Microsoft Word
The word processor used by the world

Alignments & Spacing l Tabs l Bullets l Columns l Sections l Margins |l Headers and Footers | Indents l Graphics l Other

Formatting Palette:

The Formatting Palette contains most of the commands you will need to format you documents. If it is not already out or if it dissapears, you can find the Formatting Palette under the "View" menu. This should always be out and accessable. Clicking on the triangle in front of a section, opens that section exposing the various commands. Clicking on the triangle again closes the section.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fonts, etc:

Most of the normal formatting commands can be found in the Formatting Palette in the "Fonts" section. Here you can choose; fonts, text size and color, bold, italic, underline, strike through, highlight color, etc.

 

Alignment & Spacing:

Text can be aligned on the left, right, centered, or justified. Lines can be single spaced, double spaced, or more. These commands can be found in the Formatting Palette under the"Alignment and Spacing" section.

To change the alignment or spacing of text, select or highlight the text and click on the appropriate button.

This text has Left alignment

This text has Right alignment

This text has Center alignment

Justified alignment is generally used when typing narrow columns and is aligned on both sides (as in newspaper columns).

Line Spacing:

To set the line spacing, go to the "Alignment and Spacing" section of the Formatting Palette and you can choose from the the following spacing commands.

Tabs:

Tabs are programmed stops along the ruler that you can get to immediately by pressing the "Tab" key. To place a tab, simply click on the ruler at the top of your window at the loction where you want your tab to be. You can set as many tabs as you wish. The tabs can be drug left or right, or drag it down onto your window and let go to get rid of it.

Note that there are 4 different tabs, each have a specific function. Generally you use the left tab, however occasionally the other tabs come in very handy. The regular or left tab is automatically set as the default. To select one of the other tabs, click on the tab pull-down and select the tab of your choice. Then click on the ruler as described above.

 

Bullets:

When typing lists of items, it is often convenient and appropriate to use bullets, or numbers. This can easily be preset to save time. (Word may predetermine that you are typing a numbered list and may place your numbers automatically)

In the Formatting Palette," in the "Bullets and Numbering" section, y ou can choose from various bullets and numbers, etc.

 

Columns:

In Word, you can easily create columns on your word processing document;

Pull down the "Format" menu and choose "Columns." You will get the following dialog box where you can choose the number of columns and make appropriate choices.

Sections:

Work with columns can have some problems. When the text from the first column reaches the bottom of the page it moves up to the top of the next column.

If you want to have text appear at the top of the second column without filling up the first column, you must insert a "Column Break" (You should do this instead of hitting return several times).

To do this:

  1. Pull down the "Insert" menu and choose "Break," and choose "Column." The cursor will move to the top of the next column.

Margins:

You can set the top, bottom, left, and/or right margins independently to any size you wish.

  1. Pull down the "Format" menu and choose "Document."
  2. Retype the desired margin size or use the arrows in any or all of the margin boxes.
  3. Click OK and the margins will be reset.

 

You can also adjust the margins by dragging the margin guides on the page rulers. (but be careful, this can mess up your page)

Headers and Footers:

A header is something at the head or top of a page (like a letterhead) and a Footer is something at the foot or bottom of a page. The footer and/or header generally will appear on all pages of a document. To insert a header or footer;

  1. Pull down the "View" menu and choose "Header and Footer."
  2. Click in either the header box at the top or the footer box at the bottom and type in what you want and format it as desired.
  3. When done, double click in the middle of your page. You will notice that the header/footer is gray-out (it will print in full black).
  4. To edit the header/footer, double click on it and you can edit it.

*note: a footer is a good way to tag your self created documents with your name, name of file (so you can find it on your computer when needed), and revision date. ie:

Page numbers:

To add page numbers to your document just pull down the "Insert" menu and choose "Insert Page Number." Select whether you want it at the top or bottom of your pages and the alignment. It will automatically insert a page number on each page as a footer or header.

Indents:

There are many different ways to set your indentations.

You will see these marks on the left side of the ruler.

You will notice that if you drag the first line indent marker to the right, it will indent the first line by the desired amount.

If you drag the second indent marker (the triangle, not the little button under it) to the right, everything except the first line is indented.

If you move the left indent button to the right, the entire paragraph is indented.

Remember, different sections of the text can have different indentations. Just select the text you want and set the markers.

Graphics:

You can insert graphics and pictures into your word processing document by pulling down the "Insert" menu and choosing "Picture." You will have a choice between "Clip Art," Microsoft's internal art, or "From File" if you want to insert an external image.

  • If you choose Clip art; select the image and click on "Insert".
  • If you choose external file; locate the file you wish and click "Insert".
    • The picture can then be moved or resized.
    • You can rearrange the order of layers.

Other Things:

Sort list:

Word allows you to type a list and the have it alphabetize the list for you.

With a random list typed, pull down the "Table" menu and choose "Sort."

Choose Sort by paragraph-text, ascending order. Word will do the rest.

You can sort by other ways as well (ie: number, date, etc.)

Spell Check:

Besides the normal spell check, you will notice that Word will underline a word it thinks may be mis-spelled with a red wavy line. This allows you to make a needed correction as you type. The normal spell check command can be found under the "Tools" menu.

Drawing Tools/Layers:

To get the drawing tools, pull down the "View" menu, go to "Toolbars" and choose "Drawing." This will bring out the drawing button bar on the left side of your window.

 

 

Once you have your graphic on your page, you may want to rearranged the order of the layers in your stack of text and graphics so that one layer (text or graphic) appears in front of or behind another layer. (ie: text ontop of a box or graphic. To do this:

 

  1. Have the layer you wish to move selected by clicking on it (ie: the box).

  2. Choose the "Draw" button in your Drawing button bar at leftat the bottom left corner of your window and then select "Arrange," and choose whether or not to move the object backwards or forwards.

  3. You may then choose to move it forward, backwards, all the way to front or back, or infront of or behind the text.

Text Wrapping:

To wrap you text around your image;

  1. Click on the image to select it.
  2. In the Formatting Palette, choose the "Wrapping" section.
  3. For "Style" choose "Tight" or "Square" - the text will wrap around the image.

Web Page by Steve Christensen - rev 11/08