LibGuides: Tech Tools: Using Microsoft Word

Getting started with Word

If you are using the desktop version, click the Microsoft tab on the bottom left of the page
If you are using the online version of Microsoft 365, click the app launcher (Dots in a square) and select Word

Adding and formatting text

Add text

Place the cursor where you want to add the text.
Start typing

Replace text

Select the text you want to replace (To select a single word, double-click it., to select a line, click to the left and highlight the line)
Start typing.

Format text

Select the text you want to format.
From the pop-up toolbar or the Home tab, select an option to change the Font, Font Size, Font Color, or make the text bold, italics, or underline.

Copy formatting

Select the text with the formatting you want to copy
Click Format painter, and then select the text you want to copy the formatting to.
Tip: Double-click Format painter if you want to copy the formatting in more than one place.

Word shortcut keys

See the Shortcut Keys tab for advice

Add macrons to Māori text

Select Insert
Click Symbol in the Symbols box on the right
Search and select the relevant letter (Click More symbols if necessary)
Click Insert

Embedding a Link

To embed a link in your Word document:

Highlight the text or picture that you want to embed a link into
Select the Insert tab
Click or right click the text / picture and click Link on the shortcut menu, or use the short cut key Ctrl K
In the Insert Hyperlink box, enter your link in the Address box

Adding pictures, shapes, charts and more

To insert a picture

Select Insert > Pictures > This Device for a picture on your PC
Select Insert > Pictures > Stock Images for images or backgrounds
Select Insert > Pictures > Online Pictures for a picture from the web

Select the picture you want, and then select Insert.

Resize or move pictures

To resize a picture, select the picture and drag a corner handle
To wrap text around a picture, select the picture, and then select a wrapping option

Saving your Word Document

Save to OneDrive

Click File in the top left
Select Save As
Click OneDrive Whitireia and WelTec

Save to your personal device

Click File in the top left
Select Save As
Double click This PC
Give it a file name, select a folder
Click Save

Collaborating or Commenting on a Word Document

When someone shares a Word document with you, the email you receive includes a link that opens the document in your web browser.

If anyone else is working on the document, you'll see their presence and the changes they're making. This is real-time collaboration

Track and review changes

To track changes, select Review > Tracking > Track Changes.
To review changes, place the cursor before a change and select:
- Accept to keep the change, or
- Reject to remove it

Comments

You can give feedback by adding comments

Select what you want to comment on
Select Review > New Comment
Type your comment
Post your comment by using Ctrl + Enter or click the blue plane icon
Click elsewhere in the document when you are done.

Reply to or resolve a comment

Select a comment
Select Reply
Type your reply
Post
To Resolve, click the ... and resolve thread
To delete click the delete icon

Show comments

Select Review > Show Comments to show or hide the comments.
Select Next or Previous to go between comments

Creating a Document in Word

Open Word
On the left, select New
To start from scratch, select Blank document
To use a template, double-click a template image or type the kind of document you want into the Search for online templates box and Click Enter

Removing the squiggles

Have you noticed coloured squiggly lines under some of your words?

It is important to clear the squiggly lines before submitting your work, otherwise your tutors will see your errors straight away. To clear them, try one of the following:

Fix the spelling or grammar yourself
Right click on your mouse to choose from a selection of correct words - Make sure that you choose the right one
Right click on your mouse to ignore the error, if you believe it is correct
Right click to on your mouse and select 'Add to Dictionary'
- Names and non-English words will appear as incorrect - like Te Reo Maori words
- NZ spelling might also appear as incorrect

Word: Check Spelling and Grammar by LearnFree

Inserting a Table

Click Insert >Table and move the cursor over the boxes until you highlight the number of columns and rows you want

To customise a Table

Click the down arrow under Tables
Click Insert Table
Add numbers of columns and rows
Click OK

Click Draw Table to create your own table

Insert or delete columns or rows

Put your cursor on the table, either click the icon or right click your mouse to see
Select insert or delete to add or take away rows, columns or whole tables

Dictating your documents in Word

Microsoft 365 Word has a dictation feature. This allows you to use speech to text as long as you have a microphone and reliable internet connection.

Turn your microphone on and make sure it's working
In the Home tab, click the down arrow below Dictate, then dictate from the drop-down menu
Wait for the tool bar to appear
Start talking, including the name of any punctuation marks to add them. What you are saying will be written on your document
Saying delete removes the last word or punctuation before the cursor. Saying delete that removes the last spoken utterance
To bold, apply italics, underline or strike through a word or phrase, say a phrase, then say Bold and the word you want in bold. This will appear in your text e.g. "bold cultural safety" will appear as Cultural safety focuses on ...
By default, Dictation is set to your document language in Microsoft 365
Click dictate to exit

Sharing your Word Document

When you share your document with others and give them permission to edit, everyone's changes are made in the same document.

Share a document

In the top right corner, above the ribbon, select Share
Save your document in OneDrive, if it's not already there
Name your document

Give permission to the people you're sharing with (i.e. can edit, can review etc.)
Add the names of the people you're sharing the document with
Type a message, if you want, and select Send

The people you're sharing with will get mail from you, with a link to your document

Referencing Feature in Word

Though Word has a referencing tool it follows the 6th edition. APA is now on the 7th edition, so any references created by this citation generator need to be checked and updated
If you have used information that has come from someone else (an author's ideas, words, research findings or a figure such as an image, table, graph etc.), you need to acknowledge the author by referencing it
- In-text citations. This is brief information in the text of your assignment, next to the quote or paraphrase. This is usually the author's surname (or group author name) and the year of publication
- Reference list. The reference list is on a separate page at the end of your assignment. The list is arranged alphabetically. You need to use double spacing and apply hanging indentation. You need to provide the full details for each cited source and only include sources cited in the text of your assignment

For more information, please refer to the APA Referencing guide. Also, check out the Formatting your reference list tab in this guide

Tech Tools: Using Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word

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