ms word assignment sample for students

22 Basic Microsoft Word practice exercises for beginners

• May 23, 2017

Microsoft Word Exercises for Practice: –  This article is very important for a basic computer course, for college and school students learning Microsoft Word online and offline. In this, you will get the best ideas on how to learn and practice Microsoft Word.  And you can explore the capabilities of Microsoft Word as a business software in this post.

The best way to learn anything is by doing exercises and creating samples of existing materials from experts. It’s ok that you know about Bold, Italic, Page Layout, Insert Menu, View options, etc. but it’s great if you can use such options in creating anything in Microsoft Word.

I mean tools are the same, but the field, seed, and process are changed. So, Can you do that with the same tools? I know farmers do it daily.

So, let’s explore how to learn Microsoft Word. Microsoft Word Exercises ideas that I think every student around the world should practice.

Microsoft Word practice exercises for beginners:

1. create and design admission/enquiry forms etc..

To create this kind of form, you need to use shapes, text boxes, colors, formatting options, tables, and horizontal lines in MS Word. This is a very good exercise to practice because it will give you an idea of how to use such options practically on various official documents that we use in our daily official life.

These days many people do not create forms and charts usually they download them. That makes the forms boring. And often you see similar kinds of formats in forms. But as a student or teacher or small business owner if you learn to create such forms not only do you expand your thinking and creativity but you can also utilize this ability in business and job.

See a sample in the image below.

2. Create bills/leaflets/brochures. See the sample below.

Everyone has various designs of bills such as your refrigerator shopping bill, computer bill, electricity bills, and various other kinds of bills. So you can practice in Microsoft Word to create that type of bill format. It’s good for practice in which you will learn the Insert menu option, text adjustment between the table, page size, and text boxes.

3. Design E-book cover pages / Magazine front/ books front/back page using the cover page option in Insert Menu.

This practice is an advance. But try to find the books and magazine cover pages. And try to make it similar in MS Word. Imagine if you’re the designer, how you will design the same content or front page. You will learn while practicing this about the Cover Page option in MS Word or you can design without using that option. The benefit of learning this is about understanding the various practical uses of Microsoft Word in our daily lives.

4. Create Business Cards using Shapes, text, and colors.

People use Adobe Photoshop, Corel Draw, and websites to create business cards nowadays automatically and manually. You can also use that. But it’s about mastering MS Word options and skills. When you create and design anything in Microsoft Word. Your basic computer skills become strong. That helps you in the future when you start working on a Computer or MS Office or MS Word. Also, basic computer skills are very important before doing any degree course in IT. So, Design the business cards similarly you see in the below sample picture.

This is an advanced exercise, but if you do it and create cards then the options you’ve learned during your computer courses in MS Word remain forever in your brain.

Related: Importance of MS Word in Education

5. Use smart art and create organizational charts and showcase relations: 

Smart Art is one of the favorite options in Microsoft Word. Smart art is used to draw diagrams that are used to showcase the content visually that will be easy to understand and manage. As you see below the smart art image Hierarchy Diagram is used to create an organizational chart or structure of the Telecom company.

This is the best method to understand and teach certain things to students, teachers, parents, and companies. You will see such organizational charts in the company’s office and government head offices.

Radial Cluster:

I have created this radial cluster diagram and organizational chart using Smart Art in Microsoft Word to showcase the difference between Managed WordPress Hosting and Shared Hosting” in one of the latest published posts. You can practice and create a similar chart to showcase the relation or useability differences.

Structural Chart: 

I hope that you can see (if not zoom in the browser using (Ctrl+ + ) both WordPress hosting and shared hosting smart images that are created in Microsoft Word.

When you practice MS Word Option to create the above diagram or any other, you get many problems. Those problems were not there while you were learning MS Word. These are the problems such as font size adjustment, lines adjustment, etc. colors, shape adjustment, etc. when you use tools or Word applications to communicate your point of view.

So, when you solve these problems by yourself or with the help of your computer course instructor it will be great for your computer knowledge and MS Office skills. Because when you solve the problem you learn very important working lessons in MS Word. This is why you’re learning.

Related:   Steps to create a simple business plan using templates in Word App

6. Make book content page or index page

This is another idea in which you need to create an index or content page of the book. In this process, you will learn about the first-line indent, hanging indent, and the perfect use of the ruler bar in Microsoft Word.

And also about a page number, and a hyperlink (if it is an eBook). You can discuss this article with your computer teachers, to allow us or provide us with similar things to practice on.

7. Try to create a similar Header and footer that you’re seeing in the Book

This is the most important option and thousands of students find it difficult to use the header and footer. It’s easier to learn header and footer one time but if you’re not practicing it in various ways or the things such as books header and footer, it’s tough for you to explain it to others.

That’s why I am suggesting you try using the different styles of header and footer. And you will get such an example from the books.

8. Insert the Image into the shape

This is a little easy. But you must know easier things more than difficult things. Because in interviews especially related to IT, people ask easier questions than difficult ones.

So, practicing even on small things is also beneficial. You don’t know when it will be helpful for you in the future.

So, insert an image into the shape. Take and draw a shape from the Illustration menu, place it on a page a little higher in size, and then double-click on the shape. Go to the shape fill option and click on the picture. As an example, you can see the following image.

Related: – Top 10 powerful uses of Microsoft Word.

9. Practice hyperlinking and creating links between Word document texts to D: /, Play songs from Microsoft Word text, and create links between internal and external files.

This is the most important option in Microsoft Word. Most of the processes on the internet contain links. The hyperlink is the starting point in which you learn how things are connected.

It’s also a great option for Web Designers or web designing teachers to teach “How website links work” by using the hyperlink as an example.

As you can see in the image below, I am displaying the connection between the play song text to the location of the song.

Now you need to select the text in which have written the play song and then insert a hyperlink (Ctrl+K) and in the hyperlink address, put the path of the song. After that press, the Ctrl button and click on the blue link, so now any song that you selected will start playing.

Here is my complete article based on the Hyperlink option: – Hyperlink Example within Microsoft Word Document

10. Design a Happy Birthday Message by using Word Art and print it.

I think it’s the easiest thing for you. You can use the Word Art option for this. You can create the best wishes message in MS Word. After that, you can print. And give it to the person. It’s about creating small things at home. This is also a good way to make kids interested in learning the computer.

Also good for students and kids to create fun things and print or give them as a gift to parents. So, they will enjoy your creativity.

11. Create a chart and show the product price comparison between years:

The chart option is very important in Microsoft Word and Excel. However, the use of the chart option and any other option in MS Word depends on the demand for a certain content type.

For example, you’re writing a book or making notes about something in which you have to write and explain the price comparison between 3-4 years. Then you can use the chart for visualizations to analyze the data.

In visual format or the chart, it’s easier for people to understand, what you mean. Also, it gets more views or focus than the content.

So, try to create the chart you’re seeing in the above image.

12. Get the newspaper and see the text-based advertisement and Design

Design and create text or image-based advertisements that you saw in the newspaper. Designing such an advertisement will be a very beneficial role for Microsoft Word students or people learning Advanced Microsoft Word skills. Advertisement designs contain high-quality images, text, and layouts. And these designs are created by experts. When students practice expert material and create similar or better than that.

I think that movement is great for learners and teachers. So, try to create as many as you like. It will make you master MS Word. And I think doing exercises after completing the class topic is the best way to learn MS Word.

13. Take a double-column book or newspaper and design or create a similar paragraph style in the Word document .

Not all often type or create content in a double column. I know computer teachers can teach you such options. But they will not be able to explain the deepest or professional uses of such options for certain reasons.

So, I will suggest that you use the column option and find the newspaper similarly as you see below and create or type the text as you’re seeing in the newspaper. And if you’re having a problem, ask your teachers. So, when your teachers teach you how to do that thing or this thing, it will be great for your knowledge.

14. Create a letterhead or identity card of any company or institution that you have and insert the Watermark with that company name in the document.

You can create an identity card, visiting card or birthday card in MS Word. As you’re seeing below this is an example of cards and letterheads. But you can find such things. And practice your MS Word knowledge in creating an identity card, and letterhead.

This will give you an idea of how to adjust the text in different shapes and areas. Also, this is a good exercise in which you learn after printing, what size you need to adjust on the page. And when you do that, you learn very precious things in MS Word.

In this video tutorial, you will get basic ideas to create a letterhead. You will get ideas to insert letterhead content in the header and footer, you will also learn how you can use watermarks in letterhead, and how to print and adjust content on the page. The video tutorial is in Hindi, but even if you’re not familiar with the Hindi language, you can still learn and watch it for practice ideas:

Step by Step Guide to create printable letterhead in Microsoft Word and Google Docs

15. Decorate a Word document with a page border, and content border, add patterns, and write beautiful text in it.

This is the easiest page layout option, in which you can learn about page borders in MS Word, text borders, color or shading on the page, and pattern.

These options are very beautiful when you’re creating eBooks, making notes, and doing anything that requires the following type of style. See the image below and try to create something similar to this one.

16. Insert Images and Practice on Format Menu and Image Options.

You can use image options and style to decorate, retouch, and adjustment of colors and brightness in MS Word. As you can see, I have created various styles and image effects. These are easy to create.

But to learn more advanced effects later in other professional software, you need to learn and practice such things during your basic computer course.

17. Insert a template or download the new template in Microsoft Word from the Internet and edit those templates with your content.

There are 100+ templates almost for anything in the Microsoft Word Template option. The top benefit of using the template is that if you don’t know how to create or design a certain thing then you can just download the template and replace the existing text with your text. And it’s done.

This is the most important option that you should learn because it’s tough when you don’t know how to design or create anything, so try to practice on 10+ templates and see what it will look like.

Related: Uses and features of Microsoft Word.

18. Practice Typography

Write 10 lines or 10 sentences and then change the font, style, color, and size of each sentence. make each one different from than previous and next..

Fonts are the face of the text. The following image displays various fonts and styles. Just create similarly. During the practice, you will learn which font will be better for the specific text. Just write 10 lines and differentiate each one.

19. Create a Tenant management form in Hindi or your native language.

We use computers or technology mainly for two reasons the one is Innovation and the second is problem-solving. There are various ways of solving problems using computers. Some problems are solved immediately or some take time. For example, you can create an accounts management software to manage business incoming, outgoings, cash flow, balance, and taxes.

Similarly, there are software and mobile apps to manage tenants. I have created this form for my office space owner. He wanted a simple solution that they could follow and manage easily. They are not that much familiar with apps and other digital methods. I told them about digital options. But they want something that can be taken care of easily and also send tenants’ details for police verification when needed.

So we created the following form and this is also an example of immediate problem-solving using a computer and Microsoft Word. Now after printing one copy of this, they can photocopy it as per the number of tenants they want to manage.

So as beginners, you can try to create a similar form by using the Table feature in Microsoft Word. For the best practice 1st create and decide on columns on rough physical paper and the details that you want. You can create a better form than this and I expect that from you.

And for Hindi or your native language, even if you do not have Hindi font or French or Spanish font on your computer or in Microsoft Word. You can use Google Translate for this, convert the word into Hindi or Spanish, and then copy and paste it into the form table column.

20. Practice to design a brochure for an event

When you try creating this brochure design in Microsoft Word, you’ll learn basic and advanced techniques. This includes using image effects, grouping shapes, adding colorful bullets, and creating textures. These skills are valuable, especially if you plan to work with Word or as a virtual assistant. But even as a Word beginner, practicing these exercises is essential for building your Word skills.

Here you can watch a free video tutorial to learn brochure design : Brochure Design Practice in Microsoft Word | Word Exercise for Beginners | Hindi Tutorial

21. Learn and Practice creating business card designs in Microsoft Word

Today, there are plenty of software options available for creating business cards, such as online tools, Adobe InDesign, Corel Draw, Photoshop, Canva, and more. However, making a printable business card may seem straightforward but does involve some technicalities and creative flair.

As a student, it’s beneficial to tackle challenging and intricate design tasks in Microsoft Word, like this business card project. This practice will help you strive for excellence and mastery of Word skills. Consider it your 21st exercise towards becoming a Word expert.

Here you can watch a complete and detailed video tutorial on this: How to Create Modern Business Card Design in MS Word | Step-by-Step Detailed Tutorial

22. Practice to create a professional-looking certificate design

Practicing certificate design and Microsoft Word is essential because it empowers you with valuable digital skills that are increasingly relevant in today’s technology-driven world. By honing your proficiency in Microsoft Word, you not only gain the ability to create professional certificates but also enhance your competence in document formatting, layout design, and image manipulation. These skills have broad applications across various personal and professional tasks, making you more adaptable and capable in a digital environment.

Furthermore, practicing certificate design offers you a practical avenue for skill development while producing tangible outcomes. It allows you to create certificates for courses, achievements, or even for your own business, helping you develop an eye for aesthetics, attention to detail, and the ability to produce polished documents. Overall, this practice not only enhances your digital competence but also provides you with a versatile skill set that can significantly benefit your personal and professional growth.

By creating and practicing below certificate design below, you will be able to explore various design options to create a professional-looking certificate. This is just a sample but along with this design, you can take it’s design to the next level.

If you want to learn how you can do it please follow this step tutorial: How to create a professional-looking certificate design in Word | Step-by-Step Tutorial in Hindi

I think if you practice Microsoft Word by working on these exercises then it will be enough to make you above average among all the students around the world doing basic computer courses or learning Microsoft Word.

Because after learning Microsoft Word, you have to work with professionals or in companies. And almost all official works are related directly and indirectly to the above exercises.

