Be able to set tabulation including left, right, centred and decimal tabs, indented paragraphs and hanging paragraphs

Document Production – Tabulation, Paragraph Formatting, Tables, Layout, Styles & Proof‑reading (Cambridge IGCSE ICT 0417)

Learning Objectives

• Set and use left, right, centred and decimal tab stops.
• Format first‑line indents and hanging paragraphs.
• Create, modify and format tables (rows/columns, merging, alignment, shading, styles).
• Insert and position objects (pictures, shapes, charts) and apply text‑wrap options.
• Control page layout – margins, gutters, orientation, pagination, headers & footers.
• Define, edit and apply a corporate house style, including a heading hierarchy that can generate a Table of Contents.
• Proof‑read using spell‑check, grammar tools, track changes and a systematic validation checklist.
• Save, compress and export documents in the required formats.

1. Tabulation

1.1 What is a Tab Stop?

A tab stop marks a fixed position on the ruler. When you press Tab, the cursor jumps to the next stop, and the alignment type attached to that stop determines how the text appears.

1.2 Types of Tab Stops

1.3 Setting Tab Stops (generic steps – works in Word, LibreOffice Writer, Google Docs)

1. Show the ruler: View → Ruler.
2. Click on the ruler where the stop is required.
3. Right‑click (or double‑click) the tab‑stop symbol and choose the alignment type.
4. Drag the symbol to fine‑tune the position (e.g., 6 cm, 12 cm).
5. Press Tab in the document to move the cursor to the next stop.

1.4 Example – Mixed Tabulation for a Sales List

Product name    Qty    Unit price    Total

1. Left tab at 0 cm – Product name.
2. Centred tab at 6 cm – Qty.
3. Right tab at 12 cm – Unit price.
4. Decimal tab at 18 cm – Total (decimal points line up).
5. Type the line, pressing Tab after each entry.

2. Paragraph Formatting

2.1 First‑Line Indent (Standard Paragraph)

• Place the cursor in the paragraph.
• Open Format → Paragraph (or the Paragraph dialog on the ribbon).
• In the Indentation section set First line to 0.5 cm (0.25 in).
• Click OK.

2.2 Hanging Indent (Bibliographies, reference lists)

• Select the paragraph(s) to format.
• Open the Paragraph dialog.
• Set Left indent to the desired value (e.g., 1 cm).
• Set First line to a negative value equal to the left indent (e.g., –1 cm) or choose the “Hanging” option if present.
• Confirm with OK.

2.3 Keyboard Shortcuts (common in most word processors)

• Ctrl+M – Open Indents & Spacing dialog.
• Ctrl+T – Increase left indent.
• Ctrl+Shift+T – Decrease left indent.
• Ctrl+Shift+N – Reset paragraph to the Normal style.

3. Creating and Formatting Tables

3.1 Inserting a Table

1. Place the cursor where the table should appear.
2. Choose Insert → Table (or click the Table icon).
3. Specify rows and columns, then click OK.

3.2 Adding / Deleting Rows or Columns

• Right‑click inside the table → Insert → Row Above/Below or Column Left/Right.
• To delete, right‑click the row/column header → Delete Row or Delete Column.

3.3 Merging & Splitting Cells

1. Select the cells to merge.
2. Right‑click → Merge Cells.
3. To split, place the cursor in the merged cell, right‑click → Split Cells and specify rows/columns.

3.4 Alignment, Decimal Tabs & Shading

• Select a cell or column → Table → Cell Alignment (Left, Centre, Right, Decimal).
• For numbers, use Decimal alignment so the decimal points line up.
• Apply shading via Table → Table Properties → Shading (e.g., light grey for header rows).

3.5 Table Styles (quick formatting)

1. Click anywhere in the table.
2. Open the Table Styles gallery (usually on the Home or Design ribbon).
3. Choose a predefined style or click New Table Style to set:

   • Font, size, colour.
   • Header row shading.
   • Border thickness and colour.

4. Apply – the whole table updates instantly.

4. Inserting & Positioning Objects

4.1 Types of Objects

• Pictures / photographs
• Shapes (rectangles, circles, arrows)
• Charts (bar, line, pie) – usually inserted from a spreadsheet.

4.2 Basic Insertion Steps

1. Place the cursor where you want the object.
2. Choose Insert → Picture/Shape/Chart.
3. Select the file (for pictures) or define the shape.
4. Resize using the corner handles while holding Shift to keep proportions.

4.3 Text‑Wrap Options (essential for layout tasks)

4.4 Positioning Shortcut

• Select the object → Layout → Position (or use the “Position” pane).
• Choose “Absolute” or “Relative” positioning and set exact distances from page margins.
• Check “Lock anchor” to keep the object with the paragraph it belongs to.

5. Page Layout & Margins

5.1 Core Page‑Setup Dialogs (quick‑reference)

5.2 Setting Gutter Margins (binding offset)

1. Open Layout → Margins → Custom Margins.
2. Enter the required gutter (usually 0.5 cm) on the left for portrait documents.
3. The left margin value includes the gutter automatically.

5.3 Pagination Options

• In the Page Setup dialog, click the Layout tab.
• Set Section start to New page where a new chapter begins.
• Choose numbering style (Arabic, Roman) and starting number.

6. Headers, Footers & Page Numbers

6.1 Adding a Header or Footer

1. Double‑click the top (header) or bottom (footer) margin, or choose Insert → Header/Footer.
2. Type the required text (e.g., company name, document title).
3. Use the Header & Footer Tools to insert:

   • Page number – Insert → Page Number.
   • Date/Time – Insert → Date & Time.
   • File name – Insert → Quick Parts → Field → FileName.

