Making the most of Microsoft (MS) Word

In the modern age of word processing, MS Word is a standard. The features and functions are quick and easy to use – change fonts, bold, italicize, underline, or automatically add page numbers. Beyond the basics however, there are other great features that can make your essay-filled life as a student easier. Consider these tools:

Find and Replace – Have you ever written a paper filled with complicated technical or medical terms? Perhaps you had an essay that includes lengthy character names that are easily misspelled. In your proofing you discover you’ve spelled the word incorrectly – throughout the entire the document! Use the Home toolbar (look for the binoculars icon) to run a Find and Replace. List the incorrect spelling as the “find” term and the proper spelling as the “replace” term and correct your entire paper in an instant! MS Word will catch and update every occurrence and save you lots of time.

AutoCorrect – This feature of MS Word can be helpful (though critics say it hurts our natural spelling skills). It automatically flags and corrects typos in your document as you type. Sometimes you may know the exact spelling of a word, but your brain may be moving faster than your fingers. Simple letter confusions such as “everyhwere” instead of “everywhere” will be instantly caught and corrected. This feature lets you maximize speed without having to stop and edit each word as you go. AutoCorrect settings can be found by visiting the File tab, then selecting Options, and then Proofing.

Templates – Documents that require a specific format don’t have to be created from scratch. MS Word offers a variety of document templates such as resumes, reports, and charts. They can be a great help because they guide users through the creation process. Every time you start a new document, look through the template section for ideas. Templates can be accessed directly in MS Word or by visiting Office.com for a more extensive suite of options. Once you’ve downloaded a template, all you have to do is fill in the missing information. The built-in alignment and formatting can be a real time saver, leaving you free to focus more on actual content and less on design.