Last week, we inserted page breaks in Microsoft Word. This week, we’re going to insert section breaks. We’ll also look at how to update and delete section breaks. Quick Links: How to Insert Section Breaks How to Update Section Breaks How to Delete Section Breaks Before we start, let’s answer an important question… What Is the Difference between a Page Break … [Read more...] about How to Insert Section Breaks in Microsoft Word (PC & Mac)
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How to Create a PDF Portfolio in Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial shows how to create, customize, and rename a PDF Portfolio in Adobe Acrobat. Before we begin, you may be wondering… What Is a PDF Portfolio? When you use Adobe Acrobat’s Combine Files tool, other file types (such as Microsoft Word or Excel files) will be converted to the PDF format. However, a PDF Portfolio lets you combine and save multiple files as one PDF … [Read more...] about How to Create a PDF Portfolio in Adobe Acrobat
How to Create a Cover Page in Microsoft Word (Built-In and Custom)
This tutorial shows how to create a cover page in Microsoft Word. First, we’ll create a cover page using a built-in design. Then, we’ll create a custom cover page that can be reused. Next, we’ll delete a cover page. Plus, the bonus section at the end shows how to remove page number zero from a cover page. Quick Links: How to Create a Built-In Cover Page How to Create … [Read more...] about How to Create a Cover Page in Microsoft Word (Built-In and Custom)
How to Insert and Modify Image Watermarks in Microsoft Word
Today, we’re going to insert and modify image watermarks in Microsoft Word. This is the second in a three-part series about watermarks in Microsoft Word. In the first part, we inserted and modified text watermarks. In the third part, we will insert text and image watermarks on specific pages in Word. Image watermarks can be anything from logos to background pictures or … [Read more...] about How to Insert and Modify Image Watermarks in Microsoft Word
How to Create Newspaper-Style Columns in Microsoft Word
Newspaper-style columns, which are also called newsletter columns, allow text and images to flow from one column to the next. This tutorial shows how to create newspaper-style columns in Microsoft Word. We’ll also look at how to create column breaks and how to return to a single column. Quick Links: How to Create Newspaper-Style Columns How to Create Column Breaks … [Read more...] about How to Create Newspaper-Style Columns in Microsoft Word
How to Insert and Modify Text Watermarks in Microsoft Word
Watermarks are semitransparent words, phrases, or images that identify ownership (e.g., Copyright Generic Brand, LLC), indicate confidentiality (e.g., Confidential, Do Not Copy), or show status (e.g., Urgent, Draft). Last week, we added watermarks to PDFs with Adobe Acrobat. Inserting watermarks in Microsoft Word is more complex than in Acrobat, so we are going to divide the … [Read more...] about How to Insert and Modify Text Watermarks in Microsoft Word
How to Insert Watermarks in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial shows how to insert watermarks in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat. We’ll also look at how to update and remove watermarks. In addition, we’ll walk through the steps to add watermarks to multiple PDFs at once. But first… What Are Watermarks? Watermarks are words, phrases, or images used to identify ownership (e.g., Copyright XYZ Corporation), indicate confidentiality … [Read more...] about How to Insert Watermarks in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
How to Insert Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert headers and footers in Microsoft Word. We’ll also look at how to edit and delete existing headers and footers. Quick Links: How to Insert Headers and Footers How to Edit Headers and Footers How to Delete Headers and Footers If you want to insert page numbers in headers or footers, please see my other tutorial “How to Add Page … [Read more...] about How to Insert Headers and Footers in Microsoft Word
How to Insert Placeholder Text in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert placeholder text in Microsoft Word without copying and pasting it from another source. Placeholder text, which is also called random text, filler text, or dummy text, fills space in a document for formatting or layout purposes. First, we’re going to look at how to create three types of placeholder text: random text, the classic “quick brown … [Read more...] about How to Insert Placeholder Text in Microsoft Word
How to Create Drop Caps in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to create drop caps in Microsoft Word. A drop cap is a large letter at the start of a paragraph. Drop caps are traditionally used as decorative elements at the start of a document or the start of a chapter. In addition to creating drop caps, we’ll also look at how to add extra customizations such as different font colors, background colors, and drop … [Read more...] about How to Create Drop Caps in Microsoft Word
How to Change the Default Font in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to change the default font in Microsoft Word. Specifically, we will look at how to change the default font for normal body text. Then, we will look at how to restore Word’s original defaults by replacing the normal.dotm template file through the Windows File Explorer. Quick Links: How to Change the Default Font for Body Text How to Restore … [Read more...] about How to Change the Default Font in Microsoft Word
How to Create Buttons to Page Views in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial shows how to create buttons to page views in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat. A page view is the part of the PDF you see on your screen when you create the button link. Therefore, you can link the button to anything viewable in your PDF, such as a specific part of a page, a form, an image, or an embedded video. We’ll also look at how to edit existing page view buttons … [Read more...] about How to Create Buttons to Page Views in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
