Microsoft Word Tips for Academic Writing

Word Tip - Know how to create different headers in the same Word document

Headers quickly remind the reader of the main topic of a page. Often, a reader will be concentrating on the detail of the page and lose track of the main topic that the page is part of.

All the reader must do is look at the header and remind themselves of the topic.

You only need to set it up once. You do not have to type it on each page.

A single header is easy to set up. But having just having one header is often not what you want.

Your document usually has several sections (or chapters or parts), and you may want a different header for each section.

You probably will not want a header on your title page.

But you may want to put a header on your Table of Contents page. And then you may want a different header for the first section of your paper. And a different header for the next section. And so on.............

Microsoft Word can do this for you.

Word Tip No 1 - Click (or touch) headers in Word to learn how to insert headers, including different headers in different parts of the document.

Word Tip - know how to create different footers in the same Word document

But it may contain other information such as the author, the date written or accessed or printed, copyright notices and version control information.

Footers quickly tell the reader important information about the document.

The reader can quickly glance at the bottom and see who the author is, or when it was written.

The copyright notice (if relevant) in the footer provides legal protection for the writer (or for the university or college).

And page numbers sometimes appear in the footer.

You only need to set up the footer once. You do not have to type it on each page.

A single footer is easy to set up. A footer will not change as much as a header in a document, but it still may change.

Maybe you will not want a footer on your title page or on your table of contents page. Microsoft Word can do this for you.

Word Tip No 2 - click (or touch) footers in Word to learn how to insert footers, including different footers in different parts of the document.

Word Tip - know how to create Roman and Arabic page numbers in a Word document

Page Numbers are numbers that appear on a page in a document.

A basic word tip is to know how to insert a page number.

However, often you will want to change the format of a page number in a document and not have simple page numbering starting at number 1.

The most common form are Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, 5 etc.) and Roman numerals (i, ii, iii, iv, v etc.).

Often you will need Roman numerals for the Table of Contents and Arabic numerals for the rest of the paper.

Word can automatically generate these (that is, you do not have to type these in). Do you know how?

Page numbers may appear on every page of a document, or some of the pages (sometimes the Title page, the Table of Contents page and other pages do not have page numbers).

Page numbers often appear at the bottom of the page but sometimes at the top.

Page numbers may always be in the same position on the page, or the position can vary (have a look at a published book!).

You can set up Microsoft Word to put the page numbers where you want. 

The following are reasons for having page numbers:

• Page numbers provide a quick accurate reference point.
  e.g., "on page 251 you will find..." - you can go there immediately
  e.g., the Table of Contents tells you the Summary is on page 300 - you can go there immediately
  e.g., a citation or reference will refer to page 51 of another published work - you can find that publication and go to that page immediately.
  
  
• Reassembling a printed document
  Have you ever had to put together a number of pages that are out of order - maybe by spreading all over your desk or even dropping a document?
  It is much easier to reassemble using page numbers!
  
  
• Following standards
  Academic institutions require you to follow a standard (e.g., MLA, APA, Chicago, Harvard or their own) that requires page numbers.
  
  
• Helps to make your work look professional
  The reader of your document (e.g. professor, teacher, lecturer, student) will have a higher opinion of you.
  This should help you succeed!
  

Do online documents require page numbers? The answer is no. Navigation (i.e. getting around) can be done by hyperlinks (i.e. clicking on a link which takes you elsewhere).

However, Microsoft Word automatically numbers your pages, but the page number does not appear on the document itself unless you instruct Word to put it there.

Also, Word has a "Go To" function that allows you to go to a page number.

And many people in academia (e.g., lecturers, teachers, students) like to print on paper.

So, if there is any chance of your document being printed, you should insert the page number (as well as being an academic writing standard that requires you to do it).

Word Tip - know how to create a Title Page

The information required varies among universities and colleges according to their academic writing standards.

You should know what your institution's requirements are (if not, ask your professor, lecturer or teacher).

However, typically for academic writing, you will find information such as:

• University or College logo
• Title of the paper
• Author
• Date
• Course
• Subject
• Assignment/Topic
• Student Number
• Word Count
• Signature

If you are using MS Word, some templates for a cover sheet are provided.

However, often your institution will have a standard to follow, and you will have to create your first page as a Title or Cover Page.

The Title Page will have a different format (or layout) to the rest of the paper.

For example, often there is no page number on the Title Page, as in the example here. However, the APA standard does require a page number on the Title Page (in the header).

Do you know how the title page should be formatted for your academic writing?

Word Tip No 4 - learn how to create a title (or cover page) in your academic paper with the correct information.

Word Tip - know how to create a Table of Contents page

The Table of Contents, tells at a glance, what the work is about and the structure of it.

