STYLE GUIDE Computer Applications

Winter 2018

How do I navigate through this style guide? You can navigate through this document by clicking on a topic in the table of contents. Each topic is hyperlinked to its corresponding page in the document. Each page number is hyperlinked to return you to the start of the document.

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Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 1

Electronic Mail and Discussion Board Posts ............................................................................................. 2

Memorandums ............................................................................................................................................. 6

Business Letters Styles ................................................................................................................................ 8

Merge Instructions Review for Word 2016 .............................................................................................. 9

Notes for Printing Merge Documents ..................................................................................................... 11

No Spacing versus Normal Style – Mail Merge ...................................................................................... 12

Sample - Business Letter — No Spacing Style ........................................................................................ 13

Sample - Business Letter - Normal Style .................................................................................................. 14

Sample - Two-Page Business Letter with Enclosure Notation — Normal Style .................................. 15

Formatting Dates and Time ...................................................................................................................... 17

Tables and Figures ...................................................................................................................................... 19

Heading Levels ............................................................................................................................................ 23

Vertical Lists and Horizontal Lists ............................................................................................................ 25

Working with Computer Graphics and Images ...................................................................................... 28

Typography ................................................................................................................................................. 31

Working with Columns ............................................................................................................................. 34

Deleting an Unwanted Blank Page .......................................................................................................... 37

MLA Style Sample Report .......................................................................................................................... 40

PowerPoint Presentation Advice .............................................................................................................. 47

How to Make an Effective Presentation .................................................................................................. 49

Endnotes ..................................................................................................................................................... 51

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Introduction

What is a style guide?

A style guide is a document that sets standards for the presentation and design of communication materials. Its use is essential in writing, whether for academic papers, published articles, business promotions, government documents, or Web pages. Common style guides in academics include MLA, APA, and the Turabian format, which is a revision of the Chicago Manual of Style. Business organizations create style guides to use as a reference point inside their organizations. They are used to set standards for writing documents, guiding writers to use the organization’s preferred style.

The Computer Applications Program has provided a style guide to be used by students when creating and formatting documents for program courses.

How do I navigate through this style guide?

You can navigate through this document by clicking on a topic in the table of contents. Each topic is hyperlinked to its corresponding page in the document. Each page number is hyperlinked to return you to the start of the document.

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Electronic Mail and Discussion Board Posts

Electronic Mail (E-mail or Email) The purpose of email is to relay and receive information quickly. It is a courtesy to state your point early and to keep each message as brief as possible. Although emails are perceived as an informal form of communication, it is important to remember your audience. If you are writing in a business setting or to an instructor, a professional, less casual tone is more appropriate. You may avoid a blunt tone by

including an appropriate greeting and closing in an email writingi.

Is it Appropriate and Complete?

Use a subject line that states your topic clearly whether you are writing an email message or responding to one.

Use the conventions of academic English. If you want your message taken seriously, be sure it is written clearly and error free. Proofread

email messages just as you would other writing.

How Does it Sound?

Tone is very hard to convey in online communication. Do not use harsh tones or rude and insulting language. What you intend as sarcasm or as a joke may come across as an insult.

Some readers find messages in ALL CAPS difficult to read, and many readers find ALL CAPS offensive.

Use a formal tone along with a formal greeting and closing when writing to someone you do not know or to an authority such as an instructor or supervisor.

Think carefully about communicating by email when privacy is an important factor. Online communications can be printed or forwarded easily.

Is it Readable?

Consider your readers by giving them only the information they need. The length and style of your message will vary depending on the subject at hand and your

recipient’s expectations. Break long paragraphs into shorter paragraphs. When a message has several points, consider creating sections with headings.

Does it Look Appropriate?

Avoid using color fonts or other special formats. Customized colors and fonts may not appear on your reader’s screen as you intend.

Before attaching files or text or visuals, check with your recipient to make sure they will be able to download them.ii

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Sample Emails

Use what you’ve just learned to explain why Student 2’s email to Professor Jones is more effective than the email written by Student 1. How does the tone of the messages differ? What makes Student 2’s email look and sound more appropriate? What are the elements that contribute to its clarity? If you were Professor Jones and you received both emails, how would you respond to each one?

Email from Student 1:

hey, i need help on my paper can i come by your office tomorrow

thx

Email from Student 2:

Hi Dr. Jones,

I am in your ENGL 101 class on Thursdays, and I have a question about the paper that is due next Tuesday. I’m not sure that I understand what is meant by the following sentence in the prompt:

“Write a 10-page paper arguing for or against requiring ENGL 101 for all UNC freshmen and provide adequate support for your point of view.”

I am not sure what you would consider “adequate” support. Would using three sources be o.k.?

Can I come by your office tomorrow at 2:00 pm to talk to you about my question? Please let me know if that fits your schedule. If not, I could also come by on Friday after 1:00.

Thank you,

Tim Smith

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Here are two versions of an email from a supervisor, Jane Doe, to a group of her employees. Which version do you think is most effective? Why?

Version 1 of Jane Doe’s Email:

Subject: tomorrow As you know, tomorrow afternoon we’ll be meeting to discuss the status of all of our current projects. Donuts will be provided. Be sure to arrive on time and bring along teh materials you have been working on this week—bring enough copies for everyone. Some of these material might include your calendars, reports, and any important emails you have sent. Also, I wanted to remind you that your parking permit requests are due later this week; you should turn those in to Ms. Jones, and if she is not at her desk when you stop by, you can email them to her.

Version 2 of Jane Doe’s Email:

Subject: materials for Wed. staff meeting

Hi, everyone—

For tomorrow’s 3 p.m. staff meeting in the conference room, please bring 15 copies of the following materials:

Your project calendar Your one-page progress report Your goals for next month Your progress report messages sent to clients

See you tomorrow—

Janeiii

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Discussion Board Posts Writing for your course's discussion board is not like posting on Facebook, Twitter, or the comments section of news websites. Posting on the course discussion board isn't quite like writing a paper either, but it's close. It counts toward your grade and furthermore creates your most visible image in the class. When writing posts on a discussion board, use appropriate language, grammar, and punctuation. Avoid the use of slang or text-speak (course-specific jargon is fine). Avoid using all CAPS when posting to the Discussion Board. It is the online equivalent of shouting. Forego fancy formatting, decorative fonts, unusual text colors, and all animation. Proofread your work before posting to make sure it doesn't contain errors. Mixing up "they're,” "their," and "there" counts against you if you're trying to appear knowledgeable.