So, this is the best method to learn Microsoft Word by doing exercises. And this is about practical knowledge.

I hope these Microsoft Word Exercises ideas will be helpful for you. To learn more visit:   Top 10 Basic and Advanced Microsoft Word skills

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Vijay Sharma

Hi, Welcome to my personal blog, Klient Solutech, where I share insights, strategies, trends, and observations on the dynamic world of Technology, Digital Marketing and Web Development.

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good practical please send more practical in winword. Thanks

These are good Practical exercises. Please send list of practicals of MS Word in Vocational IT NSQF level-1 subject code-402 class IX

please send a book which covers exercises like this

Great content! Thanks for putting this out there!

This is very nice

I have recently joined a Private Computer classes at the age of 53. Can you guide me through WORD, EXCEL, POWERPOINT & INTERNET

Is it possible for you send step by step Assignments for all the above 4 courses, so that I can evaluate whether I am learning properly or not ?

Hi, That’s a very good concern as a student “whether I am learning properly or not” I think 80% students ignore this. I will contact you by email. Age is not a problem. I expect you have strong reason or specific task or goals to learn all these three + internet in this age. Yes, I can evaluate through giving you assignment and testing it.

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20 Microsoft Word Activities For Middle School: Writing Exercises, Research, And Art Projects

November 9, 2023 //  by  Kaitlyn Punzalan

Microsoft Word is an effective tool in the classroom. The platform can assist in student learning, organizing, and the development of 21st-century skills. These skills develop critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity. Microsoft Word helps develop and cultivate these skills in a variety of ways.

Students can use Microsoft Word to explore new content or deepen their understanding of the topic. It can also help students take notes or organize their learning throughout the school year.

Use the lessons, activities, and other ideas listed here to help enhance your students' learning using Microsoft Word.

1. My Life As a Movie

A great beginning of the year lesson is to have students create an autobiography in Microsoft Word. This project gets creative by asking students to create a DVD cover inside of a booklet to share about their life with their peers.

Learn more: Teachers Pay Teachers

2. Name Acrostic

Another great beginning of the year project is an acrostic poem. Students type their name's vertically, then write adjectives that would describe them horizontally. Students can use bold, italics, colors, and shadows to express their personalities. This is a fun and easy activity to have students complete on the first day of school as you can display them throughout the year!

Learn more: Student Web

3. Annotate Digital Texts

Annotating the text, or highlighting and taking notes in the margin, is a literacy skill middle school students should develop. Students can annotate a text digitally in Microsoft Word using the highlight and comment feature. Students can highlight the text using a variety of colors and make digital comments on each of these highlights. This is an extremely valuable tool as it allows students to annotate a variety of texts, not just print!

Learn more: Groovy Post

4. Peer-Review and Writing Feedback

Microsoft Word is a great tool for peer review. Students can collaborate on their writing with their classmates by sharing the document and then using the track changes feature. This allows one student to provide feedback and changes to another student’s writing while allowing the original owner of the writing to keep the original document and see the writing suggestions.

Learn more: Microsoft

5. Resume Writing

Students can practice writing a resume in Microsoft Word. Since Word offers a variety of basic functions, tools, and templates, students can choose a template that would best represent a future career of their choice. This activity provides students with real-world practice and develops an essential skill they will need in the future.

Learn more: Resume Genius

6. Formal Letter Writing

Another amazing writing skill to practice with students is teaching how to write a formal letter. This lost form of communication is still incredibly important for students to learn. Students can learn how to properly format a letter to include the heading, address, body, and signature. Teachers can easily use the templates provided in Microsoft Word to help students learn the proper writing structure for formal letters.

Learn more: Lisa Doe

7. Write a Newspaper

Microsoft Word also has accessible templates to teach students how to write a newspaper article. Students can practice their expository writing skills by creating a newspaper article. This is a great assignment that teaches students real-world writing skills and is fun! Writing prompts could include both fiction and non-fiction and can be embedded in a variety of units.

8. Mini-Book Project

This project takes the idea of a traditional book report to a new level! Students use Word to create a mini-book using colorful templates and tables. This assignment asks students to demonstrate their comprehension of a novel while allowing the students to practice their technology skills as well!

9. Create Flashcards

Microsoft Word offers students a ton of amazing critical learning tools to help study and organize their learning. Students can create flashcards using Microsoft Word to help them study. These flashcards can be saved in OneDrive and students can access them at all times.

Learn more: Andrew Who

10. Digital Planner

Another great way to use Microsoft Word to help students organize is by creating a digital planner. Word offers a variety of planner templates to help students keep track of assignments, homework, and other important dates.

Learn more: Template.net

11. Online Notebook

Microsoft OneNote allows students access to a variety of features to create a digital notebook. Students can take notes, add photos, and include audio and video recordings in their notebooks. This is a great resource for students who attend online school. Teachers can also create OneNote notebooks for their students to allow them to all have the same note-taking experience or basic school report.

Learn more: Microsoft OneNote

12. Make a Family Tree

Students can create a genogram in Microsoft Word to learn more about their families. This project allows students to discover more about their ancestors through the formation of a family tree.

Learn more: It Still Works

13. Create a Word Cloud

Word clouds can be a great way to allow students to demonstrate their overall understanding or summary of a topic. Microsoft Word allows users to create a word cloud using one of the add-on features.

Learn more: The Tech Train

14. Create Digital Art

Microsoft Word allows students to practice their writing skills , but it also has a variety of features for creative expression. Students can create digital art using the drawing tools such as shapes, fill, shading, and other features in Word.

15. Create a Book Cover

This project is another fun deviation away from the traditional book report. Students can use Word to create a book cover connected to the theme of the novel. Using the borders, images, fonts, and colors students can demonstrate their comprehension of a book in a new way!

Learn more: Innovations in Techology

16. Invent an Animal

Students can get creative and invent their own animals. Students can draw the animal using the shapes and images in Microsoft Word. After drawing their own animal, students can use text to describe their animal and make connections to other cross-curricular areas.

Learn more: Innovations in Technology

17. Plan a Vacation

Students can research and budget their own faux vacation. This lesson idea teaches students real-life skills such as organizing and money planning. Students then compile their research in Microsoft Word and create a travel brochure.

18. Progress Monitor Student Work

While Microsoft Word offers a variety of ways to expand student learning, it also has many tools to help teachers. One way teachers can use Microsoft Word is to progress monitor student learning. Using the "activity" feature, teachers can view student progress including the date and time of each activity completed.

Learn more: Foetron Academy

19. Create Handouts

Teachers are always doing their best to individualize the learning for all their students. Microsoft Word is a great way to create handouts that best meet their students' needs no matter the lesson plan.

Learn More: Techwalla

20. Transfer Work Documents to iPad

Many students, teachers, and parents use Apple products, but that does not limit their ability to use Microsoft Word. Documents can be transferred to pages allowing for unlimited access to the resources for any school project.

Learn More: Trusoljahs

28+ Best Free Assignment Cover Page Formats for MS Word

What is an assignment cover page, key elements for a comprehensive front page.

• Institution Details: Begin by prominently featuring the name of your school, college, or institute. This establishes credibility and provides context for your assignment.
• Personal Information: Include your own name to indicate authorship and ownership of the assignment. This adds a personal touch and facilitates easy identification.
• Assignment Title: Clearly state the title of your assignment, conveying its purpose and focus. A concise and informative title sets the tone for your work.
• Course Information: Specify the relevant course title or code to indicate the academic context in which your assignment was completed. This assists in proper categorization and organization.
• Instructor’s Name: Acknowledge the teacher or professor who will be evaluating your assignment by including their name. This demonstrates respect and professionalism.
• Due Date: Clearly indicate the deadline or due date for the assignment submission. This ensures timely assessment and helps you stay organized.

What are the basic tips?

• Font style : It is always in the best interest to use bold, simple, and clear text instead of using fancy text fonts and styles. This helps the reader understand things in a better way.  Moreover, the usage of pictures behind texts must be avoided as it creates poor visibility for the reader when reading the text printed on it.
• Presentation: Presentation plays an important role in expressing what you need to convey to someone and how you need to communicate it. Presenting the title page in the most effective manner is essential as this leaves an impression on the teacher reading the assignment. It also acts as a decisive tool for the teacher whether or not he/ she interestingly goes through the whole document.
• Spell Check: Before handing over the assignment, one should take a brief review of all the spelling and also look for any grammatical errors.
• Avoid plagiarism: A student must always be honest in what he writes. He should avoid copying material or texts from anywhere.
• Personal detail: One should never forget to mention his/her name. The font size used for writing the name must be bigger so that it makes the name visible to the teacher.

Advantages of an Impressive Assignment Cover Page

• Showcasing Professionalism: By meticulously designing your cover page, you demonstrate a strong commitment to professionalism. This attention to detail reflects positively on your work ethic and sets you apart as a dedicated student.
• Creating a Positive Impression: A well-crafted front page sets the tone for your assignment, capturing the attention of your teacher or professor. It establishes a positive first impression, arousing their interest and encouraging them to delve further into your work.
• Enhancing Visual Appeal: A visually appealing cover page enhances the overall presentation of your assignment. With carefully chosen fonts, colors, and layouts, you create an engaging and aesthetically pleasing introduction that captivates the reader’s attention.
• Communicating Pertinent Information: It provides a concise summary of essential details, such as the assignment title, your name, and the due date. This ensures clarity and facilitates seamless identification and organization of your work.
• Reflecting a Professional Attitude: By dedicating time and effort to creating an impressive cover page, you exemplify a professional attitude towards your academic pursuits. This level of dedication and care leaves a lasting impression on your teacher or professor.

Download Free Cover Page Templates

#1 – best format.

#2 – Assignment Cover Page for Case Study

#3 – Best Design for Critical Review

#4 – For Any Kind of Educational Assignment

Video Tutorial

#5 – essay assignment.

#6 – Syllabus Assignment

#7 – Cover Page For University Assignments

#14 – Cover Page for Business Assignment

#16 – Academic

#17 – Generic Cover Page for any Assignment

#18 – Biology Assignment

#19 – For Chemistry Projects

#20 – Cover Page for Computer Projects

#21 – For Engineering-Related Assignments

#22 – For English Assignment

#23 – For Geography Projects

#24 – Mathematics

#25 – Physics

#26 – Cover Page for School Assignments

#27 – Best for Science Projects

#28 – For Social Study Assignment

Versatile Designs and Layouts for Every Purpose

• Assignment Types: Our templates are designed specifically for different types of assignments, such as case studies, critical reviews, essays, syllabi, and business projects. Each template is tailored to suit the requirements and objectives of its respective assignment type.
• Academic Disciplines: Our collection includes templates suitable for various academic disciplines like biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, English, geography, mathematics, physics, and social studies. Each template aligns with the themes and aesthetics of its corresponding discipline.
• Purposes: Whether you are a student, educator, or professional, our templates serve multiple purposes. They can be used for university assignments, school projects, research papers, or any academic or professional endeavor that requires a polished cover page.
• Designs, Layouts, and Styles: Our templates offer a diverse range of designs, from minimalistic and clean to visually captivating and sophisticated. You can choose from different layouts that creatively arrange text, images, and graphics. Our templates cater to a variety of styles, ensuring there is something for everyone’s preferences.

User-Friendly Customization: Make It Your Own

• Easy Modifications: We believe in keeping things simple. With just a few clicks, you can effortlessly modify our templates to suit your specific requirements. Change colors, fonts, and layouts with ease, and watch your cover page transform before your eyes.
• Colors and Themes: Infuse it with the perfect color scheme and themes that truly represent your assignment. Our templates offer a wide range of options, so you can find the ideal palette and theme that resonate with your content.
• Font Selection: The right font can make all the difference. Choose from our diverse selection of fonts to enhance the visual appeal and readability. From elegant and professional to modern and bold, we have fonts to suit every style.
• Layout Flexibility: It should reflect your unique presentation style. With our templates, you have the freedom to experiment with different layouts, arranging titles, subtitles, images, and text blocks in a way that best suits your assignment.

Benefits of Using Professionally Designed Templates: Make an Impact with Ease

• Time and Effort Saving: Our professionally designed templates eliminate the need to start from scratch. With pre-designed layouts, styles, and graphics, you can save valuable time and effort in creating visually appealing front pages. Simply customize the template to suit your assignment’s requirements, and you’re ready to impress.
• Consistency and Professionalism: Using our templates ensures consistency in your assignment submissions. The standardized design elements and formatting guidelines help maintain a professional appearance throughout your work. Presenting your assignments with a polished title page enhances the overall quality and credibility of your content.
• Visual Appeal: A visually appealing title page grabs attention and sets the tone for your assignment. Our templates are thoughtfully crafted by design professionals, incorporating aesthetically pleasing elements, color schemes, and typography. By leveraging these designs, you can effortlessly create eye-catching cover pages that captivate your professors or readers.
• Positive Impression: First impressions matter, and a well-designed cover page leaves a positive impact on professors and readers alike. Showcasing your assignment in a professional and visually appealing manner demonstrates your dedication and attention to detail. It sets the stage for an engaging reading experience, encouraging your audience to delve deeper into your work.
• User-Friendly Customization: Our templates are designed to be easily customizable, allowing you to add your personal touch without technical expertise. You can modify text, colors, images, and other elements to align with your assignment’s theme and requirements. This flexibility ensures that your cover page reflects your unique style while maintaining a professional look.

