UK TeX FAQ -- question 145

### Double-spaced documents in LaTeX

Are you producing a thesis, and trying to obey regulations that were drafted in the typewriter era? Or are you producing copy for a journal that insists on double spacing for the submitted articles?

LaTeX is a typesetting system, so the appropriate design conventions are for "real books". If your requirement is from thesis regulations, find whoever is responsible for the regulations, and try to get the wording changed to cater for typeset theses (e.g., to say "if using a typesetting system, aim to make your thesis look like a well-designed book"). (If your requirement is from a journal, you're probably even less likely to be able to get the rules changed, of course.)

If you fail to convince your officials, or want some inter-line space for copy-editing, try changing `\baselinestretch` - `\renewcommand{`\baselinestretch`}{1.2}` may be enough to give officials the impression you've kept to their regulations. Note that `\baselinestretch` changes don't take effect until you select a new font, so make the change in the preamble before any font is selected. Don't try changing `\baselineskip`: its value is reset at any size-changing command.

For preference, however, use a line-spacing package. The only one currently supported is setspace (do not be tempted by doublespace - its performance under current LaTeX is at best problematical). Setspace has the advantage that it switches off double-spacing at places where you would want it to (footnotes, figure captions, and so on); it's very troublesome to achieve this if you're manipulating `\baselinestretch` yourself.

`setspace.sty`
  macros/latex/contrib/supported/setspace/setspace.sty