Be sure to read the instructor's guidelines before getting started. You may be required to post or respond to a certain number of posts during the term, so make sure you post to the correct question or response. Be sure to respond accurately and remain on topic. Check the most recent postings before you reply to an older comment, since the issue might be resolved or opinions may have changed.

When responding to student posts, consider offering alternative examples and viewpoints to move the conversation forward. Comment on what you liked in a specific part of a post and why. Follow up with open-ended questions to encourage others to respond and continue the conversation. Provide links to support facts in your posts. Be sure to verify that your sources are reputable and authoritative.

The course discussion board is not the place for every question. Use email to contact a classmate if you're working on a project together or you have a question directly addressed to your instructor. Save the discussion board for topics and questions relevant to the whole class. Be realistic about when to expect an answer. Be patient if you don't get an answer to your post right away. Twenty-four or forty-eight hours is realistic.

Understand that the discussion board is a learning forum. No matter what you're studying, certain topics inevitably arouse strong feelings. People may disagree. However, it is best to assume that no one is trying to be intentionally disagreeable. Always give people the benefit of the doubt. Even if you disagree or a post invokes a passionate response, remember that your responses should always be courteous and polite. Take a few minutes to decide whether or not engaging in a provocative thread will be helpful to the topic or fuel the conflict. People learn from respectful dialogue more than from anger and rudeness. Avoid sarcastic jokes or “just kidding” responses, even as a joke, without hearing your tone, your peers may not realize you are just fooling around.iv

Remember that admission to and participation in PCC as students carries with it the presumption that the students will conduct themselves as responsible members of the PCC community. Students are obligated to observe all PCC standards of conduct.

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Memorandums Memorandums (also called interoffice memos or memos) are printed documents that contain an organization’s logo and guide words (To, From, Date, Subject) at the top. Memos have been replaced largely by emails.

Formatting for Memos

1. Start at the top one-inch margin of the blank document. 2. Key in the guide words as seen in the sample provided.

a. Press the enter key once if you are using the default style Normal. b. Press the enter key twice if you are using the No Spacing style. c. Align the text following the guide words by tabbing twice. Never use the space bar to

align the text after the guide words. In word processing, spaces are used only between words and at the end of a sentence.

3. Align the left margin of the message with the guide words. 4. Double space after the Subject line. 5. Single space the memo with an extra blank line between the paragraphs. 6. Signing your name or initials next to the typed name at the top of the memo is optional. 7. Do not place a signature at the bottom of the memo. 8. Key the reference line after one blank line at the end of the text in the memo.v

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Memo using Word Normal Style

Memorandums (or memos) are quick correspondence within an organization. They have a one-inch top margin, which means that there are no extra enters at the beginning of a memo. ¶

The guide words (TO, FROM, DATE, SUBJECT) begin at the margin. They may be keyed either in all capital letters or formatted for bold in lower case. You may see some variation in the order of the guide words in other textbooks. ¶

Use tab to align the text following the guide words. Depending on the font size used, you may need to enter more than one tab, so the text aligns. Do not use spaces to align the text after the guide words. In word processing, spaces are used only between words and at the end of a sentence. ¶

Press the enter key only once If you are using the default style Normal. Press enter twice (leaves two blank lines) after the subject line if you are using the no spacing style. Single space the memo with an extra blank line between paragraphs. The reference line (including your initials and the saved name of the memo) follows after one blank line. ¶

xx file name ¶

guide words

tabs

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Business Letters Styles Business letters are formatted in several styles. From the Modified block style to the Semi-block style to the more formal style Full block style. The Full block letter style is the one we will be using in our courses. The formatting is the most streamlined with all lines beginning at the left margin.

Mixed Punctuation The most popular punctuation style for business letters is mixed punctuation. In this format, a colon follows the salutation, and a comma appears after the complimentary close. Use no other closing punctuation marks except those concluding an abbreviation or ones appearing within the body of the letter. When using the Insert Greeting line block feature in Word, be sure to change the line format from the comma to a colon.vi

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Merge Instructions Review for Word 2016

1. Before you begin the merge process, change styles from Normal to the No Spacing style.

2. Choose Mailings from the Tab on the Ribbon.

3. Start Mail Merge, choose Letters.

4. Going across the ribbon, the next step is to choose Select Recipients. You will either create a new list or use an existing one if you have already saved a list.

5. If this is a new list, choose type a new list. If this is not a new list, you will use an existing list and browse your storage device for the correct database list. Save this database list to your storage device. Do not save to the “C” drive or hard drive.

6. Begin formatting the letter. Type the date at the proper position for a business letter. After typing the date, provide the appropriate spacing before the inside address.

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7. Choose “Address Block” from the ribbon section “Write and Insert Fields”. Be sure you have chosen “No Spacing” style or your inside address will look double-spaced.

8. Insert “Greeting Line”. Be sure to choose the colon for the proper punctuation following the date. A comma is not appropriate. Enter once and begin typing the text of the letter. Finish the letter with the appropriate closing and signature line.

9. Choose Preview Results. This step will allow you to preview to make sure all addresses are correct and the letter is properly formatted. If all information is correct, save as the main document. This document will contain only one letter. If you turn off the “preview results” button, you will see the merge fields you inserted at “address block” and “greeting line”.

10. The final step is to choose Finish and Merge.

11. Once you choose Finish and Merge, select Edit individual letters to view the final merge document that will show each letter. Save this document as the merged letter file separately from the main document.

12. If you find proofreading errors in your document, you need to go back to the main document to edit. If you find errors in the addresses and names, you will need to edit the recipient list.