Tips for Maximizing the Impact: Make Your Cover Page Stand Out

• Choose Colors Wisely: Select colors that complement your assignment’s theme and evoke the desired emotions. Vibrant colors can grab attention, while muted tones create a sense of elegance. Maintain consistency with your assignment’s overall design and avoid using too many colors that may distract from the main message.
• Opt for Legible Fonts: Use clear and readable fonts to enhance the accessibility and professionalism of your cover page. Avoid overly decorative or complex fonts that may hinder readability. Opt for fonts that align with your assignment’s tone and maintain consistency throughout the document.
• Incorporate Relevant Graphics: Graphics can enhance the visual appeal of your cover page and reinforce the assignment’s subject matter. Choose images or icons that are directly related to the topic or convey the assignment’s main concept. Ensure that the graphics are high-quality and appropriately sized to maintain clarity.
• Organize Information Effectively: Arrange the information in a logical and visually appealing manner. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break down content and make it easier to read. Highlight key details such as the assignment title, your name, course information, and submission date.
• Maintain Simplicity: While it’s important to make it visually appealing, avoid cluttering it with excessive elements. Keep the design clean and uncluttered, allowing the key information to stand out. Remember, simplicity often has a greater impact than complexity.
• Preview and Proofread: Before finalizing, preview it to ensure that all elements are properly aligned and visually balanced. Proofread the content to eliminate any spelling or grammatical errors. A polished and error-free cover demonstrates your attention to detail and professionalism.

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Word Practice 1

Here is a video demonstrating the skills in this practice. Please note it does not exactly match the instructions: 

Complete the following Practice Activity and submit your completed project.

For our first assignment in Word, we will create a flyer to be printed or posted online. The flyer will advertise a volunteer opportunity for Health Sciences students at Paradise Valley Community College. Key skills in this practice are inserting text and pictures, textboxes, formatting text and footers.

• Start Word. Click Blank Document .
• Show formatting marks by navigating to the Home Tab, Paragraph Group, and selecting the Show/Hide icon. This is a Toggle Button . This means it has two modes, on and off.  To turn it on, click it once, to turn it off, click it again.
• Show the ruler by navigating to the View tab, Show Group, and selecting the Ruler Check Box . A Check Box is a type of input control . A checkboxes value is only included in the submitted data if the checkbox is currently checked. In other words, when the box is checked, the value is included.
• Navigate to the File Tab to enter Backstage View. In backstage view, select File, then Save As.  Click the Browse button. In the Save As dialog box , navigate to your file structure from the previous chapter, then open the Word folder. In the Name field, type Yourlastname_Yourfirstname_Word_Practice_1 as the file name, and then save.
• Type Volunteer Opportunity Available and press Enter twice.
• Type the following text: This fall, Paradise Valley Community College is offering a unique volunteer opportunity for Health Sciences students . Press spacebar.
• Navigate to the Insert Tab, Text group, and choose the Object arrow. Then choose text from file. In the Insert File dialog box, browse to the location where you saved the files from Canvas. Select the file Text_Word_Practice1. Click OK. The text will automatically update your document.
• Select all of the text in the document. On the Home Tab, Font Group, ensure the Font is Calibri and font size is 12.
• Select the title, Volunteer Opportunity Available, including the paragraph mark. On the Home Tab, Font Group, select the arrow next to Text Effects and Topography . In the third row, third column, a pply the Fill: Blue, Accent color 5; Outline: White, Background color 1; Hard Shadow: Blue, color 5 text effect.
• With the title still selected, change the font size to 36.
• On the Home Tab, Paragraph Group, choose Center to align the title centered on the page.
• On the Home Tab, Font Group, change the font color to Blue, Accent 1 for the title.
• With the title still selected, on the Home Tab, in the Font Group, choose the arrow next to the Text Effect and Typography icon. Apply a Shadow and under Inner, click Inside: Right text effect.
• Position the insertion point at the beginning of the paragraph that begins with This Fall.
• On the Insert tab, Illustrations group, choose Pictures . Navigate to your saved files from Canvas  and choose the HSPicture_Word_Practice1 image.
• Be sure the picture is selected, and apply the Square text wrapping  option.
• Using the sizing handle at the lower right hand corner of the picture, drag up and to the left until the bottom of the graphic is aligned at approximately 3.5 inches on the vertical ruler.
• Click Undo to return the picture to its original size. The Undo icon is located in the quick access toolbar in the upper left hand corner.
• On the Picture Tools, Format tab, in the size group, change the shape width to 4”.
• On the Quick Access Toolbar , click the Save icon.  Then, compare your document to the image below.

• Ensure the picture is still selected. Display the Layout dialog box by selecting the Layout Options  shortcut menu, then choose see more. In the Layout dialog box for the picture, make sure the Position tab is selected.
• Set the horizontal alignment to Left, relative to Margin.
• Set the vertical alignment to Top, relative to Line. Select OK to close the dialog box.
• With the picture selected, apply the Soft Edges 10 Point picture effect. This is on the Picture Tools Format Tab, Picture Styles group, under Picture Effects, Soft Edges.
• With the picture selected, on the Picture Tools, Format tab, in the Adjust Group choose the Artistic Effects arrow. Apply the Pastels Smooth artistic effect. Dese lect the picture .
• On the Design Tab, in the Page Background Group, select Page Borders. Add a page border selecting the:
• Shadow setting
• Triple Lines style
• Blue, Accent 1 color
• Whole document
• Position the insertion pointer at the blank paragraph below the title and press Enter six times.
• On the Insert Tab, in the Illustrations group, choose Shapes . Insert a Rounded Corners Rectangle shape at the left margin at approximately 1.5 inches on the top ruler. Click once to insert a 1-inch by 1-inch Rounded Rectangle, or use the drag and drop feature.
• On the Drawing Tools, Format Tab in the Size group, Change the shape height to approximat ely 1.8 and the shape width to 6.4.
• Select the Rectangle shape and type the following text: For more information, please contact Grace Smith at 602-787-6714. Or, email [email protected]
• Italicize the text, change the font to Calibri and increase the font size to 16. Deselect the text.
• Select the same text as above and explore the mini-toolbar , by clicking the Font Color button arrow and under Theme Colors, click on Blue, Accent 5, Darker 50%.
• With the shape still selected, go to the Drawing Tools, Format Toolbar, the Shape Styles  Group. Select the arrow next to Shape Outline and under Theme Colors, click on Blue, Accent 5, Darker 50%. Change the weight to 3pt.

Compare your document to the image below.

• Using the keyboard shortcut CTRL+END , navigate to the end of your document. If your keyboard does not have these keys, click to put your insertion point after the period on opportunity. Hit enter 3 times.
• Your insertion point should be approximately at the 8” mark on the side ruler. On the Insert tab, in the text group,  click the arrow next to the textbox and draw a text box at approximately the 1”mark on the vertical ruler.  Draw a text box by dragging down to create a text box that is approximately 1.5 inches high by 4.5 inches wide. Type the following in the text box: Volunteering is an excellent way to gain service hours. Service hours are required for entry into some Health sciences programs, and looks great on your resume. Dedicating your time as a volunteer helps you make new friends, expand your network, and boost your social skills.
• Select and Drag the textbox, by clicking and holding on the outer edge,  until the horizontal green alignment guide  displays above the first blank paragraph mark and the vertical green alignment guide displays in the center of the page. To be more precise:
• In the Layout dialog box on the Position Tab for the text box set the horizontal alignment to Centered, relative to Margin.
• Set the Vertical alignment by typing .25 in the Absolute position box and selecting Below Paragraph .
• On the Size tab, type 1.5 in the Absolute Height box and 4.5 in the Absolute Width box. Then, click OK.
• With the textbox still selected, on the Drawing Tools, Format Tab, in the Shape Styles group Apply the Colored Outline – Blue, Accent 1 shape style.
• Under Shape Effects , apply the Offset Center outer shadow shape effect to the text box.
• Select the text in the text box, change the font size to 13 italics, and center the text.
• Save the document. Compare your document to the image below.

• On the Insert tab, in the Header & Footer Group, choose Edit Footer. On the Header & Footer Design Toolbar, in the Insert Group, choose Document Info.  Use Document Info to insert the file name in the footer. Select the File Name Field . The File Name should display in the lower left hand footer of the document.  Do not type it in, rather use the Document Info Field.
• In Backstage view, click on Show All Properties, and type the following:
• In the Tags box: trainee, flyer, internship
• In the Subject box: Your course name and section number
• In the Author box: Your first and last name
• Turn off formatting marks. As a reminder, formatting marks are on the Home Tab, Paragraph Group.
• Take a moment to compare your document to the image below and make any modification based on what you have learned.
• Using Find and Replace, (Home tab | Editing | Replace), change all instances of pvcc and Paradise Valley to spscc or South Puget Sound.

• Zoom in to view the document in a larger size. Zoom is located in the lower right hand corner of the Word window.
• Save again, and ensure you have your file saved in a safe location. Take note of that location because you will need to find your file to upload it for grading.
• Submit the file for grading per your instructor’s instructions.

A starting point for creating a new document in Microsoft Word

Characters that display on the screen but do not print, indicating where the Enter key, the Spacebar, and Tab key were pressed, also called non printing characters

A button that can be turned on and off by clicking it once to turn on, and clicking again to turn it off

A small box which can be clicked to indicate a check is turned on or off to indicate an on or off response

Allows the user specify the drive, directory, and name of a file to save their file

Decorative formats, such as shadowed or colors that make text stand out

Images or graphics that are stored locally on a computer or flash drive and can be uploaded to a document to add visual interest

The manner in which text displays around an object

Located above the Ribbon (top-left) and provides access to commonly used features and commands, such as Save and Undo/Redo, and is customizable

Picture formatting options that control the manner in which text wraps around a picture or other object

Formats applied to images that make pictures resemble sketches or paintings

A decorative border that appears outside the margins on each page and can be solid, dashed, or an artistic style

Lines, arrows, starts, banners, ovals, rectangles, and other basic shapes with which you can illustrate an idea, a process or a workflow

Appears whenever you right-click text in Word, Excel or PowerPoint and provides a quick-access version of the Font group on the Home tab, plus a few extra buttons from other groups

Allows you to apply preset colors and effects to quickly change the appearance of your shape

Allows you to change the outline color, weight (thickness), and style of a the outline surrounding a shape

One or more keys used to perform a menu function or other common functions

A moveable, resizable container for text or graphics

A green vertical or horizontal line that displays when you are moving or sizing an object to assist with proper placement

A grouping of coordinating effects that can be applied to a shape including shadows, glows, reflections, soft edges, bevels, and three-dimensional (3-D) rotations

Placeholders that store and display data, and can perform simple tasks like returning the page number or current date and time

Any word, phrase, or number string related to the file that may help you locate the file later

Intro to Microsoft Office Copyright © 2021 by Abby Rusu & Maricopa Millions is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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20 Microsoft Word Activities for Middle School Students

• Middle School Education

1. Introduction to Microsoft Word: Begin by teaching students the basics of opening and closing documents, along with formatting text and paragraphs. This will give them a solid foundation for using Word in the future.

2. Font Exploration: Allow students to experiment with different fonts, sizes, and colors to create unique and eye-catching designs.

3. Personal Biography: Students can write a brief personal biography or autobiography, practicing their formatting skills, such as headers, bullet points, and indentation.

4. Themed Brochure: Students create a brochure for a fictitious event or destination utilizing images, text boxes, and different formatting options.

5. Creating Tables: Teach students to create tables in Word for organizing data or creating simple charts.

6. Collaborative Storytelling: Assign groups of students to create a shared story using Word’s collaboration feature, adding a sentence or paragraph one at a time.

7. Label Making: Instruct students to design their own labels or stickers using Word’s template library.

8. Interview Questions: Have students create a list of questions for an imaginary interview with their favorite celebrity, then format the document professionally.

9. Newspaper Article Writing: Students write a short newspaper-style article about an event occurring at their school or community.

10. Creative Book Cover Design: Using Word’s formatting tools and images from various sources, students design their own book covers inspired by their favorite stories.

11. Recipe Cards: Students type up and format a family recipe on card-sized documents that can be printed out later in class.

12. Class Newsletter: Assign different sections to groups of students who collaborate on creating a monthly class newsletter using Word templates and features like columns and page breaks.

13. Letter Writing: Teach students the proper format for writing personal letters or business correspondence while using Word’s various font choices and layout options.

14. Poetry Anthology: Have each student type up one of their own poems and combine them all into a professionally formatted anthology using Word.

15. Infographic Creation: Encourage students to create visually appealing infographics with Word’s Shapes, Clip Art, and SmartArt tools.

16. Market Research Survey: Students develop a survey in Word, utilizing tables or checkboxes for data gathering.

17. Reading Log: Have students create and maintain a reading log, documenting the books they’ve read and their thoughts or ratings.

18. Vocabulary Lists: Students can practice new vocabulary by creating weekly word lists complete with definitions, part of speech, and an example sentence.

19. Creating Forms: Teach students how to create fillable forms within Word, incorporating checkboxes, text boxes, drop-down lists, and more.

20. Resume and Cover Letter Tutorial: Provide students with guidance on crafting a resume and cover letter using Microsoft Word templates while cultivating valuable career skills for the future.

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Word & Excel Templates

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Assignment Cover Pages

Assignment cover page is the first page of an assignment. When you hold an assignment, the first page that you will see is the cover page. It is also called the title page. An assignment cover page includes the name of the institution, the title of the assignment, the name of the student and student’s ID. The assignment cover page is helpful in identifying what the assignment is about and which student submitted it.

Many students submit assignments to instructors, and instructors are usually teaching more than one subject. Therefore, without an assignment cover page, it would be difficult for the instructor to manage and sort out different assignments.

