Adding content to your document is one thing, and translating it so that colleagues all around the world can read it is another. But as you put together a major project—perhaps a slick new 100-page catalog, a compelling grant proposal, or an annual report that you hope will inspire your top stakeholders—getting things right is a major concern. A few easily missed typos can make the whole report look bad; a style or tone that speaks over the head of your audience will leave your message misunderstood; and research without the appropriate footnotes can make you look like you don’t know what you’re talking about after all.
Luckily, the proofing tools in Microsoft Word 2010 can help you safeguard against these kinds of errors. By running a series of checks—for example, a simple spell check and a grammar check—you can make sure your document is as accurate as it can be. And by using Word’s built-in AutoCorrect feature, you can help the program learn where you need a little extra support (and provide it seamlessly) as you’re busy crafting the content you want to share. Finally, Word includes a number of tools you can use to add references of all kinds—citations, footnotes, bibliographies, and more—to the projects you create. This chapter introduces you to these proofing tools and methods and helps you make sure the content you produce really shines.
All of the tools in this chapter play key roles in helping to ensure that your document is the best it can be. And in many cases, they can help you increase your productivity and get your document ready faster by automating common tasks. Here’s a list of some of the editing and proofing tools you are likely to use in Word 2010:
Spell Checker. Checks the spelling of your document as you add content and flags words that are spelled incorrectly or are unrecognized. You can add your own custom dictionaries with Word 2010 to allow for specialized terminology related to your particular industry or area of expertise.
Grammar Checker. Evaluates your written text to ensure that it is grammatically correct and identifies stylistic or usage problems. You can also use the grammar checker to assess the readability of your document.
Thesaurus. Provides a list of synonyms and antonyms of selected words in your document so that you can vary your word choice and enhance reader interest and the readability of your content.
AutoCorrect. Automatically corrects typos as you enter new content. You can teach AutoCorrect how to work with your particular style, so you can also use it as a shorthand method for entering repeat phrases.
It’s unfortunate that a tiny, easy-to-make mistake like a simple typo can have such an impact on the overall impression your document makes; but it’s a fact of life in the business world. If you want to hold on to your credibility with respect to the documents you share with others, spell things right.
Word has always had a spell check tool, and in each version of the program, the spelling checker becomes more powerful and more flexible. In Word 2010 you can easily choose the language for the dictionary you use, and you can create and add custom dictionaries so that you are always using the most recent, approved terminology for your particular industry area. In addition to setting your spelling options and exceptions, you can also have Word evaluate the use of your words in context, which is a big plus when you need to make sure you have the right word in the right spot.
Word automatically checks for proofing errors whenever you open a document or type content in your document. By default, Word flags the errors it finds using the following system:
Spelling errors are underlined with red
Grammar errors are underlined with green
Contextual spelling errors are underlined with blue
Note
A blue wavy line is also used for the Mark Formatting Inconsistencies option, which is found in the Advanced section of Word Options and turned off by default. If both options are enabled, a quick way to way to distinguish which type of error is being identified is to right-click the word, or words, and note the offered suggestion.
Suggestions for contextual spelling errors will be alternate word choices; suggestions for formatting inconsistencies will offer to replace the direct formatting with a defined style.
Word also displays Proofing Status in the status bar (see Figure 10-1). The icon indicates whether your document contains any potential errors. If errors are detected, the icon contains an X mark; if no errors are found, the icon contains a check mark. When you hover over the icon with your cursor, the ScreenTip will tell you whether you have errors to correct. Click the Message box to display a list of potential suggestions for the error found.
Tip
If you do not see the Proofing Status indicator in the status bar, right-click the status bar to display the Customizable Status Bar list. Select Spelling And Grammar Check to turn on the display.
After Word marks potential proofing errors, you can resolve each issue on a case-by-case basis. To access options for fixing a potential error, you can right-click text that has a wavy underline or click Proofing Status in the status bar to select the next instance of a potential error. Both techniques display a shortcut menu containing error-fixing options. Different options are available depending on whether the potential error is a spelling issue, a grammar issue, or a contextual spelling issue. The shortcut menu for a contextual spelling issue is shown in Figure 10-2.
Figure 10-2. When an error is found, Word provides a suggestion and offers other options for further research.
Based on the type of error Word flags and whether or not you think the word is used incorrectly, you can choose from among a number of possible responses displayed at the top of the context menu. Depending on whether you want to correct the word, ignore it, choose a different language, or look up the word online, Word provides you with a context menu of choices. Table 10-1 lists the different options you have for working with the potential error.