13. If you are going to use the main document again and you have closed this document, you must start over with the mailings tab so the recipient list can be chosen.

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Notes for Printing Merge Documents

To Print Main Document

1. After printing and closing the merged documents, the main document will be open.

2. In the main document, you should see the merge fields <<Address Block>>, <<Greeting>>, and so on.

3. Change the reference line to match the saved name. Be sure the words “Main Document” or “MD” are part of the saved file name.

4. Print.

To Print the Data Source File

1. Open Microsoft Access from the Start button.

2. Click File/Open.

3. Find the file. It will have an .mdb extension at the end or an icon with a key on it.

4. Open the file.

5. Click the Office button, then select Print and Print Preview. Click on the Landscape button on the ribbon.

6. Click on the Print button to print the list.

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No Spacing versus Normal Style – Mail Merge No Spacing

When you create a new blank document in Word, by default, the text you start typing will use the Normal style formatting. Change this to the No Spacing style before beginning your mail merge. The No Spacing style has no extra line spacing formatted before or after the line.

The No Spacing style is the style to select when the Address Block feature is used to create a mail merge.

Normal Style

If the Address Block feature is used while the Normal style default line spacing is in place the resulting address block will incorrectly format the document address.

Incorrectly Formatted Address Block using Normal style

Correctly Formatted Address Block using the No Spacing

style

c h a n g e t o

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Sample - Business Letter — No Spacing Style ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ September 30, 20—¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ Mr. John Student ¶ 1000 Anywhere Drive¶ Portland, OR 97001¶ ¶ Dear Mr. Student: ¶ ¶ This is an example of a business letter using the correct format. It will look like this on your monitor; however, the paragraph marks will not print. Leave 5-6 enters before keying the date; this allows room for letterhead information. Use the date format shown on this letter. ¶ ¶ Enter two enters after the date before the inside address. (If the letter is very long or very short, its length may be adjusted here by adding or omitting enters. Leave at least two blank lines.) The inside address is the mailing address of the letter. A courtesy title (Mr., Mrs., Ms.) is placed before the receiver’s name in the inside address. ¶ ¶ Leave one blank line before and after the salutation and between paragraphs. The salutation consists of the word “Dear” and the name of the person to whom the letter is being sent. The name is the last name plus a courtesy title. A colon follows the salutation. ¶ ¶ Leave one blank line before the complimentary close (Sincerely). Press enter two times before the typed signature. (This may be adjusted depending on the length of the letter; leave at least two blank lines.) The reference line consists of your initials, and the name used when saving the document. ¶ ¶ Sincerely, ¶ ¶ ¶ ¶ Barbara Andersen¶ Instructor¶ ¶ xx filename (xx is replaced with your initials)

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Sample - Business Letter - Normal Style

¶ (Press Enter 3 times before keying the date. Start at approximately 1-2 inches on ruler)

¶

¶

September 30, 20—¶

¶

Mr. John Student (press Shift-Enter) 1000 Anywhere Drive (press Shift-Enter) Portland, OR 97001¶

Dear Mr. Student: ¶

This is an example of a business letter using the correct format. It will look like this on your monitor; however, the paragraph marks will not print. Leave 3 enters before keying the date; this allows room for letterhead information. Use the date format shown on this letter. ¶

Enter two enters after the date before the inside address. (If the letter is very long or very short, its length may be adjusted here by adding or omitting enters. Leave at least two blank lines.) The inside address is the mailing address of the letter. A courtesy title (Mr., Mrs., Ms.) is placed before the receiver’s name in the inside address. ¶

Leave one blank line before and after the salutation and between paragraphs. The salutation consists of the word “Dear” and the name of the person to whom the letter is being sent. The name is the first name or the last name plus a courtesy title. A colon follows the salutation. ¶

Leave one blank line before the complimentary close (Sincerely). Press enter two times before the typed signature. (This may be adjusted depending on the length of the letter; leave at least two blank lines.) The reference line consists of your initials, and the name used when saving the document. ¶

Sincerely, ¶

¶

Barbara Andersen (press Shift-Enter) Instructor¶

xx filename (xx is replaced with your initials)

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Sample - Two-Page Business Letter with Enclosure Notation — Normal Style

¶

¶

¶

Today’s Date

¶

Ms. Sara Welborn (press Shift-Enter) Financial Services Company (press Shift-Enter) 300 Hargrave Street (press Shift-Enter) Portland, OR 97249

Dear Ms. Welborn: ¶

This is an example of a two-page business letter using the correct format. It will look like this on your monitor; however, the paragraph marks will not print. Press Enter three times before keying the date; this allows room for letterhead information. Use the date format shown on this letter. ¶

Leave two enters after the date, and before the inside address. (If the letter is very long or very short, its length may be adjusted here by adding or omitting enters. Leave at least one blank line.) The inside address is the mailing address of the letter. A courtesy title (Mr., Mrs., Ms.) is placed before the receiver’s name in the inside address. ¶

To space the address block correctly, press Shift-Enter, instead of just the Enter key, after the 1st three lines of the address block (see above). Pressing the Enter key would insert a blank line after the address lines, which is not the correct format. ¶

Leave one blank line before and after the salutation and between paragraphs. The salutation consists of the word “Dear” and the name of the person to whom the letter is being sent. The name is either the first name or the last name plus a courtesy title. For example, in this letter, you would use Dear Ms. Welborn or Dear Sara for your salutation. Do not use Dear Mrs. Sara Welborn. A colon follows the salutation. ¶

A two-page letter must have a continuation heading on the second page that includes the name of the receiver, the page number, and the date. Use a Blank (3 columns) header to create this continuation heading. Place the name of the receiver on the left side in the header, the page number in the center of the header, and the date at the right of the header. The date style must be as follows: November 14, 2014, not 11/14/14. At least two full lines of the last paragraph must also appear on the second page. Adjust your page breaks and line spacing, if necessary, to accomplish this task. ¶

Press enter 3 times before keying the date line. The continuation heading on page 2 must be placed in a Blank (3 columns) header.