It tells you what page number the topic (or subtopic) is to be found - hence the importance of page numbers.

When I look at an unfamiliar piece of work (e.g. academic paper, book), I first look at the Table of Contents to see what it is about.

You could create the Table of Contents yourself - you could enter the topic names and their page numbers. But this is quite time-consuming.

Imagine having to do that - especially in a long complex piece of academic writing!

And more troubling is if you make a change, such as, add a page, then all your page numbers are thrown out and you have to retype the whole lot.

That is a whole lot of work! And easy to make a mistake!

Fortunately, if you are using Microsoft Word for your academic writing, the Table of Contents can be created automatically and then you can instruct Word to automatically update if you have made changes.

This saves you a lot of time and removes the risk of errors. It is worth learning how to use this Word feature properly.

Word Tip No 5 - learn how to create a Table of Contents automatically in your document.

Word Tip - know how to create a List of Figures

A List of Figures is often found in longer pieces of academic writing such as a thesis, dissertation or a complex report.

A figure (e.g., graph, drawing) is a pictorial representation of information that often contains a lot of numbers or data. It would be very awkward to describe the content in words.

For example, describing the location of Germany in relation to other European countries is so much easier done through a map rather than trying to describe in words.

Another example is when using a lot of data to show a trend such is increasing or decreasing profits over several years.

Yet another example is when comparing performance, such as profit, among a group of companies over a period.

As the old saying goes "a picture is worth a thousand words".

A university or college may require a List of Figures as part of their academic writing standards.

Even if they do not, a List of Figures is useful if there are a larger number of figures and/or the document is lengthy.

The function of the List of Figures is the same as for a Table of Contents - to direct the reader quickly to a piece of information.

For example, after having read the document (on paper or online), the reader may want to revisit some information in a figure. Looking at the List of Figures would quickly direct the reader to that figure.

Also, a scan of the List of Figures will alert the reader to something interesting for that person. I often look at the List of Figures (as well as the Table of Contents) to see if there is anything of particular interest to me.

Just like for the Table of Contents, if you are using Word for your academic writing, the List of Figures can be created automatically and then you can instruct Word to automatically update if you have made changes.

Not only is the List of Figures updated, but the Figure Numbers in the Captions are updated.

This means if you add or delete a figure, Word will automatically change every other Figure Number.

This saves you a lot of time and removes the risk of errors. It is worth learning how to use this Word feature properly.

Do you know how to create a List of Figures automatically, that is, have Word do it for you?

Word Tip No 6 - learn how to create a List of Figures automatically in your document.

Word Tip - know how to create a List of Tables

A List of Tables is often found in longer pieces of academic writing such as a thesis, dissertation or a complex report where there are several tables.

A table presents data (usually numbers) in rows and columns, just like a spreadsheet.

A table shows precise values. Compare this with a figure which shows trends and comparisons but not data at a detailed value.

For example, consider a figure that shows a trend of increasing or decreasing profits over a number of years for a company.

If you wanted to provide more precise details of profit figures and further breakdowns such as quarterly results, a table would be used.

This is the representation of data that is easiest for the reader to understand.

A university or college may require a List of Tables as part of their academic writing standards.

Even if they do not, a List of Tables is useful if there are a larger number of Tables and/or the document is lengthy.

The function of the List of Tables is the same as for a List of Figures and a Table of Contents - to direct the reader quickly to a piece of information.

For example, after having read the document (on paper or online), the reader may want to revisit some information in a table. Looking at the List of Tables would quickly direct the reader to that table.

Also, a quick look at the List of Tables will alert the reader to something interesting for that person. They can then go directly to that table.

Just like for the Table of Contents and the List of Figures, Word can create a List of Tables automatically and then you can instruct Word to automatically update if you have made changes.

Not only is the List of Tables updated, the Table Numbers in the Captions are also updated.

This saves you a lot of time and removes the risk of errors. It is worth learning how to use this Word feature properly.

Do you know how to create a List of Tables automatically, that is, have Word do it for you?

Word Tip No 7 - learn how to create a List of Tables automatically in your document.

Word Tip - know how to use the Outline view to better your Academic writing

 In my opinion, the Outline view is greatly underused but is one that can provide great benefits in your writing.

The Outline displays the levels of the document (the Heading 1 style being level 1, Heading 2 being level 2, Heading 3 being level 3 and so on). Each level shows the subordinate levels.

You can specify the number of levels to be shown - in my example, I show three levels.

The Outline view can be used in two ways - planning and review.

Good academic writing practice (and common sense!) says you should plan before you write, once you have done all the research required and collected the data.

You can plan the structure of your academic document in Outline view by entering Level 1s, Level 2s and more depending on how many levels you want.

