An Editor's Tips for Writers
Saturday, June 10, 2006
Tip #4: Learn to use the "track changes" feature in MS Word
Many editors use a feature in MS Word called "track changes." This tool enables your editor to make changes and corrections - additions and deletions - to your manuscript, and to comment on your writing style and make suggestions for improvement. It's a somewhat controversial tool and has limitations, but becoming familiar with it will be very helpful to you if you are working with an editor who uses it. When your edited manuscript is returned to you, you'll easily be able to accept or reject the editor's changes and comments.
Keep the track changes toolbar showing on your MS Word screen while you are working on revisions. To turn on this toolbar, from the top "View" pulldown menu, select Toolbars, and then select Reviewers. The track changes toolbar should appear. Another way to access track changes is from the "Tools" pulldown menu. Simply select Track Changes, and the toolbar should appear.
To enable track changes, first you need to click on the second button from the right. When you hover your mouse over it, you'll see it's simply called "track changes." On the "View" toolbar at the bottom of your screen, you should also make sure you are in print layout view. It's possible to work in web layout view or normal view, but it isn't as easy to see your changes on the screen.
Once you have enabled track changes, you'll be able to see the editor's corrections and comments in "balloons" on the right of the document. If you have an earlier version than 2002, the deletions will show up as strikethroughs, and the additions will show up as underlined.
Now return to the track changes toolbar. Experiment with the various buttons. On the left, you'll see a pulldown menu from which you can choose to view a clean final document, a clean original document, a final document showing markup (edits or corrections), and an original document showing markup.
Moving on to the other buttons, you'll see that you can accept or reject your editor's changes, either one at a time or all at once. You'll also be able to read any comments in the balloons. Under the "Show" pulldown menu, I often recommend unchecking the "formatting" box - leaving it checked just clutters the screen with information you don't need. I also don't recommend using the reviewing pane. It's cumbersome and not very useful.
Use MS Word's "Help" feature if you'd like to learn more about track changes, but I hope these instructions help you get off to a good start.
Keep the track changes toolbar showing on your MS Word screen while you are working on revisions. To turn on this toolbar, from the top "View" pulldown menu, select Toolbars, and then select Reviewers. The track changes toolbar should appear. Another way to access track changes is from the "Tools" pulldown menu. Simply select Track Changes, and the toolbar should appear.
To enable track changes, first you need to click on the second button from the right. When you hover your mouse over it, you'll see it's simply called "track changes." On the "View" toolbar at the bottom of your screen, you should also make sure you are in print layout view. It's possible to work in web layout view or normal view, but it isn't as easy to see your changes on the screen.
Once you have enabled track changes, you'll be able to see the editor's corrections and comments in "balloons" on the right of the document. If you have an earlier version than 2002, the deletions will show up as strikethroughs, and the additions will show up as underlined.
Now return to the track changes toolbar. Experiment with the various buttons. On the left, you'll see a pulldown menu from which you can choose to view a clean final document, a clean original document, a final document showing markup (edits or corrections), and an original document showing markup.
Moving on to the other buttons, you'll see that you can accept or reject your editor's changes, either one at a time or all at once. You'll also be able to read any comments in the balloons. Under the "Show" pulldown menu, I often recommend unchecking the "formatting" box - leaving it checked just clutters the screen with information you don't need. I also don't recommend using the reviewing pane. It's cumbersome and not very useful.
Use MS Word's "Help" feature if you'd like to learn more about track changes, but I hope these instructions help you get off to a good start.
