Do you struggle using tables in Microsoft Word? A Quick Table might help, especially if you are using the same set of table formats across several documents. Go to the Insert tab in the ribbon. Go to Table->Quick Tables, then select a table format you like. Replace the headers and data included in the table…
Do you use “utilize” in technical documents instead of “use”? In most cases, we recommend using the word “use” following the Handbook of Technical Writing and plain language principles. Use will almost always be clearer and less pretentious. When is “utilize” acceptable? According to the Chicago Manual of Style, you can justify “utilize” in the…
To calculate the averages in Table 1, use this method: For the month of January in the Average column, click Ctrl+F9 to get this field: { }. In the brackets, type = 5.5/4: With your cursor in the brackets, click F9 to get the average: 1.38. To double check, right-click in the field and select Toggle Field Codes from the drop down to see the equation, then toggle back for…
Have you ever needed to calculate sums in Word tables but reached for Excel instead? Typically, you might use Excel, input the data there using formulas, and then copy and paste the outputs. Alternatively, you might use the digital calculator app to solve the calculations and plug them into the table. Good news! Microsoft Word…
Yes, Virginia, You CAN Put Tabs in a Table! You may already know this, but it’s new to me. I have found that if I try to ‘Tab’ within a table, Word just takes me to the next cell in the table. If I am at the end of the table, pressing ‘Tab’ adds a…
To quickly change the capital letters in a word, 1. Highlight the word. 2. Hold down the ‘Shift’ key and then press the ‘F3’ key. 3. Continue pressing down the ‘F3’ key until your word is in the format that you want: lower case, initial capital, or all capitals. Now you try it! Copy and…
You can quickly calculate values based on numbers in a selection in a Word document. For instance, you could highlight text such as 14*7+7 and quickly calculate that the answer is 105. To add a button for calculating numbers, to the Quick Access Toolbar, follow these steps if you are using Word 2007: 1. Click…
Creating a Custom Shortcut Key Most symbols or commands have shortcut keys assigned to them. For example, Ctrl + C copies selected text, while Ctrl + V pastes it. But you can set your own shortcut for any command using whatever keys you like. For Word 2003: 1. Under ‘Tools,’ click ‘Customize.’ 2. Click the…
NOTE: You would use this feature if you had a lengthy document and wanted to capture all of the acronyms that are mentioned in the document so that you can create an appendix, a glossary, or an acronyms table. You might also use it to make sure that you identified all acronyms the first time…
Do you have trouble catching passive voice in your writing? Word can help! Passive sentences aren’t incorrect: most of the time they just aren’t the best way to phrase your thoughts. Sometimes passive voice is awkward and can obscure meanings, while other times it’s just vague or wordy. Try this in Microsoft Office Word: 1.…