Office 2016 For Seniors For Dummies (2016)

Part II

Word

For a guide on creating your own greeting cards in Word, visit www.dummies.com/extras/office2016forseniors.

Chapter 4

Composing Your Thoughtsin Word

Get ready to . . .

Examine the Word Interface

Move Around and Select Text

Choose Paper Size and Orientation

Set Margins

Select the Right Screen View

Align and Indent Paragraphs

Change Line Spacing

Create Bulleted and Numbered Lists

If you’ve read this book to this point, you’ve seen the common features across the various Office applications, in a general way. In this chapter, it’s time to get down to brass tacks with one particular application: Microsoft Word.

Word is a word processing program. That’s a fancy way of saying that it specializes in creating and formatting (that is, processing) text. Word is ideal for projects that are primarily text-based: in other words, where the text is the main attraction, and the formatting (how text looks) plays a supporting role. Suitable projects in Word include correspondence, club newsletters and minutes, flyers and signs, fax cover sheets, mailing labels, brochures, award certificates, and stationery.

That’s a pretty broad list of projects!

Because Word is good for so many things, it’s usually the first application in the Office suite that a person learns how to use. In this chapter, I show you how to get around in Word; and how to type, edit, and format text.

Examine the Word Interface

Word differs from the other Office applications primarily in the depth of its text-handling tools. Whereas PowerPoint is all about graphics and Excel is all about numbers, Word is all about — well, words! Almost every tab on the Ribbon in Word has a text focus.

Some of Word’s strongest unique features include:

· A complete set of proofreading tools: You’ll find not only a spelling checker, but also a grammar checker, thesaurus, translation utility, and word counter. All these tools are on the Review tab. The spelling and grammar checkers are covered in Chapter 3.

· Several features for quickly and consistently applying formatting to text: Word offers convenient themes, styles, and style sets. Styles are on the Home tab, and themes are on the Design tab. Chapter 2 discusses themes in a generic, multi-application sense, and Chapter 5 covers styles and themes specifically in Word.

A style applies to an individual paragraph, or a block of selected text. A theme applies to the entire document.

· A full-featured Mail Merge utility: Use this feature (found on the Mailings tab) to create customized copies of letters, mailing labels, envelopes, and so on. Chapter 6 covers mail merge.

· Collaboration tools: Use these tools when working with other people, such as document sharing, change tracking, document comparison, and commenting. All of these are accessed from the Review tab.

Move Around and Select Text

In Chapter 1, I cover how to move around in a document and select blocks of text. In a nutshell, whatever you type in Word appears at the insertion point, which is the blinking vertical line on the page. You can move the insertion point by clicking with the mouse where you want it placed, or by using the arrow keys. There are also shortcut keys for moving the insertion point.

Scrolling the document with the scroll bars moves the display (for example, from page 1 to page 2) but does not move the insertion point.

A lot of people are surprised, for example, when they scroll to another page and start typing, but the text appears back on the previous page! That’s because the typing appears at the insertion point, which is still back where it was before.

To perform an action upon text — say, make it bold, or move it — you have to select the text first. To select text, drag across it with the mouse, or you can hold down the Shift key and then press the arrow keys to extend the selection. What you selected is highlighted, so that’s a good sign. You can also select an entire word by double-clicking it, an entire paragraph by triple-clicking it, or the entire document by pressing Ctrl+A.

You can move around by using keyboard shortcuts. You might find using keyboard shortcuts even more convenient than using the scroll bar. Table 4-1 lists some keyboard shortcuts in Word.

Table 4-1 Movement Shortcuts

Table 4-2 shows keyboard shortcuts to help you select text. Hold down the Shift key while you press the key in the left column of Table 4-2. The amount of text selected depends on whether you also hold down the Ctrl (Control) key at the same time.

