Be able to set line spacing including single, 1.5 times, double, multiple, spacing before and after paragraphs

Topic 17 – Document Production

Objective: Setting Line Spacing and Paragraph Spacing

In this lesson you will learn how to control the vertical spacing of text in a document. This includes:

• Single line spacing
• 1.5 line spacing
• Double line spacing
• Custom multiple line spacing (e.g., 1.25, 2.5)
• Spacing before a paragraph
• Spacing after a paragraph

Key Concepts

Line spacing is the distance between the baselines of successive lines of text. Paragraph spacing refers to the space added before or after an entire paragraph.

In most word processors the line spacing can be expressed as a multiplier of the default single spacing. For example, if the default single spacing is 12pt, then:

• 1.5× spacing = 18pt
• 2× spacing = 24pt

Mathematically, the line height \(h\) can be calculated as:

\[ h = s \times d \]

where \(s\) is the spacing multiplier and \(d\) is the default line height.

Step‑by‑Step Instructions

1. Open the document in your word processor.
2. Select the text you wish to format.
3. Access the paragraph or line spacing menu:

   • In Microsoft Word: Home → Paragraph → Line and Paragraph Spacing.
   • In Google Docs: Format → Line spacing.
   • In LibreOffice Writer: Format → Paragraph → Indents & Spacing.

4. Choose a preset:

   • Single
   • 1.5 lines
   • Double

5. For custom spacing:

   • Enter the desired multiplier (e.g., 1.25, 2.5).
   • Some applications allow you to specify the exact line height in points.

6. Set paragraph spacing:

   • In the same dialog, locate “Spacing before” and “Spacing after”.
   • Enter values in points (pt) or in lines (e.g., 0.5 pt, 2 lines).

7. Apply and review the changes.

Practical Example

Suppose the default line height is 12 pt. You want:

• 1.5 line spacing
• 0.5 pt before each paragraph
• 1 pt after each paragraph

Using the formula above, the new line height is \(1.5 \times 12 = 18\) pt. The paragraph spacing will add 0.5 pt before and 1 pt after the paragraph block.

Assessment Questions

1. What is the line height if the default is 10 pt and you set 2× spacing?
2. How would you set a custom spacing of 1.75 lines in Microsoft Word?
3. Explain the difference between line spacing and paragraph spacing.

Summary Table