When there is an assignment cover page, instructors can easily sort out the assignments and grade them. Even the students submitting multiple assignments on the same day could end up submitting the wrong assignment if the assignments didn’t have a cover page.

Another important reason for having assignment cover pages is that this is part of training students to submit work professionally. An assignment cover page shows professionalism in submitting work. When students are trained for professional work, they are better equipped at succeeding in their jobs. Thus, professors and instructors usually ask students to create cover pages for their assignments so that the students develop this habit early in their academic life.

The assignment cover page usually includes the name of the institution, title of the assignment, name of the student, student id, date of submission. In some cases, the title page may also mention the instructor name. Usually, the title page is not page numbered.

Some courses might also require the students to format the assignment cover pages using popular referencing styles. For example, there is a particular format to make an assignment cover page using APA or MLA referencing styles. In some cases, professors may also issue detailed instructions on how to format an assignment cover page. These instructions may include font style, font size, text color, page borders, and the information that must be stated on the cover page along with a particular order.

Cover pages are required in several situations:

• When submitting a project report
• When submitting a research proposal
• When submitting a dissertation
• When making a report that is longer than 2-3 pages
• When the assignment instructions require an assignment cover page
• When the professor is handling more than one subject and assignments may be erroneously sorted

Assignment cover pages are very useful and can be created in MS Word or Adobe. MS Word software allows pictures and text to be used on the cover page. Students may also use headers and footers, page borders and other features in MS Word to create a nice cover page. You can even use the popular heading styles given in MS Word.

If you do not have the time or energy to create a cover page, you may use cover pages available on our website. We offer editable cover page templates that you can easily download and customize. Browse through our specially designed assignment cover pages and save your time and effort.

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Computer Applications | Microsoft Office | Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)

Microsoft Office Lesson Plans Your Students Will Love

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May 18th, 2022 | 9 min. read

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Do you teach middle or high school computer applications classes? If so, it's likely that your standards include requirements on teaching Microsoft Office.

As a computer applications curriculum developer, teachers often ask how we help teach Microsoft Office and prepare students for MOS certification.

While we provide a Microsoft Office curriculum system, our solution may not be the best fit for everyone.

Some teachers are only looking for supplemental resources or tips on improving their existing lessons.

If that's the type of information you're looking for, you're in the right place!

In this article, you'll discover Microsoft Office lesson plans and teaching tips for:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Access
• Microsoft Publisher
• Microsoft Office Specialist Certification

For each of these topics, you'll find a list of recommended resources to help you teach the best Microsoft Office lessons possible.

1. Microsoft Word Lessons & Activities

Microsoft Word is often the first jumping off point for many computer applications classes. Rather than spend hours creating your own Microsoft Word lesson plans and activities, wouldn't you like some that you can just integrate into your existing curriculum?

That's where this post can help: Microsoft Word Lesson Plans to Wow Your Students

It contains a number of resources that you can use to teach your middle or high school students to use Microsoft Word.

Want more than just Microsoft Word lesson plans to supplement your existing curriculum?

Business&ITCenter21 has lessons, quizzes, and projects to teach your students all about Microsoft Word.

The curriculum begins with Microsoft Word Essentials, which introduces your students to the basics of the application.

Next, you can use the Microsoft Word Fundamentals lessons to give students a more in depth look at formatting content within a Word document.

Once they have mastered the basics, your students can move on to the Microsoft Word Skills Project to put their skills to the test. The project requires learners to start from scratch and fully create a document.

If you want to take it one step further, you can assign the Microsoft Word Business Project, which requires students to create a job description booklet using more advanced skills.

Looking for additional tips? Read this article: How to Teach Microsoft Word in Middle School

2. Microsoft Excel Lesson Plans

Let's face it--Excel isn't the most exciting Microsoft application out there. So what can you do to spice up your Microsoft Excel lesson plans? Make them relevant to your students!

So where can you find engaging, relevant Microsoft Excel lesson ideas?

Start by reviewing these popular Microsoft Excel lesson plan resources:

• Excel Tutorials from GCFLearnFree.org
• Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets Lesson Plan Bundle from Computer Creations
• Lessons & Activities Bundle for Microsoft Excel from TechCheck Lessons

Each of these resources can help supplement any teacher's lessons on Microsoft Excel.

But what if you need more than a few extra spreadsheet activities?

Our computer applications curriculum has you covered with Excel, too!

The first module in the sequence is the Microsoft Excel Essentials, which provides an overview of working with spreadsheets, cells, rows, and columns. Students also learn about using basic functions and formulas.

Next, students can work through Microsoft Excel Fundamentals. This module provides an overview of the fundamentals of Microsoft Excel, including relative and absolute cell references, common functions, and formatting.

If you need to cover more advanced skills and features within Excel, you can assign the Microsoft Excel Skills Project or Microsoft Excel Business Project.

3. Microsoft PowerPoint Lesson Plans

PowerPoint is sometimes considered to be overused in schools, both by instructors and students. Because of this, it’s important that your Microsoft PowerPoint lesson plans are right on par (or above and beyond!)

Your PowerPoint lessons should be more than just a How-To. You must make sure that your students understand how a presentation can effectively (and ineffectively) be used.

So how can you teach your students to effectively use Microsoft PowerPoint?

We recommend you start with four topics on Microsoft PowerPoint:

• An Introduction to Microsoft PowerPoint
• The Basics of Building a PowerPoint Presentation
• More Features in PowerPoint
• Do’s & Don’ts of Effective Presentations

To find teaching tips and activity outlines, read these articles:

• Best PowerPoint Lessons for Middle School
• 4 Best PowerPoint Lesson Plans for High School 

Need more structure and resources to teach Microsoft PowerPoint?

In Business&ITCenter21, the Microsoft PowerPoint Essentials module provides an overview of Microsoft PowerPoint essentials, themes, templates, and adding and inserting a variety of items into a presentation.

Then, in the Microsoft PowerPoint Fundamentals module, students learn about creating effective presentations that are interesting, engaging, and functional.

Once your students have the basics down, you can move on to more advanced concepts and features with the Microsoft PowerPoint Skills Project and Microsoft PowerPoint Business Project .

4. Microsoft Access Lesson Plans

Microsoft Access can be a challenging subject for middle school and high school students. So it’s no surprise that Microsoft Access lesson plans   are a challenge for computer applications teachers.

To help you save time, we put together a list of popular Microsoft Access teaching resources :

• GCF Learn Free
• Tonya Skinner's Website
• Teachers Pay Teachers

Each of these websites has a variety of materials to help you teach Microsoft Access skills.

In addition, check out the Microsoft Access Fundamentals module within Business&ITCenter21.

This module provides an overview of database theory as students gain practical experience with Microsoft Access.

5. Microsoft Publisher Lesson Plans

Do you give Microsoft Publisher its fair share of attention? Many computer applications educators avid including Microsoft Publisher lesson plans in their curriculum.

We've found that's often because they don’t know where to find good Microsoft Publisher lessons!

To help you get started, we put together a list of popular Microsoft Publisher lessons and activities:

• Tangipahoa Parish School System
• Cape May County Technical School District
• Council Rock High School South
• Rochester Hills Public Library
• Instructables
• Shawano School District
• Microsoft Office Support
• Business&ITCenter21

Each of these resources can help you introduce Microsoft Publisher to your students when added to your existing Microsoft Office lesson plans.

But are you looking for a more structured resource on Publisher? If so, check out the Microsoft Publisher Fundamentals module within Business&ITCenter21.

This module provides an overview of the fundamentals of Microsoft Publisher through the creation of a number of desktop publishing documents.

6. Microsoft Office Certification Prep

In our experience, we've found that teachers searching for Microsoft Office lesson plans are often also interested in preparing their students for the Microsoft Office Specialist certification exams.

To help your students prepare for certification, you most likely need more than just a lesson or two. It might be beneficial to also include test prep material to help your students prepare.

For tips on how to best prepare your students for MOS certification, read these articles:

• How to Prepare Students for the MOS Word Exam
• Steps for Successful Microsoft Excel Test Prep

Start Teaching Microsoft Office Skills Today!

All of the resources and ideas listed on this page can help you put together a great Microsoft Office curriculum.

However, if you're like most computer applications teachers you don't have much time to spare for piecing together a hodgepodge of lessons and activities.

If you need a more robust Microsoft Office solution that helps you teach all of the Microsoft Office applications, consider looking into a full curriculum.

There are many Microsoft Office curriculum options available so it can feel overwhelming to decide which one is right for you.

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Teaching with Microsoft Word

Word provides a writing instructor with a wide range of ways to integrate word processing into the classroom. We have included a list of some of the most popular options here, but this list is certainly not exhaustive.

Option 1: Developing Close Reading Skills

Students can work individually or in groups, responding to guided questions about readings, or they can use the formatting and highlighting features of Word to visually ‘mark-up’ a passage. By taking a passage out of context, students can be forced to look much closer at the rhetorical “clues” provided in the text.

Sample Exercise: Close-Reading Textual Fragments

(Cindy Landwehr)

• Read the fragment of the story I’ve given you at least three times and very carefully. Don’t worry that it seems “out of context”—it is, and this may help you notice details that you wouldn’t notice if you were just reading for plot.
• Identify all the details or collections details that seem significant, troubling, important, or intriguing to you. These could be images, objects, specific words or phrases, ideas, relations. Mark on the paper as much as you want to—go ahead and underline words and make notes in the margins.
• Now, type out a list of the actual phrases or sentences that you have identified, and one by one reflect on what interests you about the details you have chosen. What is enlightening or puzzling or interesting about them? What do they reveal about the character(s) involved—judging from the passage that you are interpreting, how would you describe each character’s state of mind, personality, characteristics, and relationship with the other character(s)? What seems to be happening—plot-wise—in the story at this point?
• You will have the rest of the class period to compose your response. When you are finished, make sure to read over for things you may want to change or make clearer or add to, and of course proofread for typos and mechanical errors. You will be printing this out at the end.

INTEGRATED OPTION:  Including the passage in the file would allow students to mark up the passage on-line, eliminating the need for retyping phrases.

Option 2: Using Microsoft’s “Insert Picture” Feature to Stimulate Discussion and Teach Verbal/Visual Literacy

Using Word’s “Insert Picture” function is an excellent means to encourage close reading as well as to distinguish variations in student initial responses to literary texts is the interpretive pairing of graphic with verbal imagery.

SAMPLE EXERCISE: JUDGING BOOKS BY THEIR COVERS?

(Laurie George)

In the following example, a simple Google “Image” search for photographs used by Jon Krakauer in his book  Into the Wild  produced the following self-portrait of the book’s protagonist, Christopher McCandless, a photograph that Krakauer reprinted as the first image (notably graphic, not verbal) inside the book’s cover.

One of his last acts was to take a picture of himself, standing near a bus under the high Alaska sky, one hand holding his final note toward the camera lens, the other raised in a brave, beatific farewell. His face is horribly emaciated, almost skeletal. But if he pitied himself in those first difficult hours—because he was so young, because he was alone, because his body had betrayed him and his will had let him down--it’s not apparent from the photograph. He is smiling in the picture, and there is no mistaking the look in his eyes. Chris McCandless was at peace, serene as a monk gone to God.

(Krakauer, Into the Wild, 1996)

Downloading the image into a Word file and then pairing it with some of Krakauer’s verbal descriptions of the starving McCandless provide excellent pedagogical means of teaching assorted critical approaches to literature—that is, an instructor can pose questions to students that reveal biographical, cultural, and/or formalist reader predispositions toward the interpretation of literature, questions such as these:

Why did Krakauer decide to include this picture (rather than the one of McCandless waving at the camera) and how does it complement/contrast with the verbal description he fashions when characterizing McCandless in the final stages of the young man’s life, starving to death in the wilderness that he had so idealized?

Does the photographic self-depiction of McCandless mesh with Krakauer’s imagined verbal depiction of the young man’s final days, thoughts, and emotions? What matters about any variance in the two depictions—is one less “true” than the other? What does any difference reveal about Krakauer’s so-called journalistic objectivity?

Such questions provide an excellent means to start a discussion of any text, as students can be asked to “read” the photo in relation to any number of philosophical/theoretical approaches (Naturalism, Realism, or Romanticism, for examples) and contrast these ideals with the verbal textual representations before writing about them.

Undertaking these interpretive exercises in class, students are introduced to core concepts of visual literacy and reader-response theory and must address core questions:

Do these graphic depictions enrich readers’ (difficult) pleasure by accompanying verbal text, or simply entertain and reproduce cultural stereotypes?

Do graphic additions rob readers’ imaginations, which might otherwise conjure revelatory images of an altogether different kind?

Option 3: Using Microsoft's Comment Tool to Annotate Texts

As much literature can be found online (Amazon.com publishes lengthy excerpts of even the most recent novels in online advertisements), an excellent means of teaching students to read closely and annotate thoughtfully (not just circle and underline) is to copy and paste a portion of any text (poetry, prose, whatever) into a Microsoft Word read-only document, have students make personal copies of the document in class, annotate the excerpt, and then project students’ annotated texts for discussions of the text, either in the computer classroom or in the seminar room via the laptop.

Sample Exercise: Annotating Text with Microsoft Word

Note: The collaborative nature and in-class locale of this exercise is important, as students can easily and readily access databases from the English Library Web page ( http://www.lib.washington.edu /subject/English/) to provide biographical, etymological, and socio-historical glosses to a variety of terms and allusions in the text. All enrich class discussion and broaden students’ horizons about critical approaches to literary interpretation.