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Ms. Sara Welborn 2 Today’s Date

The closing line is placed at the end of the letter. Leave one blank line before the complimentary close (Sincerely). Leave 3 blank lines (touch enter 2 times) before the typed signature. (This may be adjusted depending on the length of the letter; always leave at least one blank line.) Press Shift-Enter after the Signature name, instead of just the Enter key. This eliminates a blank line between the name and title in the Signature. The reference line consists of your initials, and the name used when saving the document. If you are enclosing a document with your letter, you must include an enclosure notation. ¶

Sincerely, ¶

¶

Ted Brown (press Shift-Enter) President¶

xx filename¶

Enclosure

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Formatting Dates and Time

Formatting Dates

There are two kinds of numbers you can use to talk about a specific day: an ordinal number and a cardinal number. Cardinal numbers represent amounts like one, two, and three. Ordinal numbers represent a place in a series like first, second, and third. I think of cardinal numbers as the numbers you see on playing cards.

When you're writing out a date like January 1, 2016 (in the American style), the day is written as a cardinal number. So you should never write January 1st, 2016. The weird thing though is when you're speaking, even though it is written as January 1, you say, “January first” (1). So when you are reading a date that is written January 1, 2016, you say “January first, two thousand sixteen.” That's probably why a lot of people get confused about how to write it.

The instance in which it is acceptable to use an ordinal number is when you are writing the 1st of January because you are placing the day in a series: of all the days in January, this day is the first. For example, your invitations could say, “Please join us for a party on the 1st of January.” Or “Please join us for a party on the first of January.” In that case, it's correct to use the ordinal number, 1st or firstvii.

Dates, like certain other written expressions, assume certain information on the part of the reader:

One writes January 1, but says “January first.” One writes November 12, but says “November twelfth.”

The only time to use the “th, nd, rd” and “st” with numbers is with ordinal numbers.

Ordinal numbers are those used to indicate a progression:

Ex. first, second, third, fourth, fifth and so on. When written as numerals, they take the little terminals: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6thviii

The following examples apply when using dates:

The meeting is scheduled for June 30. The meeting is scheduled for the 30th of June. We have had tricks played on us on April 1. The 1st of April puts some people on edge. (Some prefer to write it out: The first of April)ix

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Formatting Time

There are at least two acceptable ways to write "a.m." and "p.m.," which are abbreviations for ante meridiem and post meridiem. Ante meridiem is Latin for before noon and post meridiem is Latin for after noon. Note that it is "meridieM," not "meridiaN."

You can write "a.m." and "p.m." as lowercase letters with periods after them (9 a.m. or 1:30 p.m.) or as small capitals without periods (9:30 AM or 1 PM). Either way, there should be a space between the time and the "a.m." or "p.m." that follows. Although small capitals used to be preferred, it's now more common to see lowercase letters followed by periods ("a.m." and "p.m.").x

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Tables and Figures Tables and figures allow document creators to present a large amount of information efficiently and to make their data more understandable. Tables usually present raw data in the form of numbers or text. This information is organized into columns and rows and is used to demonstrate a relationship between various instances presented.xi

Vertical columns in tables are identified by a letter (Column A, for example). Horizontal rows are identified by a number (Row 1, for example). A table cell is identified by the intersection of column letter and row number (Cell Al, for example). Thus, "President" in the following example appears in Cell A I-the intersection of Column A and Row 1.

Column A Column B Row 1 President Juanita Cortes-Perin Row 2 Vice President Paul J. Anchor Row 3 Secretary Rhetta Jackson Row 4 Treasurer Thuy Tran

Figures are visual presentations of outcomes in the form of charts, graphs, illustrations, photos, or maps. They communicate findings that demonstrate trends and patterns of a relationship. Figures should display different information than that presented in a table.

Figure 1 House Blend Incorporated

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

January February March April May June

Sales of Coffee Sold

Regular French Vanilla Decaf

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Sales Bonus Report

Juanita Cortes-Perin $1,200

Paul J. Anchor 1,450

Rhetta Jones 950

Imogene Corker 1,315

Leon Smith 1,950

xx File Name

This is a sample of a boxed table that applies AutoFit and is centered horizontally and vertically. Columns of money amounts must use right alignment.

Horizontally Centering: Place the cursor within the table structure; right click your mouse for drop-down menu. Choose Table Properties, click on Table tab, Alignment, and Center.

Vertically Centering: From the Page Layout tab, click the Page Setup dialog box launcher (located in bottom right corner of the page setup group). Click the layout tab, click the vertical alignment drop-down arrow and choose center.

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VICE PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH SCHEDULE Harry Wasson, Coordinator

Site Visitation September 13-16 Alan C. Wingett On-Site Interviews September 14-15 Chad Spencer Preliminary Decisions September 23 Sherri Jordan New York Visits October 4-7 Pedro Martin Evaluation Conference October 8 Sherri Jordan Final Decision October 10 Gerald J. Pearson

xx file name

This is a sample of an open table that is centered horizontally and vertically and includes a title and subtitle. The titles are created using merge cells and the gridlines are removed. Titles must use center alignment.

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Types of Tables

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Heading Levels Headings help organize and structure documents, grouping and separating the major sections and subsections, with each section identifying a topic. Well-designed headings can help not only readers but also writers understand the organization of a document. Headings are relative to the number of content levels found in a document.xii

Use Level 1 Headings for Sections Body text here.

Use Level 2 Headings for Sub-Sections Body text here.

Use Level 3 Headings for Key Paragraphs

For example:

When creating a report, be sure that headings are on the same page as the following body text. If the heading is on a different page, adjust your spacing so they are together.

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Documents such as academic papers may only use one or two levels, but more complicated works can use up to four levels. Headings not only help to organize and guide the reader, they can also be used to create your Table of Contents.

