Word Dissertation Guide2013

Skills for Learning

Skills for Learning IT booklet

http://skillsforlearning.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/

skillsforlearningtutorials@leedsbeckett.ac.uk

Screenshots reprinted by permission of Microsoft Corporation.

Contents

Formatting your dissertation........................................................................................1

1. Change style set................................................................................................1

2. Change fonts.....................................................................................................1

3. Change the font to 12 point throughout your document.....................................2

4. Change line spacing..........................................................................................2

5. Set margins........................................................................................................3

6. Create your first three pages with page breaks.................................................3

7. Insert section breaks..........................................................................................4

8. Insert Roman numerals.....................................................................................5

9. Insert 1, 2, 3 number style for your main text.....................................................7

10. Add heading styles to your chapter/section headings......................................7

11. Add numbered heading styles.........................................................................9

12. Insert the table of contents.............................................................................10

13. Update your table of contents........................................................................11

14. Insert captions for images or figures..............................................................11

15. Insert captions for tables/equations...............................................................12

16. Create your own caption label.......................................................................12

17. Insert a table of figures..................................................................................13

18. Insert a table of tables/equations/charts........................................................14

19. Update your table of figures or table of tables...............................................15

Tidying up your dissertation......................................................................................16

20. Page breaks...................................................................................................16

21. Borders around images, diagrams and charts...............................................16

22. Wrap text around images, charts and diagrams............................................17

23. Change the case of your text without deleting it............................................17

24. Remove problematic formatting.....................................................................17

Further resources......................................................................................................18

Formatting your dissertation

Formatting your dissertation isn’t difficult. You just need to carry out the tasks in the right order and give yourself plenty of time for the typing up and formatting. You can apply the formatting to an existing document. However, you might want to start from scratch.

1. Change style set

1. Click on the Design tab, shown in Fig 1.2. Click on the style set at the far right of the options, as shown in Fig 1.

This changes the title text to black. You will see that the Headings in the Styles group on the Home tab are now black instead of the default blue. This has also changed your font to Arial.

2. Change fonts

If you need a different font to Arial, you can do this using the Design tab.

1. Click on the Design tab, shown in Fig 2.2. Click on Fonts, shown in Fig 3.

A drop down menu will appear, similar to that shown in Fig 3.3. Click on the font required.

Note: This changes all the text with a single click, including titles, throughout your entire document.

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Fig 2

Fig 3

Fig 1

3. Change the font to 12 point throughout your document

1. Click on the Home tab, shown in Fig 4.2. Change the font size to 12 point font size, shown in Fig 5.

Right click on Normal in the Styles group, shown in Fig 6.3. Click on Update Normal to Match Selection from drop down list, shown in

Fig 7.Your normal text font will now stay at 12 point throughout the document.

4. Change line spacing

1. Click on the Home tab.2. Click on the Line and Paragraph spacing icon in the

Paragraph group, shown in Fig 8.3. Click on 1.5 (one and a half line spacing) or 2

(double line spacing).4. Click on Remove Space After Paragraph.

This will prevent your paragraphs looking too far apart when using wider line spacing.Note: Check your student handbook to see what line spacing is required.

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Fig 8

Fig 5Fig 4

Fig 5 Fig 7

5. Set margins

1. Click on the Page Layout tab, shown in Fig 9.

2. Click on Margins.3. Click on Custom Margins.4. This will open the Page Setup

dialogue box, shown in Fig 10.5. Change left margin to between 3.17

and 4 cm.6. Click on OK.

6. Create your first three pages with page breaks

The first three pages - your title page, declaration page and table of contents page will be unnumbered.

1. Type in the title of your dissertation.2. Hit the return key (to create a space between

your title and the page break).3. Click on the Page Layout tab, shown in Fig 9

above.4. Click on Breaks, shown in Fig 11.5. Click on Page break, shown in Fig 11.6. Type in ‘Declaration’.7. Repeat steps 2-5.8. Type in ‘TOC’ (table of contents).

