Formatting Assignments in Word

Formatting isn’t just about how your document looks — it’s about making your work clear, professional, and easy to read.

Good formatting shows attention to detail and helps markers focus on the quality of your ideas rather than getting distracted by layout problems. Poor formatting can make your work look rushed or careless — and it can even lead to lost marks if your assignment doesn’t meet the presentation requirements set by your tutor.

Many formatting problems are easy to avoid once you know how — but they are also one of the most common causes of last-minute stress when preparing assignments.

Many formatting problems happen when students try to force the layout manually instead of using Word’s built-in tools — especially when adding space between sections or moving text to a new page.

These mistakes are easy to make but can cause messy layouts, strange gaps, inconsistent spacing, or missing features like a table of contents.

• Using Enter multiple times to start a new page instead of a page break — this causes content to shift around unpredictably if you edit earlier in the document.
• Inconsistent line spacing — forgetting to check it, or mixing single, 1.5, and double spacing, often because spacing settings were changed after writing instead of before starting.
• Wrong margins — not matching the assignment brief or using default margins without checking university requirements.
• Not using styles for headings — meaning you can’t generate a table of contents, the navigation pane won’t work, and heading formatting becomes inconsistent.
• Mixing fonts and sizes — often caused by copying and pasting text from other documents, emails, or websites without clearing formatting.
• Strange gaps, extra spaces, or blank pages — usually caused by a combination of extra Enters, manual spaces, or incorrect layout settings.
• Not checking the layout before submitting — issues often show up when converting to PDF, using Print Preview, or opening the file on a different device.
• Setting formatting too late — trying to change line spacing, margins, or styles after finishing the document often causes more problems than setting it correctly at the start.

These are the key formatting tasks that most assignments require. Check your assignment brief or module handbook for any specific requirements.

• Apply line spacing — usually 1.5 or double spacing unless your assignment says otherwise.
• Set margins — typically 2.54 cm (1 inch) on all sides unless specified differently.
• Use Page Breaks to start new pages — for example, after a title page or before your references. Don’t press Enter multiple times.
• Apply Styles to headings — this makes your document easier to navigate and allows you to create a Table of Contents automatically.
• Check fonts and sizes — use a professional, easy-to-read font like Arial or Calibri, usually size 11 or 12.
• Check for layout problems — use Print Preview or save as PDF to check for blank pages, strange gaps, or inconsistent spacing.
• Save a backup copy — and consider saving as PDF before submission to preserve formatting.

These Microsoft help guides show you exactly how to apply formatting — including line spacing, margins, page breaks, and styles.

• Change the line spacing
• Adjust indents and spacing
• Change Margins 
• Insert a page break 
• Insert a section break 
• Customize or create new styles

• Set your formatting before you start writing — it’s much easier than trying to fix problems later.
• Use paragraph spacing (before or after) instead of adding extra blank lines to create space between sections.
• Use page breaks to start a new page (e.g., for your introduction after a title page), rather than pressing Enter multiple times.
• Set margins consistently before you start — check your assignment brief for any specific margin requirements.
• Check your assignment brief for layout requirements — such as font size, line spacing, or file format (Word or PDF).
• Save a custom style set if you use the same settings often — it saves time on future assignments.