Changing Bullets in Outline

[kdagostino]

I'm running Word 2007.

I'm trying to create some outlines for my classes. I would like to be able
to add variable bullet points or numbers for various things. For example, if
I had the following outline:

I. ------
. ____
. ____
. ____
II. -----
. ____
. ____
~ -----
~ -----

Under certain conditions, I would need 1,2,3 instead of bullets. In other
cases, I would need to emphasis a certain bullet by making it a star or
increasing the size. For example, I might need to change the previous
outline to something like this:

I. ------
1 ____
2 ____
. ____
II. -----
. ____
*____
~ -----
~ -----

Is there any way I can do this?

I've tried making a different new numbered list or bullet list for each line
I need to change. However, if I select the one with "1." and tab over to the
correct position, it automatically changes the formate to a "i." or a "a." or
something else.

I'm sort of at a loss, and very confused with the whole outlines, bullets,
bullet lists, number lists, etc. I have no idea what to do.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

My feeling about bulleted styles is that, unless they *are* going to be
consistently at a given level of an outline, there's not much point in
making them part of an outline list. I'd go for the numbered style for that
particular level and then define bulleted styles ad hoc, as it were. After
all, it's not like they have any sequence to continue or restart, so they
can be pretty much applied ad libitum.

 

[kdagostino]

I guess I just don't understand how the numbered style works. When i select
the type of number I want, say for instance "(1)" and then try to tab it over
to the correct position, the "(1)" changes to something like "a." or "i." or
something else. Why does it do this and how do I work around it?

Also, it would be nice to have the first outline example be the default, and
then just change it ad hoc when I need to. Is there any way to do this?

 

[Graham Mayor]

If you tab the outline level you are effectively demoting the level for each
press of the TAB key. If you want a different alignment set the indents of
the style at the *current* level to achieve the format you require.

--
<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>
Graham Mayor - Word MVP


<>>< ><<> ><<> <>>< ><<> <>>< <>><<>

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

When you set up an outline (multi-level) list, you have, built-in, the
ability to promote/demote levels using Shift+Tab and Tab (if you have that
feature enabled) or Alt+Shift+Left/Right. This is the proper approach for
numbering: you define each level to have the type of numbering and amount of
indent you want, then apply the desired level to each paragraph. The
bulleted styles can be independent, not linked to the outline list. You use
them by applying them explicitly, just as you would any other style.

If you have a huge amount of variation in the kinds of bullets and amount of
indent you're using, you might want to drop back and analyze your work. You
may be familiar with the concept of "ransom note typography," which is a
derogative term for, basically, using too many fonts. Many new users get
carried away by the availability of a huge font collection and use way too
many (the usual recommendation is no more than three on any page--maybe no
more than three in a given document). Something similar can happen with
outline levels, bullets, numbering, etc. If your writing can't be reduced to
a consistent outline, perhaps you need to reorganize it.

One of my favorite writers, Gene Owens, who writes a syndicated column on
grammar called "Bubba's English,"* has promulgated "Bubba's Law," or "The
Law of Cerebro-Syntactical Correspondence," which states that "sloppy
thinking leads to sloppy language, and vice versa." I think this applies to
the outline of a document as well as the language used.

*Also called "Greasepit Grammar" in some papers; see
http://www.lubbockonline.com/stories/101506/lif_101506064.shtml

 

[kdags]

Ok. I've given up on that.

Instead, is there a way to change the font settings for each level? I've
tried using styles before and can't figure out how they work. I have a
Multilevel List set up, and if I apply a style, it disrupts the outline.

I don't want to actually change the font, because I agree that it would make
it messy. I simply want to change the size of the font and maybe the
bold/underline.

For example,
the first level should be Bold & Underlined and maybe 14pt
the second level should be just simple 12pt
the third level should be 11pt
and so on...

I've tried creating a style and then linking the level of the outline to
that style, but the style won't show up in the drop-down menu. Also, if I
link it to a style that came with Word, the bullet and indents disappear,
there's a lot of unnecessary space between lines.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Please look at
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html and set up
your outline this way, with each level linked to a paragraph style. In the
style you can specify all the paragraph and font formatting you like, with
the exception of left, hanging, and first-line indents, which must be set as
part of the numbering.

 

[kdags]

That tutorial is setup for Word 2003 or earlier, and everything's been
changed in Word 2007.

In step two, it asks you to "Click the Outline Numbered tab" but that no
longer exists in Word 2007.

For the life of me, I can't figure out Styles. I guess it's just easier to
format manually as i go.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Here are Stefan Blom's instructions for Word 2007:

The general principle remain the same in Word 2007: numbering should be
style-based for stability reasons. But the user interface is quite different
from that of previous versions; for example, you can no longer modify an
outline numbering scheme via the Modify Style dialog box of a paragraph
style.

To edit an existing outline-numbered list: Place the insertion point in the
first top-level paragraph of the document (for example, in the first Heading
1 paragraph if this is heading numbering). On the Home tab, click Multilevel
List | Define New Multilevel List. This displays a dialog box similar to the
Customize Outline Numbered dialog box of previous versions (see
http://www.shaunakelly.com/word/numbering/OutlineNumbering.html for a
description of the options).

On the other hand, if you want to create a new outline-numbered list in Word
2007, you should set it up using list styles. On the Home tab, click
Multilevel List, and then click Define New List Style. In the Modify Style
dialog box, type a name for the list style. To define the numbering
properties, click the Format button, and then click Numbering; this displays
the Modify Multilevel List dialog box, where you can change the number
format, indentation, attached paragraph styles to the numbering levels, etc.

The list styles of the active document are displayed under "List Styles" at
Home tab | Multilevel List. You can click a style to apply it to text, but
if you've attached numbering to paragraph styles, you'll find it easier to
apply the appropriate paragraph style directly. To edit a list style,
right-click it and choose Modify from the context menu (this will take you
directly to the Modify Multilevel List dialog box).