Note: Not all dissertations or reports are the same. Check your dissertation module handbook to see what pages are required.

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Fig 10

Fig 9

Fig 11

Note: Check your dissertation guide/MIS guide/student handbook as this is a standard wide margin to allow binding.

7. Insert section breaks

You need to insert a section break on the fourth page, where the abstract and acknowledgements begin. This will allow you to number the pages with Roman numerals. The final section break is needed on the page where you begin the introduction to your dissertation, allowing you to number these pages with 1, 2, 3 format. Section breaks make this varied numbering possible.

1. Click to the right of the text ‘TOC’.2. Hit the return key (to create a space between

the title and the section break).3. Click on Page Layout, shown in Fig 12.4. Click on Breaks.5. Click on Next Page Section Break, shown in Fig

12.6. Type in ‘Acknowledgements’.

The rest of the pages in this section can be separated using a Page break.

7. Hit the return key (to create a space between the text and the page break).

8. Click on the Page Layout tab.9. Click on Breaks.10.Click on Page break.11.Type in ‘Abstract’.12.Repeat steps 7-10.13.Type in ‘Table of Figures’.

Another section break is needed at this point because the next page will be where the Introduction begins. This needs the 1, 2, 3 … number format.

14.Click to the right of the text ‘Table of Figures’ (or charts/tables if you have these pages also).

15.Hit the return key (to create a space between the title and the section break).16.Click on Page Layout, shown in Fig 12.17.Click on Breaks.18.Click on Next Page Section Break, shown in Fig 12.19.Type in ‘Introduction‘.

Note: If you need a page for a table of charts and/or tables, repeat steps 7-10 until you have the pages you need. Type in the relevant titles for your pages.

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Fig 12

8. Insert Roman numerals

1. Go to your Acknowledgements page (or the first page where you want the Roman numerals to begin if your dissertation is set up with slightly different pages).

2. Click on the Insert tab, shown in Fig 13.3. Click on Footer, shown in Fig 13.4. Click on Edit Footer.

This will take you into the footer area, shown in Fig 14. It should say Footer – Section 2.

The Header & Footer Tools tab has also opened above the ribbon, shown in Fig 15.

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Fig 13

Fig 14

Fig 15

5. Click on Link to Previous.This will break the link between the previous pages and the pages you want to number. The Same as Previous button, shown in Fig 14, will disappear.

6. Click on Page Numbers, at the left side of the Header and Footer Tools tab.7. Click on Format Page Numbers.

This will open the number formatting dialogue box, shown in Fig 17.8. Click on the downward pointing arrow next to Number format, shown in Fig

17.9. Click on the Roman numeral numbering style, shown in Fig 17.10.Click on ‘Start at’.11.Click on OK.12.Click on Page number again.13.Click on Bottom of Page.

This will open a drop down menu of options, shown in Fig 18.14.Click on Plain Number 1, 2 or 3 to place your numbers on the left, middle or

right of the page.

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Fig 18

Fig 16

Fig 17

9. Insert 1, 2, 3 number style for your main text

1. Click on Next in the Header & Footer Tools tab, shown in Fig 19.

2. This will take you to the footer of Section 3.

3. Click on Link to Previous to switch it off, shown in Fig 19.

4. Click on Page Numbers, shown in Fig 16.5. Click on Format Page Numbers.6. Format page numbers to be 1, 2, 3 style, shown in Fig 17.7. Click on Start at.8. Click on OK.

Note: Whenever there is a section break, Word changes the number style to 1, 2, 3… format. This is the correct style for the rest of the pages in the document. However, the numbers need to start from 1.

10. Add heading styles to your chapter/section headings

If you want numbered headings, or headings saying ‘Chapter…’ see Task 11.

To create a table of contents, you need to apply heading styles to the titles of your sections/chapters. Don’t apply heading styles to anything you don’t want in your table of contents (e.g. the title page or declaration page).