How to Change the Font, Font Size, and Font Color in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows three ways to change the font, font size, and font color in Microsoft Word. First, we’ll use the font options in the ribbon. Then, we’ll use the Mini toolbar. Finally, we’ll use the Font dialog box. Do you want to change your default font, font size, or font color? Check out my other tutorial "How to Change the Default Font in Microsoft Word." Quick … [Read more...] about How to Change the Font, Font Size, and Font Color in Microsoft Word
How to Create Navigation Buttons in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial shows how to create navigation buttons in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat. Navigation buttons, which are made from Acrobat’s action buttons, help readers move through your PDF by offering options such as First Page, Previous Page, Next Page, and Last Page. In addition to creating buttons, we will also distribute those buttons across multiple pages. Do you want to … [Read more...] about How to Create Navigation Buttons in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
How to Insert and Modify Images in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial shows how to insert images in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat. We will also resize, rotate, and move images, as well as arrange images behind text. Quick Links: How to Insert Images How to Modify Images How to Resize Images How to Rotate Images How to Move Images How to Arrange Images behind Text This tutorial is also available as a … [Read more...] about How to Insert and Modify Images in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
How to Insert and Modify Images in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert images in Microsoft Word. We will also look at how to resize images, align images with the text, and add a border. Quick Links: How to Insert an Image How to Resize an Image How to Align an Image with the Text How to Add a Border to an Image Important Note: This tutorial covers the basics of working with images. Word offers … [Read more...] about How to Insert and Modify Images in Microsoft Word
How to Change the Style of Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word
We recently created hyperlinks in Microsoft Word to external files, websites, and email addresses. In today’s tutorial, we are going to change the style of hyperlinks in Microsoft Word. Style includes the font, font size, font color, and emphasis (i.e., bold font, italics, and underlining). The style settings for followed and unfollowed hyperlinks are different, so we will … [Read more...] about How to Change the Style of Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word
How to Add and Format Text in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial shows how to add and format text in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat. We will also look at how to set a default font and font size for adding text. Important Note: Adobe Acrobat’s editing tools can only add text to one page at a time. If you need to add a large amount of text across multiple pages, consider doing so in Microsoft Word and then converting the Word file to … [Read more...] about How to Add and Format Text in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
How to Create External Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to create external hyperlinks in Microsoft Word. Specifically, we will create links to separate files, websites, and email addresses. We will also look at how to edit or remove hyperlinks. Lastly, we will go through the steps to turn off automatic hyperlinking in Word. Quick Links: How to Create Hyperlinks to Separate Files, Websites, and … [Read more...] about How to Create External Hyperlinks in Microsoft Word
How to Create a Citation with Multiple Sources in Microsoft Word
There are several third-party plug-ins that can help you create a citation with multiple sources in Microsoft Word. But today, we are going to create multi-source citations in Word without using a plug-in. We will also look at how to remove or edit individual sources within a multi-source citation. Quick Links: How to Create a Citation with Multiple Sources How to … [Read more...] about How to Create a Citation with Multiple Sources in Microsoft Word
How to Add Headers and Footers to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial shows how to add headers and footers to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat. Plus, we will look at how to use more than one font format and position header and footer text on opposite sides of pages by adding multiple headers and footers. Quick Links: How to Add Headers and Footers to PDFs How to Add Additional Headers and Footers to PDFs If you want to insert … [Read more...] about How to Add Headers and Footers to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat
How to Create Custom Bullets in Microsoft Word
In my last tutorial, we looked at how to create bulleted lists in Microsoft Word. Today, we’re going to create custom bullets in Microsoft Word using built-in font symbols and using your own images. At the end, we will also remove custom bullets from the Bullets Library. Quick Links: How to Use Symbols to Create Custom Bullets How to Use Images to Create Custom … [Read more...] about How to Create Custom Bullets in Microsoft Word
How to Create Bulleted Lists in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows two ways to create bulleted lists in Microsoft Word. We will also look at how to change list levels and how to change the size and color of bullets. Quick Links: How to Create Bulleted Lists — Basic Method 1 How to Create Bulleted Lists — Basic Method 2 How to Change Bulleted List Levels How to Change the Size and Color of Bullets Do you … [Read more...] about How to Create Bulleted Lists in Microsoft Word
How to Add Page Numbers to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial shows how to add page numbers to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat. We’ll also look at how to update page numbers and how to add page numbers to the opposite side of each page in PDFs. Quick Links: How to Add Page Numbers to PDFs How to Update Page Numbers in PDFs How to Add Page Numbers to the Opposite Side of Each Page in PDFs This tutorial is also available … [Read more...] about How to Add Page Numbers to PDFs in Adobe Acrobat