Table 4-2 Text Selection Shortcuts

Choose Paper Size and Orientation

The default paper size in Word is 8.5 x 11 inches. That’s the standard size (called Letter), which conveniently fits in most printers and copy machines in the United States. (Legal size is the other major size used in the United States: 8.5 x 14 inches.) In other countries, though, standard paper size is different. For example, in Europe, A4 paper is the standard size, at 8.27 x 11.69 inches.

Whenever Word starts a new document, it does so based on a group of settings stored in a template called Normal. A template is a configuration file that governs the default settings for the documents that are based on it. These settings include specifications for a paper size of 8.5 x 11 inches. If you want the document to have a different paper size — say, for a brochure — choose Layout ⇒ Page Setup ⇒ Size and then choose a different paper size from the drop-down list. See Figure 4-1.

Figure 4-1

Page orientation determines whether the height or the width of the page is greater. If the text is parallel to the narrow edge, that’s Portrait. If it’s parallel to the wide edge, that’s Landscape.

Portrait (taller than wide) is the more common orientation, used for most correspondence and reports. Landscape orientation (wider than tall) is used for brochures, certificates, and calendars, all of which fit naturally into the wider format.

To change the page orientation, choose Layout ⇒ Page Setup ⇒ Orientation and then click Portrait or Landscape.

Set Margins

A document’s margin is the space between the edge of the paper and where the text begins. Ideal margins depend on many factors, including the document type, the need to limit the number of pages (for example, if you’re paying by the page to fax or copy a document), and the audience’s needs. Adjusting the margins can also control the perception of your document, making it look like it is longer or shorter than it actually is. Many a student who has been assigned a “three-page paper” has tried to get away with writing less by using large margins! (Of course, that generally doesn’t work because teachers know that trick.)

Word offers several sets of standard margin settings. Choose Layout ⇒ Page Setup ⇒ Margins and then choose from the list. See Figure 4-2.

Figure 4-2

Each preset has a value assigned to the four page sides. Usually, a document uses the same margin setting for opposite sides (the same value for top and bottom, and the same value for left and right). This isn’t a hard-and-fast rule, though. You might, for example, want extra space at the top of a page when you’re printing on stationery with a name and address preprinted at the top. And, if you’re going to bind your pages or use a three hole-punch for pages presented in a binder, you might want a larger margin.

If none of the choices on the list match what you want, choose Custom Margins from the bottom of the Margins menu (shown in Figure 4-2) and enter precise values in the Page Setup dialog box that appears, as shown in Figure 4-3.

Figure 4-3

Select the Right Screen View

Like with all the Office applications, Word gives you a variety of views to choose from. In Chapter 1, I cover views as a general concept; here, I talk about the specific views in Word.

At different points in the document creation process, you might want to see your document differently. For example, when you’re hammering out the text, you might want to see your work in a very plain way, without the distraction of multiple columns and page breaks. Later, when you’re fine-tuning the final look, you might want to see the document in a format closer to how it will appear when printed or published on the Web.

As I mention in Chapter 1, the View tab provides access to all the viewing options, and View buttons are also available in the bottom right of the Word window.

The available views in Word are

· Print Layout: The default view. You see each page approximately as it will look when printed, including graphics, multicolumn layouts, and breaks. This view is appropriate for most documents and work situations.

· Read Mode: A view that simulates an electronic book-reading program, laying out text in an easy-to-read, book-like format. Text can’t be edited in this view. This view is good for reviewing someone else’s work.

· Web Layout: A view of the document approximately as it will look when saved in Web format. Use this view when you are using Word to create content destined from the Web.

Word isn’t the most powerful tool for Web page design, but Word does enable you to create and save simple Web content.

· Outline: A hierarchical view. Paragraphs are marked as headings (via the Styles feature, covered in Chapter 5) and appear in outline format. You can expand and collapse the outline to show more or fewer outline levels. Outline view is great in the early stage of a project, when you are planning the headings for a long document.

