English & Reading Departments MANUSCRIPT TYPING WITH MS WORD

BASIC GUIDELINES FOR TYPING “MS WORD” PAPERS  (6-07)

(These directions are for MS Word in Windows PC.  AVOID MS Works.  Some operations are different in Apple computers.)

See also HOW TO MAKE A PDF FILE PRINT LARGER TEXT/GRAPHICS

PLEASE NOTE: These directions are for the average typed paper in the average class. Each discipline (e.g., English, psychology, science, sociology, etc.) has a slightly different set of rules for how to type a paper.  Some teachers may want you to follow their disciplines' directions carefully.  The notes below simply tell you how to use MS Word to make the changes you need to type a paper properly in general academic style.

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If you have more questions, call the Student Computer Lab, (651) 450-8653.                                  

1.      How To Add Page Numbers: Use MSWord (not MSWorks). Click on “Insert,” then “Page Numbers.”  Choose to have the page number in the upper-right corner for this class.  (Other instructors may prefer the mid-bottom or mid-top.  You should almost never place numbers on the left-hand side.)  Having a number on page 1 is optional.
                     

2.      How To Make 1” Margins: Click on “File,” then “Page Setup.”  Set all four margins for “1.”  Print and check with a ruler.  If needed, set a margin for less (e.g., “.5”).  (Are bottoms still different from page to page?  See “8” below.)
               

3.      How To Fix Paragraphs for Academic/Formal Writing:
(1) In academic and formal professional writing, paragraphs are at least two sentences long and usually longer.
(2) They also usually are not excessively long (see the requirements on the opposite side of this sheet). 
(3) Body sections in college usually have more than 1 paragraph.  For this draft, make 4+.  Vary their lengths. 
(4) In dialogue, each time a speaker starts a new turn, you should give that new turn a new, indented paragraph. 
(5) Indent the first line of each paragraph  ½”: 0.5” or about 8-10 spaces (using 12-point font).  See “7” below.
                

4.      For Checking Grammar: How To Turn On Formal (Full) Grammar Check (in Word 2000+):

(a) Click on “Tools,” “Options,” and “Spelling & Grammar.”  (The boxes usually are already set correctly.)
(b) Then change “Writing style” to “Grammar & Style.”  (In earlier versions of Word, this is called “Formal.”) 
(c) If you wish, you may also go into “Settings” and, under “Require,” make the first three blanks say “always,”
      “inside,” and “2.”  You also may then check every box under “Grammar” and “Style.”
(d) Finally, you may need to click on “Recheck Document.” 
(e) You also can use the synonym checker by right-clicking on a word, then clicking on “synonyms.”

5.      How To Indent Long Quotations: Choose only quotations over four lines in MLA (or over 50 w. in APA).  Place each quotation on its own lines, alone.  Remove the “ “ marks.  Mark the quotation.  Then indent it a whole 1” on the left (twice as much as the start of a paragraph): do so on the formatting tool bar, above, by clicking twice on the box with lines and a right arrow: [à=]; or click on “Format/Paragraph” and set “Indentation/Left” for 1”.

6.      How To Highlight Your Manuscript for the Changes Below, in “7”-“12”:  Have you already starting typing your paper?  If so, the directions in “7”-“12” below require that you start by highlighting your entire paper in black.  Doing so is similar to marking a word, sentence, or paragraph in black.  Simply place the mouse at the beginning of your paper, click and hold down on the right-click part of your mouse, and move your mouse downward to the very end of the paper.  When you reach the end, lift your finger from the right-click part of the mouse.  Your paper now should be highlighted in black.  Then you can make the changes below, and they will be applied to the whole paper.

7.      How To Choose a Font (the style and size of letters): (Did you already start typing?  Do “6” above first.)  Go to the font window above (or click on “Format,” then “Font”) and please use one of these academic fonts: Times New Roman, CG Times, Ariel, or Garamond. Avoid any font that is large, plain, or overly small.  Use font size “12.”

8.      How To Choose Double Spacing: (Did you already start typing?  Do “6” above first.)  Click on “Format,” “Paragraph,” and “Indents and Spacing.”  Change “Line spacing” to “Double.”

9.      How To Choose ½” Indentation of Paragraph Beginnings: (Did you already start typing?  Do “6” above first.)  Click on “Format,” “Paragraph,” and “Indents and Spacing.”  Change “Special” to “First line,” and then “By” to “0.5.”  (Or mark your paper; then click on “Format” and “Tabs,” and then set “Default tab stops” at 0.5”.

10.  How To Make All Bottom Margins Exactly the Same: (Did you already start typing?  Do “6” above first.)  Click on “Format,” “Paragraph,” and “Line and Page Breaks.”  Uncheck all the “Pagination” boxes.

11.  How To Make a Ragged Right Margin (when it is even or “justified”): (Did you already start typing?  Do “6” above first.)  Click on “Format,” “Paragraph,” & “Indents & Spacing”; change “Alignment” to “Left.”

12.  How To Make Hanging Indents in a Bibliography: (Did you already start typing?  Do “6” above first, but mark only your bib.)  Click on “Format,” “Paragraph,” “Indents & Spacing,” “Special,” and “Hanging;” set it for 0.5”.

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Date this page was most recently revised: June 2007