nonindentation

Nonindentation is a typographic convention in which the first line of each paragraph is not indented. The body text begins flush with the left margin, and paragraph breaks are signaled by vertical space between blocks rather than an initial offset.

Historically, many printed books used indentation to mark a new paragraph. In contrast, newspapers, magazines, and much modern web and digital typography often employ nonindented paragraphs. This approach can improve readability in narrow columns and on screens by creating consistent block boundaries without the visual cue of an initial space.

Implementation in digital and printed media typically involves setting the first-line indent to zero and using spacing between paragraphs to create separation. In CSS, this is achieved with text-indent: 0 and appropriate margins or padding between elements. Word processing and publishing templates often provide a no-indentation style that replaces indentation with post-paragraph spacing.

Advantages of nonindentation include a cleaner, more modern appearance and easier alignment in modular layouts. Potential drawbacks include reduced ability to quickly identify paragraph starts in dense text and, on some devices, inconsistent spacing. The choice often follows the publication's style guide and the target reading context.

Nonindentation is one of several typographic conventions related to paragraph delineation. Other related terms include indentation, hanging indentation, and various language-specific practices. Style guides from newspapers, publishers, and websites vary in their recommendations regarding indentation versus spacing.