4. Close the header/footer view by double‑clicking the main document area.

6.2 Different First‑Page or Section Headers

• Check “Different First Page” in the Header & Footer Tools to hide the header on the title page.
• Use “Link to Previous” to break the connection when a new section needs its own header/footer.

7. Styles – Creating a Corporate House Style

7.1 Why Use Styles?

Styles store a complete set of formatting attributes (font, size, colour, line‑spacing, indents, justification, etc.). Applying a style guarantees consistency and lets you change the whole document with a single modification.

7.2 Creating a New Paragraph Style (Body Text)

1. Open the Styles pane (Home → Styles).
2. Click New Style (or “Create a style”).
3. Give it a clear name, e.g., Company‑Body.
4. Set the following attributes (example house style):

   • Font: Arial, 11 pt, Dark Blue (RGB 0,0,128)
   • Line spacing: 1.15
   • Paragraph spacing: 6 pt after, 0 pt before
   • First‑line indent: 0.5 cm
   • Alignment: Justified
   • Space after: 6 pt (helps readability)

5. Choose “Only in this document” or “New documents based on this template”.
6. Click OK.

7.3 Setting Up a Heading Hierarchy

1. Create three heading styles – Company‑Heading1, Company‑Heading2, Company‑Heading3.
2. Typical attributes:

   • Heading 1: 14 pt, Bold, Dark Blue, 0 pt before, 12 pt after, centred.
   • Heading 2: 12 pt, Bold, Dark Blue, 12 pt before, 6 pt after, left‑aligned.
   • Heading 3: 11 pt, Italic, Dark Blue, 6 pt before, 3 pt after, left‑aligned.

3. In each heading style, enable “Outline level” (Level 1, Level 2, Level 3). This allows automatic generation of a Table of Contents.

7.4 Generating a Table of Contents (exam‑type task)

1. Place the cursor where the TOC should appear (usually after the title page).
2. Choose References → Table of Contents → Automatic Table.
3. The TOC pulls entries from any paragraph formatted with the heading styles.
4. Update the TOC after editing by right‑clicking and selecting Update Field.

7.5 Applying Styles Quickly

• Select the paragraph or place the cursor inside it.
• Click the required style in the Styles pane (or use the keyboard shortcut Alt+Ctrl+Shift+S to open the Styles window).
• All formatting updates instantly; modify the style later to affect every instance.

8. Proof‑reading & Validation

8.1 Spell‑check & Grammar

1. Press F7 or choose Review → Spelling & Grammar.
2. Review each suggestion:

   • Change – accept the correction.
   • Ignore – leave as‑is (useful for proper nouns).
   • Add to Dictionary – for specialised terminology.

3. For grammar, enable the “Grammar” option in the proofing settings; common pitfalls include subject‑verb agreement and inconsistent tense.

8.2 Track Changes (useful for peer review)

• Turn on via Review → Track Changes.
• All insertions, deletions and formatting changes are highlighted.
• Use Accept or Reject to finalize the document.

8.3 Systematic Proof‑reading Checklist (maps to AO3)

8.4 Find & Replace for Layout Clean‑up

Ctrl+H → Find: ^p^p   Replace: ^p   (remove double line breaks)
Ctrl+H → Find:   (non‑breaking space)   Replace:  (regular space)
Ctrl+H → Find: \t   Replace: (leave blank)   (remove stray tabs)

9. File Management – Save, Compress & Export

9.1 Saving the Working Document

• Use Ctrl+S regularly.
• Save as .docx (Word) or .odt (LibreOffice) for full editability.
• Maintain a clear naming convention, e.g., IGCSE0417ReportStudentNamev01.docx.

9.2 Creating a Backup / Compressed Version

1. Close the document.
2. Right‑click the file → Send to → Compressed (zipped) folder (Windows) or Compress (macOS).
3. Rename the zip file with the same naming convention, adding _zip at the end.

9.3 Exporting to PDF (final submission format)

1. Choose File → Save As (or Export).
2. Select PDF as the file type.
3. In the options, ensure “Document structure tags for accessibility” is unchecked (not required for IGCSE) and click Save.

9.4 Version Control (useful for Paper 2/3 tasks)

• After each major edit, use “Save As” and increment the version number (v02, v03…).
• Keep a short change‑log in a separate text file or in the document’s Properties → Summary field.

10. Summary Checklist (All Syllabus Points)

• Identify the required tab type (left, right, centre, decimal) and set stops on the ruler.
• Use Tab to move between columns; verify alignment with a test print.
• Apply first‑line indent for standard paragraphs; use negative first‑line indent for hanging paragraphs.
• Insert tables, add/delete rows/columns, merge cells, set cell alignment (including decimal), apply shading and table styles.
• Insert pictures, shapes or charts; apply appropriate text‑wrap (Square, Tight, Behind Text, etc.) and position precisely.
• Set page size, orientation, margins and gutter; insert page breaks and section breaks where required.
• Insert headers and footers; include page numbers, date/time, and file name where required.
• Create a corporate house style that includes font, colour, line‑spacing, paragraph spacing, indents and a heading hierarchy; apply consistently.
• Generate an automatic Table of Contents from the heading styles.
• Run spell‑check, grammar check and use Track Changes for peer review; resolve all alerts.
• Follow the proof‑reading checklist to validate numeric alignment, heading consistency, layout, hanging paragraphs and removal of tracked changes.
• Save the document regularly, keep versioned copies, compress a backup, and export the final version as a PDF.
• Use keyboard shortcuts (Ctrl+M, Ctrl+T, Ctrl+Shift+T, Ctrl+Shift+N, F7, Ctrl+S) to speed up formatting and proof‑reading.