Table of Contents Type chapter title (level 1) ................................................................................................................... 1 Type chapter title (level 2) ............................................................................................................ 2 Type chapter title (level 3) ..................................................................................................... 3 Type chapter title (level 1) ................................................................................................................... 4 Type chapter title (level 2) ............................................................................................................ 5 Type chapter title (level 3) ..................................................................................................... 6

Here are some things to keep in mind when using headings:xiii

Use the same heading level for sections of importance Begin a new level only if you have two more headings in your paper Do not label the introduction section Do not label headings with numbers or letters Give your conclusion section a heading Maintain double-spacing before and after level 1 and 2 headings For levels 3, 4, and 5 continue the text on the same line with the heading

For specific documents using APA or MLA styles, be sure to research the specified style requirements.

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Vertical Lists and Horizontal Lists

Vertical Lists If you're going to use a list, the first question to ask is what type of list it should be.

Bulleted Lists

Bullets are characters that are used to make a list when the order of the items doesn't matter. For example, you could use bullets to list the items you want everyone to bring to a bonfire s'mores party.

Everyone would need to bring: Chocolate bars Graham crackers Marshmallows Pointy sticks

When the order isn't important, consider listing the items alphabetically or in a way that makes sense. In marketing materials, you probably want to put your most important product feature or selling point first.

Numbered Lists

Numbers are reserved for instances where the items in the list need to follow a specific sequence. For example, you could use numbers to list the steps that are required to start up an old laptop.

1. Open the cover. 2. Push the start button. 3. Make tea while all the applications load.

Lettered Lists

Finally, letters are useful when you're implying that readers need to choose individual items or when items don't need to follow a specific sequence, but you want to refer to an item on that list later. For example, punctuation in lists can be tricky. You have to consider:

a. colons b. commas c. periods

Letters make sense with that list because the order doesn't matter. Bullets would work just as well, but if you wanted to refer to the items again later, using letters could help readers easily find the list item when they look back through the text. If you mention a letter later in your text, enclose it in parentheses (e.g., Item (b) was about commas.)

You can use capital or lowercase letters for your list, but the typical style is to use lowercase letters. The most important thing is to be consistent.xiv

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Horizontal Lists Letters are also used when you have a list in which the items don’t need to be in a particular order, but you want to keep them in a sentence (horizontal list) instead of listing them vertically. The letters can call extra attention to each list item.

Horizontal lists may be part of a sentence, or they may be introduced by a complete thought followed by a colon. Whenever a horizontal list contains three or more items, the items are separated by commas or semicolons. Use commas to separate words or phrases; use semicolons to separate complete thoughts or items that contain internal commas. Identify the listed items by enclosing either numbers or lowercase letters in parentheses before each item.

Do not conclude a line with only a number or letter enclosed in parentheses; at least one word of the item must appear after the numeral or letter. Use the text wrapping feature in Word to wrap an isolated number or letter to the next line.

But if you’re putting in letters to separate list items in a sentence, you should ask yourself if it might be easier for your readers to digest the material if you listed the items vertically.xv

Formatting for Lists

Introductory Colons

After you've decided what kind of list to use, the next decision you’ll face is how to punctuate the statement that comes right before your list. Should you use a colon? A comma? Nothing?

If your lead-in statement is a complete sentence, use a colon at the end to introduce your list.

If your lead-in statement is a sentence fragment, don't use a colon.

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Capitalization

After you've completed the introductory sentence, your next question will be whether to capitalize the first letter in the statements that come after your bullets, numbers, or letters. If your list item is a complete sentence, capitalize the first letter. If your list item is not a complete sentence, you can choose whether or not to capitalize the first letter; this is a style choice.

Punctuation

Next, you will need to decide what kind of punctuation to use.

If your list items are complete sentences, or if at least one list item is a fragment that is immediately followed by a complete sentence, use normal terminal punctuation: a period, a question mark, or an exclamation point. When list items vertically, do not put commas or semicolons after the items, and do not put a conjunction such as and before the last item when you are listing them.

Parallelism

Make sure that all of your list items are parallel. Parallel means each list item should be structured the same way. They should all be fragments, or they should all be complete sentences. If you start one bullet point with a verb, then start every bullet point with a verb. Here's an example of a list that uses parallel construction:

For Professor Jones, a vacation involves: Attending lectures Reading books Seeing sights

Each bullet point is formed the same way.

On the other hand, even though the following list is grammatically correct, it's considered poorly written because the list items aren't parallel.

For Professor Jones, a vacation involves: Attending lectures Books Many trips to famous destinations

Again, that's an example of a poorly written list because the items are not parallel.

Final Note: when working with a table of contents, do not format it as a numbered list.

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Working with Computer Graphics and Images

Images that are generated by a computer are called computer graphics, such as illustrations, line drawings, clipart, charts, etc. Images such as photographs, drawings, paintings, etc. may also be scanned or imported.

Images have power on the page — the power to grab readers' attention and to convey or enhance the message. Images help readers find entry points into the text. They give readers a glimpse into the topics included in the text.

Adding graphics can relieve the tedium of type. But images can also distract from your message. Make sure to control the message in your documents by using graphics that are related to the text, properly scaled, proportionally sized, and that maintain an appropriate resolution.xvi

For more information on Image Size and Resolution visit Microsoft Office Support.

Resizing an Image Images may need to be sized so that they work well on the page.xvii

Launcher

Arrows

Contextual Tab

When an image is selected, the size handles appear. Also visible, is the Picture Tools contextual tab. To change the images size…click the launcher in the Size grouping to open the Layout dialog box.

Sizing Handle

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Next, verify that the Lock aspect ratio and the Relative to original picture size boxes have been checked. Use the arrow to increase the Height or the Width of an image. With the ratio locked the proportions will be retained.

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Maintaining the Scale of an Image

Or you may use the sizing handle on the bottom right corner. Moving inwardly diagonally to reduce the size of the image or pulling out diagonally to increase the size of the image – this will maintain the proportions of the image.

Moving the middle center sizing handles will result in the image below.

Moving the top center sizing handles will result in the image below.