On Thursday we’ll be spending the first half hour of class annotating an excerpt of “The Lottery,” using various databases available to us via the UW Library—specifically, Literature Resource Center (to find biographical information about Jackson), Oxford Reference Online, and English Language Dictionaries.

The goal is not to find critical articles that provide a story interpretation for you, but for you yourself to build an interpretation of Jackson’s story by stopping at any word, phrase, or allusion that she chooses to include. Do this remembering that Jackson started with a blank page and was fastidious about the words she used to craft characterizations, setting, mood, conflict, etc.—always remember that she had choices, that she had designs on you as a reader to think and feel a certain way about the cast of characters and how things play out during the course of the plot. Words are her essential means of gaining your attention, especially through language connotations, denotations, and allusions.

When you find a word, also use the thesaurus feature in Word (in the Tool bar above, select Tools > Language > Thesaurus) to consider how Jackson might have chosen other words that would have attracted/distracted your attention to different character attributes and themes.

So in the first half hour tomorrow, I will have you comb the first part of this text, its exposition, highlighting words and phrases in which to insert your annotations, your commentary.

So in the first half hour tomorrow, I will have you comb the first part of this text, its exposition, highlighting words and phrases in which to insert your annotations, your commentary.  To do this:

Highlight the word or phrase in Jackson’s story that you are researching

Find the Tool Bar at the top of the page and left click on Insert

Drop the cursor down to Comment, selecting it

Keyboard your comment into the pop-up box that appears, briefly noting the information you researched and why you find it useful 

Option 4: Using Audio to Facilitate Textual Annotation

(Definition and sample assignment, Laurie George)

Human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we tap crude rhythms for bears to dance to, while we long to make music that will melt the stars.

Gustave Flaubert

Although instructors think most readily of using DVD clips in classrooms, not as frequently do we consider audio without the visual—any number of sites online feature audio clips of poetry, short stories, speeches, and novels read by the authors:

In the following exercise, students are asked in the computer classroom to listen to a writer’s oral rendition of their text as the students read the written rendition onscreen, and then respond in writing to their audiovisual reading of authorial voice.

Some background: because it is important in audio sessions to have students focused on listening rather than distracted by other considerations, students arrive at the listening session (such as the one described below) well versed in the differences between indirect and direct modes of literary address, as well as generic differences between memoirs and fiction.

Students are also well aware of the basic plot line of the selected text featured: in the case below, a 41-year-old man describes his class meetings of Alliance Francaise in Paris, a class he enrolled in willingly to learn French despite his fears that the pedagogical model would be less than collaboratively constructive. His fears are realized; his instructor proves to be extraordinarily abusive towards all the students in the class, whatever their race, gender, or ethnicity: discipline and punish is one way of encapsulating the thematic core of this David Sedaris essay.

Plot in mind, students are asked to listen to the text in the computer lab as they read the print text from the screens in front of them, and to insert comments (from the Insert column of the shortcut bar on Microsoft Word) as they read and listen. The exercise works best if the clip is replayed at least once, and better twice.

Option 5: Using Word's Readability Tool to Evaluate Texts

Microsoft Word also includes a tool for checking a text’s readability, whether that “readability” concerns a student essay, a critical essay, a wall graffiti note, a blog entry, a presidential address, a short story, a novel, etc.

This tool is therefore enormously useful for checking the stylistic profile of any professional- or lay-authored text, including the fictional styles of characters and personae penned from whatever actual or virtual source.

Sample Exercise: Examining Texts with Word's Readability Tool

Any document saved into Microsoft Word can be scanned for certain “readability statistics” by configuring Word in the following ways:

Only after a text goes through the keyed-in process of running Spell Check does this program display information about the readability of the document—but it does, finally, and this is what it displays:

The most useful features of the tool relate to a student’s editing concerns for their own writing or a student’s need to analyze the stylistic features of a professional writer. Both goals apply to the three headings of “Counts,” “Averages,” and “Readability” in the following ways:

• In a student draft, does the text include enough words—or too many—slightly fitted or stuffed into paragraphs that match the writer’s rhetorical goals for a given reading audience?
• In the professional text, does the variance of word averages indicate a kind of authorial style—for example, the minimalism of a Raymond Carver story? Alternatively, does a high count of words in a page of dialogue reveal verbosity in a certain set of characterizations?  How many paragraphs are included in this passage—if there were more or fewer, would the emotional and logical effect on the viewer be different? Would the difference add to credibility in whatever fashion?
• If a character in a fictional work is speaking a piece labeled “readable” in this manner, how reliably literate is this character?
• If the character or the author writes in extremely brief or extensively long sentences, what does the simplicity or complexity of the style reveal about the character, or the author’s style or the author’s values?
• What about the character’s or author’s passivity or activity in sentence construction? What does this stylistic attribute reveal about the character or author—is the writer hiding culpability behind passive voice? Is the author implying thematically that a character is unwilling to take agency, the passive voice indicative of that resistance?
• If conventional criteria measure this writing excerpt as “low” in the conventional reading level of “Flesch-Kinkaid” grade levels, then what does this gradation imply about the readers’ values or the evaluators’ values concerning literacy?

Option 6: Brainstorming and Freewriting

Brainstorming and freewriting often work best when they are made a regular part of the class routine. Word makes it easy to do this. Some instructors start off every day in the computer classroom with a ten-to-fifteen minute freewrite or with an electronic journal response. Alternatively, students could be given time in class to brainstorm before a paper is due. Unlike a handwritten freewrite, both the student and the instructor can share the end product. Students can print out a copy or save a copy to disk, and instructors can review the class responses from their offices.

Sample Exercise: Working Toward an Interpretative Thesis

During this class period, you will be working toward a strong, interpretive thesis based on the evidence and ideas you’ve already collected about your topic. The following steps are designed to help you get started in the thesis process; feel free to skip or alter them—whatever will help you most. Have the people near you read what you have written and advise you on it; ask questions, and offer suggestions. There’s no need to be silent. Hold the mouse over highlighted text to see instructions on how to do various tasks. Remember to SAVE OFTEN.

Review your journal entry from last night and, in the space below, type in your “proto-thesis,” or a summary of what you think you want to write about. If you need a few sentences, that’s okay; this statement is just a place to get you started. 

II. Argument Brainstorm

As we’ve discussed in class, every argument breaks down into a number of sub-arguments—a series of subordinate ideas that are the building blocks of the larger argument. In the space below, begin to think about how your topic could be broken down. Start by looking at your topic statement above and listing off all the ideas that seem related to it. Or, if that doesn’t work, try listing a series of questions that you think you would need to answer in a paper about that topic. List these ideas, sub-topics, and questions in the left-hand column of the chart. In the column to the right, list two or three pieces of evidence that might be useful in developing a paragraph about each sub-topic. Try, whenever possible, to be very specific about your evidence. Don’t worry about whether or not you will use each one of these—at this point you are just generating ideas. If you run out of space, insert more rows in the table.

III. Speculations

Now, think carefully about the lists above. Generate a series of claims related to your topic that could serve as subtopics to organize and to develop your argument. Your goal here is to construct claims; write out complete sentences, as if these were going to be the topic sentences of your paragraphs. Use the top box to brainstorm freely, and come up with as many ideas as possible. Once you generate your list, cut and paste different claims into the bottom boxes, and experiment with organizing your ideas in different ways.

IV. Thesis Statements

Now that you have worked though your ideas and listed out both your evidence and possible organizational strategies, try to come up with two or three possible thesis statements. Look carefully at the lists you have made; you may have several more thesis options that you originally thought.

V. Peer Commentary

Review the worksheet, especially sections III and IV, and then comment on the thesis statements above. Consider whether or not the thesis seems broader than the ideas expressed in the brainstorming section. Does it seem arguable? How clear is it? Does it oversimplify? Is it too complex? Be sure to write your name in the gray box above your comments.

If you want to work with these reviews at home, be sure to print a copy of this file or save a copy to disk.

Integrated Option:

Additional instructions for how to add more rows to tables, print and save can be added using the comment function. When students move the mouse to the highlighted text, these instructions appear in a comment window.

Option 7: Peer Reviews and Self Assessments

Word gives you a number of options for peer-reviews and for student self-assessment. Students can read ‘hard-copies’ of each other’s papers, then write a peer review, assessing the strengths and weakness of the argument. Or they can comment on the paper electronically, making a copy of their partner’s file and inserting comments into the document itself. Word provides a number of features to help make their inserted comments stand out. Students can use the Comment feature or the Highlight feature, described below, or simply place all their comments in bold or in capital letters.

Sample Exercise: On-Screen Peer Editing

(Laura Kuske) Today you are going to workshop your peer’s paper and provide advice on how he or she could strengthen the argument. This time, your review will focus especially on organization, evidence, and paragraph structure. You will be working in pairs and using the prompts below to guide your responses to your partner’s paper. Before you begin, you will need to follow these initial instructions.

Getting Started

Step 1: Exchange file names with your partner, and open his or her document. Double-click on the “Word” icon to open Microsoft Word. Select Open from the File menu, and choose your partner’s file from the directory list.

Step 2: Make a personal copy of your partner’s file. Since you will be making changes to the file, you want to make sure you are working from a COPY, not the original. To do this, Select Save As from the File menu, and rename the file as directed by your instructor.

Step 3: Tell the computer who you are. The person you are reviewing will want to know who said what; you need to tell the computer who you are so it can attribute your comments to you. To do this, select Options from the Tool menu. From the window that pops up, select User Information. Type in your name and initials at the prompt.

Step 4: Begin your review. To insert comments, highlight the text you are commenting on and select Comments from the Insert menu. Type in your suggestions in the window that appears at the bottom of the screen. To add end comments, simply scroll to the end of the document, click the mouse at the bottom of the text, and begin typing. Use the following questions as your guide, and be sure to save your work periodically.

The Peer Review

1. Read the paper over once, fairly quickly. Do not make any comments. You are merely trying to formulate a general impression of the argument as a whole. At the end of the paper, describe your initial response to the argument. Without referring back to the essay, see if you can summarize the main points. What does the paper seem to argue? How persuasive did you find the argument? Thinking back, can you remember the logic of the argument, or is it all a blur? Was there anything about the paper that grabbed your attention? Were there claims that you strongly disagreed with or found insufficiently supported?

2. Reread the paper slowly and carefully, and comment on the introductory paragraph. First, find the thesis, and underline it. Next, insert a comment evaluating its effectiveness; consider both the myths and purposes of a thesis that we discussed in class last week.

3. Next, take a closer look at each body paragraph, and identify two that you feel might benefit from further revision. Considering all the structural issues we discussed today, think carefully about how the paragraph is put together:

Is there a topic sentence near the beginning of the paragraph? If so, highlight it, and comment on how well it fulfils its role. Does it present a concept or a detail from the story? Does it connect to the thesis?

Does it have a clear relationship to the ideas developed in the preceding paragraph? How well does it capture the main idea of the paragraph? If there is no clear topic sentence, comment on what you think the topic of the paragraph might be.

Look at the body of the paragraph. Insert your comment(s). Consider what type and how much evidence is used; is there enough? Is there too much evidence? Are claims being developed over the course of the paragraph? Does the writer do more than merely summarize from the story? Does he or she present you with specific details from the text? Does the writer explain what the evidence proves and WHY?

4. Insert a comment at the end of the paragraph considering the paragraph’s conclusion. Does the paragraph offer one? Does its conclusion offer any new perspective on the evidence and on how it relates to or develops the ideas expressed in both the topic sentence and in the thesis? Does the conclusion seem forced or obvious? Does it seem unrelated to the evidence offered? Do you see how the conclusion can be derived from the evidence offered?

Printing Your Comments

When you and your partner have finished commenting, you can print out a copy of the paper with all the comments. From the File menu, select Print. To select this option, you must use the menu; do not use the print icon. In the window that pops up, click on Options. Make sure that there is a check-mark next to Comments in the list that appears. If the check is not there, simply click the mouse in the box to insert the check-mark. Now, click OK to return to the print menu. Click OK again to send your file to the printer.

Sample Exercise: Self-Assessment of Organization in Film Analysis

(E.L. George)

In this revision of your essay, I'd like you to assess your own draft (before a classmate moves to your workstation to respond):

1. Make a copy of your essay and name it movie#OR

2. In the copy, above the title, use 14 pt. bold faced font to state your thesis (even if it appears again in the introductory paragraph). Then number the paragraphs in boldface in the space following each paragraph (create space as you need to).

3. Reread each paragraph, and in the space you've created, type out the main claim of the paragraph (if you use topic sentences in your paragraph, you would rewrite the topic sentence).

Examine the list, and ask yourself the series of questions noted in The St. Martin's Handbook.

What organizations strategies are used? spatial? chronological? logical? [compare & contrast?]

Are they used effectively and consistently?

Do the main points clearly relate to the thesis and to one another? Are any of them irrelevant [disunifying the essay]?

Can you identify any confusing leaps from point to point?

Do you need to provide additional or stronger transitions?

Can you identify clear links [either through a logical shift of ideas or obvious transitions or repeated words ] between paragraphs and ideas? Do any others need to be added?

