Re: spacing after punctuation?

Hi Jim, interesting paper, thoughts:

Spacing after punctuation is not specifically a “low vision” issue, which along with the other typographic spacing (letter, word, line spacing) relate to the visual cortex spatial processing functions which affect contrast perception. Contrast perception generally affects all vision, cognitive, etc. etc.

I.e. typographic spacing affects low vision because it affects all vision.

THAT SAID: the convention of two spaces after a period came about in the era of typewriters which were monospaced. In “real” typography with proportional fonts, the amount of space after a period is a kerning attribute built-in for well designed fonts. Fully functional typesetting applications also usually have some additional control, as they do over all the various spacing attributes.

That review paper misses a few points, including findings regarding spacing by Legge which found limited to negligible effect on reading speed due to word spacing. In tracking (aka letter spacing) research shows that once above the critical crowding point, increasing space further does not improve reading speed, and excess space decreases reading speed. But moreover, the methodology used for the study raises questions. The font used was Courier New, a horrible monospaced font that was designed with far too thin of a weight (gee thank you Microsoft), and then they used quadruple line spacing.

The paper has two points that are in sync with design theory, the footnote stating "Specifically, there was not an overall significant effect of period spacing.” but also something I found interesting: “...reading speed only increased following two spaces for those individuals who also type that way." 

Which indicates the already defined need and understanding for users to have customizability especially regarding typography, in this case pointing to how our adaptation to conditions is an important, often hidden, factor.

Unfortunately CSS is still a bit clumsy in many of the finer aspects of typography.


Cheers,

Andy



> On Oct 15, 2019, at 10:57 AM, Jim Allan <jimallan@tsbvi.edu> wrote:
> 
> is spacing after punctuation (e.g. 2 spaces after period) an issue for low vision folks?
> https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13414-018-1527-6 <https://link.springer.com/article/10.3758/s13414-018-1527-6>  
> 
> -- 
> Jim Allan, Accessibility Coordinator
> Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
> 1100 W. 45th St., Austin, Texas 78756
> voice 512.206.9315    fax: 512.206.9452 http://www.tsbvi.edu/ <http://www.tsbvi.edu/>
> "We shape our tools and thereafter our tools shape us." McLuhan, 1964