Nothing is set in concrete. You can add, delete and move around. Even when you have written more detail, you can still add, move or delete as you wish.

Looking at your academic paper at this high level will allow you to determine if the paper flows logically - if it is rational and makes sense. Is it complete? Are there gaps? Is there redundant information?

You may not believe it now but proper planning at this stage will save much time later in rewrites and restructure, which often occurs when proper planning is not undertaken.

If you have a supervisor, why not show them the outline at an early stage? Valuable input into the structure could be gained at this stage.

You can also review your academic paper at any time - even after the first and subsequent drafts.

You are reviewing the same things as before - do the evidence, arguments and conclusions flow nicely? Is it rational and does it make sense? Is it complete? Are there gaps? Is there too much information?

You can easily move sections and subordinate information around in the Outline view. You can add or delete sections.

I believe you will save a lot of time as well as improve the quality of your academic writing by making good use of the Outline view.

Word Tip No 8 - learn how to use the Outline view to make your academic writing even better.

Word tip - know how to cite your sources in-text

In-text citations is a common method of acknowledging a source where you have quoted or paraphrased (that is, written in your own words) someone else's idea or information.

The author-date system is often used. As the name suggests, you specify the author (or authors) and date of publication (the year).

A complete description of the work (for example, author(s), date, title, publisher and place of publication if it is a book) is placed in a list usually at the end of the writing. This list is titled as References or Bibliography or Works Cited.

The format of the description of work varies depending on the source - most common are books and journal articles but there are a range of other sources such as websites, newspaper articles and studies.

Word Tip - Know how to cite your sources using the note system

Footnotes are another way of acknowledging your source of information.

Instead of referring to the author and date in the writing itself, a number is placed in that location. Then at the bottom of the page, the reference (for example, the author and date) is placed against that number.

The full reference is given in the list at the end of the writing (that is, the References or Bibliography or Works Cited).

The method of citation you use (in-text or footnotes) will be given to you by the academic writing standard used by your education institution.

Footnotes are also used in another way, and that is to provide additional information which is not of primary relevance to your writing but may be of interest to your reader.

Footnotes are easily created in Word. The advantage of using Word to create footnotes (instead of entering numbers yourself) is that Word maintains them.

This means that if you add a footnote among other footnotes, or delete a footnote, all the numbers will be automatically renumbered.

Endnotes are a variation of footnotes. Instead of having the note at the bottom of the page, the note is at the end of a section such as a chapter.

The advantage of the footnote is that it is close to the numbered reference in the text (that is, on the same page). However, if you have a lot of notes, or lengthy notes, there is not enough space in the footer, in which case, you may use endnotes.

Once again, your institution will have a standard on how to use footnotes and endnotes.

Word Tip No 9 - learn how to create citations, in-text, footnotes, or endnotes as appropriate.

Word Tip - Know how to create the Reference list (or Works Cited or Bibliography)

The detailed reference information is provided in a list, known as References or Bibliography or Works Cited.

All sources referred to in your paper should be in your list. Your citation in your paper provides brief information, such as author(s) and date.

Detailed information about the source is provided in the Reference (or Works Cited or Bibliography).

You will be guided by your education institution's standards as how to title the list.

Some institutions require you to include only those sources cited in your work in a Reference list.

Others may require you to include those sources in a Reference list, and other works read but not cited in a Bibliography.

Others may require you to include both types (cited and not cited) in a Bibliography.

And if you are using the MLA standard, the title will be List of Works Cited. Confusing - isn't it!

But don't worry - follow the standard of your university, college, or school and all will be good.

Word Tip No 10 - learn how to create the Reference or Works cited list or the Bibliography.

Word Tip - know how to create an index

Even if it is not required for your thesis or dissertation, I believe there are advantages in knowing how to create one, and actually creating one.

If you are using Word for your academic writing, creating an index is easy - just highlight the word/phrase as being part of an index. Then build the index at the end of the document.

But there is more to this if you want to create a good index.

Do not create the index until you have completed the paper. Then go through carefully and select the words or phrases to index.

This process of selection will make you think about the structure and content.

Have you omitted an item that should be present?

Have you emphasized something too much and something else too little? Is the balance correct?

Often many things become apparent that you didn't see before.

I use indexes quite a lot when they are available, particularly in text and reference books. I look for a particular item to see if it is in that publication.

For example, I have picked up a paper and want to know if it has anything about the "Boston Consulting Matrix". Looking at the sample index I can see it is on Page 10 - a quick and useful way of finding it.

Of course, if it is online, you can use the Search function.

I think creating an index is a useful skill to have, especially if you have ambitions of writing a text for publication.

Word Tip No 11 - learn how to create an index in your document.