Should I use single space in the Statement of Purpose?

[flowingdata]

The school I'm applying requires that "You may upload one file; it should not exceed two pages in length, single-spaced". But single-space is something I'd like to avoid using because of poor readability. But if I use double-space the document may not fit in two pages. Any advice?

[fuzzylogician]

Follow the instructions. 

[Eigen]

FWIW, double spaced is not really more readable. I hate when my students turn things in double spaced, and have to go back and single space it before I can read and edit it. Double only makes sense if you're handwriting comments and need the room- i.e., not in modern digital grading and commenting.

And, as Fuzzy said, follow the instructions.

[biotechie]

Mine were all single spaced, which is easier for me to read, anyway. Besides, if you turned something in double-spaced, I would assume you didn't have ENOUGH to say. A single spaced statement that doesn't fill the whole space is fine, but double spaced and filling the space would make me read more critically.

[fuzzylogician]

8 minutes ago, Eigen said:

FWIW, double spaced is not really more readable. I hate when my students turn things in double spaced, and have to go back and single space it before I can read and edit it. Double only makes sense if you're handwriting comments and need the room- i.e., not in modern digital grading and commenting.

This. FWIW btw, my own statements are usually typeset at 1.15, and class handouts when I teach are at 1.3. Double spaced is incredibly annoying (to me) as a reader. No one is going to take careful notes on your statements, because they aren't editing them, they're just reading them. And if they were taking notes, the notes would likely be electronic, so again no need for all that white space.  

[biotechie]

12 minutes ago, fuzzylogician said:

This. FWIW btw, my own statements are usually typeset at 1.15, and class handouts when I teach are at 1.3. Double spaced is incredibly annoying (to me) as a reader. No one is going to take careful notes on your statements, because they aren't editing them, they're just reading them. And if they were taking notes, the notes would likely be electronic, so again no need for all that white space.  

From experience, we actually just get a PDF of whatever you submit, so we don't even have access to track changes, just comment bubbles. I also can't stand reading double-spaced.

[TakeruK]

Just to add: In my field, double-spaced are only used for drafts** because as others said, the space is there for making notes. So, when I see something double-spaced, I unconsciously feel like the piece of writing is not complete, or is still in the process of improvement. Even if you wrote 4 pages double-spaced instead of 2 pages single-spaced, the double-spaced version might inadvertently cause the reader to feel like they are reading something not polished.

(** To clarify, it's not that all drafts are double-spaced: my paper drafts are always in the two-column, single spaced format. But the only time I ever read double-spaced text are drafts!)

[rising_star]

This isn't what the OP asked but I find it interesting that so many of you hate reading things that are double-spaced. I assume you mean you don't like reading electronic documents that are double-spaced? I prefer single or 1.25 spaced when reading on things electronically but get really annoyed when students turn in hard copies that way. 

[fuzzylogician]

1 hour ago, rising_star said:

This isn't what the OP asked but I find it interesting that so many of you hate reading things that are double-spaced. I assume you mean you don't like reading electronic documents that are double-spaced? I prefer single or 1.25 spaced when reading on things electronically but get really annoyed when students turn in hard copies that way. 

This probably reflects the nature of the assignments that you and I usually grade. Mine don't tend to have that much text. When I do read students' papers, it's always as pdfs on my computer, and I write comments in notes. So I don't need the extra space for readability, and I actually prefer not to have all that extra white space.

[TakeruK]

8 hours ago, rising_star said:

This isn't what the OP asked but I find it interesting that so many of you hate reading things that are double-spaced. I assume you mean you don't like reading electronic documents that are double-spaced? I prefer single or 1.25 spaced when reading on things electronically but get really annoyed when students turn in hard copies that way. 

In our classes, when students turn in work for things like final projects or midterm exams, it's generally considered a finished product and we often encourage students to write them like academic papers. So, everything is single spaced and typed up. For regular problem sets, it's generally handwritten and like fuzzy, I don't get a lot of text. Usually one or two lines of words at a time, followed by some math and diagrams, then more words etc. So with this level of text, it's not really possible to define single vs. double spaced!

[speechfan222]

Should I use single or double spaced for SOP's that don't have a requirement? Also, what is a decent length? I don't want it too short, yet I don't want it to be too long.

[Eigen]

10 hours ago, rising_star said:

This isn't what the OP asked but I find it interesting that so many of you hate reading things that are double-spaced. I assume you mean you don't like reading electronic documents that are double-spaced? I prefer single or 1.25 spaced when reading on things electronically but get really annoyed when students turn in hard copies that way. 

I don't let students turn in typed hardcopies almost at all, so that's not something I've thought about much. 

To me, so little information fits on a page with 12 pt font and decent margins, and I hate flipping back and forth. 

[rising_star]

@Eigen, @TakeruK, and @fuzzylogician, I think what we're getting at is a difference in fields and perhaps also the kinds of feedback provided. The vast majority of the student work I see is in the form of essays, research proposals, or senior theses. I refuse to grade all of those electronically based on advice from my optometrist* and because that would mean limiting myself to doing grading in my office.** Consequently, I grade basically everything in hard copy form, except final papers (which I provide zero feedback on except upon request). When students submit their work single spaced, there's little room for me to ask clarifying questions about what they've written or to provide an ongoing response their work as a reader, which is at the core of what I do in an effort to provide facilitative feedback. Also, part of the reason I ask for hard copies is because I encourage students to proof those before submitting them. Many times they catch errors in hard copy which they didn't notice on the screen. But I teach several courses which are about developing communication skills so I view this as part of that process. Clearly I'm the oddball among the moderating team.

*Basically, the less time I spend looking closely at screens, the better my vision remains. I'm sick of having to get a new prescription every year for vision as my eyes worsen, which costs me personally money. I like to avoid having the job that pays me cost me money if I can help it. 

**I really hate the idea that my personal resources (the computer I paid for, the internet I pay for at home, etc.) are required in order to do my job. 

[Eigen]

So for me it's all the same type of writing- response papers, research proposals, literature reviews, theses- but I refuse to grade hard copy, and I don't work at home. So maybe not field so much as just personal preference?

I live about a 5 minute bike ride from my office, and I find it makes my work creep too much into my home life if I work at home. If I need to grade things, I come into my office, same with lecture prep and all the rest. 

I've gotten some really good, large screens for my office, and find they're easier on my eyes than hard copies- but they're also a lot better for my posture, since I tend to work sitting up in a good chair, rather than hunched over a desk or on the couch. Personal style, though!

That said, my school also has vision included with our health package, so I don't have to pay for worsening sight and new prescriptions, either!

Part of my personal stance on not liking hard copies is the environmental issue- I really can't stand the immense amount of paper waste it would generate. Any of my classes alone would be hundreds of pages a semester, and that just makes me hurt! But it's also because I have a grave propensity for losing things. 

The other is that I find when I'm giving comments on student work, I can rarely write enough, legibly, on a hard copy draft, even double spaced. Especially, as you mention, asking extra questions or providing that dialogue-based feedback that engages with them. I find there's enough room about 80% of the time, and then I have to cram in a ton of response in a small space that last 20% of the time, and it drives me nuts. I also type about 4x as fast as I hand write. It does help, a lot, that our CMS here is really good at allowing digital submissions with amazing comment/feedback on PDF drafts. It's also nice because the students can't just "accept changes" like they could in a word document, and actually have to go through, read them, and incorporate.