[Tex/LaTex] Problem with line spacing

spacing

I Googled a bit but could not solve the following situation: Basically LaTeX for some reason decides to make spacing between lines bigger than usual in the first part of my text (between the main- and smaller-heading), as in the example below.

Just want to fix this as simply as possible.

\documentclass[a4paper,12pt]{article}
\linespread{1.3}
\begin{document}
\begin{LARGE}
\begin{center}
Topic
\end{center}
\end{LARGE}
wrong
\\
\\
spacing
\\
\\
here
\\
\\
wrong
\\
\\
spacing
\\
\\
here
\\
\\
\begin{Large}
\begin{center}
Introduction 
\end{center}
\end{Large}
normal
\\
\\
spacing
\\
\\
here
\\
\\
normal
\\
\\
spacing
\\
\\
here
\end{document}

Best Answer

by using \\ to go to new lines, and never putting in a blank line or \par, latex never gets out of horizontal mode. however, the second Large environment ("Introduction") implicitly contains \par within the \end processing.

(la)tex uses the baseline distance in effect at the end of the current paragraph (that is, everything up to the \par that is in horizontal mode) to set the paragraph just ended. thus, the lines between "Topic" and "Introduction" are set with the \baselineskip appropriate for 12pt type. there is no such resetting of size from "Introduction" (which ends with \par) to the end of the example, so the "normal" baselines are set.

there are many good reasons to insert blank lines or \par at intervals within a file, and this is one of them.

it would be a good idea to read some basic documentation on latex. "The Not So Short Introduction to Latex" is a good place to start. latex is not a totally intuitive system; starting by searching randomly for answers via google will not necessarily lead one to the best answers, or develop sound habits.

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