How to Add Page Numbers in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
This tutorial explains the basics of working with page numbers in Microsoft Word. We will cover four tasks: How to add page numbers How to format page numbers How to remove the page number from the first page How to start the second page with page number 1 This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real … [Read more...] about How to Add Page Numbers in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
How to Convert Microsoft Word Files to PDFs (Step-by-Step)
This tutorial shows how to convert Microsoft Word files to PDFs. There are several ways to accomplish this task in Microsoft Word, so today we will focus on the method I believe is the most user-friendly. In the final section, we will also briefly discuss the Adobe Acrobat PDFMaker add-in and look at how to use it. (The Acrobat PDFMaker add-in is not required to follow the … [Read more...] about How to Convert Microsoft Word Files to PDFs (Step-by-Step)
How to Convert PDFs to Microsoft Word Files in Adobe Acrobat
There are multiple ways to convert PDFs to Microsoft Word files in Adobe Acrobat. In this tutorial, we are going to look at the method I believe is the most user-friendly. Then, we’ll look at two alternative methods you may want to use instead. Do you need to convert a Word file to a PDF? Please see my other tutorial “How to Convert Microsoft Word Files to PDFs.” This … [Read more...] about How to Convert PDFs to Microsoft Word Files in Adobe Acrobat
How to Modify the Style of Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
Today, we’re going to modify the style of footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word. We’re also going to modify the style of the superscripted reference numbers, letters, and symbols in the text. Style includes font, font size, color, emphasis (italics, bold, underline), alignment, spacing, and indentation. Plus, the bonus section at the end shows how to delete or modify the … [Read more...] about How to Modify the Style of Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
How to Create and Update a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word
There are several ways to create a table of contents in Microsoft Word. In this tutorial, we are going to look at the two most convenient ways. Plus, we are going to update a table of contents after making changes to the document. We will also delete a table of contents. How to Create a Built-In Table of Contents How to Create a Custom Table of Contents How to … [Read more...] about How to Create and Update a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word
How to Adjust Line Spacing in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial shows how to adjust line spacing in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat. Adjusting line spacing in Adobe Acrobat is different than in other word processing software, such as Microsoft Word and Google Docs, because text doesn’t automatically flow from page to page within PDFs. Instead, you have to adjust the line spacing within the individual text boxes. As such, this … [Read more...] about How to Adjust Line Spacing in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
Managing citations for research papers, theses, dissertations, and other nonfiction works can be overwhelming. However, you can ease the process by learning how to insert citations in Microsoft Word using the software’s citation and bibliography tools. This tutorial covers six topics: How to select a citation style How to insert citations for new sources How to … [Read more...] about How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
How to Create Hanging Indents in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
When a paragraph has a hanging indent, the first line extends farther to the left than the rest of the lines. Hanging indents are common in bibliographies, reference lists, and works cited pages. This tutorial shows two ways to create hanging indents in Microsoft Word: Create hanging indents with the ruler Create hanging indents with the paragraph dialog box The … [Read more...] about How to Create Hanging Indents in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)
How to Combine Files into One PDF in Adobe Acrobat
One of Adobe Acrobat’s most convenient features lets you combine files into one PDF. Best of all, the files don’t have to be other PDFs—you can combine nearly any file (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or image) as long as you have the corresponding software on your computer. This tutorial walks through all the steps to combine files. Plus, the bonus section at the end shows … [Read more...] about How to Combine Files into One PDF in Adobe Acrobat
How to Adjust Page Margins in Microsoft Word (Three Methods)
There are three different ways to adjust page margins in Microsoft Word: Adjust page margins with the ruler Use preset margins Create custom margins This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time. https://youtu.be/tTJEZ4egnZI Watch more than 100 other videos about Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat on my YouTube … [Read more...] about How to Adjust Page Margins in Microsoft Word (Three Methods)
How to Insert Playing Card Symbols in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert playing card symbols in Microsoft Word. The four traditional playing card symbols—the heart, club, diamond, and spade—were popularized in the fifteenth century.* In fact, we might consider them antique emoji because they have a storied history of expressing emotion well beyond the gaming table. This longevity makes them an excellent option … [Read more...] about How to Insert Playing Card Symbols in Microsoft Word
How to Create a Blank PDF in Adobe Acrobat
Most PDFs originate from another type of file, such as a Microsoft Word document. They are then converted to the PDF format before publication. However, you can create a blank PDF in Adobe Acrobat without relying on outside software. This tutorial will walk you through three processes: How to create a blank PDF How to add text to a PDF How to add a blank page to a … [Read more...] about How to Create a Blank PDF in Adobe Acrobat