Have any important points [about the likenesses and differences of movie x on corporate life vs. movie y] been left out? (63)

Sample Exercise: Self-Assessments Using Auto-Summary

(Laura Kuske)

Paper Title:

Today, instead of reviewing a partner's paper, you are going to do an extended assessment of your own writing… with a little help from Microsoft Word. Part of the point of today's exercise is to expand our discussion of paragraph structure and argumentative logic to include transitions -- which means that we are going to begin focusing on how to clearly express the connections BETWEEN ideas and between paragraphs. In order to begin to see why transitions are important, we are going to spend the first part of class today working on creating an abstract of our arguments. Ideally, an abstract can be formed by collecting the main ideas of an argument into a single paragraph. But for an abstract to MAKE SENSE, these ideas have to be expressed in ways that make the relationships between ideas clear, while still accurately reflecting the specific content of the paragraphs. That can be quite a challenge, and the attempt can often reveal quite a bit about the places where the connections are not yet clear enough in the larger argument.

What we do today may seem a little confusing at first, because you are going to move back and forth between two Word files -- this worksheet and your own paper-- and we are going to try out a few 'advanced' Word commands. If you have problems or get lost along the way, just raise your hand and I'll help get you back on track.

1. Begin by opening the file containing your draft. Do not close this worksheet before opening your paper. You will need to have BOTH files open to do this exercise. To move between the two files, click on the Windows menu and select to file you want to look at.

2. Once your paper file is open, select AutoSummarize from the Tools menu. AutoSummary will review your paper, collect what it takes to be your main ideas, and write an abstract of your paper. From the window that appears, select the option to hide everything but the summary, and set the percentage at 10%. Click OK. Word will create an abstract of your paper. Although the rest of your paper will disappear, it is still there. You may need to delete a few extra paragraph returns to format the summary. It should appear as a single paragraph. Creating/Critiquing/Revising your Computer Generated Abstract

1. Read carefully through the summary Word created. Does it seem accurate? Does the abstract read smoothly or is it choppy, abrupt or confusing? Pretend, for a moment, that this was not computer generated, but something written by you to be submitted (for instance) on the class Web page. Critique the abstract in the space below. Would you submit this abstract as representative of your paper and your writing? Why or why not? How would you revise it? Comments:

2. Now, return to your paper, and increase the percentage of the text Word uses to create the AutoSummary to 15%. Reread the summary. Keep playing with the percentage until you have what you consider to be the best 'raw material' for an abstract of your paper. You will be editing and revising this, don't worry if you have to include extra material to get in all the ideas you want to include. Cut and paste the text from your abstract here. Percentage: Abstract:

3. You are going to revise this material in a moment, but first, take a look at exactly what parts of your paper the computer selected to create your abstract. To do this, return to your paper file and click OK to clear away the summary and return to the argument itself. Select AutoSummarize again, but this time, select the option to hightlight key points and click OK. Set the percentage control window to the same percentage you used to create your abstract. Scroll through your paper and observe what parts of your paragraphs--and how much of the paragraphs-- the computer is using. Do the computer's selections reflect the topic sentence/conclusion pattern you might expect? How much 'other' material did you have to include to get a complete outline of your argument? Did the computer skip over some of your topic sentences and conclusions? Why? Comment on the patterns you notice and reflect on what they might suggest.  Comments/Observations:

Now cut and paste the raw material above into the box below and revise it into a concise and accurate abstract for your paper. Your abstract should be no more than 12-15 sentences (approximately 1 to 2 sentences per paragraph). It should provide a reader with a quick summary of all your main points, and the ideas should 'flow' together smoothly. It should not read like a list. It should read like an overview of an argument. Revised Abstract:

When you are done, print out a copy of this page (only this page.), and a copy of your paper. You will be giving a copy of your paper and your abstract to a peer partner to review.

Option 8: Writing Workshops

Word offers a range of powerful tools to help workshop writing, especially when used in conjunction with the overhead projector. Word allows you to highlight text in different colors, track editorial changes made to a document, or move text around in order to try out a variety of organizational or stylistic strategies.

Sample Exercise: Group Highlighting

(Kimberlee Gillis-Bridges)

Students participated in the following writing workshop during the class preceding the final draft due date. The essay assignment asked students to analyze a single scene from one of three early horror films, focusing on the narrative and cinematic elements at play in the scene. Before the workshop, I created a document featuring excerpts from students’ papers as well as links to digitized video clips of the scenes. The excerpts represented the three main problems students had with their drafts: their paragraphs tended to be diffuse discussing several technical elements that served different functions; paragraphs often had little discernible connection to the thesis; and formal film terminology was absent or misused.

As they viewed the projected essay excerpts, the class analyzed weaknesses and developed strategies for revision. During the workshop, students asked to view the linked clips to confirm details or to point out cinematic elements the writer had missed. I served as recorder, using Word’s highlighting function to mark passages as directed by the students. Writers whose paragraphs we analyzed could copy their marked passages and paste them into another document; a number of writers did so during the workshop, taking notes on their peers’ comments, then saving the marked passage once the class had completed the review.

The following example demonstrates how students marked the excerpts:

Scene:  Dracula; scene in which Dracula and Van Helsing Meet

Writer’s Thesis:  The scene separates Dracula and Van Helsing from the other characters as it pits the two against one another in a struggle between evil and good.

Explanation of Highlighting:  The yellow highlighting marks a passage connected with the first part of the thesis--that technical elements of the scene separate Dracula and Van Helsing from the other characters. Although the passage suggests that a pattern of alternating close-ups distinguishes these two characters from other characters in the scene, the class thought that the idea needed further explication, perhaps in another paragraph. The green highlighting indicates an idea that the class thought detracted from the analysis in the rest of the paragraph. The blue highlighting marks a passage the class viewed as connected to the thesis. Students suggested that the writer make this passage the focus of the paragraph. They also suggested that the writer connect the editing of the close-ups and the issue of knowledge. Van Helsing's growing knowledge is conveyed through editing, and it is this knowledge that pits him against Dracula.

Sample 2: Style Imposters

(Karen Kupka)

Read through the following passages carefully, using Word’s highlighter to note the distinctive features of the writer’s style. After you think you’ve grasped the stylistic differences between the two passages, try impersonating both authors. Pretend that you are Hemingway, and rewrite the excerpt from Carter’s  The Bloody Chamber  in your own inimitable style. When you’re done with that, transform yourself into Carter and elaborate on  A Moveable Feast .

Option 9: Reverse Outlines

Word also provides a range of outlining features that allow students to take a paper and convert it into an outline. An outline can help students to see the organizational structure of their papers in a “bare bones” format. Word also allows you to easily break down a student’s paper paragraph by paragraph and create a reverse outline exercise. This type of reverse outline allows students to visualize their paper’s organization as it is—and as they want it to be.

Sample Exercise: Reverse Outline

Step 1: Read the following paper. As you finish each paragraph, type out what you think the most important idea (in other words, the thesis) of the paragraph is. What is the general claim of the paragraph? Be sure to write out the thesis in a single, grammatically correct sentence.

Despite appearances, I believe that Imogene & Marya's friendship is not the most important thing in Joyce Carol Oates's story, "Theft." No character in the story has as important a role as Marya, but her friendship with Imogene does not play the most important role in Marya's life. Therefore that friendship cannot occupy the most important part of the story. While this friendship concerned Marya a lot, she eventually discovered that other things--her work and especially her writing--played a much more important role in her life. Marya gave up her friendship with Imogene because it took up too much time, time in which she could do more important things like writing. Marya saw writing as the most important thing in her life because writing overcame the destructive effects of time, while friendship just passed the time.

THESIS OF 1st PARAGRAPH:

It's hard to say exactly why Marya wanted to be Imogene's friends, but whatever the reason was, it wasn't the most important thing in Marya's life. Marya of course didn't initiate the friendship. Imogene pursued her. Marya never planned to be Imogene's friend; it happened to her like an accident. But Marya had some curiosity towards Imogene. Before Imogene ever approached her, Marya found herself staring "at the blonde girl in her political science class" who wore "a handsome camel's hair coat" and "an engagement ring with a large square-cut diamond" (476). This attraction, however, didn't seem to have any reason, or at least any particular importance. Marya throughout the story stared at a lot of people, but doesn't end up friends with any of them, except Imogene. Again I would say the friendship depended more on Imogene than Marya.

THESIS OF 2nd PARAGRAPH:

Though her relation with Imogene confused her for a while, Marya came to realize that work held more importance for her. "It occurred to her with a chilling certitude that every moment not consciously devoted to her work was an error, a blunder" (487). Marya worried constantly whether she did enough work. This didn't mean her work at the library. If anything, she regretted the time her job took from her. What worried her was schoolwork. She wanted to work hard at it. She even enjoyed it. But fear motivated her as well. She thought nothing mattered as much as success, even her own health. She felt that only "one's personal accomplishment" (493) mattered in life. In the story two kinds of accomplishment mean the most to Marya: school and writing. As I will explain later, because of the problem time created in her life, writing proves more important than anything else.

THESIS OF 3rd PARAGRAPH:

What created this preference from writing over schoolwork was her attitude toward time. The idea of time kind of scared her. In fact, Marya got quite hung up on the idea of time. "Time is the element in which we exist...We are either borne along by it, or drowned in it" (487). Here Marya reveals her fear that time would destroy her. But she thought that time could help her as well, if she did things right & worked hard. She asked herself, "Wasn't time the precious element that would carry her along to her salvation" (481)? Marya obsessed over the destructive effects of time. Her thoughts about the photographs of the old athletes express her feelings:

Another rowing team. Hopeful young men, standing so straight and tall; their costumes slightly comical; their haircuts bizarre. An air of team spirit, hearty optimism, doom (481).

Marya thinks of doom when she sees this picture because the picture reminds her that those men eventually died. I think Marya expresses this sense of doom in other places in the story as well, like when Phyllis's mother and sister came to clean out Phyllis's room: "And then the waters close over your head.--This phrase ran through Marya's head repeatedly" (491). Marya is thinking her about the doom that overcame Phyllis: doom comes like a flood, then washes you away into oblivion. Marya's obsession over this phrase is a sign that she considered this more than just Phyllis's problem. It was a personal problem for Marya too, because the source of the problem was time itself, something Marya couldn't escape. I believe Marya believes that "doom" was another word for "time."

THESIS OF 4th PARAGRAPH:

The first problem Marya experiences with the problem of time comes from not having enough of it, so she gets rid of Imogene in order to have more time for work. I think the writing was on the wall from the very beginning of their relationship. In the coffee house with Imogene's friends, when Marya thought she "should have been elsewhere" (481), that other place was back at her room or in the library working. She always felt that "she hadn't...time for 'wasting' on people" (478). In her journal she writes the following words on the subject of friendship: "She hadn't time...she hadn't energy for something so...ephemeral" (483). This last quote points out what really bothered Marya about friendship, that it isn't permanent. Eventually she thought conversations with anyone, whether Imogene or not, wasted her time.

THESIS OF 5th PARAGRAPH:

This sense of impending doom scares Marya, but she has a game plan. Just after she thinks the thoughts about the rowing team, she decides "she really should leave...she shouldn't be here" (481), because she feels this same doom closing in on her, and feels that only through work can she escape it. And the work that could save her is writing. Without writing, she's doomed to destruction like the rowers. But if she could become a writer, she'd have an indestructible existence. We know she believes this when she says "a writer's authentic self...lay in his writing and not his life; it was the landscape of the imagination that endured, that was really real" (474). By becoming a writer she too could have an "authentic self" that "endured." People would read her books long after she'd gone. People would know her "authentic self" long after the end of her "life." So what work she puts into writing is work toward eternity, while what work she puts into friendship is, as she says of sex, "as good a way as any of passing the time" (499). But Marya doesn't want to just pass the time. Marya's quotation of Thoreau expressed her need to avoid such frivolity: "How can anyone kill time without injuring Eternity?" (487)

Step 2: Retype each thesis statement below: 1) 2) 3) 4) 5) What you have here is a reverse outline of the paper. It is called "reverse" because the outline was written after the paper was written. Based on this reverse outline, evaluate the argument of the paper by answering the following questions:

Was there a clear claim for the whole paper stated in the first paragraph?

How did the subsequent subordinate claims support the main claim? In other words, based on your reverse outline, describe how the supporting points that each paragraph brought out supported the main claim for the paper?

Do you get a sense of the progression in the subordinate claims? In other words, can you see how the supporting points follow one from the other?

Step 3: Pick out one paragraph from the paper to examine in further detail.

How has the writer signaled the transition from the previous paragraph to this one?

Evaluate the development & support of the paragraph. How did the details presented support the general claim of this paragraph?

How are the ideas within the paragraph related to each other? In other words, how has the writer tried to make the paragraph cohere, to make it flow together?

Has the writer considered possible objections to the general claim of the paragraph? How?

Option 10: Editing

Although the program has limitations, Word’s grammar and spell-check tools can assist students with the editing process. Moreover, because students can easily change their prose in Word, you can create exercises that allow them to explore a variety of options for word choice, syntax, and source integration.

Sample Exercise: Using Quotations

(Alison Tracy)

Make yourself a copy of this file called “quotex.doc” and be sure you are working in your own file. Go ahead and type your answers right into the prompts below.

The following exercise will give you some further practice in using quotations smoothly, effectively, and correctly in your own writing. Select a quote from the following passage to complete each sentence. First, read through the examples carefully.

I am not merely asserting that “We are not all alike.” Those who aren’t aware of that would not likely read this essay or anything like it. What I am saying is that generalizations from within are every bit as fragmenting as scrutiny from without. From my boyhood I have read and heard all manner of statistical facts and figures about black people. Really, they’ve told me very little about who I am, let alone who we are. We’re too big for that, and as individuals too complex. I’m not so sure we should ever find ourselves in the position of saying this general thing or that general thing about black people, expecting our words to discover the essence of our “true self-consciousness,” for when we do, we will be doing no more than talking about black people, talking around them, never quite getting it right, never pinning us down, never quite turning sound into substance, and never—much like the way sharks course around caged divers—ever able to sink our teeth into flesh. Reginald McKnight, p. 180

Try to use the quotes in several different ways throughout the exercise:

a) Use a signal phrase followed by a comma:

McKnight says,

McKnight claims,

b) Use your own  complete sentence, then a colon, followed by the quotation  (which must also be a complete sentence.) Notice that I’ve also left out a brief phrase by inserting the ellipses.

