Word Tips

• Managing complex figures, includes how to mix landscape and portrait modes in a single document.
• Mix landscape and portrait in a document (older versions of Word).
• Hanging Indent--use for reference list.  If you change fonts, or change the margins, it still works.
• Page numbers not on first page(s)
• Use page breaks rather than a lot of carriage returns--it works much better when you do edits or move things around.
• Copy Graph: if you copy a graph into Word, say from Excel, you are actually typing in the commands to draw if.  If there are a lot of data points on the graph, when you edit your Word document, it redraws the graph.  This can be slow and annoying (and as an added bonus, it can change the way the graph looks in ways you might not like).  To avoid this:
  • Use "Print Screen" (key on the upper right of the keyboard). 
  • Open Paint, and select "Edit, Paste"
  • Cut out just the part of the screen that has the graph.
  • Paste that into Word.  You will now have a "dumb picture", which will display very rapidly, and will look exactly like what you want.

Mix landscape and portrait in a document

For newer versions of Word, see Managing complex figures.

	Insert, Break, Section Break types, Next Page. Do once before, and once after, the page(s) you want to put in landscape (for instance for large figures and tables).
	File, Page Setup, and pick orientation. If Apply to "This section", then each section can be different.

Hanging Indent

Format, Paragraph, Special, Hanging

Page numbers not on first page(s)

Put in a section break after the title page, abstract, and any other pages you do not want to have page numbers. (Insert, Break, Section Break types, Next Page)   Insure that you are on a page, in the section where you want the numbers to start. Insert, Page Numbers. Pick Format, and then Start At

Managing Complex Figures

	In Paint, assemble the graphic by pasting in the individual figures. Add text for the subfigures A, B, and C, and do any other edits. You can save the graphic, or just paste it into Word or PowerPoint. As a single graphic, the sizing and position of the subcomponents cannot change.
	In Word, insert a section break, twice, so you have three pages.
	Navigate to the page you want to move to landscape, and change its orientation. This view has the paragraph, page, and section breaks shown.  That can be helpful to show you where those are, and to avoid accidently deleting them.
	Insert the figure into the landscape.  You can adjust its size, but if it is a map, so not adjust the aspect ratio.
	Put a caption below the figure.  It is easiest to just put in a line of text.  While Word has other options, they have high odds of giving you problems as you edit, and almost guarantee problems if you want to try electronic  edits with a collaborator (or supervisor).

last revision 9/5/2012