proper distinction between one paragraph & the next as well as
enhancing readability of the document. The most stringent *rule* I've seen
is that using both spacing *and* indentation is improper.
If you know of any authoritative references on the subject I'd appreciate
knowing what they are. I've checked Strunk, Columbia, Bartleby's and every
other source I know of. Perhaps if Daiya Mitchell tunes in on this
discussion she may have some insights.
Regards |:>)
Bob Jones
[MVP] Office:Mac