How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word
Charts offer a concise and visually appealing way to present numeric information. This tutorial explains the basics of creating and customizing charts in Microsoft Word. We’ll cover five topics: How to insert a chart How to update existing data in a chart How to resize a chart How to reposition a chart How to change chart colors These steps apply to all … [Read more...] about How to Create and Customize Charts in Microsoft Word
How to Adjust Line Spacing in Microsoft Word
There are several ways to adjust line spacing in Microsoft Word. Today’s tutorial explains the basic method using the ribbon and a more advanced method using the Paragraph dialog box. See the Quick Tip at the bottom of this tutorial to learn how to single-space an entire document from the Paragraph dialog box. This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all … [Read more...] about How to Adjust Line Spacing in Microsoft Word
Three Ways to Insert Tables in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows three ways to insert tables in Microsoft Word so you can choose the method that is most appropriate for your content: Create a table from the Table menu (best for general use) Create a table from the Table dialog box (offers the most sizing options) Insert a Quick Table (fastest setup) Note that you can also draw a custom table and create a … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Tables in Microsoft Word
How to Change the Style of Table Titles and Figure Captions in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to change the style of table titles and figure captions in Microsoft Word. Recently, we inserted table titles and figure captions in Word. Today, we’ll change the style (e.g., font, font size, color, alignment, etc.) of those titles and captions. We’ll look at three different processes: 1. How to change the style of existing and future table … [Read more...] about How to Change the Style of Table Titles and Figure Captions in Microsoft Word
How to Create, Change, and Delete Tabs in Microsoft Word
When you press the Tab key while working in Microsoft Word, your cursor moves to a specific location called a tab stop. Tabs can be used to indent paragraphs, but they can also be used for other purposes including creating single- and multi-column lists. This tutorial shows (1) how to change Word’s default tab and (2) how to create, change, and delete tabs in Word on the … [Read more...] about How to Create, Change, and Delete Tabs in Microsoft Word
Should You Use Metric or US Customary Units of Measurement in Your Writing?
Here in the United States, we use US customary units of measurement, such as pounds, feet, and inches, for most of our daily activities. However, we are also accustomed to seeing—and sometimes using—the metric system adopted by most other countries. So, should we use metric or US customary units of measurement in our writing? Before answering that question, let’s take a … [Read more...] about Should You Use Metric or US Customary Units of Measurement in Your Writing?
How to Cite a Podcast in Reference Lists, Notes, and Bibliographies
From true crime to comedy, podcasts are all the rage right now. And unsurprisingly, the information they provide is sneaking into our writing. But, just like written sources, podcasts need to be properly cited in reference lists, notes, and bibliographies. This post explains how to cite a podcast according to three of our primary style guides: 1. The Chicago Manual of Style … [Read more...] about How to Cite a Podcast in Reference Lists, Notes, and Bibliographies
How to Create a Nonbreaking Dash in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows you how to create a nonbreaking dash in Microsoft Word. A nonbreaking dash will stop words or numbers connected by an en dash or em dash from separating at the end of a line. These steps can also be used for hyphens. However, Word provides a built-in nonbreaking hyphen that is simpler to use than the process for dashes. See the bonus section at the end of … [Read more...] about How to Create a Nonbreaking Dash in Microsoft Word
How to Write Table Titles
Table titles help readers understand the connection between tables and the rest of the document. They can also make tables easier to understand when viewed by themselves. Due to these important functions, all our primary style guides offer detailed guidelines for how to write table titles. So today, we’re going to compare the differing guidelines provided by three of those … [Read more...] about How to Write Table Titles
How to Insert Figure Captions and Table Titles in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert figure captions and table titles in Microsoft Word. One of the benefits of using Word’s caption tool, as opposed to just typing captions and titles manually, is that the caption and title numbers will automatically update as you add figures or tables. You can also use the captions and titles generated by Word's caption tool to create … [Read more...] about How to Insert Figure Captions and Table Titles in Microsoft Word
How to Write Figure Captions for Graphs, Charts, Photos, Drawings, and Maps
Figures are visuals such as charts, graphs, photos, drawings, and maps. Figures are normally identified by the capitalized word Figure and a number followed by a caption. A caption is a short block of text that gives information about the figure. The following seven tips explain how to write figure captions in your book, article, or research paper. Although closely related, … [Read more...] about How to Write Figure Captions for Graphs, Charts, Photos, Drawings, and Maps
When to Use the Percent Sign in a Sentence (The Ultimate Guide)
Do you know what percentage of style guides agree on when to use the percent sign in a sentence? Zero! To understand when to use the percent sign instead of the word percent, we need to look at the recommendations provided by all four of our primary style guides: The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago style) The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) Publication Manual of … [Read more...] about When to Use the Percent Sign in a Sentence (The Ultimate Guide)