Sizing Handle

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Typography Whether you are learning a word processing program, a desktop publishing application, or a presentation software, formatting will be the key to producing aesthetically pleasing results. The applications you will be learning in the CAS program provide a myriad of options for creating and designing documents and presentations. You will be learning and using many program tools to format your course assignments and will have many opportunities to use your creativity in producing your course work. It is important that you keep in mind a few formatting guidelines.

Typography is the art and technique of arranging type. It is more than making the words legible. Your choice of typeface (a set of characters of the same design) and how you make it work with your layout, grid, color scheme, design theme and so on will make the difference between a mediocre, good, or great design.xviii

Serif font (on the left and sans serif font (on the right)

Type is a key component in the design process. The font (a particular size, weight, and style of a typeface) you choose affects the aesthetic of your design, and one poorly chosen font can ruin everything.xix

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What is This Font Saying? Before choosing a font, determine your purpose. Many fonts send a “message” so choose accordingly.

Working with typefaces is a skill best learned through practice, and there are a number of typography tutorials to help you learn more about this discipline.

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Color, Contrast, and Legibility

Making It Readable

Legibility, the quality of being clear enough to read, is greatly affected by the perceived contrast between text and background. Color differentiation is most influenced by contrast in brightness, or light-dark contrast. With low-contrast typography, reading is difficult since readers must work to distinguish letterforms. A document set with pink text on a bright red background would be tiring, if not impossible, to read.

When designing elements that require clarity and definition, such as text, choose colors for perceptibility and legibility above all other considerations to avoid using color combinations that make it difficult for users to distinguish foreground from background.

Brightness is the amount of white that is present in a color. Pairing black with white provides the greatest brightness contrast since white has a 100% brightness value, whereas black has a brightness value of 0%. Legibility is greatest when the degree of brightness contrast between text and background is high.

Hue is also a factor in color differentiation. Greatest contrast is achieved by using complementary hues—that is, colors that are on opposing sides of the color wheel and by combining dark colors from the bottom half of the color circle with light colors from the upper half of the circle. Select Contrasting Colors for Greatest Legibility.xx

High Contrast Low Contrast

High Contrast Low Contrast

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Working with Columns Word automatically balances columns by filling every column to the last line. However, on the last page of a multi-columned document, there may not be enough text to balance the columns. For example, in the following two-column three-page layout, the text in the first and second page flows from the first column to the bottom of the page, while the text on the third page in the second column ends near the top.

Unbalanced Column

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Manually balance columns by completing the following steps. Place your insertion point at the end of the text in the last column of the section to be balanced.

Click the Layout tab, click the Breaks button, then click Continuous in the Section Breaks section.

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The document’s last page now contains balanced columns.

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Deleting an Unwanted Blank Page There may come a time when you are working in Word and an unwanted blank page shows up at the end of your document. Don’t be tempted to leave it. Take a closer look at your document and understand why this is happening and then you will be able to fix it without any difficulty. Word treats the spaces from the space bar, tabs, and the click of the enter key as hidden formatting symbols. We are unable to see these hidden characters or “marks” until we toggle on the Show/Hide button.

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Clicking on the Show/Hide button will reveal the hidden formatting symbols in your Word document

0

Hidden paragraph markers

Place your insertion point in front of the marker and press the delete key.

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Delete all of the markers visible and the unwanted page will be removed.

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MLA Style Sample Report 1. Choose the “No spacing” style and set line spacing for Double Space (2.0).

2. Change the font style to Times New Roman, 12 pt. font. These are the preferred settings for an

MLA Report.

3. Use center alignment for the title of the report. Do not use bold for the title.

4. Tab each paragraph as shown.

5. A header must be provided for each page. A header is text that is positioned inside the top margin

and can be set to appear on every page in a document. In the MLA style, the header includes the

author’s last name (the student) and the page number.

To insert a header, complete the following steps:

1. Choose the Insert Tab, Header & Footer Group and then Choose Page Number.

2. Choose Top of Page from the drop down menu, choose Plain Number 3 style.

3. Type the author’s name before the page number (you should see the page number highlighted)

and press the spacebar one time. The finished header will show the author’s name followed by the

page number. This header will automatically be placed on each page.

4. Once you have typed the header, make sure the font has been changed to Times New Roman to

match the font style of the report. The header font style will not automatically change. You must

select the text with your last name and page number and change manually to Times New

Roman. Otherwise, it will remain as Calibri font.

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Your Last Name 1

Firstname Lastname

Instructor Name

CAS 121

10 Oct. 20--

Formatting a Term Paper in MLA Style

The MLA Style Manual published by the Modern Language Association, is a style guide widely

used in writing and documentation of research in the humanities, especially in English studies, modern

languages, and literature. (Wikipedia 1)

This document is an example of how to format a term paper in MLA Style using Microsoft Word

2013. The font should be 12-point Times New Roman and page margins should be one inch all around.

All text is double spaced, including quotations from other sources and the Works Cited list. The reference

includes the author and page number. (Jerz 1)

To type the header with a page number, click on Insert, then Page Number. Choose the Plain

Number 3 style. Click before the page number and type your last name followed by a space. Click Close

Header and Footer.

MLA style does not call for a separate title page. Instead, you begin your paper with a title block

like the one above. Use the Center align icon to center the title. Jerz and Wikipedia both state dates should

be written with the day of the month first, then the month abbreviated and the year (example: 1 Jan.

2000). (Jerz 2, Wikipedia 2)

You should save your paper frequently. Nothing is more maddening than to lose a paper that is

almost finished. It is a good idea to save it in several places—perhaps your C drive at home and then a

portable saving device such as your USB for use in another location. It is a good idea to include the course

name when saving a term paper.

This information will begin at the top of the page

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Your Last Name 2

If a quotation is less than three lines long, you may quote it in the text and use quotation

marks. “Using quotation marks is easy” (Author). Note that the period still comes after your

parenthetic citation.

If you use a quotation of four lines or more, it should be indented one inch from the left

margin. The easiest way to do this is to type the quotation even with the left margin, then highlight it

and press the indent button twice.

