Be able to create, modify, update and apply styles to ensure consistency of presentation

Topic 14 – Styles

Learning Objective

Students will be able to create, modify, update and apply styles so that documents are presented consistently and meet the Cambridge IGCSE ICT (0417) requirements.

Link to Assessment Objectives

• AO2 – Produce ICT‑based solutions: Designing and using style sets or templates demonstrates the ability to produce a reusable, professional solution.
• AO3 – Evaluate ICT solutions: Discussing the advantages of styles (consistency, accessibility, reduced file size) shows critical evaluation of a formatting approach.

What is a Style?

A style is a predefined collection of formatting attributes (font, size, colour, alignment, spacing, borders, etc.) that can be applied to text, paragraphs, tables, lists or cells. The formatting is stored once and reproduced wherever the style is used, which keeps the document tidy and reduces file size.

Why Use Styles?

• Creates a uniform appearance throughout a document.
• Saves time – no need to format each element individually.
• Global changes are made by updating a single style.
• Produces a professional‑looking document that follows a corporate/house style.
• Improves accessibility – a clear heading hierarchy helps screen‑readers.
• Ensures portability – the formatting travels with the file, unlike direct formatting.
• Reduces file size because the style definition is stored once, not repeated for every occurrence.

Types of Styles

Creating a New Style

1. Select a paragraph or piece of text that already has the formatting you want to reuse.
2. Open the Styles pane:

   • Home ► Styles ► More ► Create a Style
   • or press Ctrl+Shift+S (Word shortcut) to open the dialog directly.

3. Enter a clear, descriptive name (e.g., Heading‑Blue).
4. Choose the appropriate style type (Paragraph, Character, List, Table, or Cell).
5. Click OK. The new style now appears in the Styles gallery.

Modifying an Existing Style

1. In the Styles gallery, right‑click the style you wish to change.
2. Select Modify….
3. Adjust any formatting options (font, size, colour, spacing, borders, etc.).
4. Check “New documents based on this template” if the change should affect future documents.
5. Press OK. All text that uses this style updates automatically.

Updating a Style from Existing Text

1. Format a paragraph or characters exactly as you want the style to look.
2. Select the formatted text.
3. In the Styles pane, click the target style name, then choose Update [Style Name] to Match Selection.
4. The style definition is overwritten, and every instance of that style changes instantly.

Applying a Style

• Select the text, paragraph, table, list or cell.
• Click the desired style in the Styles gallery (or use the shortcut Alt+Ctrl+Shift+S to open the Styles pane and double‑click the style).

Style Hierarchy & Inheritance

Styles are layered. A paragraph style sets paragraph‑level attributes; a character style applied inside that paragraph overrides only character‑level attributes while inheriting the rest.

Example: Body‑Text (paragraph style) defines left alignment, 11 pt Times New Roman, justified spacing. Within a sentence, the character style Highlight makes a word red and bold. The word keeps the paragraph’s font and alignment but uses the colour and weight from Highlight.

Direct Formatting vs. Style‑Based Formatting

Style Sets & Templates

• Style set – a collection of related styles (e.g., a set for reports, another for newsletters). Switching the set changes the whole look of the document.
• Template – a document that contains a style set, placeholder text and any required macros. New files created from the template inherit all these styles automatically.

Creating a template with a custom style set:

1. Design all required styles (paragraph, character, table, etc.).
2. Choose File ► Save As → “Word Template (*.dotx)”.
3. Give the file a meaningful name (e.g., Report_Template.dotx).
4. Future documents opened from this template start with the same style set ready to use.

Managing the Style Gallery

• Keep the gallery tidy – hide or delete rarely‑used styles (right‑click ► Hide Until Used).
• Group related styles (Heading 1, Heading 2, Heading 3) for quick navigation.
• Use the “Quick Styles” pane for the most frequently applied formatting.
• Apply a colour‑coded “Style Name” that reflects its purpose (e.g., Title‑Main, Body‑Normal).

Common Terminology

Practical Example – Producing a Consistent Report

1. Open a new document from the Report Template (contains a default style set).
2. Create the following paragraph styles:

   • Report‑Title – 24 pt, bold, centred, dark blue.
   • Section‑Heading – 16 pt, bold, left‑aligned, dark green.
   • Body‑Text – 11 pt, Times New Roman, justified, 1.15 line spacing.

3. Define a table style called “Report‑Table”:

   • Header row: light‑grey background, bold text.
   • Banding: alternating light‑blue rows.

4. Write the report, applying the styles as you go. If the school later decides that all headings should be red, modify the Section‑Heading style – every heading changes instantly.
5. Save the finished document as a new template (AnnualReport_Template.dotx) for reuse next year.

Key Points to Remember

• Use styles for any formatting that repeats – avoid direct formatting.
• Give styles clear, descriptive names that reflect their purpose.
• Modifying a style updates every instance automatically.
• Update a style from a correctly formatted example when you need a new look.
• Style sets and templates are essential for maintaining consistency across multiple documents.
• Styles improve accessibility, reduce file size, and preserve formatting when files are shared.
• Keyboard shortcuts (e.g., Ctrl+Shift+S to create a style) speed up workflow.