← Years 9–10 Data & Information

Styles in a word processor as structure and presentation

A named set of formatting, like Heading 1 or Normal, that labels what a paragraph is. Edit the style once and every paragraph using that style changes at once.

Part of: 9-10 Digital Technologies: Representing online documents — Module 21, ACARA Digital Technologies Years 9–10 — Content, Structure and Presentation — Module 2

Understanding Styles in a word processor as structure and presentation in Years 9–10 Data & Information

What it does: Editing the style definition restyles every paragraph that uses that style at once. The pane can only list headings that were labelled with heading styles, which shows the styles carry structure. A style such as Heading 1 or Normal tells the software the role of the paragraph, as well as storing its font, size and colour.

Common mistakes: The main title should use the top-level style, Heading 1. Heading 2 is for sub-sections like Bins, so the outline would be wrong. It should be [Heading 1] Recycling. Cats is a section under the Heading 1 title, so it needs Heading 2. Jumping to Heading 3 skips a level and breaks the outline in the navigation pane. It should be [Heading 2] Cats.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

Free printable worksheet with full answer key — or add this module to a class and your students practise it interactively.

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 17–51) and word search (Modules 6–132).

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Learning
Duo
You want a title in your Word document to count as a main heading. What should you do?
Apply the Heading 1 style to the titleMake the title bold and increase the font size by hand
Matches
Select the title, press Ctrl+B and set the size to 24 pt
↓
Manual bold and a bigger size only change how the text looks. The word processor still sees a Normal paragraph, so it is not a real heading and will not appear in the Navigation Pane.
Applying
Meanings
Term
paragraph style
Meaning
A named set of formatting, like Heading 1 or Normal, that labels what a paragraph is. Edit the style once and every paragraph using that style changes at once.
Practice
SELECT the title paragraph
Testing
Gaps
Style for the main heading:
Check Answer
Spots
1[Heading 2] Recycling
2[Heading 2] Bins

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Quick Questions

1. You want a title in your Word document to count as a main heading. What should you do?
A. Make the title bold and increase the font size by hand
B. Apply the Heading 1 style to the title ✓
Heading 1 is a paragraph style that labels the text as a main heading. Bold and big text only changes how it looks, so the software does not know it is a heading.
2. Your report has 15 headings using the Heading 2 style. You want them all to be dark blue. What is the quickest way?
A. Modify the Heading 2 style once and choose dark blue ✓
B. Select each heading one at a time and change its colour
Changing the style updates every paragraph that uses it at once. This is why styles save time and keep a document consistent.
3. Which statement about paragraph styles is correct?
A. A style labels the structure (what the paragraph is) and also holds its formatting ✓
B. A style only changes how text looks and says nothing about what it is
A style such as Heading 1 or Normal tells the software the role of the paragraph, as well as storing its font, size and colour.
4. Mia makes her headings by selecting the text and clicking Bold. What problem will she have?
A. The Navigation Pane will list them as Heading 1 automatically
B. The Navigation Pane will not list those headings ✓
The Navigation Pane builds its outline from heading styles. Manually bolded text is still just Normal text underneath.
5. Which is true about the Normal style?
A. It is the default style for ordinary body paragraphs ✓
B. It can only be used for the document title
Normal is the base style for regular body text. Changing it can change the font for most of the document.

Match the Pairs

Heading 1 → A paragraph style that labels a line as a main title or top-level heading, so the document knows it is a heading
Normal → The default paragraph style used for ordinary body text in a word processor document
Modify the Heading 1 style once (for example, change its colour) and every Heading 1 paragraph in the document updates → Modify Style: Heading 1 > Colour: Blue
The Navigation Pane builds a clickable outline of the document from paragraphs that use heading styles → View > Navigation Pane > Headings
Select the title, press Ctrl+B and set the size to 24 pt → Manual bold and a bigger size only change how the text looks. The word processor still sees a Normal paragraph, so it is not a real heading and will not appear in the Navigation Pane.
Change 12 headings one by one to a new font after the teacher asks for a different look → Formatting each heading by hand wastes time and risks missing some. Headings should use a style so one edit to the style updates them all.

Key Term

paragraph style
A named set of formatting, like Heading 1 or Normal, that labels what a paragraph is. Edit the style once and every paragraph using that style changes at once.

Fill in the Blanks

1. Style for the main heading: Heading 1
Hint: Type the name of the built-in style for the top-level heading.
2. Style for ordinary body text: Normal
Hint: Type the name of the default style used for regular paragraphs.
3. Right-click Heading 1 > Modify > set font
Hint: Type the command that lets you edit a style's formatting once for every matching paragraph.
4. View > Show > Navigation Pane
Hint: Type the name of the panel that lists every heading as a clickable outline.
5. Instead of Ctrl+B, apply a Heading style
Hint: Type the word for a named set of formatting that labels what a paragraph is.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A [Heading 2] Recycling
B [Heading 2] Bins
C [Normal] Use the blue bin.
Line A — The main title should use the top-level style, Heading 1. Heading 2 is for sub-sections like Bins, so the outline would be wrong. It should be [Heading 1] Recycling.
Question 2
A [Heading 1] Pets
B [Normal] Dogs need walks.
C [Heading 3] Cats
D [Normal] Cats sleep a lot.
Line C — Cats is a section under the Heading 1 title, so it needs Heading 2. Jumping to Heading 3 skips a level and breaks the outline in the navigation pane. It should be [Heading 2] Cats.
Question 3
A Goal: make all headings blue
B Edit the Normal style: blue
C Every Heading 1 turns blue
Line B — The Normal style controls body paragraphs, not headings. To restyle every Heading 1 you must modify the Heading 1 style. It should be: Edit the Heading 1 style: blue.
Question 4
A Open the Navigation pane
B It lists Heading style text
C Click a heading to jump to it
D Bold Normal text is listed too
Line D — The navigation pane only lists paragraphs with heading styles. Text that is just bold but still Normal is not listed. It should say Normal text is not listed.
Question 5
A [Heading 1] Healthy Eating
B [Normal] Fruit (bold, 16pt)
C [Normal] Apples have fibre.
D [Heading 2] Vegetables
Line B — Making text bold and bigger by hand only changes how it looks. The paragraph is still labelled Normal, so it is not a heading. It should use the style: [Heading 2] Fruit.

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