Jerz uses this example for a long quotation:

Note: using long quotations to pad your paper is a fairly obvious ploy. Rather than

quote a whole paragraph from an outside source, just quote a single sentence, or even

just a few words; use the space you have to write more of your own original thoughts

(4).

The Works Cited page is a separate page (Page Layout, Breaks, Page) that should be headed

“Works Cited.” The Works Cited page for this paper includes the two website references and the

personal interview used as well as examples of other types of references as listed in Wikipedia (3).

Website references include two dates: first, the date the article was written or updated and second,

the date you accessed it.

URLs on your Works Cited page should neither be underlined nor hyperlinked. (Right click to

remove hyperlink.) I have indicated the type of reference at the end of each example. (You would not type

this in your paper.) Use a one-half inch hanging indent for each entry (Home, Paragraph group, Left Align,

Special hanging .5”). To learn how to cite other types of references, go to the MLA Handbook (often

available at the reference desk of any library) or http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MLA_Style

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Rules for Completing Reports/Manuscripts

1. Unless otherwise instructed, use the default margins. The top margin on all pages will be one inch. 2. Bold and center the title of the report. 3. Place side headings at the margin and format them in bold. 4. Always double space the manuscript and indent the first line of each paragraph one-half inch, unless

otherwise instructed. There should be no extra enters placed after the title or before or after the side headings.

5. As stated in the paragraph above, if a manuscript is double spaced, you must indent the first line of

each paragraph. 6. All manuscripts must contain page numbers. If the page number is placed at the top of the manuscript,

it must not appear on the first page. If the page number is placed in a footer, it must appear on all pages, including the first page. (Page numbers should be either centered or right aligned in a header or footer, unless otherwise instructed.)

7. Module and chapter titles must begin on a new page. A page number must be suppressed at the top of

the page that begins a new module or chapter. 8. Use the same font style for the header, footer, or page number as used in the body of the text unless

otherwise directed. Headers and footers print on all pages. Omit a header on the first page. 9. Word automatically places page breaks in the appropriate place. (Word will place at least two lines of

a paragraph on each page; therefore, a three-line paragraph will print on the same page.) A side or main heading must not be left by itself at the bottom of a page. It must be on the same page with at least two lines of the paragraph following it. You may need to adjust page breaks to allow for this. You may place a hard page break before a soft page break but not after it. (The page break that Word inserts is referred to as a soft page break.)

10. Footnotes are single spaced with or without a blank line between each footnote. The footnote

reference in the body of the report goes after the word. If the footnote reference is at the end of a sentence, place the footnote reference number after the punctuation mark that ends the sentence with no space between the ending punctuation mark and the footnote reference number. The footnote information must appear on the same page as the cited material. The font size for a footnote may be a size smaller than the body of the text, but it must be the same font style.

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Keying Reports and Manuscripts¶

A report or manuscript is usually double spaced. Each paragraph is normally indented ½ inch from

the left margin. Use the tab key to indent the paragraph; spaces are used only between words and at the

end of a sentence. Although manuscripts are sometimes single spaced, you will double space them unless

specifically instructed to use single spacing. When double spacing, do not leave extra spaces between

paragraphs or side headings. However, if using single spacing, leave a blank line between paragraphs. ¶

Center the title of a manuscript and use bold. Many experts recommend not using all caps for the

title. It may also be formatted using a larger size font. ¶

Side Heading¶

A side heading, like the one at the start of this paragraph, is used to divide sections of a

manuscript. The side heading is placed at the left margin and should be formatted using bold. There is no

extra space before or after the side heading. (If you single space the manuscript, leave a blank line before

and after it.) The side heading describes the paragraph that comes just after it. For this reason, it must be

on the same page as the beginning of the next paragraph. ¶

Paragraph Headings¶

First subject. A paragraph heading is formatted in bold as the first item in a paragraph, not on a

separate line by itself. The heading First subject is a paragraph heading; the heading Paragraph Headings is a

side heading.¶

Page breaks. A paragraph may appear on two pages as long as at least two lines of the paragraph

are on each page. A three-line paragraph must remain on the same page. Word automatically divides the

paragraphs properly. However, the side heading preceding the paragraph must be on the same page as at

least two lines of the following paragraph. If the side heading is the last item on a page, insert a manual

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page break to force it onto the next page. To insert a page break, position the cursor to the left of the

first character that will appear on the new page. If there is a tab mark, the cursor must be placed to the

left of the tab mark. Then insert the page break using either the keyboard commands (CTRL + Enter) or

the Insert tab. ¶

Footnotes ¶

It is important to use the same font style for all parts of a manuscript. However, footnotes may be

in a different font size. Place the footnote number after the word in the text. If the word is the last word

of a sentence, place the footnote number after the punctuation mark. Do not leave extra space before the

footnote number. Footnotes are single spaced with or without a blank line between each individual

footnote. A two-inch separator line separates the footnotes from the text.xxi¶

Headers/Footers¶

Headers and footers print on all pages of a document.xxii However, omit the header on the first

page.

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Page Numbers¶

All manuscripts must have page numbers. They may be placed either at the top or bottom of the

manuscript and are often included in the header or footer. If they are placed at the top, they should be

omitted on the first page. ¶

xx file name

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PowerPoint Presentation Advice

Presentation Design

Let the picture or graphics tell the story—minimize the use of text. Do not overload your slides with too much text or data. Create focus. In general, using a few powerful slides is the aim. Type key words in the PowerPoint Notes area listing what to say when displaying the slide. The

notes are printable. Number your slides and give them a title. You can add a logo and other graphics to every slide using the slide master feature or by adding

them to the footer. Proofread everything, including visuals and numbers. Keep “like” topics together. Strive for similar line lengths for text.

Visual Elements

A bold font size of 28 to 34 is recommended for subtitles. The title default size is 44. Use a sans serif font for titles.

Use clear, simple visuals. Don’t confuse the audience.

Use contrast: light on dark or dark on light. Graphics should make a key concept clearer.

Consider placing your graphics in a similar location on each screen.

Text Formatting

Font size must be large enough to be easily read. Size 28 to 34 with a bold font is recommended.

