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
formatting
How to Restrict Style Changes in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
My last software tutorial explained how to restrict Track Changes and comments in Microsoft Word. Similarly, today’s tutorial shows how to restrict style changes in Microsoft Word. We’ll walk through the steps for restricting specific changes and all changes. In Word, styles include (but are not limited to) fonts, font sizes and colors, italics, bold font, underlining, line … [Read more...] about How to Restrict Style Changes in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
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 (Tutorial)
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 for online text (this blog uses block paragraphs), traditionally indented paragraphs are more common in print publishing, business writing, and academic research. Today’s … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Indent Paragraphs in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
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 (Tutorial)
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 is … [Read more...] about How to Insert Trademark, Copyright, and Registered Symbols in PDFs (Tutorial)
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 (Tutorial)
This tutorial shows you how to find and replace special characters in Microsoft Word by (1) entering special characters directly into the Find and Replace dialog box, (2) selecting special characters from within the Find and Replace dialog box, and (3) using keyboard shortcuts or caret codes. We’ll focus on the preset special characters available through Word’s Symbol … [Read more...] about How to Find and Replace Special Characters in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
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
How to Insert Special Characters in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
This tutorial shows how to insert special characters in Microsoft Word using the Symbol dialog box, keyboard shortcuts, and AutoCorrect. As explained in my previous post, Word includes twenty-seven special characters: 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 … [Read more...] about How to Insert Special Characters in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
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 2016. Word 2013 and Word 2010 offer similar special character options. Special Text Characters Special text characters are normal characters … [Read more...] about What Are Special Characters in Microsoft Word?
How to Insert Nonbreaking Spaces in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
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 was written for Microsoft Word 2016 running on Windows. The steps are similar for Word 2013 and … [Read more...] about How to Insert Nonbreaking Spaces in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
Three Ways to Insert Accent Marks in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
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’s Collegiate Dictionary 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 … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Accent Marks in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
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 Microsoft Word Formatting (Tutorial)
My clients frequently ask me to edit their formatting. Formatting can include anything from italics and fonts to heading styles. Locating format issues can be difficult with the naked eye (And my eyes aren’t naked; I wear glasses!), so when I’m editing in Microsoft Word, I use the Find and Replace tool to locate individual formats. Today’s tutorial shows you two methods to find … [Read more...] about How to Find and Replace Microsoft Word Formatting (Tutorial)
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: How much should they be indented? How should you handle quotations within block quotations? Does the format change for … [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 (Tutorial)
Manually inserting individual footnotes and endnotes in Word is relatively straightforward: type a superscript number at the end of the sentence related to the note and then scroll to the bottom of the page, section, or document to type your note's text. But manually inserting notes can get tricky if your document is more than a couple of pages long or has a lot of notes … [Read more...] about How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
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 (Tutorial)
Last week’s post covered basic guidelines for formatting money in general writing. This week, we’ll look at three different ways to insert currency symbols in Microsoft Word: the Symbol dialog box, Alt codes, and shortcut keys. To keep things simple, we’ll concentrate on the euro, pound, and cent signs in these examples. Please note that these steps are for Word 2016 and … [Read more...] about Three Ways to Insert Currency Symbols in Microsoft Word (Tutorial)
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 Documents (Tutorial)
Many of us over the age of thirty-five endured a high school typing class on a (gasp!) real typewriter. In 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 in almost all situations, but those of us who survived an entire semester with … [Read more...] about How to Delete Extra Spaces in Microsoft Word Documents (Tutorial)
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
