Page Formatting

Margins

Page margins are the blank space around the edges of the page. In general, you insert text and graphics in the printable area between the margins.

The default margin is 1” top, bottom, left and right

When your cursor turns into a two-sided arrow, you can drag your margin using the ruler. It will change the margin for the entire document.

Preset Margins

You can also select from preset margins using the drop-down selections under the margin button on the Page Layout tab.

This will also set the margins for your entire document

For a more exact margin or to apply a margin to only part of your document, you need to use the Page setup dialog box.

You can get to it from the launch button on the page setup group, or from the bottom of the preset margins dropdown menu.

Or by double-clicking in the blue area of the page rulers.

Page Setup Dialog Box

To set margin measurements, enter values in the Top, Bottom, Left, and Right boxes.

You can also set the orientation (the direction in which the information is to be printed on the paper).

You can choose to apply these settings to the entire document, or to one or more pages.

The Page Setup dialog box is used to set margins, vertical position of text on a page the placement of headers and footers for odd/even headers and/or footers different first page headers and/or footers and information to control printing

Page Orientation

Page orientation is whether your paper prints wider or taller

There are 2 ways to change the orientation. A drop-down in the page setup group on the page layout tab, or in the page setup dialog box

You can change the orientation after you have entered text. You can even change it for just one page in your document.

In the page setup dialog box you can enter custom measurements in the Width and Height boxes. When you make changes in the Paper Size tab of the dialog box, the Preview area changes accordingly. For simplicity's sake, make sure Whole Document is chosen in the Apply To box.

Paper Source:

offers paper feed options for the first and subsequent pages of your document. The options that appear here vary based on the type of printer you have, so this tab may not look exactly the same on your computer. Select options as desired.

Choosing your paper size

You can choose a standard paper size from the Paper Size dropdown list in the page setup group on the page layout tab.

Center Text on a Page

You can vertically center text on each page or in a section of your document. This is useful for flyers, title pages, invitations, etc.

Vertical alignment - choose center

Choose apply to whole document, section, or this point forward

A header appears at the top of each page

A footer appears at the bottom of each page

A header or footer can display information such as the date , page number, chapter title, document title, etc.

Headers and Footers

These commands are found on the Insert Tab in the header & footer group

Word gives you preset options to use for your header and footer.

The special header & footer ribbon commands only appear when you add a header or footer. These commands give you the ability to format them to your needs.

To create your own header choose EDIT HEADER from the bottom of the drop down menu

Whatever you design in your header or footer will appear on every page of your document. There is an option to exclude page one if that is a cover or title page.

When you are finished customizing, click the red X to close the ribbon.

There is an option to insert page numbers in the header/footer dialog box, however, Word offers a more direct route to the same end.

Page Numbers

On the Insert Tab in the header & footer group you can choose the placement and style of your page numbers.

By using Word’s built in page number feature, word will automatically adjust if you editi your document after the pages have been numbered.

The page numbers are added to the header or footer.

A page break indicates where one page ends and a new one begins.

Word automatically inserts a page break for you when you fill a page with text.

If you want to begin a new page at a specific spot in your document you can insert a your own page break.

If you switch Word’s view to Normal , you can see the page break indicated by dashed line. If you want to delete the break, simply click on that dashed line and press delete.

TIP: If you want to insert a blank page in your document, add one page break a line or two after another.

Insert a Page or Section Break

Insert a Section Break

types of section breaks

Every Word document created contains at least one section, and the majority of the documents you create will, no doubt, fall into this category.  However, whenever you want to perform certain types of formatting, such as changing margins, headers and footers, page size, page orientation, page numbering, page borders, or the number of newspaper-style columns, you must add sections to the document.  Sections define where these new formatting changes begin and, sometimes, end. For example, suppose you have a 5 page document printed on 8.5" x 11" paper (portrait orientation).  Perhaps page 4 will be a chart which would more easily be viewed if it were printed on 11" x 8.5" paper (landscape orientation).  Setting this up requires inserting a section break before and after the table for that page, then designating in that section that you want to change the page orientation.  Doing so assures that only that page will be affected by this formatting change.

• Next Page:  The most common type of section break.  Forces a new page at the beginning of the section,  Used most frequently to change page orientation, page numbering, and headers and footers.

• Continuous:  Inserts a section break without forcing a new page.  Used mostly for things such as changing margins or changing the number of newspaper-style columns in a document. 

• Even page:  Forces the new page to start on an even-numbered page.  In order to accomplish this, you may notice that Word inserts an additional blank page when needed to enforce this condition.

• Odd page:  Forces the new page to start on an odd-numbered page.  In order to accomplish this, you may notice that Word inserts an additional blank page when needed to enforce this condition.

A page with 3 continuous sections

1. Section breaks are much easier to work with in Draft view, than in Print Layout view.  In Draft view, you actually see the section break as a visible element, which can be selected, copied, moved or deleted, just like any other text in a document.

2. All of the formatting instructions for a section are contained in the section break at the end of the section.

3. If you want to select a section break so that you can copy, move or delete it, simply move the mouse over the visible section break (in Draft view), all the way to the left edge of the screen until it turns from an I-beam into an arrow.  Then click the mouse button to select the break.  You will see that the section break becomes selected.  Now you can copy, cut, paste or delete it.

A document with 3 next page sections

Section breaks are visible elements in “Draft” view

You can add a footnote or endnote to provide additional information about the text in your document. Footnotes and endnotes can provide information such as an explanation, comment or reference.

Footnotes appear at bottom of a page. Word ensures that the text for a footnote always appears on the same page as the footnote number.

Endnotes appear at the end of the document.

Position the insertion point right after the text you want to footnote. Then on the References tab in the footnote group click Insert footnote.

Footnotes and Endnotes

Customize your footnotes and endnotes

Choose either Footnote or Endnote. Next, choose a Numbering option: AutoNumber or Custom Mark. AutoNumber automatically numbers footnotes and endnotes and can update numbering when footnotes are inserted or removed. Custom mark enables you to specify any character, including symbols, for the note.

The launch button in the footnotes group

When you click OK in the Footnote and Endnote dialog box, two things happen. First, a tiny footnote indicator appears in the document where the insertion point was. Second your cursor is transported down to the bottom of the page to the insertion point blinking beside the corresponding footnote indicator. Type the footnote text.

 

To delete a footnote or endnote, simply select the footnote indicator character in the main document window and press Backspace. The indicator and corresponding footnote or endnote is deleted. If necessary, Footnote indicator numbers will also change.

Footnote indicator

Footnote pane – type here

Certain kinds of information are best displayed using columns. (Think about your local newspaper.) If you create newsletters, flyers, reports, announcements, school projects, or other types of publications, you might want to use Word's column feature.

It's easier to enter document text into a single column and then convert it into multiple columns. Focus on your writing first, then concentrate on design issues.

Create Newspaper Columns

First select the text that you would like to format into columns.

Then navigate to the page layout tab and choose columns. You can select the number of columns from the drop down options.

Page Background

Change the appearance of your document by adding color, texture and graphics to your page background

These commands are found on the Page Layout Tab in the Page Background group.

Under the page color options you can hover over each to see the effect before you click to choose a color.