A wide variety of fonts can be distracting. Overuse of text is a common mistake.

Too much text makes the slide unreadable. You may just as well show a blank slide. Stick to a few key words.

If the audience is reading the slides, they are not paying attention to you. Consider making your point with graphics instead of text.

Use WordArt or computer graphics to convey your point in a more interesting way.

Backgrounds

Backgrounds should never distract from the presentation.

Using the default white background is hard on the viewer’s eyes. Add a design style or a color to the background.

Backgrounds that are light colored with dark text, or vice versa, look good. A dark background with white font reduces glare.

Colors appear lighter when projected. Pale colors often appear as white.

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Consistent backgrounds add to a professional appearance.

For a long presentation, consider changing the background designs when shifting to a new topic.

Excitement

Sounds, transition effects, and animation can be distracting. Use sparingly.

Consider using animated clip art or custom animation.

You can insert video and audio clips into PowerPoint.

You can also insert hyperlinks.xxiii

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How to Make an Effective Presentation

The basics of making a good presentation are the same whether you are addressing five people or five hundred people. Organize your thoughts ahead of time. Work at keeping your speech interesting.

The following suggestions can help you communicate more effectively and keep the listeners’ attention.

Organize Your Thoughts

Identify your overwhelming purpose before writing your speech. Are you trying to inform, to educate, to persuade, or to entertain? Once you know your purpose, create an outline. Make sure the speech includes:

Introductory remarks that tell your listener what you are going to tell them and why. Three or four main points that develop your subject or prove your point. A conclusion that repeats your main ideas and pulls them together.

Keep it Interesting

Most people can make interesting material stimulating, but a few proven strategies can make even mundane information come alive. The following tips can help you add interest to any speech:

Use examples and details. Generalizations are too easy for audience members to dismiss as irrelevant or untrue. Offering specific details and documented statistics improves your chances of making an impression on your listener.

Quote experts on your subject to support your ideas and conclusions. Be sure to mention their title or summarize their credentials to establish their credibility.

Involve your audience by asking open ended questions, selecting volunteers to demonstrate a problem, or setting up situations in which people ask each other questions or role-play.

Use visual aids effectively. Depending on the subject you may want to use visual aids.

Connect with your Audience

Your presentation will fail if you do not keep your listeners' attention. The key to holding an audience’s interest is to pay attention to how they are reacting. You are not connecting with an audience if you are arranging papers, speaking softly, or reading aloud. The following strategies can help you regain their attention:

Come from behind the lectern and walk around the platform or stage while you speak. Move into your audience and ask questions. Change the pace or tone of your presentation.

Finally, while you are making a presentation, move your eyes as if you were drawing the letters X and Z on your audience. Doing this helps make eye contact with most of your listeners, which helps increase their attention.

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Do your Best

Keep the following general suggestions in mind when making a presentation:

Begin by thanking the people who introduced you and the organization that invited you to speak. Use humor appropriately. Avoid racist, sexist, or insulting jokes. Don't tell a joke unless you can do

so flawlessly. Stick to your main topic; avoid digressions that may confuse your audience. Make eye contact with your listeners. They will lose interest if you keep your eyes on your notes. Pay attention to your tone and to how fast you are talking. If necessary, slow down by taking a

quick rest between each sentence and a deep breath between each paragraph. Use appropriate gestures. Doing so will add life to your presentation. Do not fiddle with your

clothes or your notes. Close by thanking the audience for listening.

The Bottom Line

Examples, documented statistics, visual aids, and humor are key to making an effective and interesting presentation.xxiv

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Endnotes i A Writer’s Reference, Fourth Edition –Diana Hacker, pages 316-317 Bedford/St. Martin’s Publishing. ii The Everyday Writer, Third Edition, Andrea A. Lunsford, p. 104-105 Bedford/St. Martin’s Publishing. iii Sample Emails - UNC College of Arts & Sciences The Writing Center http://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/effective-email-communication/ iv Etiquette for Online Course Discussion Board Posts http://learnmore.uncg.edu/blog/etiquette-for-online-course-discussion-boards v English for Careers Business, Professional, and Technical--Lelia R. Smith and Roberta Moore, p. 284 11th Edition – Pearson Publishing. vi HOW 13: A Handbook for the Office Professionals page 355. vii http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/writing-dates viii https://www.dailywritingtips.com/january-1-doesnt-need-an-st ix http://data.grammarbook.com/blog/numbers/writing-dates-and-times x http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/daylight-saving-time-0 xi American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, Sixth Edition (Page 125). American Psychological Association. Kindle Edition xii APA Citation Style - Created by Leslie Foutch Peabody Library http://www.library.vanderbilt.edu/peabody/instruction_files/apa/apalevelsofheading.pdf xiii Headings: Make Your Text Scannable by David McMurrey https://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/textbook/headings.html xiv http://www.quickanddirtytips.com/education/grammar/formatting-vertical-lists xv Clark, James L.; Clark, Lyn R.. HOW 13: A Handbook for Office Professionals (How (Handbook for Office Workers)) (Page 430). Cengage Textbook. Kindle Edition. xvi https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Tips-for-working-with-images-in-Publisher-2edbdb84-e56a-43d9-b16c-

090c38970c8b#bm2 xvii Clark, James L.; Clark, Lyn R.. HOW 13: A Handbook for Office Professionals (How (Handbook for Office Workers)) (Page 430).

Cengage Textbook. Kindle Edition. xviii http://www.creativebloq.com/typography/what-is-typography-123652 xix Chelsey Kilzer: https://www.fastcodesign.com/1664719/infographic-of-the-day-why-should-you-care-about-typography xx http://universalusability.com/access_by_design/color/contrast.html xxi Rutkosky, Nita, Microsoft Word 2003, Paradigm Publishing Inc., 2002, page 322. xxii Pagel, Larry G., Proofreading & Editing Precision, South-Western Publishing, 2001, page 299. xxiii Mike Splane 2006 https://www.coursehero.com/file/13469355/PresentationTips/ xxiv David Walling is a feature writer for Vitality.