How to Create a Dynamic Table of Contents

How to Create a Dynamic Table of Contents How to Create a Dynamic Table of Contents in Microsoft Word Whenever you write a longer paper, particularly a thesis or dissertation, you’ll need to include a table of contents. If you like doing things the slow way, you could type this out manually and painstakingly modify it every time you make a slight change to a subheading. However, there’s an easier way: Use Microsoft Word’s â€Å"Style† options to create a table of contents that can be updated at the click of a button! How to Modify Styles The â€Å"Styles† menu can be found on the â€Å"Home† tab in MS Word. To create a table of contents, the styles we need are labeled â€Å"Heading.† MS Word comes with a number of default â€Å"Heading† styles (e.g., â€Å"Heading 1,† â€Å"Heading 2†). To customize these â€Å"Heading† styles: Pick the â€Å"Heading† you want to change. Right-click and select â€Å"Modify.† In the new window that opens, pick the formatting options required. Click â€Å"OK.† Alternatively, you could apply formatting to one heading or subheading, select the formatted text, right-click the â€Å"Heading† style in the menu and select â€Å"Update to Match Selection.† This will change the style to match the highlighted text. Applying Your Headings To apply customized headings, go through each heading and subheading in your paper and click the required style. If you change the â€Å"Heading† style after this, all the headings that use this style will be updated automatically. It’s often a good idea to distinguish between different headings and subheadings. You can do this by using a different â€Å"Heading† style for each level. For example, each chapter heading could be formatted using â€Å"Heading 1† and an 18pt font, while subheadings could use â€Å"Heading 2† and a 16pt font. Creating Your Table of Contents Once you’ve formatted your headings and subheadings, it’s time to create a table of contents. On PC, follow these simple steps: Place the cursor where you want your table of contents to appear. Go to the â€Å"References† tab. Click on â€Å"Table of Contents.† Select â€Å"Automatic Table 1.† This will create an automatic table of contents (including a title saying â€Å"Contents†) using the first three â€Å"Heading† styles. If you want to customize your table of contents, click â€Å"Custom Table of Contents† instead. On Mac, the process is slightly different: Place the cursor where you want your table of contents to appear. Go to the â€Å"Document Elements† tab. Click on one of the options in the â€Å"Table of Contents† menu. Both Mac and PC versions of MS Word feature an â€Å"Update† or â€Å"Update Table† button next to the â€Å"Table of Contents† menu. This allows you to quickly update your table of contents (either the whole thing or just the page numbers) after making amendments to your document.

What Teachers Need to Know About Being a Club Sponsor

What Teachers Need to Know About Being a Club Sponsor Almost every teacher will be approached at some point and asked to sponsor a club. They might be asked by an administrator, their fellow teachers, or the students themselves. Being a club sponsor is full of many rewards. However, before you jump in feet first you should consider exactly what it is you are getting involved in. Student Club Sponsorship Takes Time While this might seem obvious, it is important that you understand the time commitment involved in sponsoring a student club. First, realize that all clubs are not equal. Each club will require work but some require more work than others. For example, a student club devoted to surfing or chess will probably not take as much time as a service club, especially one with a large number of members. Service clubs such as Key Club or the National Honor Society require numerous service projects that are labor intensive on the part of the sponsor. Any extracurricular club activities will require adult coordination and supervision. In order to gauge how much time you will need to set aside for club sponsorship, talk with teachers who have previously sponsored that particular club. If possible, look at the club by-laws and previous year student events. If you feel that the club is too much to take on due to the time commitment you can either choose to decline the invitation or find a co-sponsor for the club. However, if you do choose a co-sponsor, make sure you pick someone you feel will take on 50% of the time commitment. Dealing With Students Within the Club A student club will typically hold an election in which students are chosen to be the president, vice-president, treasurer, and secretary of the club. You should understand that these are the students with whom you will be working the closest. In fact, if the right individuals are chosen for the job, your role will be much simpler. Realize, however, that there might be students involved in the club who do not participate fully. This can lead to problems. For example, if your club has organized an activity and if the one student who is required to bring the drinks does not show, then you will probably be making a quick run to the store and spending your own money to buy the drinks. Money and Dues Sponsoring a student club also means that you will most probably be dealing with dues and monies collected from the students. Before you even begin the process, make sure that you have not only built up a positive relationship with the schools bookkeeper but also that you understand the exact process for collecting money. While there will be a treasurer, as the adult you will be responsible for making sure that the money is treated responsibly. In the end, you will be held responsible if money is missing. School Club Sponsorship Can Be Fun This article was not meant to scare you away from being a club sponsor. Instead, realize that there are many rewards for those willing to put in the time. You will build a stronger relationship with students within the club. You will also learn a lot about the students, more than you can possibly learn while in the classroom setting. Finally, you will have the reward of helping enrich students lives through extracurricular activities.