How to Create and Customize Headings in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to create headings in Microsoft Word. More specifically, we’ll look at how to create headings using Word’s styles. Then, we’ll look at how to customize Word’s default heading styles to your preferred font, font size, alignment, and color. But first, let’s discuss the importance of using Word’s heading styles. Why Are Heading Styles Important? You … [Read more...] about How to Create and Customize Headings in Microsoft Word
How to Capitalize Hyphenated Words in Titles and Headings
Most titles and headings are formatted with headline-style capitalization, which means that the first and last words and all the main words in between are capitalized (as demonstrated in the title of this blog post). But how should you capitalize hyphenated words in titles and headings using headline-style capitalization? The general guideline is to capitalize all the main … [Read more...] about How to Capitalize Hyphenated Words in Titles and Headings
Three Ways to Insert Superscripts and Subscripts in Microsoft Word
Superscripts are numbers, letters, or symbols that appear slightly above the surrounding text. Subscripts are letters, numbers, words, or phrases that appear slightly below the surrounding text. This tutorial shows how to insert superscripts and subscripts in Microsoft Word using three different tools: 1. The Superscript and Subscript Buttons 2. The Symbol Dialog Box 3. … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Superscripts and Subscripts in Microsoft Word
What Is Headline-Style Capitalization?
Headline-style capitalization, also called title case, means that the main words are capitalized and the “less important” words are lowercased in titles and headings. Headline-style capitalization is the format you see in most books and magazines. This blog features headline-style capitalization for all titles and most headings. Here are several examples: Should You Use … [Read more...] about What Is Headline-Style Capitalization?
Three Ways to Create Bookmarks in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
In PDFs, bookmarks are links that appear in the Bookmarks panel. They are usually organized as a table of contents. Let’s look at three ways to create bookmarks in PDFs using Adobe Acrobat. Method 1: Create a Bookmark without a Selection Method 2: Create a Bookmark with a Selection Method 3: Create a Bookmark from the Bookmarks Panel But first, we’ll explore the differences … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Create Bookmarks in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
How to Use Tags in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to use tags in Microsoft Word. Specifically, we’ll look at three ways to add tags to Word documents: 1. Add Tags through the Backstage View 2. Add Tags through Advanced Properties 3. Add Tags through Save As Then, we’ll look at how to delete tags in Word documents. The final section shows how to search for known and unknown tags through the File … [Read more...] about How to Use Tags in Microsoft Word
How to Find Extra Spaces in Word
You can use Microsoft Word’s Find and Replace tool to delete extra spaces all at once. Or, you can find extra spaces in Word by customizing your proofing options and then deleting them individually as you type or during a Spelling & Grammar check. These three tasks are explained in this tutorial: Customize Word’s Proofing Options to Find Extra Spaces Delete Extra Spaces … [Read more...] about How to Find Extra Spaces in Word
How to Create Internal Links in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
Today’s tutorial explains how to create internal links in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. My last software tutorial showed how to create external links in PDFs and how to delete both external and internal links. Although the two processes are similar, the steps for creating internal links are a bit more complex. This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing … [Read more...] about How to Create Internal Links in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
How to Create External Links in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
This tutorial explains how to create external links in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat Pro DC. Twenty years ago, PDFs were flat files—basically, they were the onscreen equivalent of a piece of paper. You could read them but not interact with them. Today, PDFs can be highly interactive (although, they can still be flat if necessary). One simple way to add interactivity is through … [Read more...] about How to Create External Links in PDFs with Adobe Acrobat
How to Convert Individual Footnotes to Endnotes in Microsoft Word (and Individual Endnotes to Footnotes)
Here’s the scenario: You’ve just completed a twenty-page report with seventy-five footnotes when you realize that several of those footnotes should be endnotes. Rather than deleting those footnotes and manually creating new endnotes, follow the steps below to convert individual footnotes to endnotes in Microsoft Word. These steps can also be used to convert individual endnotes … [Read more...] about How to Convert Individual Footnotes to Endnotes in Microsoft Word (and Individual Endnotes to Footnotes)
Three Tips for Starting a Sentence with a Number
The writing world is riddled with “rules” based on misunderstood guidelines. One such rule is that we should never start a sentence with a number. While this blanket ban is understandable—depending on the content, starting a sentence with a number can be confusing or disruptive for readers—doing so is generally grammatically acceptable if you follow the three guidelines … [Read more...] about Three Tips for Starting a Sentence with a Number
How to Write Vertical Lists (Ordered and Unordered)
Recently, we looked at how to write run-in lists, which are lists that appear inside sentences. In this tutorial, we’ll explore guidelines for how to write vertical lists. Vertical lists are set apart from the surrounding text and are usually prefaced with bullets or sequential numbers or letters. Vertical lists can be ordered or unordered and can be introduced by complete … [Read more...] about How to Write Vertical Lists (Ordered and Unordered)