Your main titles (e.g. Abstract, Acknowledgments, Introduction, etc.) will have Heading 1 style. Titles of sub sections within a section or chapter will have Heading 2 or 3 applied. The way your personal dissertation is structured will determine what heading style to apply.

1. Click on the title that you want to apply a heading to.2. Click on the Home tab.3. In the Styles group, click on Heading 1, shown in Fig 20.

The heading style is now applied to that title.4. Click on the sub chapter/sub section title you want to apply a heading to.5. Click on Heading 2, shown in Fig 20.6. Repeat for any titles that require

Heading 3.

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Fig 19

Fig 20

Customise Heading Styles

1. Highlight the Heading Style you want to customise.

2. Make the changes to the Heading Style you want.

3. Right click on the Heading Style you wish to update.

4. Click ‘Update Heading to match selection, as shown in Fig 21.

Locating Heading 3

Heading 3 isn’t always listed in the styles. If you want to use it but can’t find it, follow these steps:

1. Click the arrow at the bottom right of the styles pane, shown in Fig 22.

This will open a new Styles pane on the right side of the screen, shown in Fig 23.

2. Click on Options.The Style Pane Options now appears, shown in Fig 24.

3. Click on the arrow, shown in Fig 24.4. Click on All styles.5. Click on OK. Heading 3 will now appear in the Styles pane.6. Click on the title you want to apply Heading 3 to.7. Click on Heading 3 in the Styles pane. It will now be applied to your title and

will show in the Styles group on the Home tab.8. To close the Styles pane, click the X, shown in Fig 23.

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Fig 24

Fig 20

Fig 22

Fig 23

Fig 21

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11. Add numbered heading styles

1. Click on the Home tab.2. Click on the Multilevel List icon, in the Paragraph group, shown in Fig 25.

This will open a drop down menu.3. Select either the 1 Heading style or Chapter 1 Heading style.

Your headings will display in the Styles pane on the Home tab, as shown in Fig 26 and Fig 27 respectively.

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Fig 25

Fig 27

Fig 26

12. Insert the table of contents

1. Scroll to the page where you want to insert the table of contents.2. Click on the References tab, shown in Fig 28.3. Click on Table of Contents.4. Choose from the 1st or 2nd

option as the other option requires you to insert some aspects manually. With these options it is all done for you.

Note: The only difference between the 2 options is that one is titled ‘Contents’ and one ‘Table of Contents’.

Your table of contents should look similar to the one in Fig 29. The main titles (Heading 1) are flush to the left of the table of contents. All the sub section titles (Heading 2 and Heading 3) are indented to the right. This makes it easy for the reader to see what sections and sub sections belong together.

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Fig 29

Fig 28

You can make changes in your document even when you have inserted your table of contents because you can update it at any time. For example, if you want to change a heading style, delete a heading style or add more heading styles to your titles, you can do this and then update the table of contents to reflect your changes.

13. Update your table of contents

1. Click inside the Table of Contents.2. Click on Update Table, shown in Fig 29.

This will open the Update Table of Contents dialogue box, shown inFig 30.

3. Select Update entire table.4. Click on OK.

14. Insert captions for images or figures

You can use captions to generate an automatic table of figures, table or equations. Or you can create your own caption label.

1. Click on the References tab, shown in Fig 31.

2. Click on Insert Caption.3. This will open the Caption dialogue

box.4. Type in the title of your image where it

says ‘Figure 1’.5. Repeat for all images in your

dissertation.

Note: Don’t type in the number of the figure, Word does this automatically for you.

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Fig 30

Fig 31

15. Insert captions for tables/equations

1. Click on the References tab.2. Click on Insert Caption.

This will open the Caption dialogue box.

3. Click on the arrow to the right of Label, shown in Fig 32.

4. Click on Tables or Equation.5. Type in your caption.6. Click on OK.7. Repeat for all the tables in your

dissertation.