Table 10-1. Responding to Proofing Notifications
Description | |
|---|---|
List of Suggestions | For potential spelling or contextual spelling errors, provides one or more words that might represent the correctly spelled version of the word in your text. For potential grammar errors, provides a brief description of the problem or possible replacement text. |
Ignore | Instructs Word to ignore only the flagged proofing error. |
Ignore All | Instructs Word to ignore all instances of the flagged proofing error in the current document. |
Add To Dictionary (Spelling only) | Adds the word as it’s spelled in your document to your custom dictionary, which ensures that the term won’t be flagged as a potential error in the future. (Custom dictionaries are discussed in detail in the section titled Managing Custom Dictionaries.) |
AutoCorrect (Spelling only) | Use this to add an AutoCorrect entry for the misspelled word. You can have the misspelled word automatically replaced with the correctly spelled word by clicking the correctly spelled word in the AutoCorrect menu, as shown in Figure 10-2. Alternatively, you can manually add an AutoCorrect entry. For more information on AutoCorrect, see AutoCorrecting Your Document. |
Language | Specifies that a particular word or phrase is written in another language. If proofreading tools are installed for that language, Word uses the appropriate language dictionary to check the text. If a corresponding language dictionary is not installed, Word will skip the specified words without marking them as potential errors |
Spelling or Grammar | Displays the Spelling or Grammar dialog box, which provides access to additional proofing options. These dialog boxes are similar to the Spelling And Grammar dialog box, which you can access on the Review tab in the Proofing group or by pressing F7. |
About This Sentence (Grammar only) | Provides additional information about the potential error flagged by Word. |
Look Up | Displays the Research pane and presents information from reference sources about the flagged text. If your computer is online, you can find additional information about the term by using other research services and resources such as encyclopedias and Web sites. Note that this option provides information about the flagged text but doesn’t necessarily present a grammatical fix. |
If Word flags a spelling error, the AutoCorrect option will also appear in the contextual menu. When you click AutoCorrect, a list of possible spellings appears. You can click one of the displayed words to replace the flagged word with the correct one (see Figure 10-3).
Figure 10-3. You can select the correct spelling for a word in the AutoCorrect menu, and if you make the same mistake in the future, it will be automatically replaced with the correctly spelled word.
Caution
To create a case-insensitive AutoCorrect entry, the replace characters must be lowercase. If the entry you wish to add contains uppercase characters, you must manually create the AutoCorrect entry. Otherwise, the case must be identical in order for it to be corrected.
You can also resolve spelling and grammar issues by correcting your text without accessing the shortcut menus. When you manually correct a proofing error, Word automatically removes the wavy underline.
At times, you might prefer to check your spelling and grammar all at once instead of right-clicking every instance of a potential error. In those cases, you can use the Spelling And Grammar dialog box (Figure 10-4) to work through your document or a block of selected text. To access the Spelling And Grammar dialog box, on the Review tab, click Spelling & Grammar or press F7.
Figure 10-4. You can click Spelling & Grammar on the Review tab to open the Spelling And Grammar dialog box.
You can click in the upper portion of the Spelling And Grammar dialog box and make editing changes. This dialog box is also modeless, which means you can leave the dialog box open, click in the document, make modifications, and then resume the proofing check.
Tip
To check only a portion of your document, select the desired text and then click the Spelling & Grammar button on the Review tab to display the Spelling And Grammar dialog box. When the end of the selected text is reached, Word displays a message stating that it has finished checking the selected text and asking whether you’d like to continue checking the remainder of the document.
In general, while you are creating and editing a document, keeping an eye on spelling and grammatical errors is a must. And using the automated proofing tools is an efficient way to find your potential proofing errors quickly. However, certain types of documents, or portions of documents, can be difficult to read due to the red and green wavy lines that might appear throughout the content. This might not be the result strictly of spelling or grammatical errors either; some documents might contain a lot of abbreviations, slang, and words that aren’t in the standard dictionary. Or in the case of technical documents, they might contain fragmented sentences, blocks of programming code, and words that aren’t usually capitalized. So in these situations, the content is correct but the proofing marks detract from the document’s readability. The following provides a few options that you can use to suppress the display of proofing marks and to specify that perceived spelling and grammar errors should be ignored by all proofing tools. We also have recommendations for using each option:
Check Spelling As You Type and Mark Grammar As You Type. These options are found in Word Options in the Proofing section. If you clear the option for Check Spelling As You Type, the display of the red and blue wavy lines will be suppressed when viewing a document. If you clear the option for Mark Grammar As You Type, green wavy lines will be suppressed when you view a document. However, you can still use the Spelling & Grammar feature to check the document for proofing errors. These are application options which means they are specific to your Word installation and apply to all documents. It’s recommended that they be used for your personal use only because they will not change the way others view your documents.
Hide Spelling Errors In This Document Only and Hide Grammar Errors In This Document Only. These options are also found in Word Options in the Proofing section. Their effect is similar to disabling the Check Spelling As You Type and Mark Grammar As You Type; however, they are saved with the document, as opposed to application options. Spelling errors or grammar errors are not completely ignored—you can still use the Spelling & Grammar feature—but all red and blue wavy lines (if you select the Hide Spelling Errors In This Document Only option) and green wavy lines (if you select the Hide Grammar Errors In This Document Only option) are suppressed when you view the document. If others will be viewing the document, it’s recommend that these options be used only after a document has been finalized.
Caution
If the document is still in the editing stages and will be edited by others, selecting Hide Spelling Errors In This Document Only and Hide Grammar Errors In This Document Only could result in documents that contain legitimate proofing errors. Many Word users have grown accustomed to Word automatically proofing their documents as they type. If they are not familiar with the proofing options—and if they do not see the red, green, or blue wavy lines—then proofing errors can be inadvertently overlooked.
Mark As Final. You can find this option on the File tab by clicking Protect Document on the Info tab. When a document is marked as final, it cannot be edited, and proofing errors are suppressed from view. It’s recommended that this option be used when working in a collaborative environment to let others know the document has been finalized. Note that Mark As Final is not intended to be used for document security because other users can turn off this option and edit the document. Additionally, proofing errors will return to view when Mark As Final is turned off.