How to Restrict Style Changes in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to restrict style changes in Microsoft Word. My last software tutorial explained how to restrict Track Changes and comments in Word. Today, we will restrict style changes in Word. Style includes things such as font, font size, font color, emphasis (i.e., italics, bold font, underlining), line spacing, and indentation. We’ll also look at how to … [Read more...] about How to Restrict Style Changes in Microsoft Word
When to Use Italics or Quotation Marks with Foreign Words
The following guidelines explain when to use italics or quotation marks with foreign words to set them apart from the surrounding English text. These guidelines are for general words in business documents, nonfiction, journalism, and academic writing but aren’t for proper nouns, such as people’s names or place names, which typically don’t require special formatting. But … [Read more...] about When to Use Italics or Quotation Marks with Foreign Words
How to Write Large Numbers
According to the Astrophysical Journal, our universe is home to 200 trillion galaxies—that’s ten times more than the 200 billion galaxies previously believed to be in existence.1 I can’t envision 200 billion galaxies, let alone 200 trillion. However, I can envision writing large numbers according to the recommendations provided by our primary style guides. So, whether you’re … [Read more...] about How to Write Large Numbers
Direct Quotations and Paraphrasing Explained
You can use direct quotations or paraphrasing to include someone else’s writing or speech in your own writing. Direct quotations can be formatted as run-in or block quotations. Today’s post explains direct quotations and paraphrasing in more detail…and you can quote me on that! Direct Quotations Direct quotations present the original writer’s or speaker’s words verbatim. … [Read more...] about Direct Quotations and Paraphrasing Explained
Three Ways to Indent Paragraphs in Microsoft Word
Block paragraphs are the default in Microsoft Word. Block paragraphs are aligned with the left margin with no indentation and are visually separated by line spaces. Although block paragraphs are popular online, traditionally indented paragraphs are more common in print publishing, business writing, and academic research. Today’s tutorial shows three ways to indent paragraphs in … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Indent Paragraphs in Microsoft Word
How to Write Non-U.S. Dollars as Words and Symbols
My last currency post explained how to write euros and pounds as words and symbols. Today’s post extends the foreign currency theme by explaining how to write non-U.S. dollars as words and symbols. The guidelines below are based on The Associated Press Stylebook (AP style) and The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago style). If your organization has an in-house style guide, … [Read more...] about How to Write Non-U.S. Dollars as Words and Symbols
How to Insert Trademark, Copyright, and Registered Symbols in PDFs
This tutorial shows three methods for inserting trademark, copyright, and registered symbols in PDFs: alt codes, the Character Map, and copying and pasting. This tutorial is for editable PDFs in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, Acrobat Standard DC, and Acrobat Reader DC running on Windows. These steps should also work with most earlier versions of Acrobat and Reader. This tutorial … [Read more...] about How to Insert Trademark, Copyright, and Registered Symbols in PDFs
Which Style Guide Is Best for You?
Traditional authors, journalists, and those in academia usually follow their organization’s or publisher’s chosen style guide. But if you’re an independent author, blogger, or business owner, you can decide which style guide is best for your writing. Today’s post provides an overview of the “big four” style guides in American English: The Associated Press Stylebook (AP … [Read more...] about Which Style Guide Is Best for You?
How to Write Decades as Words and Numerals
Like the majority of Generation Xers, I was born in the decade of disco, leisure suits, and questionable mustaches. Does that mean I was born in the 1970s, the ’70s, or the seventies? Today’s post answers that question by analyzing how to write decades as complete numerals and words as well as abbreviated numerals. Should We Write Decades as Numerals or Words? As a general … [Read more...] about How to Write Decades as Words and Numerals
How to Find and Replace Special Characters in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows you three ways to find and replace special characters in Microsoft Word: 1. Enter special characters directly into the Find and Replace dialog box 2. Select special characters from within the Find and Replace dialog box 3. Use keyboard shortcuts or caret codes We’ll focus on the preset special characters available through Word’s Symbol dialog … [Read more...] about How to Find and Replace Special Characters in Microsoft Word
Five Tips for Writing Online Instructions
Today, we’re going to cover five tips for writing online instructions. These tips also apply to online tutorials and other how-to material. Important Note: The following tips are for general, unregulated instructions. If you are writing, editing, or publishing instructions for regulated products, services, or activities, contact your legal advisor to ensure that your … [Read more...] about Five Tips for Writing Online Instructions
Three Ways to Insert Special Characters in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows three ways to insert special characters in Microsoft Word: 1. The Symbol dialog box 2. Keyboard shortcuts 3. AutoCorrect Word’s special characters include twelve text characters, such as the en dash, that don’t appear on traditional keyboards and fifteen formatting characters, such as the nonbreaking hyphen, that affect text layout. The table below lists … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Special Characters in Microsoft Word
What Are Special Characters in Microsoft Word?
