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Essential Concepts

File Creation and Text Formatting

Templates are pre-formatted documents that you can edit rather than starting from a blank page. You can use a template that comes with Word, download one from the internet, or create your own. A template will be saved as a .dotx extension instead of .docx.

When formatting text you can go beyond the basics of font, color, underline by including text effects like outline, bevel, shadow, glow, and reflection.

Watermarks and Icons

A watermark is a faint background text or image. Generally you’ll find this in the Design tab but it may also be located in the Page Layout area. Watermarks are useful for indicating the ownership of a document or informing a reader that the document is a draft.

An icon is a small graphic that can add visual interest and familiarity to a document. You can use icons to draw the reader’s attention to certain information such as using the Facebook logo next to the company’s facebook page name.

Citations

Citations are what give credit to sources. Sources should receive credit for contributing to your report, but citations are also vital to avoid plagiarism. Both Microsoft Word and Google Docs have a citation tool that will help you write citations in either APA or MLA format.

Mail Merge

A mail merge can automate the creation of personalized letters or emails. A merge usually requires two documents—the data source file that contains the variable information to be inserted, and a main document with the text and fields that identify where the variable data is to be inserted.

Glossary

bevel

3d effects applied to the edges of an object, such as text or shapes, to make them appear raised or pressed.

citation

a reference to a source of information, typically used in academic and professional writing to give credit to the original author.

glow

a visual effect that adds a soft, colored light around the edges of text or objects to make them stand out.

icon

a small graphical representation or symbol that represents a program, file, function, or a particular feature in software.

Mail Merge

a process that allows users to create personalized documents by combining a template with a data source, commonly used for generating letters, labels, and emails.

outline

a line that is drawn around the edges of text or shapes to define its boundaries and make it more prominent.

reflection

a visual effect that creates a mirrored image of text or objects, often used to give a sense of depth.

shadow

a visual effect that creates the illusion of a light source casting a shadow behind text or objects, adding depth and dimension.

template

a pre-designed document or file that provides a structure and layout for creating new documents with a consistent format.

text effect

a feature that applies visual enhancements to text, such as shadows, reflections, glow, and bevels, to make it more visually appealing.

watermark

a faint background image or text that appears on documents, often used for branding or to indicate confidentiality.