Overview

This resource page began as a portal for websites explaining the use of Styles in Microsoft Word, but quickly expanded to include information about other MS Word features that would be useful to Professional Writers in training. Now, it contains information about widely unknown processes that can increase efficiency and organization in any word document: styles, indexing, and generating a table of contents. A mastery of these concepts would be particularly beneficial to Professional Writing students, because most PW programs rarely go in-depth about features in MS Word. However, it is a necessary part of modern technology and should be used to its potential.

Styles are essentially a method of creating different classifications of formatted text that are applied to different areas of documents, such as headings or paragraphs. The largest benefit that this provides is that it saves time; if you decide to change a style, you just have to change the formatting in one place. Then, it automatically updates all text with that style throughout the whole document. If styles are used, then a table of contents can in turn be created through an automatic Word process. All this requires is choosing which defined styles you want to serve as your section titles in the table of contents, oftentimes these are 'Heading 1' or 'Heading 2.' Then, all areas of text that are classified as that style are inserted. Indexes, on the other hand, have nothing to do with styles, but they too can be generated through a word process. This method can save hours of time as opposed to entering all index entries by hand, and it also serves as an excellent way to increase organization in long documents.

The information provided in the following sites is not intended for beginning Microsoft Word users, but instead for intermediate to advanced users who already have a good amount of experience with the software. The sites listed include information in the form of tutorials, Q & A pages, videos, tip sheets, and general fact sheets, thus providing a variety of ways for users to learn the concepts. All of the websites chosen were picked specifically for their content and for their ability to present the information in a way that is different from the rest listed.

Please, take a look at all the resources, and good luck! If you learn these concepts, Microsoft Word will seem like an entirely changed piece of software.

Using Styles in Microsoft Word

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• Understanding Styles in Microsoft Word
  
This site is a really thorough, introductory tutorial for using styles. It incorporates both screen shots and descriptions that combine to create easy-to-follow directions. Additionally, it provides rationale for using styles, which is important for users to understand. I would recommend viewing this page first, as it provides a thorough background for users new to the concept.

• Allen Wyatt's Word Tips
  
This site is especially helpful for those who want instructions written for their version of Microsoft Word. The author not only provides content that is thus arranged, but information that is also separated by topic. The topics provided are also extensive. They can be broad, such as his page on "Understanding Styles," or they can provide instruction on a specific process, like "Renaming a Style." This site would probably be best used as a quick stop to check out those one-step processes while using styles.

• How to Save Yourself Hours by Using Outline View Properly
  
Using styles, specifically the built in Heading styles in Word, also has another advantage. It allows for the efficient use of "Outline View," which is ideal for long documents when a user wants to view only certain sections. This page details the advantages of Outline View and describes how to use it correctly.

• Beginner's Microsoft Word 2003 Tutorial
  
Are you more of a visual person? This site has a good number of great MS Word video tutorials, and the media involving styles is especially helpful. The site itself is pretty busy, and you cannot see all of the videos for free, but the ones that are free of cost are really educational. Look under "Formatting Text" to find the three videos about using styles: "Applying Styles," "Modifying Styles," and "Creating New Styles."

Screen shot of MS Word Tutorial Video "Creating New Styles"

Creating Tables of Contents

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• How to Create a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word
  
One of the advantages of using Styles is that it allows for the creation of a Table of Contents. This page tells how to apply default styles in a way that would create the best possible table, and then walks the reader through the steps required to insert the table on the page.

• Create a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word With Custom Styles
  
This page also deals with creating tables of contents, but it tells readers how to do it if they're created their own custom styles, which is a slightly more complicated process.

• Customizing Your Table of Contents With Switches
  
Want tips for more advanced use of tables of contents? This sites give you information on how to display page numbers for only certain entries, how to do a table of contents for only part of your document, and more.

• Interactive Training: Create a Basic TOC
  
This is an excellent source provided by Microsoft that is a step-by step lesson. It takes 20-30 minutes to complete and is perfect for those who prefer to be taught, as opposed to those who like to teach themselves. The directions are easy to follow, and the makers of the tutorial even provide self-quizzes to test competency. After this course is completed, then it is recommended to move onto The Table of Contents II Tutorial, which details more advanced TOC features.






Screen shot from the Microsoft TOC Training

Creating Indexes

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• Technical Writing: Creating an Index
  
This is a page written especially for technical writers that details how to create an index at the end of a Word Document. Its instructions are easy to follow and provide basic steps for users to follow that are neither complicated nor wordy.

• How Do I Generate an Index in Word?
  
Here is a really thorough, informative page about creating indexes. It, too, is written for technical writers, and it was written by a technical writer. It describes the different kinds of indexes that can be made, and provides instructions for creating them.

• Index Syntax in Microsoft Word
  
Already know all that basic info about indexes? This site details advanced usage of the index feature, and provides instruction on how to alter the index using the 'hidden text' in MS Word.

General MS Word Information

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• Advanced Microsoft Word Quick Guide
  
This is a PDF file called the "Quick Guide" and is perfect for users who want simple instructions that aren't confusing or time-consuming to read. It's easily printable and could be kept on a desk as a good reference, for those who prefer to read instructions on paper, as opposed to reading them on a screen. I would only recommend this for users who aren't looking for thorough information on these topics, but who just want to know how to do the basics.

• The Word MVP Site
  
A few of the pages listed here are taken from this website, which is an excellent resource for Word users. The pages are all written not by Microsoft employees, but by experienced users who have managed to figure out all the nuances of Microsoft Word. Their instructions are easy to follow, whether you're looking at their general information or the troubleshooting information they have available for use. A notable page on the site is Some of the Most Useful Word Shortcuts, which is a pretty comprehensive list of all the shortcuts that can reduce time spent on Word- something that is always useful for writers on a deadline!

• Ten Things Every Microsoft Word User Should Know
  
Here the author presents "Ten Things Every Microsoft Word User Should Know." The first 5 tips are all about using styles, not only for paragraphs, but for characters and tables. What is notable about this site is the fact that it is aimed for Mac users, and instructions for Microsoft Word on a Mac are often hard to find.

Screen shot using styles on a Mac from "Ten Things..."

© 2006 Carolyn LaPlante

Page last modified: November 8, 2006