Microsoft Word:
What you need to know for your
Legal Analysis Writing and
Research (LAWR) Class
Microsoft Word
Both Word 2013 for
Windows PC and Word 2011
for Apple-Mac platforms
Download (Word) Office
Windows
•
Google “ub software download”
–
Click on first result: “Downloading Software…”
Apple
How to Format an Appellate Brief:
Guide to formatting an appellate brief using Word and a PC or a MAC
Why is this important?
• Your respective faculty want to focus on teaching legal
research and writing skills and not spend class time
teaching the features of Microsoft Word
• Easily
preventable
formatting
mistakes may
needlessly
cost you
points on your
assignments!
Quick Access
Toolbar
Basic Terminology:
Ribbon:
Menu /
Interface
Tabs:
Navigation
Page &
Word
Count
Status Bar
(View) Layout &
Zoom-In/Out
MAC WORD TERMINOLOGY
Tabs
Groups
Word Toolbar
Tool Ribbon
Status Bar
How to Set Font Type
1. Click the Home Tab on the ribbon
2. In the Font group you will see a
drop down menu for the font types
3. Font types are listed alphabetically
4. Word offers a Recently Used Fonts
section at the top of the listing
How to Set Font Size
1. Click the Home Tab on the ribbon
2. In the Font group you will see a
drop down menu for the font sizes
3. Font size can be selected from the
listing or a specific size can be typed
in at the top
Mac: How to Set Font Type and Size
Under the home menu select font type and size or set under Font tab in the top menu
Use the Font increase or decrease buttons
in the tool bar
How to Insert Symbols (¶ § ©, etc.)
1. Click the Insert Tab on the ribbon
2. Click on Symbol menu on the far right
3. If you don’t see the symbol in the quick view
window, click on the ‘More Symbols’ option at the
bottom of the drop down menu
4. Select the symbol and click Insert
Next time…
Mac: How to Insert symbols ¶ § ©
Select insert tab in top WORD ribbon followed by symbols in the drop down, select
“ Symbol Browser”
Setting Indentation of Paragraphs and Headings
1. Click the View tab and check the box labeled “Ruler” if
the Ruler does not appear by default
Creating a First-Line Indent with the Ruler
2. Place cursor where
you want to add the
indent
3. On the Ruler, drag
the First Line Indent
Marker (the top
triangle located on
the left side of the
ruler) to the position
where you want the
text to start
Mac: Creating a First-Line Indent with the Ruler
Paragraph Indentation
1.
2.
Left click to highlight the relevant paragraph(s)
Slide the left and right indents to the desired locations on the ruler.
• Bluebook Rule 5.1
Paragraph Indentation (cont’d)
3. Justify the paragraph (under Home tab)
• Bluebook Rule 5.1
Mac: Paragraph Indentation
1. Select paragraph, use first-line and hanging indent marks; indent right
2. Use increase indent buttons in the paragraph tool group
How to Set Margins - Document
1. Click the Page Layout tab on the ribbon
2. Click on Margins
3. There are a variety of options to choose from. If your professor
requests a unique margin setting then choose the Custom Margins
option at the bottom of the drop down menu
How to Set Margins – Within Document
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Highlight the text you want to indent
Click the Page Layout Tab on the ribbon
Click on Margins
Choose the Custom Margins option at the bottom of the drop down menu
and specify the dimensions necessary
Choose Selected text from the menu
Mac: How to Set Margins-Within Document
Creating and Indenting Bullet Points and Outline Sections
Under the Home Tab, select from the outline options on the ribbon;
there are three types to chose from and an option to customize your
outline. Use Tab (right) and Shift + Tab (left) to change levels.
Creating and Indenting Bullet Points and Outline Sections
From Tool Ribbon select
“bullets and numbers”
Make your selection or
customize bullets or numbers
How to Adjust Line Spacing
1. Place cursor in blank document or highlight
relevant paragraphs
2. From Home tab, select the Line and Paragraph
Spacing option
3. Under Line Spacing choose ‘Exactly’
4. Next choose the specific spacing (such as 24
pt.) or type in the spacing number requested
by your faculty member
Mac: How to Adjust Line Spacing
Under the document home tab
select the line spacing button.