Do Not Check Spelling Or Grammar. To display this option, on the Review tab, click Language to select Set Proofing Language. You can select the Do Not Check Spelling Or Grammar check box to turn off the spelling and grammar checker. You might want to reserve this option for those times when you want to suppress proofing in only portions of a document, as opposed to the entire document, such as for blocks of programming code or medical terminology.
Tip
Even though the spelling and grammar tools in Word are effective and helpful, they shouldn’t replace proofreading by a real person. These features can’t definitively correct your text in all instances. Instead of thinking of the spelling and grammar checking tools as a teacher correcting your work, visualize an assistant who taps you on the shoulder whenever your text seems to go astray and then offers advice on how to fix the problem. Ultimately, you’ll need to read through your document carefully to ensure its accuracy.
You can control a few spelling options by configuring the Proofing settings in Word Options, as shown in Figure 10-5. On the File tab, click Options, and then click the Proofing category. Table 10-2 provides a description of each of the proofing options. As you can see, some options apply to all Microsoft Office programs, and others relate only to your Word document. By configuring these spelling checker options, you can customize spelling tasks to be as streamlined as possible for the particular types of documents you create.
Table 10-2. Spelling Options for Microsoft Office
Spelling Option | Description |
|---|---|
Ignore Words In UPPERCASE | Excludes words in all uppercase from spelling checks. The spelling checker would be hard pressed to understand all acronyms, so this check box is selected by default. If you use a number of acronyms—and you’d like to check them—you can add the acronyms to your custom dictionary and clear the Ignore Words In UPPERCASE check box. |
Ignore Words That Contain Numbers | By default, any words that contain numbers are ignored by the spelling checker. You’ll especially appreciate this option if you’re proofreading documents such as catalogs or price lists in which product codes are combinations of numbers and letters. |
Ignore Internet And File Addresses | By default, the spelling checker ignores Internet addresses, file path names, and e-mail addresses. For example, text such as C:clientsmicrosoft and www.microsoft.com is automatically ignored by the spelling checker. If you prefer to check these types of elements, clear the Ignore Internet And File Addresses check box. |
Flag Repeated Words | Ignores repeated words. For example, if you select this option, the spelling checker does not flag Walla Walla as a mistake. (Interestingly, if you use WallaWalla, it is flagged as a spelling error and the proposed suggestion is Walla Walla. Keep in mind that you are your own best proofreader.) |
Enforce Accented Uppercase In French | Used with the French (Canada) proofing language. French words that contain uppercase letters that are missing an accent mark are identified. |
Suggest From Main Dictionary Only | Word checks all open dictionaries during its spelling check, including the main dictionary and your custom dictionaries. Use this option if you prefer to use only the main dictionary. |
French Modes | Used with the French language. Enables spelling rules that predate the French Academy of Language spelling reform of 1990 and those that are recommended by the spelling reform. |
Spanish Modes | Used with the Spanish language. Enables you to choose the verb forms you want to use in Spanish translations. |
Check Spelling as You Type | Turns on the spell check feature so that Word flags potentially misspelled words as you add content. |
Use Contextual Spelling | Enables the contextual spelling check so that Word evaluates context when flagging unrecognized words. |
Mark Grammar Errors As You Type | Turns on the grammar checker so that potential grammar problems are flagged as you enter content. |
Show Readability Statistics | Evaluates and displays the readability of the document. |
Writing Style | Enables you to choose whether to check grammar only or the grammar and style of your document. Click Settings to indicate what you want Word to check. |
Tip
The Recheck Document button under the heading, When Correcting Spelling And Grammar In Word, gives you the opportunity to recheck a document for words and grammar you previously chose to ignore. This feature is also useful for rechecking a document after you’ve modified your spelling options.
You can easily change the rules used when Word checks the grammar in your document. For example, you might want to use passive voice or start a sentence with And. You might also want Word to check for punctuation errors, such as two spaces after a period.
Note
According to the Chicago Manual of Style, typing two spaces between sentences when using a word processing program is no longer necessary.
You can specify your preferred grammar settings in Word Options by using the following steps:
On the File tab, click Options, click Proofing, and then specify whether you want the grammar checker to check grammar only or grammar and style by selecting the appropriate option in the Writing Style list.
Click Settings. The Grammar Settings dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 10-6.
Click the arrow in the Require area to instruct Word whether to check for the potential errors.
Select or clear the check boxes in the Grammar area to specify whether Word checks each of the characteristics in the document.
Scroll down the list and set the Style characteristics you want Word to check, and then click OK to save your changes.
Note
Grammar Only is the default setting. Grammar Style—such as passive voice or starting a sentence with a conjunction (for example, starting a sentence with And)—is not checked by default.
An important aspect to keep in mind is that the grammar settings are application specific; this means they are not stored in the document and the rules will apply to all documents. If you are sharing your documents with others, and if they do not use the same settings, they might see different grammatical errors when they view the document.
When you install Word, you also install a main dictionary. The spelling checker uses the main dictionary whenever it checks your document for spelling errors. However, you can also add words to your custom dictionary or add existing dictionaries to the list of dictionaries Word uses to check documents.
When you click Add To Dictionary in the Spelling And Grammar dialog box, Word adds the selected term to your custom dictionary. After you add terms to your custom dictionary, Word checks both the main dictionary and your custom dictionary (named CUSTOM.DIC by default) whenever you run the spelling checker. You can also edit and delete terms in your custom dictionary as well as create additional custom dictionaries that you can use whenever necessary.