16. Create your own caption label

1. Click at the top or bottom of the image you want to caption.2. Click on the References tab.3. Click on Insert Caption to open the Caption dialogue box, shown in Fig 33.4. Click on New Label.

This will open the New Label box, shown in Fig 34.5. Type in your label name (e.g. Chart).6. Click on OK.7. Click on OK again.

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Fig 34Fig 33

Fig 32

17. Insert a table of figures

1. Click on the page you’ve created for your table of figures.2. Click on the References tab, shown in Fig 35.3. Click on Insert Table of Figures.

This will open the Table of Figures dialogue box, shown in Fig 36.4. Click on OK (accept the default settings).

Your Table of Figures will now appear. A sample Table of Figures is shown in Fig 37.

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Fig 35

Fig 36

Fig 37

18. Insert a table of tables/equations/charts

1. Click on the page you’ve created for your table of tables.2. Click on the References tab.3. Click on Insert Table of Figures.

This will open the Table of Figures dialogue box.4. Click on the arrow to the right of Caption label, shown in Fig 38.5. Click on tables/equations/charts.6. Click on OK.

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Fig 38

19. Update your table of figures or table of tables

If you add more figures or tables to your dissertation, insert the caption for the new figure/table (see 14 and 15) and then you can update your tables. This works in exactly the same way for a table of figures and a table of tables.

1. Right click on the table of figures/tables.2. Click on Update Field, shown in Fig 39.3. This will open the Update Table of Figures dialogue box, shown in Fig 40.4. Select Update entire table.5. Click on OK.

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Fig 40

Fig 39

Tidying up your dissertation

The last four tasks will help you tidy your document and understand how to remove any problem formatting.

20. Page breaks

When you need text to start on a new page, don’t hit the Enter key repeatedly. Use a page break instead.

1. Press the Ctrl key on the keyboard and keep it pressed.2. Press the Enter key on the keyboard.

21. Borders around images, diagrams and charts

Putting a border around your image or chart can help separate it from the text.

1. Click on the image/diagram/chart.2. This will open the Picture Tools menu on the Ribbon, shown in Fig 41.

Note: For charts it will say Shape Tools.3. Click on Format.4. Click on Picture Border.5. Click on Weight.

Choose one of the line options. Commonly used weights are 1pt or

1½ pt.

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Fig 41

22. Wrap text around images, charts and diagrams

1. Click on the image or diagram.2. Click on the Wrap Text icon, shown in Fig 42.3. Click on Square if you want text to appear at the side (or both sides) of your

image, chart or diagram.4. Click on Top and Bottom if you want text at the top and bottom of your image,

chart or diagram.Note: Experiment with all the text wrapping options to see which suits your document best.

23. Change the case of your text without deleting it

If you type a whole block of text in uppercase (capital letters) by mistake, you can change it instead of deleting.

1. Highlight the block of text you want to change.2. Click on the Home tab.3. Click on the Change Case icon (Aa) on the Home tab, Font group, shown in

Fig 43.4. Choose the case you want to change it to.

24. Remove problematic formatting

1. Highlight the text you want to remove formatting from.2. Click on the Home tab.3. Click on the Clear All icon (next to Aa), shown in Fig 43.

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Fig 41

Fig 43

Fig 42

Further resources

Skills for Learning video tutorials ‘Formatting your dissertation’

http://skillsforlearning.leedsbeckett.ac.uk/local/information_technology/dissertation_toolkit/03.shtml

The tutorials take you through each of the tasks contained in this guide.

GCFLearnFree http://www.gcflearnfree.org/office2010/word2013

Other information: Video tutorials can be an effective way of developing IT skills. GCFLearnFree provides a comprehensive range of tutorial topics covering Word, as well as other Office and IT topics. Approximate timings are shown for each tutorial.

Lambet, J. (2013) Microsoft Word 2013. Washington: Redmond.

If you want to focus on Microsoft Word, the above manual is very useful.

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Dissertation formatting video tutorials on Skills for Learning