McKnight thinks that negative messages from his own black community are as bad as racist attitudes among other races: “generalizations from within are . . . as fragmenting as scrutiny from without” (180).

Work the quotation right into your own sentence  (and here I’ve used brackets to indicate a slight change in wording in his sentence):

He thinks that people who want to pin down “black people” as one thing or the other are like “sharks cours[ing] around caged divers” (180).

You need to be sure you are using the correct methods to add the quote to your sentence. Each sentence can be complete several ways; be sure that whatever way you choose, you use the correct signals and punctuation. You may add words or alter the prompt slightly.

1. McKnight doesn’t want us to think that he is just restating a cliché; he claims,

2. McKnight wants to show that statements made by other black people can be just as harmful as those made by white people:

3. He claims that all of the “facts and figures” he has heard don’t do much to explain his culture to him

4. McKnight wants us to see “black people” not just as a group, but

5. Trying to pin down “blackness” to a certain set of qualities doesn’t do justice to the complicated natures of black individuals

6. McKnight uses the image of sharks biting to explain how vicious people can be about each other

7. He doesn’t think words can ever explain our true selves

8. He doesn’t want us to continue the mistakes of the past

Option 11: Grading

Students can use Word to develop and modify evaluation rubrics. Creating such rubrics allows students to consider their audience’s expectations, and it gives them an active role in the grading process.

Sample Exercise: Grading Rubric

(Alison Mandaville)

Rationale:  In this exercise students use the  Insert Table  feature of Word to develop a grading rubric for essays which they will then apply to peer essays and, finally, to their own writing. Students work in groups at the computers to develop the rubric and then can either work in groups or alone to use the rubric to grade each other’s work. The nice thing about doing this on the computer is that students can then print out a copy which looks official and which all group members can read. In addition, the rubrics can be used later to project on the overhead for whole class discussion/modification. My students’ rubrics are fairly general, but you may also have students make rubrics that are very specific to a particular assignment/topic.

Spending the time making their own chart, agreeing on definitions and criteria for each score and then applying this rubric to their own work is a great way to both examine closely the elements of a good essay and begin to be able to systematically evaluate their own writing. For 104-5 students in particular, I think this exercise is useful in helpful empower students to evaluate their own work and begin to establish some control over their ability to understand and improve their grades. The group aspect reinforces all those good group skills and makes what could be a fairly dry exercise much more fun. There can be some tension around grading each other, so I retain final authority in assigning grades, but find that their grading gets more and more effective the more they do it until sometimes I have few changes to make.

The Exercise:  The easiest way to create a table in Word is to use the “Insert Table” icon on the pictorial toolbar. First place you cursor in your document where you want the table to be. Then Left click on the icon that looks like a mini-table with a blue band at the top--the one without an Excel symbol on it. Hold down the mouse as you draw the size of your chart. When your chart is the size you want, release the mouse button, and the chart will drop in where your cursor was.

Students work together (one student creates the table and types in information OR everyone makes their own after agreeing on criteria) to label the chart (terms to define on one axis and scores on the other) and define the criteria for scoring an essay. The terms you ask them to define will depend on what you’ve been working on—you may ask them only to do one or two to start, adding another criteria with each assignment.

Students work to evaluate a draft of each other’s essays based on their own rubrics.

Large group discussion following the group exercise can help fill out individual groups’ charts and pinpoint areas of fuzziness re: writing criteria.

NOTE:  Resist the impulse to create the chart for the students because first, it’s good to know how to make a chart, and second, the terms you ask them to define, and the scale you ask them to use will become much more firmly entrenched if you have them set it all up.

Option 12: Reflection

At the end of an assignment sequence, you can ask create a short reflection exercise that allows students to reflect upon both their essay and the usefulness of activities in the sequence. Students can type their responses into the document and save the file to an evaluation folder.

Sample Exercise: Reflecting on the Writing Process

1. How did the process of writing this essay help you to develop as a cinema studies thinker and writer? Did comparing and contrasting two films give you any insight into patterns and shifts in the horror genre?

2. Which elements of your first draft (thesis paragraph, use of evidence, organization, etc.) did you revise most extensively? How have those revisions made the essay stronger?

3. If you could still revise your essay, what would you revise? Why?

4. Which aspects of the writing process for this essay did you find easy? Which did you find difficult? Why?

5. Please offer a grade for each of your peer reviewers, using the following scale and explaining to what extent each reviewer's comments helped you to revise.

Plus:  An extremely useful evaluation Check:  A mostly useful evaluation Minus:  Not very useful overall (perhaps not complete)

6. How did the process of reviewing other writers' work influence your revision process?

7. Was the flexibility of the peer critiquing method (paper, Word) useful? Do you have any suggestions for organizing the peer critique process for Essay #3?

8. Did issues discussed in the conference and my comments on your paper or Web site help you to revise your work? Why or why not?

9. Which activities and homework (responses, brainstorming sheet, discussion of lecture arguments and responses, in-class clip analyses and comparison presentation, essay workshop) did you find most and least helpful in writing your first draft? Why?

10. What types of activities and homework would you like to do in preparation for our next paper, an analytical essay that incorporates research?

Useful Advanced Features

Word is a powerful program with more features than it is possible to cover in a manual of this scope. However, the following table highlights some of the features available through Word 2007that are most useful to a writing classroom. More extensive information on how to use these features can be found in the on-line Word  Help  menu and in the sample exercises in this manual that make use of these features.

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In this free Word tutorial, learn how to format text, save and share documents, modify line and paragraph spacing, use tables and columns, and do more with your documents.

Word Basics

• 1 Getting Started with Word arrow_forward_ios ✓ Get to know the Ribbon, Quick Access Toolbar, and Backstage view to produce Word documents.
• 2 Understanding OneDrive arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn all about working with your Microsoft account and OneDrive.
• 3 Creating and Opening Documents arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn all about opening existing documents and creating new ones.
• 4 Saving and Sharing Documents arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn more about saving and sharing documents.

Working with Text

• 5 Text Basics arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add, delete, move, cut, copy, and paste text.
• 6 Formatting Text arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to change font size, color, and text alignment.
• 7 Using Find and Replace arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn more about using the Find and Replace features to search your document.
• 8 Indents and Tabs arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to use the tab selector and horizontal ruler to set tabs and indents.
• 9 Line and Paragraph Spacing arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to modify line and paragraph spacing in your documents.
• 10 Lists arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add and modify bulleted and numbered lists.
• 11 Links arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add and modify hyperlinks.

Layout and Printing

• 12 Page Layout arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to modify page orientation, margins, and size.
• 13 Printing Documents arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn all about printing in Word.
• 14 Breaks arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add page, section, and column breaks.
• 15 Columns arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn all about working with columns.
• 16 Headers and Footers arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add and modify headers and footers.
• 17 Page Numbers arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add and modify page numbers.

Working with Objects

• 18 Pictures and Text Wrapping arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add pictures and use the text wrapping feature.
• 19 Formatting Pictures arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn more about formatting and compressing pictures.
• 20 Shapes arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add and modify shapes in your document.
• 21 Text Boxes arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to use text boxes in Word.
• 22 Aligning, Ordering, and Grouping Objects arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to align, group, order, and rotate objects.
• 23 Tables arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn more about working with tables.
• 24 Charts arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add and modify charts.

Collaboration and Reviewing

• 25 Checking Spelling and Grammar arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to use the review features available in Word.
• 26 Track Changes and Comments arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to track changes and comments when collaborating on documents.
• 27 Inspecting and Protecting Documents arrow_forward_ios ✓ Take these steps to inspect and protect your document.

Doing More with Word

• 28 SmartArt Graphics arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn all about using SmartArt graphics in your document.
• 29 Applying and Modifying Styles arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to apply and modify styles.
• 30 Mail Merge arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to use the Mail Merge feature to produce letters, labels, and envelopes.
• 31 What is Office 365? arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn what Office 365 has to offer in this free lesson.
• 32 New Features in Office 2019 arrow_forward_ios ✓ Discover some of the new features in Office 2019.
• 33 Office Intelligent Services arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn more about the features available through Intelligent Services.
• 34 Using the Draw Tab arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to use the features available on the Draw tab.
• 35 Working with Icons arrow_forward_ios ✓ Learn how to add and customize icons.
• 36 Word Quiz arrow_forward_ios ✓ Test your knowledge of Word by taking our quiz.

Student Project Planning Template for Microsoft Word

• Great for beginners
• Ready-to-use, fully customizable Doc
• Get started in seconds

Embarking on a student project can be both thrilling and overwhelming. With the need to juggle multiple tasks, meet deadlines, and collaborate effectively, having a solid project plan is key to success. Enter ClickUp's Student Project Planning Template!

This template empowers students to:

• Organize tasks, set deadlines, and allocate resources efficiently
• Track progress and milestones to stay on top of project timelines
• Collaborate seamlessly with team members for greater productivity and success

Ready to ace your student project with ease? Try ClickUp's Student Project Planning Template today!

Student Project Planning Template Benefits

Organizing your student project has never been easier with the Student Project Planning Template for Microsoft Word, ClickUp, & More. This template helps you:

• Break down tasks into manageable steps for smoother project execution
• Set clear deadlines and milestones to stay on track and meet project timelines
• Allocate resources efficiently to ensure optimal productivity
• Track progress easily to monitor project development and make adjustments as needed

Main Elements of Microsoft Word Student Project Planning Template

To effectively plan student projects in Microsoft Word, ClickUp, & more, use ClickUp’s Student Project Planning Template, which includes:

• Custom Statuses: Monitor project progress with statuses like To-Do, In Progress, and Completed
• Custom Fields: Utilize custom fields such as Task Description, Deadline, Assigned To, and Priority to add specific details to each task
• Custom Views: Access different perspectives with views like Task List View, Calendar View, and Gantt Chart View to manage project tasks efficiently and meet deadlines

This template provides a comprehensive solution for students to organize, track, and complete projects seamlessly.

How To Use This Student Project Planning Template In ClickUp

1. define the project scope.

Start by clearly outlining the scope of your student project. Determine the objectives, deliverables, timeline, and resources needed. Understanding the scope will help you stay focused and on track throughout the project.

Utilize the Goals feature in ClickUp to set specific project objectives and key results.

2. Organize project tasks

Break down the project into smaller, manageable tasks. Create a task list that includes all the activities required to complete the project. Assign deadlines, priorities, and dependencies to each task for better project management.

Use the Gantt chart view in ClickUp to visualize task timelines and dependencies.

3. Customize project details

Tailor the project template to fit the specific requirements of your student project. Add custom fields to capture important project details such as project owner, status, priority, and estimated time for completion.

Employ custom fields in ClickUp to input and track project-specific information effectively.

4. Set project milestones

Identify key milestones in your project timeline to track progress and celebrate achievements. Milestones serve as checkpoints to ensure the project is moving forward according to plan.

Utilize Milestones in ClickUp to mark significant project achievements and monitor progress.

5. Automate project workflows

Streamline project workflows and eliminate manual tasks by setting up automation rules. Automate repetitive processes such as task assignments, status updates, and notifications to save time and increase efficiency.

Leverage Automations in ClickUp to automate routine project actions and improve workflow efficiency.

6. Monitor project progress

Regularly review and update the project plan to track progress and identify any deviations from the original timeline. Use project dashboards to gain insights into project performance and make data-driven decisions.

Utilize Dashboards in ClickUp to visualize project data, track progress, and make informed project decisions.

This template is originally designed for use in the ClickUp platform, but you can easily export this doc for use in Microsoft Word, or even just copy-paste the contents into your platform of choice.

Get Started with This Student Project Planning Template for Microsoft Word, ClickUp, & More

Students can efficiently manage their projects with the Student Project Planning Template for Microsoft Word, ClickUp, & More. This template helps students organize tasks, set deadlines, allocate resources, and track progress for successful project completion.

To get started with this template:

• Add the Student Project Planning Template to your Workspace in ClickUp
• Customize the template by adding custom fields like Priority, Resources Needed, and Progress
• Timeline View : Visualize project timelines and deadlines
• Kanban Board View : Organize tasks into columns like To-Do, In Progress, and Completed
• Calendar View : Track project milestones and deadlines on a calendar
• Create tasks with statuses such as To-Do, In Progress, Review, and Completed
• Assign tasks to team members and set deadlines for each task
• Regularly update task statuses and monitor progress to ensure project success.

Related Templates

• Investigation Report Template for Notion
• Hoa Board Meeting Minutes Template Template for OneNote
• Yearly Goals Template for Google Docs
• Raci Planning Template for Notion
• Project Progress Report Template for Notion

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Make your Word documents accessible to everyone

This guide provides step-by-step instructions and best practices to ensure your Word documents are accessible, making your content available to everyone. 

Accessibility Assistant helps you to address accessibility issues as you write your document. It guides you on how to add an alt text to images, allowing people using screen readers to understand the image content. Additionally, it provides tips on using fonts, colors, and styles to make your Word documents more inclusive.