As mentioned, you can add terms to your default custom dictionary by clicking Add To Dictionary in the Spelling And Grammar dialog box. You can also add terms to your custom dictionary by right-clicking words that are flagged by a red wavy underline and choosing Add To Dictionary from the shortcut menu. Because adding terms to the custom dictionary is so easy, words that shouldn’t be included, such as words or abbreviations that should be ignored in one document but might be incorrect in other documents might need to be removed. For example, you might want to allow the word lite in a marketing piece but have Word catch the misspelling in other documents. If you regularly add terms to your custom dictionary, or if you suspect that incorrect terms have been added, you should review and manually correct your dictionary to ensure accuracy.
To access and modify your custom dictionary, follow these steps:
On the File tab, click Options and then click Proofing. (Alternatively, click the Options button in the Spelling And Grammar dialog box.)
Click the Custom Dictionaries button.
The Custom Dictionaries dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 10-7. Notice that the CUSTOM.DIC dictionary is selected by default.
Select a dictionary in the Dictionary List and then click Edit Word List to display a dictionary editing dialog box, as shown in Figure 10-8.
Within this dialog box, you can perform the following actions:
Add a term to a custom dictionary. Enter a term in the Word box and then click Add or press Enter. The terms are automatically arranged alphabetically.
Delete a term included in a custom dictionary. Select a word in the Dictionary list and then click Delete. Or, if you want to remove all words in the list, click Delete All.
Click OK twice when you have finished modifying your custom dictionary.
When you add terms to a custom dictionary, keep the following points in mind:
Words cannot be more than 64 characters and cannot contain spaces.
The custom dictionary is limited to 5,000 words and cannot be larger than 64 kilobytes (KB).
Dictionaries are American National Standards Institute (ANSI) text files. This means they can only contain characters that conform to the ANSI encoding standard.
With careful maintenance of your custom dictionary, including adding frequently used terms, you can keep your spelling checker working at peak performance and increase your efficiency. With a well-maintained custom dictionary, you’ll avoid having to continually dismiss terms that appear regularly in your documents but aren’t included in the main dictionary.
At times, you might work on jargon-laden documents that use very specific terminology. For example, if you occasionally work on medical documents that contain terms such as brachytherapy, echography, and osteotomy, you could create a custom dictionary named Medical that you could activate whenever you’re using medical terminology. To create a custom dictionary that you can use in addition to CUSTOM.DIC, follow these steps:
Display Word Options and the Proofing options. (Alternatively, click the Options button in the Spelling And Grammar dialog box.) Then click the Custom Dictionaries button.
In the Custom Dictionaries dialog box, click New.
The Create Custom Dictionary dialog box appears. This dialog box displays a list of the custom dictionaries currently available to Word in the UProof folder.
Type a name for the new custom dictionary in the File Name box then click Save.
When you create a custom dictionary, the file is saved with the .dic extension in the UProof folder, along with the CUSTOM.DIC file and any other custom dictionaries you’ve created.
After you create a new dictionary, it is added to the Dictionary List in the Custom Dictionaries dialog box and its check box is selected. When the spelling checker runs, it refers to the main dictionary and all custom dictionaries that are selected in the Dictionary List.
Tip
When you want to use your custom dictionaries, make sure that the Suggest From Main Dictionary Only option is cleared (the default setting) in the Proofing section of Word Options. If this check box is selected, Word won’t refer to your custom dictionaries when the spelling checker is started.
To add terms to a new custom dictionary, select the dictionary in the Custom Dictionaries dialog box, click Edit Word List, and then manually enter terms. You can also add terms to the dictionary as you work, as described in the section titled Choosing a Default Dictionary.
Most of the time, you’ll either use the CUSTOM.DIC dictionary or create a new custom dictionary. However, you can also add existing dictionaries to the Dictionary List in the Custom Dictionaries dialog box. For example, if you have Stedman’s Medical Dictionary on your computer, you can add it to the list of custom dictionaries. Adding an existing dictionary is similar to creating a new custom dictionary. To do so, follow these steps:
Display Word Options and the Proofing options. (Alternatively, click the Options button in the Spelling And Grammar dialog box.) Then click the Custom Dictionaries button.
In the Custom Dictionaries dialog box, click Add to display the Add Custom Dictionary dialog box, which looks almost identical to the Create Custom Dictionaries dialog box.
Navigate to the desired dictionary file (you might need to consult your documentation for the custom dictionary to determine the location) and double-click the dictionary’s file name.
The dictionary will appear in the Dictionary List, and its check box will be selected.
By default, custom dictionaries are stored in the folder C:Usersuser nameAppDataRoamingMicrosoftUProof. If you have a custom dictionary file (with a .dic extension), you can store the file in the UProof folder. You can then access it from the Custom Dictionaries dialog box.
By default, all terms you add to a dictionary while running a spelling check are added to the CUSTOM.DIC dictionary. You can change the custom dictionary in which added words are stored by changing the default custom dictionary. By reconfiguring your default dictionary, you can quickly build very specific custom dictionaries without having to enter terms manually.
Let’s return to the medical dictionary example. While you’re working on a medical document, you could specify the medical dictionary as your default custom dictionary. Then whenever you click Add To Dictionary, the specified term would be added to the medical dictionary instead of CUSTOM.DIC. Configuring Word in this way would serve two purposes: It would avoid adding unnecessary terms to the CUSTOM.DIC dictionary, and it would save you from manually typing terms in the medical dictionary.
