Using Microsoft Word to Write Papers Graham Seibert Copyright 2006

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 2 Objectives Provide some insight into the elements of a Word document and how to shape them Provide a few practical examples Give a sense of the power of Word Provide ideas on how to become more familiar with Word

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 3 Rough Hierarchy of formatting sources Word-level: fonts, colors, italics, etc. Paragraph level, just discussed Style, standard settings for the paragraph –“Normal” style is usually the default Section (of a document) can have its own –Headers and footers –Page setup: orientation, margins, etc. –Column formatting Template, referenced explicitly or by default when creating a new document

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 4 How a page is formatted Printer and paper Page setup: margins Page header and footer Paragraphs within what’s left

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 5 A template provides first-level defaults Text format: Times New Roman, 12 point, no indentation, single space

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 6 Page setup: Margins Teachers may want smaller margins but double spacing to write corrections

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 7 Pages are physical, defined by Paper –Size –Orientation –Margins (how wide they have to be depends on the type of printer) –Paper Source (which tray. Manual feed?) And stuff you usually don’t use: –Background color –Background patterns

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 8 Page Setup: Headers and Footers Identify the student and assignment, number the pages

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 9 Headers and Footers Fit within the margins you define for the page; leave room for them. Entries for –Date –Page number / Maximum pages Place to put watermarks such as “do not copy” Accommodates separate first and subsequent pages Headings and footings can be separate for each section of a document.

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 10 Document Sections are Logical units Insert → Break → Section Respecify page layout: margins & orientation Redefine headers, footers and numbering (Re)define columns –Multiple logical pages per printable page, like a newspaper or magazine –Columns usually establish the placement of tables and pictures

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 11 Paragraph Formatting The Menu Indents –Whole paragraph –First line –Hanging Line spacing Before and after paragraph

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 12 Lines vs. Paragraphs With typewriters we thought about lines –Line indentation –Line tabs In Word, a line has no meaning except in formatting a document for printing –Lines adjust themselves automatically depending on margins, font size, insertions and deletions Instead, think about paragraphs

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 13 Paragraphs carry formatting: Indentation Line spacing Spacing before and after Text block control –Keep together –Keep with next Tab settings Alignment Example Enter Key

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 14 Paragraphs in Word (cont’d) Paragraphs “survive” cuts, pastes, and other formatting changes. Paragraphs exist within –Pages –Columns –Text Boxes –Cells in Tables Computers do weird things. Paragraph formatting is a common culprit if –Text disappears or moves unexpectedly –Single letters string down the page

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 15 Paragraph format is “carried” by paragraph mark The Enter key mean “new paragraph” though it is often taken as merely “new line”. There is a “new line” character. Use Shift → Enter to get it A “new line” has no meaning in formatting for anything other than printing. Think instead of one-line paragraphs when you use the Enter key to create a series of lines. Choose Tools → Options → View → Formatting Marks → All to see these formatting characters New Line

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 16 Tables Organized into rectangular cells Each column has its own indentation and tabs Tabs and tables merit their own presentation.

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 17 Styles There are always defaults as you type for: –Font, font size, font style –Line and paragraph spacing, indentation Unless overridden, they come from a Word “style” Unless you chose otherwise, that style is “normal” You can define styles for your own use. If this were a Word style it would be: –24-point Ariel font, not bold, not italic, white on blue –Single spaced, no indents –Margins at 0 and 8.8, tabs at.4,.5 and.9 If I saved it in Word, I wouldn’t have to go through all the definition steps every time I wanted it; just call it up. This is “information-only”, to help you understand Microsoft Word’s messages

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 18 Templates A template is stored as a separate file. It includes all of the default settings for a specific type of document such as invoice or business letter –Page setup –Fonts –Paragraph format –Styles –Macros The standard template is “normal.dot”. Microsoft changes it without your knowledge, then bothers you with all sorts of questions about saving its changes. Just say “no” As a teacher, you may want to provide a standard template for student assignments via the school web site This is more “information- only”, to understand Microsoft Word’s messages

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 19 Bullets, Numbering & Outline style Highlight your text and use the number and bullet icons at the top of the page, or Menu→Format→Bullets and Numbering to change –Bullet characters, such as: ➢ ➣ ✿ ✪ –Starting number for the list –Numbering style (1 2 3, A B C, i ii iii, etc.) Adjust tabs and margins with the mouse

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 20 Views in Word Different ways to look at a document Page Layout: the most natural for most users. WYSIWYG: what you see is what you get Normal: Just the body text, without worrying about formatting. Most convenient as you get the content right Outline: Organizing the paper

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 21 Planning and organization: Choose Word’s Outliner View –Lay out the organization of a paper –Easily rearrange the order –Can evolve into an outline format for the paper –Each level of the outline is defined by a (modifiable) style Example Trick for moving from outliner into body text –Copy –Paste Special Retains outline numbering (if any) Loses outline styles, uses target paragraph style Example

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 22 Sending Word to PowerPoint In essence, PowerPoint provides an outline of talking points –Level 1 equates to slides –Levels 2 and below equate to bullets

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 23 Spelling and grammar English and Foreign Language Spelling dictionaries –Adding spelling words –You might want several local dictionaries Grammar checker –Checks for Incomplete, run-on, passive voice sentences Subject – verb agreement –Useful, though far from 100% accurate Thesaurus: –Verify your usage of a word –Find alternative words to express an idea

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 24 Navigating through a document Navigation Keys “keyboard shortcuts” under Help ctl F (or Edit Find) to locate some known text ctl G (or Edit Goto) for more

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 25 Change Management There are several ways to handle changes Simplest: Mark up the hard copy –Involves double work: mark and rekey –Can be confusing, with balloons, bad handwriting Middling: Apply changes to an electronic copy of the original document –Easy to visualize the end product –Tools→Compare and Merge Documents will highlight the changes between old and new –Compare homework submissions with key?

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 26 Change Management (cont’d) Most versatile: Tools→Track Changes –Displays a change management toolbar –Provides for multiple reviewers: Who made change and when –Lets you switch between viewing markup and final only –Lets you accept changes wholesale or one- by-one –Probably overkill for high school students Example

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 27 Word Help First kill the paperclip –It is just not useful –Gets in the way of real help Under “Help” –“Index” is most useful –“Contents” is organized topically; sometimes helpful –“Answer wizard” not too smart If you are serious, go to Borders and find a book you like by a third-party author Uncheck this box Double-click paperclip to get this box

Writing Papers - Copyright Graham Seibert 28 Conclusion Reiterate the objective –Provide some insight into how Word is structured –Provide a bit of practical knowledge you may not have had –Give an idea of the power of the package Next steps –General interest topics that need more depth –Individual help with specific issues