5.1 (p.85) Formatting tips to make revising easier.

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1. Change the way your text looks in any of these ways.

a. Change the spacing of your text lines from double to triple. To do this, highlight the text, then click on FORMAT on the menu bar. Then click on PARAGRAPH.

A text box will appear. Then click on the Indents and Spacing tab. Go to LINE SPACING in the bottom right-hand corner. Change the spacing to Multiple AT 3. Click on OK.

Another way to change the spacing is to highlight your text and then right-click on the mouse. A formatting menu will appear, and you can select PARAGRAPH from there and make the same changes as above (after selecting your text).


By triple spacing your text, you are leaving plenty of room to write in revisions between the lines.

b. Change the font size from 12-point font to 15 point. To do this, highlight the text and then go to FORMAT on the menu bar and click on FONT.

The following text box will appear, and from here select SIZE and change it from 12 to 16.

Another way to change the font is to highlight your text and then right-click on the mouse. A formatting menu will appear, and you can select FONT from there and make the same changes as above.

Enlarging the font size of your text will make it easier to read while you're revising. The graphic below illustrates this point.


c. Insert a page break after each paragraph. To do this, select the paragraph that you want to follow the page break. Then on the FORMAT menu, click PARAGRPAH.

Then click the Line and Page Breaks tab and select the Page break before check box. By checking this box you will ensure that there will be a new page for every paragraph. This option will allow plenty of room at the bottom of every page for you to write notes about revisions.

d. Change the margin width from 1 inch to 2 inches. To do this, go to the FILE menu and then PAGE SETUP.

Click on the Margins tab and then change the margins to 2 inches and then click on OK.

Like changing the line spacing and page breaks, 2-inch margins will give you more room to write your revisions. See example below.

2. Save the reformatted text under a different name.

3. Print out the reformatted text.

4. Read each paragraph of the printed text carefully, using the Critical Reading Questions for Revision (see page 87 of your book).

5. Write suggestions for revisions in the margins.

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