To specify which custom dictionary serves as the default file, perform the following actions:
Display Word Options, click Proofing, and then click the Custom Dictionaries button to display the Custom Dictionaries dialog box.
Select the custom dictionary you want to be the default in the Dictionary List.
Click Change Default.
The default custom dictionary will appear at the top of the list with (Default) after its name. Now when you add a word to your custom dictionary (by clicking Add To Dictionary in the Spelling And Grammar dialog box or right-clicking a word with a red wavy underline and then clicking Add To Dictionary in the shortcut menu), the term will be added to the new default custom dictionary.
Tip
Most of the time, you won’t need to have Word check all your custom dictionaries every time you’re working on a document. Therefore, you might want to disable some custom dictionaries until you need them. Other times, you might want to remove a custom dictionary from your Dictionary list altogether. You can do this without deleting the dictionary file. In some cases, you might want to delete a dictionary file because you no longer use it. In the Custom Dictionaries dialog box, disable, remove, or delete a dictionary by clicking the button appropriate to the task you want to complete.
You can configure Word to display a readability level for a document after you finish checking spelling and grammar. Word determines readability levels by assigning Flesch Reading Ease scores and Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scores to documents. These scores are obtained by rating the average number of syllables per word and average number of words per sentence. The Flesch Reading Ease score is based on a 100-point scale, in which a higher score means that a document is easier to read. Scores ranging from 60 to 70 are a good fit for most general purpose documents. The Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score rates text based on U.S. school grade level. For example, a score of 8.0 means that an eighth grader should be able to understand the text. Most documents intended for the general public should score near the 7.0 or 8.0 level.
To display reading statistics, select the Show Readability Statistics option and completely check your document’s spelling and grammar as follows:
On the File tab, click Options.
Click Proofing, select the Show Readability Statistics check box then click OK.
Run a complete spelling and grammar check by clicking Spelling & Grammar on the Review tab, or pressing F7.
When the check is complete, Word automatically displays information about the reading level of the document, as shown in Figure 10-9.
AutoCorrect is a helpful Word feature that corrects your errors—almost before you know you’ve made them. AutoCorrect comes with a library of more than one thousand different AutoCorrect entries that is shared across the family of Office 2010 applications, and you can train it to learn new corrections as you work. For example, if you type yuor when you mean to type your, AutoCorrect automatically reverses the characters in words that it recognizes without any further action from you. You can also use the AutoCorrect functionality as a shorthand method to quickly insert common text and phrases.
AutoCorrect options can be found in Word Options in the Proofing section by clicking the AutoCorrect Options button or by pressing Alt+T+A. The AutoCorrect tab of the AutoCorrect dialog box is shown in Figure 10-10; a description of the options is contained in Table 10-3. All AutoCorrect options are turned on by default, so you should turn off any unwanted options to prevent the correction from occurring while you work.
Figure 10-10. Use the AutoCorrect Options dialog box to specify which items you want corrected automatically.
Table 10-3. Setting Autocorrect Options
Description | |
|---|---|
Show AutoCorrect Options Buttons | Displays an AutoCorrect Options button when a change is automatically made in your document |
Correct TWo INitial CApitals | Converts the second uppercase character to lowercase |
Capitalize First Letter Of Sentences | Capitalizes the first letter of the first word in a new sentence; also applies to the first letter you type after pressing Enter |
Capitalize First Letter Of Table Cells | Capitalizes the first letter of the first word entered in the cell of a table |
Capitalize Names Of Days | Capitalizes the first letter of days of the week |
Correct Accidental Usage Of cAPS LOCK Key | Catches the accidental pressing of the Caps Lock key, releases it, and toggles the case of typed characters |
Replace Text As You Type | Enables AutoCorrect to make changes to text as you type; if you disable this option then common misspelled words will not be automatically corrected |
Replace and With text boxes | Enables you to add your own AutoCorrect entries to the AutoCorrect library |
Automatically Use Suggestions From The Spelling Checker | Automatically corrects misspelled words that are similar to words in the main dictionary used by Spell Check |
Exceptions | Enables you to specify which items not to correct automatically; for more information, see the section titled Entering Exceptions |
When AutoCorrect makes a change in your document, an AutoCorrect Options button enables you to change the correction if you want to. To view the AutoCorrect Options button, position the mouse pointer over the change that was made. A blue line displays below the change, and the AutoCorrect Options button appears. If you see only the blue line, place your mouse pointer below the change on the blue line and click. The AutoCorrect options will appear, as shown in Figure 10-11.
Click the AutoCorrect Options button, and then click the Undo or Change option to revert to the previously typed data in the single instance only (you can also press Ctrl+Z or Undo to obtain the same result). Use the Stop option to always prevent the change, or click Control AutoCorrect Options to display the AutoCorrect dialog box. Note that the text of the Undo and Stop options varies depending on the correction made.
You can add new AutoCorrect entries three ways:
If you find a misspelled word that is not automatically corrected and Word provides a list of suggestions for the spelling error, you can easily add the misspelled word as an AutoCorrect entry at the same time that you correct the misspelled word in your document.
If you are using the Check Spelling As You Type feature, after you right-click the misspelled word to view suggestions, use the AutoCorrect menu and select the correct word to both add the entry to AutoCorrect and correct the spelling error in your document.
If you are using the Spelling And Grammar dialog box, select the correct suggestion on the Suggestion list and then click the AutoCorrect button that displays for spelling errors.
