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Digital Tip: Laying Out a Page 

Word-processing programs offer a variety of features that can help improve the appearance and readability of the text and graphics on a page. Creating the most effective layout and design for your document may require a little experimentation, but being familiar with the layout features of your word-processing program will help you. Here, we cover some of the most basic features of laying out a page in Microsoft Word®.  Consult your Help menu to locate similar features in earlier versions of Word or other word-processing programs:  

Setting Margins
The margin is the distance from the text to the paper's edge. Word usually uses 1-inch margins as a default, but you can change the margins in a section or in an entire document either by using the Format menu or by dragging the margin boundaries on the rulers that appear at the top and left side of the document.   To set the margins using the Format menu:
1.   Select Format --> Page Setup.  (Figure 1 shows the Page Setup dialog box.)
2.   Adjust the top, bottom, right, and left margins either by clicking the up or       down arrows or by typing the amount of space you want for each margin.
3.     A page image appears in the lower right corner of the Page Setup dialog box showing how the new margins appear before you apply them to your page or document.
4.   Click OK to apply the new margins.

To set margins using the rulers:

1.   Select View à Page Layout or Print Preview.  This command opens the Page Layout screen with margin rulers at the side and top of the page.  (Figure 2 shows the Page Layout screen.)
2.   Move the cursor up to the left margin on the top ruler until the cursor becomes a double arrow.
3.     Drag the arrow left or right to narrow or widen the margin.
4.   Click OK to apply the new margins.

Figure 1.  Page Setup Dialog Box for Adjusting Margins

Figure 2.  Page Layout Screen with Top and Left Margin Rulers

Setting Font Style and Size
Word allows you to choose from a variety of fonts, font styles, and font sizes. The font you choose will affect the general character of the text on the page, while the font style and size you select enable you to add emphasis to certain text. To select the font, font style, and size you want, follow these steps:

1.   Highlight the text you want to change or place the cursor where you want to type.
2.   Select Format à Font.  (Figure 3 shows the Font dialog box.)
3.     Click the Font tab if it is not already selected.
4.   Select the font, font style, and font size for the section of text you have highlighted. You can preview each font style and effect in the Preview window.
5.   Click OK.

Figure 3.  Font Dialog Box

Setting Spacing and Alignment
Word allows you to control both the overall spacing and the horizontal and vertical alignment of text and images in your document.

Line spacing determines the amount of vertical space between the lines of text. Word uses single line spacing by default, but you can choose from a variety of other options, such as 1.5 or double spacing, or you can specify exactly the amount of spacing you want—for example, single spacing within a paragraph and an extra line space following a paragraph. To set the line spacing for your document or for a section of your document, follow these steps:

1.   Highlight the text for which you want to set the spacing.
     
2.   Select Format à Paragraph, and then click the Indents and Spacing tab.  (Figure 4 shows the Paragraph dialog box.)
     
3.     Click on the down arrow of the Line spacing window to specify the spacing you want. You can preview your selection in the Preview window. Then click OK.

Figure 4.  Paragraph Dialog Box for Setting Line Spacing and Horizontal Text Alignment

Horizontal alignment allows you to align text in relation to the right and left margins to create a more balanced appearance. You can align text with the left margin (in a style called left-justified or ragged right), with the right margin (right-justified), or with both margins (full-justified). Or you can center your text, a useful feature for graphics and titles or headings. To format horizontal alignment, follow these steps:

1.   Highlight the text you want to align, and then select Format à Paragraph.  (Figure 5 shows the Paragraph dialog box.)
     
2.   Click the Indents and Spacing tab, if necessary.
     
3.   Choose the alignment you want. You can preview your choice in the Preview window. Then click OK.

Figure 5.  Paragraph Dialog Box for Accessing Horizontal Text Alignment

Vertical alignment allows you to align text with the top or bottom of a page, center text, or distribute it equally between the top and bottom margins. This feature is especially useful for creating title pages or single-page documents. To format vertical alignment, follow these steps:

1.   Highlight the text you want to align, and then select File à Page Setup.  (Figure 6 shows the Page Setup dialog box.)
2.   Click the Layout tab.
3.   Choose the vertical alignment you want, and then click OK.

Figure 6.  Page Setup Dialog Box for Setting Vertical Text Alignment

Creating Headers and Footers
Creating headers and footers allows you to add text or graphics that you want to appear at the top and bottom of every page of your document. Headers appear at the top of every page; footers appear across the bottom. You can create headers and footers that include text or graphics, such as a company logo, the document's title, or the author's name. You can also take advantage of Word's automated features, such as page numbering and inserting the current date and time. Follow these instructions to create a header or footer:

1.   Choose View à Header and Footer.
     
2.   To create a header, click inside the dotted box at the top of the page labeled "Header" and add the text or graphics you want to appear (Figure 7). Or click a button on the Header and Footer toolbar to insert automatic text that commonly appears in the header or footer, such as page numbers, date, time, author, or file name.
     
3.   To create a footer, click the Switch Between Header and Footer button on the Header and Footer toolbar (highlighted in Figure 7) to switch from the header to the footer area.  Then follow the instructions in Step 2.

Figure 7.  Header and Footer Dialog Box with Blank Header Window

Creating Columns

Columns can improve the readability of your information, especially for 8 ½-by-11-inch pages with small typefaces and single-spaced lines.  They also give your document a professional appearance.  Follow these instructions to divide your content into columns:

1.   Highlight the text you want to flow into columns.
2.   Choose Format à Columns.  (See Figure 8.)
3.   Click on the Presets columns box for the number of columns you want.  (The Preview box in the lower right displays how the text will look when divided into columns.)
4.   Make sure the columns appear only in the section you highlighted by choosing “selected text” in the “Apply to:” window at the bottom of the Columns dialog box.
5.   Click OK. 

Figure 8.  Columns Dialog Box

Varying the Layout Within a Document
To vary the layout within a document, you can divide the document into sections (e.g., front matter, chapters, appendixes) and format each section differently. You can change the format of page numbers, the number of columns, the size of margins, and the content of headers and footers. To create a new section, complete these steps:

1.   Click where you want the section to begin.
2.   Select Insert à Break.  (See Figure 9.)
3.   If you put the cursor at the beginning of a paragraph in the middle of page 2 and select Page Break, the paragraph will automatically appear at the top of page 3.
4.   Proceed with designing the layout for that section.

Figure 9.  Page Break Dialog Box