Chapter and page number in right margin

L

le.consigliori

Hello,

I am formatting a document and want to add the chapter's name and the
page number in the margin, using Word 2003.

I want to do like in magazines, where you have the text in the middle
and the article's name in the margin (vertical text). Each chapter
would be at a different place, allowing easy navigation through the
text (like phone books)

Here's a quick example of what I want.

[ Article text ]
[ Article text ] c
[ Article text ] h
[ Article text ] a
[ Article text ] p
[ Article text ] t
[ Article text ] e
[ Article text ] r
[ Article text ]
[ Article text ] V
[ Article text ]
[ Article text ]
[ Article text ] p. 10

I don't want to go the publisher way, as the whole thesis is in word
and I don't want to start over.

Any idea?

Best,

Ed.
 
D

Daiya Mitchell

Hi Ed.,

Side note:

Is this really a thesis? As in, for an academic degree? It's more common,
with theses, to print the chapter title in the header. Theses also tend to
have specific formatting requirements, especially about margins, so make
sure this request doesn't contravene them before you put effort into it.

Arguably, a chapter title in the top right header would be easier for people
to use. People are quite accustomed to looking at the top right to navigate
dictionaries and phone books. When the edge is used, it is usually
accompanied by either cutouts on the page edge (e.g., in dictionaries), or
by solid color changes right up to the page edge, which is difficult to
accomplish in Word.

People are not, however, particularly accustomed to reading letters stacked
on top of each other, though you could probably do sideways text--which
again, demands a head tilt to read.

I just looked at the various magazines and phone books around my apt, and
don't see any of them using this style consistently. In short, I'm asking
"why bother?" I don't think this would be very difficult to do, but it
seems like a fancy visual trick that doesn't actually make life any easier
for the reader. If your aim is to allow easy navigation, I'm not sure this
is the best approach.

If you must do it, consider using chapter titles as well--seeing "chapter 5"
in the margin, again, does not really provide enough information to tell a
reader *this* is the place she wants (unless she already studied the TOC, in
which case it's easier for her to flip to the page number and ignore the
marginal text).

Re your original request--Investigate anchoring a frame or text box in the
header of each chapter, though I'm not very familiar with either and someone
else may suggest a better method. I'd experiment on a COPY of the document
until you get it all perfected.

Hello,

I am formatting a document and want to add the chapter's name and the
page number in the margin, using Word 2003.

I want to do like in magazines, where you have the text in the middle
and the article's name in the margin (vertical text). Each chapter
would be at a different place, allowing easy navigation through the
text (like phone books)

Here's a quick example of what I want.

[ Article text ]
[ Article text ] c
[ Article text ] h
[ Article text ] a
[ Article text ] p
[ Article text ] t
[ Article text ] e
[ Article text ] r
[ Article text ]
[ Article text ] V
[ Article text ]
[ Article text ]
[ Article text ] p. 10

I don't want to go the publisher way, as the whole thesis is in word
and I don't want to start over.

Any idea?

Best,

Ed.
Click to expand...
 
L

le.consigliori

Hello Daiya,
Is this really a thesis? As in, for an academic degree? It's more common,
with theses, to print the chapter title in the header. Theses also tend to
have specific formatting requirements, especially about margins, so make
sure this request doesn't contravene them before you put effort into it.
Click to expand...

It is, indeed. I did read the rules and there is no issue with using
these in the right margin.
Arguably, a chapter title in the top right header would be easier for people
to use. People are quite accustomed to looking at the top right to navigate
dictionaries and phone books. When the edge is used, it is usually
accompanied by either cutouts on the page edge (e.g., in dictionaries), or
by solid color changes right up to the page edge, which is difficult to
accomplish in Word.
Click to expand...

I agree with you on usability, but as many tables and graphics are used
in an horizontal page layout, it made more sense to use this kind, with
solid color changes. Think of it more like a sexy thesis layout than a
strict one.

People are not, however, particularly accustomed to reading letters stacked
on top of each other, though you could probably do sideways text--which
again, demands a head tilt to read.
Click to expand...

I want to do sideway text, but you'll convene that it is a bit hard to
do in ASCII! ;) My example wasn't correct in that regard.
I just looked at the various magazines and phone books around my apt, and
don't see any of them using this style consistently. In short, I'm asking
"why bother?" I don't think this would be very difficult to do, but it
seems like a fancy visual trick that doesn't actually make life any easier
for the reader. If your aim is to allow easy navigation, I'm not sure this
is the best approach.
Click to expand...

I unfortunately tend to disagree, as it is widely used in my field of
study, both within papers and academic journals.
If you must do it, consider using chapter titles as well--seeing "chapter 5"
in the margin, again, does not really provide enough information to tell a
reader *this* is the place she wants (unless she already studied the TOC, in
which case it's easier for her to flip to the page number and ignore the
marginal text).
Click to expand...

It would actually read the actual title such as "Methodology" "Results
of short term regressions" "Results of long term regressions"
"Discussion".

A lot of the sections will be similar in terms of content and look, but
aimed at proving different hypothesis and the TOC is following a strict
standard.

I do understand your concerns, but still believe it is the most
effective way of achieving the results, considering usability, visual
impact and rules applying.
Re your original request--Investigate anchoring a frame or text box in the
header of each chapter, though I'm not very familiar with either and someone
else may suggest a better method. I'd experiment on a COPY of the document
until you get it all perfected.
Click to expand...

I just tried the text box and it does the trick. Never thought of using
it out of the header of footer per se, but indeed, good tip!

Thanks again for your comments, which although did not apply, might
help someone help who has to follow stricter rules!

Cheers,

Ed.
 
D

Daiya Mitchell

Hi Ed.,

I agree with you on usability, but as many tables and graphics are used
in an horizontal page layout, it made more sense to use this kind, with
solid color changes. Think of it more like a sexy thesis layout than a
strict one.
Click to expand...
Ah....the presence of many horizontal pages changes the issue--I deal mostly
in text-heavy theses. Thanks for the thoughtful response.

I forgot Suzanne had a page all setup for this. :) And Suzanne's mock up
looks far more user-friendly than yours, bound by ASCII. :)

I believe when my thesis was bound, the paper on the right was trimmed. You
may wind up with solid color bleeding to the margin after all, making it
very user-friendly.
 
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