What is the "First Line Indent" code and how do I view it?

A

abygailadams

I'm proofing a text and the final format instructions advise that a one-tab
indent rather than a First Line Indent code should be used. How do I
determine whether or not I'm using the one-tab indent? Thanks :)
 
A

Anne Troy

Hi, Aby. I don't completely understand the instructions, but if it were me,
this is what I'd think....
Assuming you're in Word, and your cursor is placed inside the paragraph
you're formatting, hit Format-->Paragraph. On the right of the dialog is a
"Special" drop-down. If First Line is chosen there, then the indent of the
first line only is going to be indented by the measurement in the "By" box.
But a "one-tab" indent that is NOT the first line, should have a Left indent
setting, and the "Special" drop-down should NOT be used. I believe when
they're saying a "one-tab indent", they mean a half-inch (or whatever a
default tab measure is where you are).

************
Hope it helps!
Anne Troy
www.OfficeArticles.com
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B

Beth Melton

It sounds like they want a tab preceding the paragraph. Personally I
think it should be the other way around, remove the tab and use a
first line indent. But...turn on your nonprinting characters (¶ in the
Standard toolbar) and see if each paragraph has a tab. The nonprinting
character will look like an arrow. If you don't see the arrow but the
first line of the paragraph is indented then you have a first line
indent instead of a tab.

What I would do is use Find/Replace and find all paragraphs with a
first line indent and replace it with no indent (none) and a tab. Use
the "More" command at the bottom of the Find/Replace dialog and you'll
see the Format options.

If you want to correct the paragraphs manually then you will need to
go to Tools/AutoCorrect Options and on the "AutoFormat as you type"
tab turn off "Set left and first indent with tabs and backspaces".
Otherwise if you press Tab at the beginning of a paragraph that has
already been typed you'll end up with a first line indent instead of
the tab character.

Please post all follow-up questions to the newsgroup. Requests for
assistance by email can not be acknowledged.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beth Melton
Microsoft Office MVP

Word FAQ: http://mvps.org/word
TechTrax eZine: http://mousetrax.com/techtrax/
MVP FAQ site: http://mvps.org/
 
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