Microsoft Word includes two types of special characters: (1) text characters that don’t appear on standard keyboards and (2) formatting characters for text layout. Today’s post explains all of the special characters in Microsoft Word for Office 365, Word 2019, and Word 2016. Word 2013 and Word 2010 offer similar special character options. See "How to Insert Special … [Read more...] about What Are Special Characters in Microsoft Word?
How to Insert Nonbreaking Spaces in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert nonbreaking spaces in Microsoft Word using the Symbol dialog box method and the keyboard shortcut method. Before we start the tutorial, we’ll briefly define nonbreaking spaces and see what they look like compared to regular spaces. This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real … [Read more...] about How to Insert Nonbreaking Spaces in Microsoft Word
Three Ways to Insert Accent Marks in Microsoft Word
Accent marks, formally called diacritical marks, are extra marks that appear above and below individual letters. Their usual purpose is to influence pronunciation. Merriam-Webster lists ten common diacritical marks, including the acute accent (ˊ), grave accent (ˋ), and cedilla (¸).1 Today’s tutorial explains three ways to insert accent marks in Microsoft Word: 1. Insert … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Accent Marks in Microsoft Word
Polish Your Headings with Parallel Structure
Headings are usually just a few words each, but they can play a vital role in your document’s success. Their most important function is helping readers navigate your content. (No one benefits when readers are cast adrift!) And when headings are constructed with parallel structure, they also enforce consistency throughout your content and demonstrate attention to good writing … [Read more...] about Polish Your Headings with Parallel Structure
What Is Parallel Structure?
Parallel structure, also called parallel construction and parallelism, is a method of formatting written elements so that they correspond to each other structurally. Parallel structure can be applied to any closely related elements; however, it is most often applied to headings, bulleted lists, numbered lists, lists in sentences, and tightly coupled phrases or … [Read more...] about What Is Parallel Structure?
How to Find and Replace Formatting in Microsoft Word
Document formatting can include anything from italics and fonts to heading styles. Format issues can be difficult to locate with the naked eye, so today’s tutorial shows two methods to find and replace formatting in Microsoft Word: 1. Find and Replace Formatting Applied Anywhere in a Word Document 2. Find and Replace Formatting Applied to Specific Text in a Word … [Read more...] about How to Find and Replace Formatting in Microsoft Word
How to Use Ellipses, Part 5: Ellipses in Dialogue
At long last, this five-part ellipses series is coming to a close with a discussion on how to use ellipsis points to create pauses and disruptions in dialogue. Use Ellipses to Indicate a Pause in the Middle of a Line of Dialogue General Rule: Ellipses in the middle of a line of dialogue indicate that the speaker stopped talking momentarily.1 “Do you know of any good places … [Read more...] about How to Use Ellipses, Part 5: Ellipses in Dialogue
Block Quotations, Part 3: Block Quotation Issues and Concerns
All good things must end—even this exciting block quotation series, which I’m going to close by discussing copyright concerns, reader expectations, and alternative options to block quotations. (What’s that? Block quotations aren’t exciting? How about relatively riveting? Mildly motivating? Slightly stirring?) Here is a brief summary for those who missed the first two parts … [Read more...] about Block Quotations, Part 3: Block Quotation Issues and Concerns
Block Quotations, Part 2: How to Format Block Quotations
My last post, “Block Quotations, Part 1: How to Introduce Block Quotations,” discussed the purpose of block quotations, how long they should be, and how to introduce them in your content. Today’s follow-up explains how to format block quotations by answering the following questions: How much should block quotations be indented? How do you write quotations within block … [Read more...] about Block Quotations, Part 2: How to Format Block Quotations
Block Quotations, Part 1: How to Introduce Block Quotations
Block quotations, also called block quotes, are long quotations that are indented from the surrounding text. In the first part of this three-part series, I’ll explain how to introduce block quotations in your content. But first, let's take a look at the purpose of block quotations and how long they should be. The Purpose of Block Quotations Although block quotations were … [Read more...] about Block Quotations, Part 1: How to Introduce Block Quotations
How to Use En Dashes
En dashes, which are shorter than em dashes but longer than hyphens, have two primary uses: (1) create number ranges and intervals and (2) establish equality between compound adjectives. Use En Dashes in Number Ranges and Intervals En dashes can be used in number ranges and time intervals as replacements for the words to and through.1 Apartments 1–15 will be fumigated on … [Read more...] about How to Use En Dashes