Note:  Accessibility Assistant is now available exclusively for Microsoft Word on Windows. The features and instructions mentioned in this article apply only to the Windows version of Microsoft Word.

In this article 

Check accessibility while you work in word .

Use accessible font color   

Add alt text to visuals  

Use table headers 

Avoid using fixed-width tables 

Use the built-in title, subtitle, and heading styles  

Create paragraph banners   

Add accessible hyperlink text and screen Tips 

Create accessible lists 

Adjust space between sentences and paragraphs   

Test accessibility with an Immersive Reader  

The Accessibility Assistant is a tool that reviews your content and flags accessibility issues in your document. In Word, the Accessibility Assistant automatically runs in the background, detecting accessibility issues and sending reminders in the status bar. 

Select Review and then Check Accessibility to open the accessibility pane, where you can review and fix accessibility issues. 

To use the features described in this article, open a new document in Word or access an existing one. 

Use accessible font colors 

The text in your document should be easy to read, with enough contrast against the background color. 

Go to the Home tab or press Alt+H .

To see only the colors that have enough contrast, select the High-contrast only and toggle to turn on high-contrast mode.

When you hover over any color choice in the color picker, a tooltip will indicate whether the selected color has low or good contrast with the background.

The Accessibility Assistant flags text colors with poor contrast and provides suggestions to improve them.

Add alt text to the visuals  

Alt text helps users who are blind or have low vision understand the content of visual elements. These visual elements include pictures, SmartArt graphics, shapes, groups, charts, embedded objects, ink, and videos. 

Click on the image, video, or any other visual content in the document.

Right-click on the visual content and select View Alt Text from the context menu.

In the right pane, select Alt Text , Type a description for the visual content in one or two sentences.

Note:  If the visual content is decorative, then select the Mark as decorative checkbox 

Avoid using images with text to convey essential information. If you do, put the same text in the document.

Use alt text to briefly describe the image and text and why they are there.

Write an accurate and short alt text that explains the content and function of the image.

A few words are often enough. Don't write more than a sentence or two.

Don't repeat the text around the image; use "a graphic of" or "an image of."

For audio and video, use alt text and closed captions for those who are deaf or have a hearing disability.

Make diagrams into pictures and add alt text. Avoid grouping objects in diagrams, as they will remain in tab order.

Use table headers 

Use a simple table structure with column headers. Nested tables, empty cells and merged or split cells may confuse the reader, making it hard to convey useful information. 

In the left pane, select Insert .

Click on the Table button. A drop-down menu will appear.

Select the number of rows and columns by dragging your cursor over the grid.

Once the table is inserted, click inside the first row of the table.

when you select the table, the Table Design tab will appear on the ribbon tab.

Check the box labeled Header Row in the Table Style Options section.

When you select the table, the Table Desig n tab will appear with the cursor in the first row.

Check the box labeled Header Ro w in the Table Style Option s section.

This will format the first row as the header row.

Avoid using fixed-width tables  

Using fixed-width tables in Word files can cause several accessibility issues. They don't adjust well to different screen sizes or zoom levels, making content hard to read on mobile devices or when zooming in. Screen readers may struggle with the fixed structure, leading to confusion for people who are blind or have low vision. 

Fixed-width tables can also cause text to overflow or get cut off, making it difficult to access all the information. 

Additionally, because screen magnifiers only enlarge a portion of the screen, cutting off content or requiring excessive scrolling, users who use the screen magnifiers may find it challenging to view the content properly. For better accessibility, use flexible widths and ensure a clear table structure. 

Use the built-in title, subtitle, and heading styles  

Use the built-in title and subtitle styles for your document's title and subtitle. These styles are designed to be easily scanned both visually and with assistive technology. Headings should provide a well-defined structure and serve as navigational landmarks 

Select the text that you want to format as a title.

Click on the Home tab or press Alt+H .

Select the required style from the Styles group.

Note:  Organize headings in the prescribed logical order; do not skip heading levels. For example, use Heading 1 , Heading 2 , and then Heading 3 , rather than Heading 3 , Heading 1 , and then Heading 2 . 

For the step-by-step instructions on how to use the headings and styles, see:  Improve accessibility with heading styles .  

Create paragraph banners 

In Word, a paragraph banner is a visual element often used to emphasize or highlight a specific paragraph within a document. It typically consists of a horizontal line, or a decorative border placed above or below the paragraph. 

This formatting technique helps draw attention to the paragraph, making it stand out from the surrounding text. Paragraph banners can be customized with different line styles, colors, and thicknesses to suit the document's design and purpose.  

Select the text that you want to apply shading to.

Go to the Home tab.

Select the Shading button in the Paragraph group.

Open the Shading menu and choose the desired color from the options provided.

Add accessible hyperlink text and ScreenTips 

People who use screen readers have the option to scan a list of links in the document. Links should convey clear and accurate information about the destination. You can also add ScreenTips that appear when your cursor hovers over text or images that include a hyperlink.  

For the step-by-step instructions on how to create accessible hyperlinks and ScreenTips, go to  Create accessible links in Word  and  Create or edit a hyperlink .  

Highlight the text or picture that you want to add a link to.

Go to the Inser t tab.

Click on the Hyperlink button or press Ctrl+K .

To link an existing file or web page: 

Go to the “Link to” section and select Existing File or Web Page .

Enter the webpage's address or select the file you want to link to.

To link a place in the same document: 

Go to the "Link to" section and select Place in This Document .

A list of locations within the document will appear; from the list, select the Headings or Bookmarks that you want to link to.

Click on the Text to display and provide definitive and accurate information about the link destination, then select OK.

Note:  Avoid using link texts such as “click here,” “see this page,” “go here,” or “learn more.” Instead, include the destination page's full title. 

Create accessible lists  

To make documents easier for screen readers, use small chunks like bulleted or numbered lists. Avoid plain paragraphs in the middle of lists to prevent confusion. This ensures accurate navigation and enhances readability for all users. 

Bulleted List: 

Place your cursor where you want to start the bulleted list.

Click on the Bullets button in the Paragraph group.

Type your list items. Press Ente r after each item to create a new bullet point.

Numbered List: 

Place your cursor where you want to start the numbered list.

Click on the Numbering button in the Paragraph group.

Type your list items. Press Enter after each item to create a new numbered point.

Multilevel List: 

Place your cursor where you want to start the multilevel list.

Click on the Multilevel List button in the Paragraph group.

Choose the type of multilevel list you want to create from the list styles provided.

Type your list items. Press Enter after each item to create a new point. To create a sub-level item, press the Tab key before typing.

Adjust the spacing between sentences and paragraphs 

Text can appear to “blend together” on a page (the lines of text squeeze into each other). To make reading easier, you can increase the line spacing between sentences and add space before or after paragraphs. 

Select one or more paragraphs to adjust the space.

Note:  It is recommended to use a line spacing of 1.5 in the Word file.

From the dropdown menu, select the desired line and paragraph spacing.

For the step-by-step instructions on how to adjust the spacing, go to  Adjust indents and spacing in Word .  

Test accessibility with an Immersive Reader 

Immersive Reader in Microsoft Word enhances readability with features like Read Aloud , Text Spacing , Syllable Breakdown, and Line Focus . Access it via the View tab and select Immersive Reader .  

For more information, visit the  Use Immersive Reader in Word . 

Improve accessibility in your documents with the Accessibility Assistant 

Get real-time notifications of accessibility issues while working on Microsoft 365 Apps  

Everything you need to know to write effective alt text 

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Word 19 Advanced Table

In this practice project for Word, students create a document with a table showing a school schedule. The blocks in the table are different sizes and will take individual work within the blocks to create the correct layout. The document includes a title and has the date in the top right corner.

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• Published Jan 11, 2024

Reflect activities for student engagement

• Content Type
• Social emotional learning
• Microsoft 365

At the start of 2024, Microsoft invites you and your students to reflect, express gratitude, and set goals. Use Microsoft Reflect, a Learning Accelerator that helps young people develop social and emotional learning (SEL) skills, to kick off the new year successfully. Establishing clear, measurable, and personal goals can have a substantial effect on people of all ages both inside and outside of the classroom. What was once a 10-minute free-write activity in early January can, with planning and dedication, become a lasting force for change in a person’s life.   

John Hattie’s Visible Learning study measured the impact that different factors have on students’ academic growth. According to the meta-analyses, setting learning goals has a positive impact on learning outcomes. Simply put, when students set goals, they are building lifelong skills that they can use to make positive changes in their lives.  

Harness the power of positive change in your classroom—embark on the journey of transformative goal-setting with Microsoft Reflect today!  

Setting goals with students informs teacher practice, engages and motivates students during the learning process, and creates a partnership between the teacher, student, and parents.” Sanée Bell, Ed.D., Educational Leader and Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning in Katy ISD, Texas, United States

Setting up for success with new year’s goals 

Reflect is available as a web app and within Microsoft 365 Education tools like Teams for Education , PowerPoint, and OneNote . You can use any of these platforms to create check-ins for your students. Additionally, Reflect has created a collection of experiences and resources that you can share with your students to transition into a successful 2024. Explore the Reflect Activity Hub for ready-to-use activities, lessons, and materials!  

Goals vary from person to person and are unique to the individual. Reflect has created several worksheets to help you and your students set goals and practice other positive habits in the new year. Check out the Reflect worksheets —print the PDFs or digitally embed them in a OneNote page distributed to students: 

• SMART Goal Planner —guide students through setting meaningful goals, breaking them into actionable steps, and monitoring progress to improve planning and perseverance.  
• Gratitude Clouds —provide students with a structured and meaningful method to practice gratitude, fostering a sense of appreciation, and promoting positive thinking. 
• Reflect and Grow —goal setting is important in short intervals as well as long ones. By helping students process a day’s events and emotions, they can foster emotional awareness, and enhance communication skills.  

Take a brain break 

According to a 2021 study on the brain’s consolidation of skill , resting at set intervals increases a learner’s ability to develop new skills. The study also suggests that the majority of skill learning takes place during “offline,” or non-practice time, and that micro-breaks are 4 times as effective for skill learning than overnight rest. This all means that intentional breaks every 10-15 minutes for elementary students or 20-30 minutes for secondary students can have a significant academic and social impact for learners. 

Reflect has curated a collection of short, inclusive brain break activities designed to promote mental fitness, refresh the mind, and refocus.  

• Take a breath:  Pause for a moment to breathe mindfully and reset focus. 
• Stretch break: Stretch and boost focus with a quick two-minute stretching routine. 
• Coloring book:  Combine emotional intelligence and art to explore a range of emotions and creativity. 
• Memory game: Develop emotional vocabulary by matching emotions and with Feelings Monster cards.  

Reflect also partnered with Calm —the leading mental health brand with the #1 app for meditation, sleep, and relaxation—to integrate science-backed content designed to help users meet their new goals of sleeping more, stressing less, and living better. Explore all of the Calm activities in the Reflect app .  

For educators and students who want more activities—stories, music, lullabies, exercises, and meditations designed specifically for kids—they can  enjoy a 40% discount on a subscription to Calm .  

Explore Reflect’s partner collections 

Reflect has partnered with several of your favorite classroom tools to expand social and emotional learning. Through these partnerships, you and your students can have safe spaces for reflecting, setting goals, and discussing emotions.  

Minecraft Education is a popular immersive learning platform for all young people. Introduce your students to Reflect World , a space designed to help students develop social-emotional skills through a creative and immersive experience. This world is an ideal start for beginner users in upper-elementary or middle school grades. Exploring the colorful Reflect World requires collaboration, problem solving, and communication. 

Reflect teamed up with Kahoot! , a game-based app for learning and trivia games, to help students develop vital SEL skills. With nearly 50 Kahoot! games available in four different languages, you can find the right activities at the right time.  

• Setting goals: Goal setting is a vital skill. It helps us to stay on track and create the life we dream of! Your students can use Reflect to stay on track with your goals by thinking through the reasons that we set goals and strategies for reaching goals. 
• Start the school year strong:  Don’t let the title fool you. This game is perfect for the return to school in January with questions focusing on classroom community and goal setting. 
• Gratitude:  Gratitude means being filled with appreciation. Your students can show gratitude for the good things in their lives—big or small! Being grateful can help them feel better and build stronger relationships. 

Microsoft Flip , a free web and mobile app for recording, editing, and sharing video assignments, and Reflect pair together perfectly. Using Flip and Reflect together can help students share and discuss feelings and challenges in a safe, accessible, and inclusive environment. With built-in tools like Immersive Reader , designed to make all written text accessible, all students can engage in the conversation. Start off with these discussion topics: 

• Taking on challenges : Help students understand that challenges are a part of the path to excellence. Framing challenges as part of the process can keep them motivated and set them up to encourage each other through complicated tasks.  
• Kindness for myself :  Use this topic to jumpstart conversations about growth mindset or accepting feedback. It could be a helpful warm-up for a writing workshop where students edit one another’s work. Setting students up to accept and mobilize feedback without feeling down about themselves is vital to establishing perseverance. 
• Working towards a goal : Use this topic before having students write their own goals. It can jumpstart their understanding of why goals are important and what types of goals they could consider, as well as get them thinking about how working towards a goal is an ongoing effort. Often, we write down or set goals mentally, but don’t follow through. Having students recognize that problem through role play can help them recognize it in themselves!  

Join Microsoft Education in fostering a positive beginning to the new year for you and your students. Reflect brings together an array of resources and experiences, supporting the cultivation of healthy habits and a dedication to personal growth. Explore the Reflect Activity Hub for ready-to-use activities, lessons, and materials and build a culture of well-being with your students this year.

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