5.4 (p.91) Step-by-step instructions for tracking changes.

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Here are three ways you can use your word processor to track changes you have made to a draft:

1. When you begin to revise a document, turn on TRACK CHANGES (REVISION MARKING). This feature will mark any changes you make in the document. (Note: Not all word processors offer this feature.) To turn on TRACK CHANGES, go to TOOLS on the menu bar and click on TRACK CHANGES and then on HIGHLIGHT CHANGES.

A text box will appear and you will have the option of tracking documents while you edit, highlighting changes on the screen, and highlighting changes on the printed text. Click the boxes for the options you want.

The graphic below illustrates a text with revision marks.

2. If you forgot to turn on TRACK CHANGES, you may still be able to compare two versions of a document by selecting the DOCUMENT COMPARE or COMPARE VERSIONS feature of the word-processing program.

a. Select the files you want to compare. Open one of your documents then go to TOOLS on the menu bar, and then to TRACK CHANGES, and then click on COMPARE DOCUMENTS.


Then you will have to open the document you want to compare. Once you've opened your revised document, follow the instructions above to TRACK CHANGES.

Once you have both documents open, go to WINDOW on the menu bar and go to ARRANGE ALL. This will open two windows on the screen so you can compare your two documents, as shown below.

b. Check to see that your revisions were substantive; that is, you did not merely tinker with the text but actually added, deleted, and rearranged.

If your word processor does not have DOCUMENT COMPARE, open both files concurrently in two windows and scan for differences.

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