Line spacing options are the same as for PC
Select “exactly then enter spacing number
How to Add or Remove Extra Space
Before or After a Paragraph
1. Highlight the paragraph(s) you would like to change
2. Under the Home tab, click the Line and Paragraph
Spacing menu and select the appropriate option
Mac uses a very similar spacing button
Insertion of nonbreaking or "hard" spaces
• Nonbreaking spaces are used to keep two words
together, avoiding separation by line breaks.
– Hold down Ctrl and Shift as you press the Spacebar and
Word will not break the line between the selected text.
• The same method works for Mac.
MAC
Find and Replace
• From the Home tab, select either Find or Replace on the
far right-hand side of the screen or use CTRL + F
Mac: Find and Replace
• Search in Mac using the field next to the
magnifying glass icon
Using Spelling and Grammar Check
• Located under the Review tab
•
For Mac, click “Spelling and Grammar” under Tools in the top menu bar
• Remember to reproof your document manually!
– avoid complete reliance on spelling and grammar check
Managing AutoCorrect and other proofing options
1. Click File tab
2. Select Options, then Proofing
3. Make desired changes
Enable (disable) for ALL CAPS
or numbers
Enable or disable
spell check and
grammar features
Mac: Manage AutoCorrect
Select auto correct under tools (top menu)
How to Turn off Superscript (2nd, 3rd, 4th)
1. Click the File Tab on the ribbon
2. Select Options, then Proofing in the pop up window
3. Click the Auto Correct Options button
4. Select the AutoFormat As You Type tab, uncheck the box labeled
Ordinals with superscript and click OK
BB Rule 10
Mac: How to Turn off Superscript (4th, 5th, 6th)
Setting the Passive Voice Check
Passive Voice Notification
Mac: Setting the Passive Check
Inserting Page Numbers
• Formatting page #’s
Mac: Inserting Page Numbers
Select insert page number under the
inset tab in the menu bar, or under
document elements select “page #”
in the document menu
Inserting Page Breaks
• Place cursor at the desired location for the page break
• Under the Page Layout tab, click the Breaks drop down menu and
select Next Page
Changing Page Number Fonts Within the Same Document
Double click the top margin of
the page after the inserted
break
Select Arabic page numbers for
the remainder of the document.
On the ensuing “Header & Footer Tools”
tab, de-select “Link to Previous”
Mac: Inserting Page Breaks
Place curser at the location
desired for the page break
Select page break under the layout
tab or page break from the
inset tab on the top menu bar
Changing page format within a document
Creating Section Headings
1.
2.
3.
Insert page numbers
Select headings to be included in the Table of
Contents by holding Ctrl and left-clicking
(highlighting) each one
Choose heading format under Home tab
Building a Table of Contents
1. Place cursor at
the location
desired for the
Table of Contents
2. Under the
References tab
select the Table of
Contents menu
3. Choose desired format
for Table of Contents
Completed Table of Contents
Mac: Creating a Table of Contents
Under the Home tab click Headings
under Styles
Go to Document Elements tab and
create your table of contents
Creating Table of Authorities (under References tab)
2. Place cursor at the location the
table needs to be inserted and
click OK
1. Select and Mark your citations
Creating a Table of Authorities For Mac
•
•
•
•
Highlight citation in your document
Go to Insert (at top Word tool bar)
Select Index & Tables
select Table of Authorities
Enable Text-To-Speech (TTS)
Select Speech in Word Options
and add to Tool Bar
Select text to be read with your cursor
and click on the speech button in the
tool bar; an automated voice will read
the outlined text aloud
Text to Speech for Mac
• From system ribbon select “system preferences”
• In system preferences box check “speak selected
text”
• Highlight text for speech
• On Mac keyboard push keys option and ese to start
speech audio via speakers
Tracking Changes
Mac: Turn of tracking by unchecking
“Highlight Changes” options.
To turn off tracking click “Track Changes”
until blue highlight is off
Using Shortcut Keys
See handout for a more extensive listing of shortcuts
Law Library Website:
• Access our slides and instructional videos on MS Word
Database Access
• Please verify that you have all 4
documents in your envelope:
• WestlawNext (TWEN)
• Lexis Advance
• Bloomberg Law
• CALI
Student Services Librarian
Student
Services
Brian Detweiler
211a O’Brian Hall
briandet@buffalo.edu