How to Use Forward Slashes
The forward slash (/) appears in everything from number fractions and calendar dates to poetry and URLs.* Despite this multifunctional usage, the forward slash is frequently mishandled when used as a shortcut for joining words and creating and–or situations. Here are three guidelines on how to use forward slashes in general writing that will help you avoid your own slash … [Read more...] about How to Use Forward Slashes
How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
This tutorial shows how to insert footnotes and endnotes in Microsoft Word using the tools in the ribbon. Manually inserting individual footnotes and endnotes in Word is relatively straightforward: type a superscript number in the main text and then scroll to the bottom of the page, section, or document to type your note. But manually inserting notes can get tricky if … [Read more...] about How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word
The Difference between Bibliographies and Reference Pages
In a recent post, I explained that footnotes provide supplementary information such as commentary, quotations, and suggestions for further research. Footnotes can also document the sources cited in your text; however, that job frequently falls to bibliographies and reference pages rather than footnotes. While bibliographies and reference pages are very similar, they do serve … [Read more...] about The Difference between Bibliographies and Reference Pages
What Are Footnotes and How to Use Them
If the word footnote ignites memories of coffee-fueled all-night writing sessions in cramped dorm rooms, never fear, we're not going to talk about college term papers today. Instead, we're going to explore the following three questions from the perspectives of formal (nonacademic) documents and business writing: What are footnotes? Where should footnotes appear in formal … [Read more...] about What Are Footnotes and How to Use Them
When to Capitalize Product Names
Nearly every business wants to promote its products with bold, exciting copywriting. And that’s a good thing! However, that exuberance sometimes leads to inconsistent or unnecessary capitalization of general product nouns. (“Our new Sandwich is the best!”) Here are four tips to help you decide when to capitalize product names in your own copywriting. (Please note that these … [Read more...] about When to Capitalize Product Names
Three Ways to Insert Currency Symbols in Microsoft Word
Last week’s post covered basic guidelines for formatting money in general writing. This week, we’ll look at three ways to insert currency symbols in Microsoft Word: The Symbol Dialog Box Alt Codes Shortcut Codes For simplicity, we’ll concentrate on the euro, pound, and cent signs in these examples. However, these steps can be modified for all currency symbols available … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Currency Symbols in Microsoft Word
How to Format Money in General Writing
Everyone handles money differently: Some people budget it down to the last cent. Some people spend it as if they’ve never seen a rainy day. And, some people bury it in the backyard. Just as everyone handles money differently, you can format money differently depending on the amount and the nature of your text. Here are some basic guidelines for writing about money in general … [Read more...] about How to Format Money in General Writing
How to Delete Extra Spaces in Microsoft Word
Many of us over a certain age endured a high school typing class on a (gasp!) real typewriter. Between nerve-wracking speed tests and paper jams, we were taught to put two spaces after periods in order to make individual sentences easier to identify. Today, the extra space is frowned upon, but those of us who survived an entire semester with one of those metal monsters may find … [Read more...] about How to Delete Extra Spaces in Microsoft Word
Email and Letter Closings, Part 2
You may have noticed that Email and Letter Closings, Part 1 didn't include thank you, thanks, or have a nice day. That omission may seem strange because all three are popular correspondence endings—they're just not traditional complimentary closings.* So, today we're going to take a look at how to use elliptical clauses and sentences as letter closings and email … [Read more...] about Email and Letter Closings, Part 2
Email and Letter Closings, Part 1
In December, we discussed salutations at the beginning of business emails and letters. Today, we'll cover email and letter closings, such as sincerely and best regards. Although these words and phrases are technically called valedictions or complimentary closings, they are frequently just referred to as closings. Regardless of what you call them, closings are almost always … [Read more...] about Email and Letter Closings, Part 1
How to Punctuate Salutations in Emails and Letters
Have you ever wondered if you should write "Dear Joe," or "Dear Joe:" at the start of an email or letter? The difference between the comma and the colon might seem insignificant, but it actually reflects the level of formality in your message. Today’s post explains how to punctuate salutations in emails and letters so you can begin all your correspondence with the desired level … [Read more...] about How to Punctuate Salutations in Emails and Letters