Note
AutoCorrect entries are case sensitive. For example, if your misspelled word starts with a capital letter, then the only time that AutoCorrect makes the correction is when it is typed in the exact same case as the AutoCorrect entry. To avoid this situation, use the AutoCorrect dialog box to add your entry as described in the following section.
You can also use the AutoCorrect dialog box to add new AutoCorrect entries. This method is useful if you have several entries to add, if you need to control the case of the AutoCorrect entry as described in the previous cautionary note, or if you want to use AutoCorrect to replace lengthy words or phrases. For example, if you include your organization’s detailed legal copyright statement on everything you print, you can create an AutoCorrect entry that inserts the entire mission statement when you type the letters lgco.
Note
AutoCorrect entries are stored in .acl files and are language specific. If you work with multiple languages, verify your current proofing language before creating new AutoCorrect entries.
Additionally, AutoCorrect entries cannot exceed 255 characters. If your AutoCorrect replacement text exceeds the limitation, then create a building block instead. You learn more about building blocks in Chapter 7.
To add new entries by using the AutoCorrect dialog box, use the following steps:
On the File tab, click Options, navigate to the Proofing area, and then click the AutoCorrect Options button or press Alt+T+A.
In the Replace text box, type the characters that you want to use for your AutoCorrect entry. To make the entry case insensitive, use lowercase letters.
In the With text box, type the word or phrase that you want replaced automatically in your document as you type. Include any desired capitalization and punctuation.
Click Add. Word then adds the new AutoCorrect entry to the list.
Tip
To use the Formatted Text option, you need to select the formatted data in a document and then display the AutoCorrect dialog box. However, depending on the formatting, you might want to create a building block instead.
Formatted AutoCorrect entries (rich text entries) are not shared with other Office 2010 programs; they are stored in your Normal template.
You can edit AutoCorrect entries in the AutoCorrect dialog box by modifying the text in the With text box. The button beneath the list then changes from Add to Replace. When you use the Replace button, Word displays a message box asking you to confirm the action.
You can delete entries in a similar way. Display the AutoCorrect dialog box and, on the AutoCorrect tab, scroll or type the first few characters of the entry in the Replace text box to quickly navigate to the entry. Select the desired entry and click the Delete button. Unlike replacing entries, Word does not display a confirmation for deleting AutoCorrect entries. If the deletion is accidental, you can immediately click the Add button to add the entry back.
Although AutoCorrect is extremely helpful, there are times when you might not want it interfering with what you’re trying to do. For example, you might be typing a document full of chemical compounds or creating a list of access codes for the new server. You don’t want AutoCorrect to get in there and change the capitalization while you type. In this case, you have two options: you can disable AutoCorrect while you’re working on the document, or you can create an exception to specify what you don’t want AutoCorrect to change. To add an exception, display the AutoCorrect dialog box, click the Exception button, and add your exception to the respective tab in the AutoCorrect Exceptions dialog box, as shown in Figure 10-12.
To enter AutoCorrect exceptions, click Exceptions on the AutoCorrect tab in the AutoCorrect dialog box, and you can add the following three types of exceptions:
First Letter. This form of capitalization controls the words immediately following abbreviations. (For example, you might have a phrase such as after the merging of Lake Ltd. and Smith Co., in which the word “and” should not be capitalized.)
INitial CAps. Use this tab to enter words and phrases with unusual capitalization that you don’t want changed. This might include company names or abbreviations or terms peculiar to your business or industry.
Other Corrections. Enter additional items that you don’t want AutoCorrect to change. This might include names, locations, unusual spellings, and phrases that reflect terminology particular to your work.
Tip
The Automatically Add Words To List option in the AutoCorrect Exceptions dialog box enables you to add exceptions as you work by clicking Undo or pressing Ctrl+Z immediately after an undesired correction is made. Note that this only applies to case changes and not to the Replace Text As You Type option.
When you use a variety of sources to prepare a complex document, compiling, organizing, and adding all the references can be a big job. You have magazines and books piled high on your desk, report pages are folded open so you can type in the quotations you want to include, and which citation style is the right one to use? It’s hard to remember if you don’t create these kinds of documents very often.
Fortunately, Word 2010 includes flexible reference features that help you cut down on the amount of time and effort you spend adding references to your document. When you add citations from books, articles, reports, presentations, or online sources, Source Manager in Word 2010 helps you enter and organize the citations you need so that they appear consistently—in the style you want—throughout your document. Additionally, adding footnotes, endnotes, and cross-references is much easier with the help of the groups on the References tab (see Figure 10-13).
Figure 10-13. The References tab includes all the tools you need to add and manage references in your document.
The different groups on the References tab provide you with the tools you need to add and edit various tables of references.
The Table Of Contents group includes the commands you’ll use to mark items in the document as entries for your table of contents. In addition, there are commands to compile and insert a table based on those entries and update the table after you change it.
The Footnotes group is where you insert footnotes and endnotes in your document. You can also hide the notes from view if you choose.
With the Citations & Bibliography group, you can select a style to be used in the current document, add citations, select a bibliography style, and manage the sources you’ve used in the document.
Use the Captions group to add captions to diagrams and illustrations in your document. You can also create and update a table of figures and add cross-references to give your readers additional resources to which to refer.
The Index group includes everything you need to mark index entries and compile and update an index.
The Table Of Authorities includes the commands for marking legal cases and statutes within a document. After you mark the citations, you can insert and update a table of authorities to display all references to authorities in the document.
