Using Microsoft Word is a basic skill that most employers will expect. In many cases you can use a template or previous document to get all the settings correct for a new document.
Using Microsoft Word is a basic skill that most employers will expect. In many cases you can use a template or previous document to get all the settings correct for a new document. In some cases though, this will not be possible and you will need to be able to start a document from a blank .DOCX file. Knowing how to adjust the basic settings on a document will be useful in the cases where you have no template to start from.
Background
APP101_wk2_Assess.jpg
Microsoft Word allows for a lot of flexibility when designing a document. You can use the Layout Tab in the Ribbon to edit things like page setup and paragraph spacing and indentation. You can use the Font tools on the Home Tab to edit font face (or style), size, color, bold, italics, underline, or highlight. You can also use the Paragraph tools on the Home Tab to edit a paragraph and introduce bullets, change alignment, change spacing, add borders, or even sort paragraphs.
Margins, Headers, and Interactive Page Numbers
When formatting and creating a document in MS Word, you can choose to be very basic about your settings or add specific embellishments to make your work stand out. You can start creating a document with pre-set margins, or you have the choice to customize them however you please. A “normal” pre-set margin format follows the one-inch rule. MS Word will automatically set your page margins at one inch from every page edge. If you would like to customize this, go to the Layout tab on the Word Ribbon. Under the Layout tab, you will find the Page Setup group that contains your margin options. You can select one of the various options available or create custom margins by selecting “Custom Margins” on the bottom of the drop-down Margins menu.
Under the Insert tab on the MS Word Ribbon, there is a group labeled “Header & Footer.” In this group, you will find options to help with creating items at the top or bottom of your documents. You will be able to create headers from this group which is obvious because of the name, but you will also have the option of putting page numbers on your documents. One feature you will notice with adding page numbers is that the page numbers will become interactive. This means when you create an additional page in your document, MS Word will automatically add the next page number in the area you designated your page numbers to be. This will continue throughout your creative process. You will notice there are a few options for both headers and page numbers within the drop-down menus as well as many other embellishments that can be included in your documents. Be sure to open MS Word and experiment with the various options that are available to you when creating your documents. With these options, you can add more detail to your documents and be able to add a personal touch with every piece you create.
Styles, Headings, and Navigation
Styles are a different tool that allows you to create a setting for font and paragraph settings and then use them by simply highlighting the desired words and then clicking the style you want. Styles allow you to format headings and keep consistent formatting with ease. You can set all the headings using Styles and then come back later to change the heading style and only have to change it in one place and it will affect all the headings of that style within the entire document.
Besides making the formatting of headings and paragraphs much easier, Styles also allow you to use the Navigation Pane. The Navigation Pane allows you to view and organize the document sections based on headings. The Navigation Pane uses the heading styles to determine which text to show in the pane and it allows you to move entire sections based on the headings.
Watch these videos on Styles in Word to gain a better understanding:
Using Quick Styles (Links to an external site.) (3:06 min)
Editing Styles (Links to an external site.) (1:40 min)
Different Styles and Themes (Links to an external site.) (1:42 min)
Styles and the Navigation Pane (Links to an external site.) (2:45 min)
Documents
Word is used in most businesses for a variety of business documents. Everything from books and reports to memos and letters are created on word. Memos were used a lot before email became the norm. In fact, many businesses still use memos for official documents. Understanding how to create a memo will help you as you create other documents such as reports.
Parts of a Memo
You will be creating a memo in this week’s assessment. Before emails were introduced to the workplace, memos were the way that communication was organized and relayed between coworkers. Memos supply needed information to the reader in a systematic way. There are several parts to a memo.
Memo header. Your memo header should follow the same basic format found in all memos. This includes:
TO: (Who the memo is being sent to.)
FROM: (Who the memo is being sent from.)
DATE: (The date the memo was completed.)
SUBJECT: (What the memo is about. This should be brief; no more than a few words.)
Opening/Purpose
This is an introduction paragraph stating the purpose of the memo.
Body
This is where the main content of your message goes. Use headings to separate the main ideas that you want to present to the audience of the memo. The body of your memo contains all the details to the ideas you presented in your opening.
Summary
If you have covered several important subjects in the body of your memo, it is a good idea to briefly review the main point(s) of your memo in one precise summary.
Conclusion/Closing
This is where you make a call for action if necessary and point out how these actions will benefit everyone.
Prompt
For this week’s assessment, you will create a memo. Creating a memo will help you practice the MS Word skills you have just read about in the background information. For this assessment, you can pretend that the memo is for school or work. We will assume that you have been asked to introduce yourself to your new boss (if you are writing for work) or to your Dean, Associate Dean, or your institution-assigned career advisor in your program of study (if you are writing for school).
In the memo, you will create at least three sections with headings that give appropriate details about you and your life and why you would be an asset to either the company or school you are writing to.
Required steps you need to follow to complete this assessment are as follows:
Start with a blank Word document (do not use templates or previous documents)
Finalize your margin measurements:
Top/Bottom: 1 inch
Right/Left: 0.75 inch
Create a title at the top of the first page of your memo. The title must include:
A font size of at least 24 points
A font color other than black
Create a minimum 450-word memo using the parts outlined in the Background section named “Parts of a Memo”
Using Styles group under the Home tab, create at least four headings separating your memo into parts
Create an interactive page number at the bottom of the memo by using the Page Number drop-down menu in the Header & Footer group under the Insert tab
Save your completed Word document and upload it in Canvas
References and Resources
Microsoft. (2018). Different Styles and Themes. Retrieved from Microsoft Office Help and Training: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/different-looks-with-styles-and-themes-64849596-2cd2-4459-9a75-e42727522021?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US (Links to an external site.)
Microsoft. (2018). Editing Styles. Retrieved from Microsoft Office Help & Training: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/editing-styles-00ef3db1-871d-4cf2-af49-e9c7768d7934?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US (Links to an external site.)
Microsoft. (2018). Move Text. Retrieved from Microsoft Office Help & Training: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/move-text-with-the-navigation-pane-93851104-d4c2-4839-a039-e438ccb7796c?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US (Links to an external site.)
Microsoft. (2018). Using Quick Styles. Retrieved from Microsoft Office Help & Training: https://support.office.com/en-us/article/video-using-styles-in-word-9db4c0f4-2754-4294-9758-c14a0abd8cfa (Links to an external site.)
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