Microsoft Word Tricks
This page provides instructions for a few commonly unknown features of Microsoft Word that will help make things easier when writing an academic essay.
Page Numbers
To have Microsoft Word add page numbers automatically:
- Click the "Format" menu
- Expand the "Format" menu
- Click "Page Numbers"
- Use the menu to have Word put the page numbers in the correct position
- Click "OK"
To add your last name (for MLA formatting)
- Double-click the page number on the document. This should grey out your body text and darken your page number
- Click anywhere in the header
- Type your last name
- Highlight your last name
- Use the alighment buttons at the top of the screen to right-align it
Hanging Indents
To create a hanging indent (for Works Cited pages):
- Highlight all of your entries in the Works Cited Page
- Click the "Format" menu
- Click "Indents and Spacing"
- Under the "Special" drop down bar, select "Hanging"
- Click "OK"
Changing your Margins
To change the margins of an entire document:
- Click "Format"
- Click "Document"
- Click "Margins"
- Type your new margins in the boxes (usually 1" all around for MLA)
- Click "OK"
Page Breaks
If there is a section of your paper you want to start on a new page (such as a Works Cited page), inserting a Page Break before it will retain your formatting even if you insert or delete pages of text before it.
- Position the cursor immediately before the section that you want to stay on a new page.
- Click "Insert"
- Highlight "Break"
- Click "Page Break"
Undo AutoFormatting
Quite often Word will correct something automatically that you may not want corrected. As soon as Word makes a change, stop typing and click "Edit" and then "Undo Autoformat" or press Ctrl + Z on your keyboard.
Add Special Characters
In order to add special characters, such as characters with accents or umlauts:
- Place the cursor where you need the character to go
- Click "Insert"
- Click "Symbol"
- Choose the character that you need, and click "OK"
MLA Template
Download a pre-formatted MLA template for use with Microsoft Word.
MLA_Template.doc
|
