Navigating Microsoft Word

for dissertation writing

PROJ519

EQ-UZ-HY
Dr Jason Truscott
Student Learning Services
Additional support
• Information Specialists (Library)
• Help with searching for references
• Using Endnote
• Reading lists
• Navigating databases for literature reviews and related
• https://plymouth.libguides.com/

• Digital Champions (Library and Café)

• Student help with software
• Located Group study area/library/Writing Café
Where to find ALL the help and support
• plymouth.ac.uk (login via portal)
• Select study support (see 1)
• ‘Academic Skills support’ (see 2)

2
• Choose options on next screen
1
Why use Microsoft Word?
• Free for all students – Part of Office 365
• Links directly with your OneDrive (Students have 1 TB of storage!)
• OneDrive saves/syncs file on your hard drive and cloud
• File is saved in two locations, hard drive and cloud
• Active internet connection typically allows syncing in real-time
• Cross-compatibility with PowerPoint, Excel and other Microsoft
software.
• Objects embedded are fully editable (mostly), including graphs and tables
copied from Excel.
Useful functionality
• The ability to automatically create:
• Table of contents
• Table of figures and tables
• Auto-numbering of sub-headings and
caption headings
• Basic endnote/footnote functionality built-
in.
• Endnote online is available (Information
Specialist), very useful for large reference
lists
• Add equations
• Cross-reference automations
Getting started
Utilising both offline and online versions
• You have the option to download Word and install (recommended)
• Better ability to display print layouts, not at the mercy of internet connection!
• Allows extra addons
• Easier for equations
• Online version: user experience varies with browsers
• Browser base word is good for quick editing
• Both can utilise a OneDrive Sync of the document (internet needed)
• Good internet definitely needed!
How do I know when OneDrive is syncing?
Auto save only runs when you have the file in OneDrive
How do I know when OneDrive is syncing?
Auto save is now working OneDrive
As long as you have an internet connection it will upload also
MS Word in OneDrive – Online version

Online version always gives the option to save to OneDrive.

Choose your folders wisely

 MS Word and OneDrive remember to move
your file to a folder

1. Select this

2. Choose a folder in OneDrive

Adding Equations
Very easy:

1. Select Insert > Equation or press Alt + =

2. Select the equation you need.
3. See the ribbon for
more Structures and Convert options.

• Provides basic and complex examples

• Dedicated Microsoft Word ribbon when
enabled
Adding Equations ‘Alt’ button and ‘=‘ (equals)

It is possible to move the equation object, and it will move with text
Adding Equations ‘Alt’ button and ‘=‘ (equals)

Select the equation and you can resize the text

Style sheets in Word
Automates various headings, subheadings and captions

Text assigned styles makes auto-formatting very easy

Let look at some elements now…

Table of contents
Summary………………………………………………i
Acknowledgments……………………………….ii
Glossary of acronyms/abbreviations..…iii
1 Introduction………………………………………1
1.1 xxxxxxxx……………………………………….1
2 Main body..……………………………………….3
2.1 xxxxxxxx.……………………………………..4
2.1.2 xxxxxxxxxx……………………………5

And so on….
Title page: Typical scientific/technical report
Summary (Abstract)
Acknowledgments - thanks or recognition
Table of contents
Glossary of acronyms/abbreviations
1. Introduction (Sets scene: project aims,
objectives and background)
2. Literature review
2.1 may contain subcategories
3. Main body
3.1 Discussions about 1st topic:
Describe, analyse and evaluate
3.2 Discussions about 2nd topic:
Describe, analyse and evaluate
4. Conclusions
Are a summary of the evaluations

References (sources that are used in the main text)

Bibliography (Sources read but not used in text)
Appendix/Appendices
Let's work
on a document
A closer look at functionality
Demonstration in Word
This slide intentionally vague – demonstration will be live
Additional help

• Information Specialists (Endnote)

https://plymouth.libguides.com/endnoteonline
• Digital Champions (NEW!) – Ask at Writing Café as to when the
Champions are available to support you with software
• Microsoft 365 help University of Plymouth:
https://liveplymouthac.sharepoint.com/sites/u348/o365/SitePages/
Microsoft%20365.aspx
• LinkedIn Learning is available to all students and staff, there is a large
section on Word training
https://www.linkedin.com/learning/topics/microsoft-
word?u=26140778 browse through or filter.
LinkedIn Learning course example

• Information Specialists (Endnote)

https://plymouth.libguides.com/endnoteonline
• Digital Champions (NEW!) – Ask at Writing Café as to when the
Champions are available to support you with software
• Microsoft 365 help University of Plymouth:
https://liveplymouthac.sharepoint.com/sites/u348/o365/SitePages/
Microsoft%20365.aspx
• LinkedIn Learning is available to all students and staff, there is a large
section on Word training
https://www.linkedin.com/learning/topics/microsoft-
word?u=26140778 browse through or filter.
Microsoft training
Office 365: https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/training
Remember…
• Digital Champions (Library and Café)
• Student help with software
• Located Group study area/library/Writing Café
Questions?
Feedback on Jason’s workshop - direct to Jason

bit.ly/394fLnG