Using columns in a document causing header problems

D

Dan Irwin

Hi,

Every week for my science class I have to answer 6 or pages worth of
questions. To conserve some space I often using columns to fit many
one-word answers on one line (but I only use columns for one or two
lines and then I go back to having no columns). After I do this though
my headers get messed up. Not all of the headers are the same and each
of them says section # next to them for some reason. All I want is to
have a different header on the first page as on every other page. That
works ok when I first set up the document, but then if for what ever
reason I need to change the headers while I'm in the middle of working
on the home work the changes don't always come up on other pages.

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Dan
 
S

Stefan Blom

The root of the problem is that when you format text to have
(newspaper) columns Word actually inserts continuous section breaks.
In other words, formatting text to use columns divides your document
into sections. And each section can have up to three different headers
(and footers).

If you want the same headers and footers for all pages in all
sections, do the following:

1. For each section, choose File>Page Setup and, on the Layout tab,
clear the options for "Different odd and even" and "Different first
page".

2. Make sure all sections are linked together. You do this by
displaying the header/footer area (use View>Header and Footer), and
then clicking the Same as previous toolbar button so that it is
depressed (activated). In recent versions of Word, the Same as
previous button might be called Link to previous.

Note that for continuous sections that occupy less than a page, you
won't be able to see the header/footer area unless you first insert a
temporary page break; then complete step 2 above.

But rather than using newspaper columns for your short answers,
why not use tabs or perhaps tables (with no borders) to separate them,
instead?
 
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