In addition to using the References tab to easily insert references, you can also apply styles to the citations, footnotes, and references so they appear in the format you want. The Bibliography command in the Citations & Bibliography group includes a gallery of styles you can apply to the bibliography you create.
One of the first choices you’ll make as you prepare to add references to your document involves selecting the bibliography style you want to use. The bibliography style controls the way in which citations are listed (for example, name first or title first) and which information items are included in the reference.
To choose the style for your document, on the References tab, click the arrow in the Style setting in the Citations & Bibliography group. A list of styles appears, as shown in Figure 10-14 from which you can select the one you want to use. The most common styles are APA, Chicago, and MLA. The Turabian style is often used in academic settings.
When you add sources to your document, the style you select determines the types of information you enter for each source. You’ll learn more about this in the next section.
To add a source, follow these steps:
On the References tab, select Manage Sources in the Citations & Bibliography group.
In the Source Manager dialog box, click New.
In the Create Source dialog box, click the Type Of Source arrow and choose the type of item you’re referencing (see Figure 10-15).
The fields shown in the dialog box might change depending on the type of item you select. For example, when you choose Article In A Periodical, Periodical Title, Month, Day, and Pages fields are added to the list.
Enter the appropriate source information and press Tab to move to the next field or Shift+Tab to move to the previous field.
Click OK to save the source information.
The Create Source dialog box closes, and the item is displayed in both the Master List and the Current List in the Source Manager, as shown in Figure 10-16.
Tip
The sources you added to the Source Manager will be available to other documents you create in Word 2010. Whenever you click Manage Sources on the References tab, you will see all the sources you compiled in the Master List in the Source Manager. To add sources from the Master List to the Current List for the document, display the Source Manager, click the source you want to use, and click Copy. Add the sources you want to the Current List and click Close to close the Source Manager. Those sources will now be available when you choose Insert Citation from the Citations & Bibliography group.
If you are collaborating on a document, you might need to share your resources with others or work with the sources others have compiled. You can add other source lists to your Master List by following these steps:
On the References tab, click Manage Sources to display the Source Manager.
In the Source Manager, click Browse.
The Open Source List dialog box appears, with the Bibliography folder selected. If necessary, navigate to the folder containing the source list you want to add to the current document.
Select the file and click OK to add the sources to the Master List.
Now that you’ve selected the style and added the sources you will be referencing in your document, inserting a citation is simple.
Click where you want to add the citation.
On the References tab, click Insert Citation in the Citations & Bibliography group.
A list of available sources appears, as shown in Figure 10-17. Click the source you want to add. The reference is inserted at the cursor position.
After you insert a citation, you might decide that you want to change the way the item is referenced or modify the information in the citation. To edit the citation, right-click it and choose Edit Citation. The small Edit Citation dialog box appears, in which you can enter different values for the citation fields or suppress their display. Type the new information and click OK to save your changes.
Note
If you are working with Track Changes on, right-clicking displays the Accept/Reject Changes options. If you are using Track Changes and want to edit a citation, click the arrow on the bounding box around the citation to open the correct menu.
When you need to change information in the source reference itself, right-click the citation in the document and choose Edit Source. (If Track Changes is enabled, click the arrow that appears when you point to the citation in order to display your options.) In the Edit Source dialog box, make the necessary changes and click OK to save the edits. The citations in the document are changed to reflect the modifications.
A good bibliography is a great reader service, providing others with full references they can use to find more information on the topics introduced in your document. After you add citations to your document, you can easily create a professional bibliography by using the Bibliography command in the Citations & Bibliography group.
Begin by positioning the cursor at the point in the document where you want to insert the bibliography. Then click the Bibliography command. A gallery of bibliography styles opens, offering you the option of creating a bibliography or a works cited list (see Figure 10-18). Click the style you want or click Insert Bibliography. The bibliography is then inserted in your document.
You can also create and save your own style of bibliography to the Bibliography gallery. Create a listing of sources and add the heading you want to use. Then select the list and heading and click Bibliography in the Citations & Bibliography group. In the Bibliography gallery, click Save Selection To Bibliography Gallery. The next time you open the gallery to display bibliography options, your new style will appear.
Another way to reference sources in your documents is by adding footnotes and endnotes. In some views, footnotes appear in an area at the bottom of your page, with a separator line and a note reference mark to identify the note. (See Figure 10-19 for an example.) A matching note reference mark appears in the text at the place you create the footnote. By default, the reference marks are numbers, but you can change the referencing style to letters, symbols, or other characters of your choosing.
Figure 10-19. Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page and include a separator line and a note reference mark.
Endnotes are similar to footnotes, except they’re placed at the end of a document. Only one separator line separates the text and the endnotes.
Note
You can enter footnotes of any length, but because the notes are displayed in a small typeface, and they take up room on the document page, it’s best to use endnotes when you want to include notes with a lot of commentary.
When you’re ready to insert a footnote or endnote in your document, follow these steps:
Click where you want to add the footnote or endnote.
On the References tab, in the Footnotes group, click either the Insert Footnote or Insert Endnote command.
The reference marker is added (to the bottom of the current page, for a footnote, or on the last page of the document, for an endnote). Default values are used to determine the reference marker, the format, and the numbering sequence of the notes.
Type the text for the note.
You can modify a number of footnote and endnote settings to customize the way the notes appear. For example, you might want to use letters instead of numbers as the reference marks; or perhaps you would like to insert a symbol to indicate a footnote or endnote instead of using traditional numbers or letters.
