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I just started using LaTeX to write my bachelor thesis and everything is already set up and working (took 2 weeks but it is finally done). I was just starting to write a chapter and am wondering what would be the best or recommended way to actually write?

I am using TeXstudio and I like to use the enter key to sort my text into parts, not section or similar. Just for "visual". And I also prefer to use double enter key to make a break. As a result my text is not all on one single line, for example at the moment line 13 contains my whole chapter 1.

But now I read that one should prefer to use \\ or \newline instead of enter. Doing so would hinder my need for a "visual separation".

As you may have guessed I come from a word background so that is probably my problem here.

I would like to know what is the preferred way to write in this case? Kill my habits from word and just deal with huge oneliner? double enter key? \\? \newline?

Sigur
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sceiler
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    Don't use double bars neither \newline. Since you are a beginner, just type and hit ENTER with you want to make the code more readable. For TeX, it doesn't matter. But to start a new real paragraph on the text (I mean, after compilation) leave at least one blank line in the code. You can see a simple example of code here: http://unix.stackexchange.com/q/199816/19195 Note how TeXstudio treats the line numbers. – Sigur May 06 '15 at 14:16
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    Empty line is the proper way to go. Do NOT use \ as line or paragraph separator if it can be avoided. See http://tex.stackexchange.com/questions/82664/when-to-use-par-and-when – Steven B. Segletes May 06 '15 at 14:16
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    There are some other posts that ask similar questions, if you search around... my preference is 1 sentence per line, so that version control with Git is easy. Note that a blank line will lead to a paragraph break, and you should not use \\\ except in special circumstances. – darthbith May 06 '15 at 14:16
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    This seems to be a duplicate of the question in Stephen's comment, but as a general rule (which you can break sometimes, but not as a beginner:-) is never use \\ outside of tables and alignments and never use \newline – David Carlisle May 06 '15 at 14:40
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    note that a single newline is the same as a space so there is never a reason to put a whole chapter on one line, you can break the line arbitrarily short changing any space to a newline in the source does not change the output. – David Carlisle May 06 '15 at 14:42
  • Thank you guys. That helped a lot. Off topic but why is this a duplicate? I am clearly asking about all other options and a general advice and not when to use par or \. Well \ is included but still I don't see the duplicate. But my question is answered to everything is good. :) – sceiler May 06 '15 at 15:39

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