· Draft: A plain-text view. You don’t see the edges of the page nor any multicolumn layouts. Page and section breaks appear as codes rather than as actual breaks. Some graphics don’t appear, and others don’t appear in the exact spots they will be in when the document is printed.

In most cases, you will probably be happiest with Page Layout view or Draft view. I use Page Layout view most of the time, and switch to Draft view when I need to edit a multicolumn document. I find it easier to scroll through the text when I don’t have to skip from column to column onscreen.

On some less powerful computers, you might notice a difference in Word’s performance depending on the view you choose. For example, when you page down or move the insertion point with the arrow keys, you might experience a brief delay, especially in Print Layout view. If you find delays occurring as you edit, switching to Draft view should solve the problem.

Align and Indent Paragraphs

In Chapter 2, I cover text formatting at the individual character level: font, font size, and the like. Now take a look at some formatting that applies to entire paragraphs.

Paragraphs are the building blocks of documents. Every time you press Enter, you create a new paragraph.

You can see the paragraph markers (which don’t print) by clicking the Show/Hide (¶) button on the Home tab (in the Paragraph group). This button toggles on/off the display of hidden characters such as spaces, paragraph breaks, line breaks, and tabs. Figure 4-4 shows a document with the display turned on.

Figure 4-4

Some folks find seeing these characters very distracting. However, showing them can be very helpful when you’re trying to make sure you have only one space between words, or when you accidentally press the Tab key and make text skip like this — and then fix it.

Each paragraph has a horizontal alignment, which determines how each line aligns between the right and left margins. The default is left alignment, where each line begins at the left margin. Left alignment is appropriate for most situations; the text in this book is left-aligned. The alternatives are

· Right alignment: Each line ends at the right margin. You might use this to right-align the date in some styles of business letters.

· Center alignment: Each line is centered evenly between the margins. You might want to center your name and address on stationery you create.

· Justified: Each line has additional space added to it as needed so that it begins at the left margin and ends at the right margin. With justified alignment, all lines of the paragraph except the last one are spaced that way; the final line of the paragraph is left-aligned. If the paragraph consists of only a single line, it is left-aligned. Newsletter text is often justified, making for a tidier-looking page.

Figure 4-5 shows some examples of the four types of alignment.

Figure 4-5

To change one paragraph’s alignment, move the insertion point into it, or select any (or all) text within it. Then click the paragraph alignment button you want. See Figure 4-6.

Figure 4-6

To apply a different alignment to multiple paragraphs at once, select multiple paragraphs (or any part of them). Then click the paragraph alignment button you want.

By default, each paragraph starts in relation to the right and left margins, depending on what alignment you choose. For example, a left-aligned paragraph starts at the same position as the left margin, like this text. Sometimes you might want to indent one or more paragraphs, though: that is, shift their position in relation to the left and/or right margins. For example, in some styles of correspondence, it’s customary to indent the first line of each paragraph by one-half inch (or five spaces). Or, when citing a quotation, it’s common to indent a paragraph by one-half inch at both the right and the left.

Here are the possible types of indents in Word. Each is demonstrated in Figure 4-7.

· First-line indent: The starting position of the first line of the paragraph is shifted (usually inward) in relation to the left margin.

· Left indent: All lines of the paragraph are shifted in relation to the left margin.

· Right indent: All lines of the paragraph are shifted in relation to the right margin.

Figure 4-7

For a simple left indent, use buttons on the Home tab (Paragraph group): Increase Indent and Decrease Indent. See Figure 4-7. Each time you click one of those buttons, it changes the left indent for the selected paragraph(s) by 0.5”.

If you want to specify the amount of indent or if you want to apply an indent to the right side, use the Indent controls on the Layout tab, as shown in Figure 4-8. You can increment the amount of indent up or down in the Left and Right text boxes.

Figure 4-8

If you want a special indent (hanging or first-line), use the Paragraph dialog box. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Select the paragraph(s) to which the setting should apply.