Another change you might want to make involves the sequencing of the notes. If you are working on a collaborative document and have divided a master document into subdocuments for assignment to different team members, you might want to start the footnote numbering at a number other than 1. You can do this by changing the Start At value in the Footnote And Endnote dialog box (see Figure 10-20).
Display the Footnote And Endnote dialog box by clicking the dialog launcher in the lower-right corner of the Footnotes group on the References tab. Then follow these steps to customize the default settings:
In the Location section of the Footnote And Endnote dialog box, click either the Footnotes or Endnotes option.
In the Format section, click the Number Format arrow and then choose the numbering scheme you want to use for the note reference marks that identify your footnotes or endnotes (depending on which item you selected).
You’ll find all the traditional choices—numeric, alphabetic, and roman numerals—plus something different: a collection of special symbols. You can choose your own special symbol by clicking Symbol and choosing the symbol you want to use from the displayed gallery in the Symbol dialog box.
If you want to start the footnote or endnote with a number other than 1, click in the Start At box and then type the number you want.
To indicate that you want footnote and endnote numbering to restart at the beginning of each new section, choose Restart Each Section in the Numbering box.
If you have divided your document into sections, you can change the default value in the Apply Changes option.
Click the arrow to display your choices—you can leave the default setting of Whole Document or choose This Section.
Click Insert to add the note with your customized settings.
Note
The complete footnote and endnote references are visible only in Print Layout and Full Screen Reading view by default. If you want to display and perhaps edit a footnote while working in Web Layout, Outline, or Draft view, simply double-click the reference marker. This opens the Footnotes pane at the bottom of the Word window where you can view and edit the note as needed.
If you want to move a footnote or endnote from one position to another, drag the footnote or endnote marker in the text to the new location. If you want to move the mark to a location that’s too far away to drag, you can cut and paste the mark by using Ctrl+X to cut and Ctrl+V to paste.
Note
If the position to which you move the footnote precedes another footnote, Word changes the numbering automatically.
If you have a footnote or endnote you plan to use more than once, you can copy a note reference mark instead of typing a duplicate entry. Simply select the note reference mark and then press and hold Ctrl while dragging the mark to the new place in the document.
When you want to remove a footnote or endnote from your document, go to the place in the document where the note reference mark appears and delete it. Simply removing the text in the Footnotes or Endnotes pane doesn’t remove the note itself—Word will still keep the note reference mark in place and reserve the space at the bottom or end of your document for the note content.
Note
If you do customize the margins of your page in order to adjust the amount of space allowed for footnotes, be sure to preview your page and output a test print before printing your final document.
For best results, try to keep your footnotes short—one or two lines if possible. If you need to insert a long footnote, consider converting it to an endnote so that it can be placed at the end of the document.
When you’re working on a long document in which you want to refer to other parts of the document, you can use cross-references to help readers find the information they seek. Word lets you add cross-references to a number of different elements in your document, including captions, headings, footnotes and endnotes, and bookmarks.
Tip
You can create cross-references only within the current document. You might create a reference at the beginning of a long report, for example, that points readers to a table in a later section that lists statistics related to a new study. However, you can’t create a cross-reference to a table in another document.
If you’re working with master documents and subdocuments, be sure to maximize the master document by clicking Expand Subdocuments in the Master Documents group on the Outlining tab. This makes all text accessible before you enter cross-references.
When you’re ready to create a cross-reference, start by placing the insertion point where you want the cross-reference to appear in your document. Then follow these steps:
Add the text that refers to the cross-reference (for example, you might use a phrase such as “To review the results of our survey, see”).
On the References tab, click Cross-reference in the Captions group. The Cross-reference dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 10-21.
Click the Reference type arrow and then make your selection. You can choose from the following document elements:
Numbered Item. Lists all the text entries beginning with a number
Heading. Shows all headings based on Word’s outline levels or Heading 1, 2, or 3 styles
Bookmark. Displays all the bookmarks currently listed in the document
Footnote. Shows all the footnotes inserted in the document
Endnote. Lists the endnotes you have created
Equation. Shows any equations you’ve inserted in the document
Table. Shows all available tables in the document
Click the Insert Reference To arrow and then choose the element you want Word to insert in the document.
This item will be inserted at the insertion point.
Select the item to which you want to refer by clicking it in the For Which list box, and then click Insert
Word adds the cross-reference to your document as you directed.
Click Close to return to your document.
You can edit and delete the text that introduces a cross-reference the same way you would modify any other text in your document. If you want to modify the item to which a reference refers, you need to make a different kind of change. Here are the steps:
Select the item inserted as the cross-reference (for example, you might select Table 1-1).
Display the Cross-reference dialog box by clicking Cross-reference in the Captions group on the References tab.
In the For Which list in the Cross-reference dialog box, click the new item to which you want the cross-reference to refer.
Click Insert, and then click the Close button to close the Cross-reference dialog box.
In this chapter you learned about the many ways you can edit and extend the content in your document. From the basics of using the spelling checker and customizing dictionaries to the ins and outs of the grammar checker and AutoCorrect features, this chapter showed you how Word 2010 helps you make sure your content is as accurate as possible. The second half of this chapter focused on the ways in which you can add references of all types to the documents you create. Whether you plan on using footnotes, endnotes, cross-references, or adding a bibliography to your document, you can easily add, edit, and control the format of your references so they add to the impact of your work and give your readers the information they need.