2. On the Home or the Layout tab, click the small icon in the bottom right of the Paragraph group. (It’s pointed out in Figure 4-8.)

3. In the Paragraph dialog box that opens, enter values in the Left and/or Right text boxes as desired to create overall indents for the paragraph(s). See Figure 4-9.

4. (Optional) If you want a special type of indent (such as hanging, or first-line), open the Special drop-down list and make your selection. Then enter the amount of the special indent in the text box to the right.

In Figure 4-9, for example, a hanging indent has been set of 0.9”. That means all lines except the first one will be left-indented by 0.9”.

5. Click OK. The indent settings are applied.

Figure 4-9

Change Line Spacing

If you’ve used a typewriter, you’re probably familiar with the terms single spacing and double spacing. You know, do you want one line of space between every line of type, or two? Most typewriters have a switch that allows you to switch between those two modes. The Spacing feature in Word is just like that but with many more choices. You can fine-tune the spacing between lines to any precise amount you want.

Three settings in Word control line spacing:

· Before: The space before each paragraph

· After: The space after each paragraph

· Line Spacing: The space between the lines of each paragraph

In Word 2016, the default settings are to use no spacing Before, 8 points of space After, and a line spacing of 1.08, which is just slightly greater than single-spacing.

For basic spacing, you can use the Line Spacing button’s drop-down list on the Home tab, as shown in Figure 4-10. The numbers at the top of the list refer to line spacing between the lines of paragraphs; the commands at the bottom of the list add or remove spacing before or after the paragraphs. You can also set the Before and After values on the Layout tab, as shown in Figure 4-11.

Figure 4-10

Figure 4-11

If all that still doesn’t meet your spacing needs, you can open the Paragraph dialog box (click the little icon in the bottom-right corner of the Paragraph group, on either the Home or the Layout tab) and set specific values for spacing there. As shown in Figure 4-12, you can enter Before and After values. In the Line Spacing area, you select a unit of measurement from the drop-down list, and then enter a value.

Figure 4-12

Create Bulleted and Numbered Lists

Word makes it easy to create bulleted and numbered lists in your documents. Use a bulleted list for lists where the order of items isn’t significant, and the same “bullet” character (such as • or ⇒) is used in front of each item. You might use a bulleted list for a packing list for a trip, for example, or a go-forward list. In contrast, use a numbered list for lists where the order of items is significant, and a sequential step number is used to indicate order. A numbered list might contain the steps for a recipe or a meeting agenda.

You can create a list from existing paragraphs, or you can turn on the list feature and type the list as you go. Either way, you’re working with the Bullets button or the Numbering button on the Home tab.

It’s just this easy:

· Click the Bullets or the Numbering button to apply a default bullet or number, respectively. The default bullet looks like this (•) and the default numbering treatment uses standard 1., 2., 3., and so on.

· Click the arrow to the right of either button to open a palette of additional choices. Figure 4-13 shows the Numbering Library and its choices.

Figure 4-13

If you go the palette route, here’s the drill for bullets or numbered lists:

· Bullets: Pick one of the bullet characters on the palette. If you don’t find what you want, click Define New Bullet to set up a custom bullet.

· Numbered lists: Choose from a variety of numeral styles, including Arabic (1, 2, 3) and Roman (I, II, III); or uppercase or lowercase Arabic and Roman letters (A, B, C; i, ii, iii). See Figure 4-13. Clicking the Define New Number Format option opens a dialog box where you can set up your own number formats.

· For each numbered list, Word automatically increments the number. It isn’t always perfect at guessing your wishes, though. For example, sometimes you might have a regular paragraph (not numbered) between two paragraphs that are consecutively numbered, or you might want to restart the numbering back at 1 when Word guesses that you want the numbering continued from the previous list.

To change between continuing the previous list and starting a new one, right-click the paragraph where you want the change to be made, and then choose either Restart at 1 or Continue Numbering.