Tracking Changes in Microsoft Word

Send documents for Editing

Please send me your documents to be edited in Microsoft Word format.

Track Changes

I will make additions, deletions and insert comments using the "Track Changes" feature of Word.  Here you can view a sample of an edited document. Note the additions, deletions and comments. This is how these changes will appear when viewing the document in the Final Showing Markup mode described below:

• Additions - these will be noted within the text and will be underlined.
• Deletions - there will be a balloon out in the right margin labeled "deleted" with the letters, words or punctuation that have been deleted. There will be a line showing exactly from where the deletions came.
• Comments - comments will be in a balloon in the right margin labeled as comments. There will be parentheses around any words being referenced from your document and a line to the balloon labeled "comment." The comment balloon will include any comments that I have inserted regarding the text. A comment will also be inserted if I am making a suggestion at that point in the manuscript.

View Your Document

When your document is returned to you, you will be able to view it in several ways. Look at the top of your screen in Microsoft Word and see one of these four headings stated below. If you click on the arrow to the right of this box you will be able to select the one you want.

If you do not see these you must show the Reviewing (Track Changes) Toolbar by clicking on View, then Toolbars and then make sure that Reviewing is checked. This will bring up the Reviewing Track Changes toolbar.

• Original - this is your original document.
• Original Showing Markup - this is the original with the marked up changes included and marked.
• Final Showing Markup - this is the final with the marked up changes included and marked.
• Final - this is the final document with the changes applied to the document but the markup not showing.

If you are using a more recent version of MS Word, the options will be Simple Markup, All Markup, No Markup, and Original.

Apply the Changes 

You will want to review each change and decide which ones you want to accept and which ones you do not want to accept. In order to do this you should perform the following steps.

• View your document in the Final Showing Markup or All Markup mode.
• Show - In the Show box to the right of the Final Showing Markup box click the down arrow and make sure that the Comments, Insertions and Deletions, and Formatting lines are checked.
• Accept or Reject - You can accept or reject each change by first clicking within the change and then clicking either the accept or reject button. The accept button is a check mark on top of a document icon and is a little to the right of the show box mentioned above. The reject button is an "x" on top of a document icon and is just to the right of the accept button. 
• Accept or Reject All Changes in the Document - You can accept or reject ALL changes in the document at once by clicking on the accept or reject button and clicking the appropriate action. This is NOT recommended. You should review each change and make sure it is a change that you want in your manuscript. 

Please contact me if you have any questions about the Track Changes feature or any of the changes that have been suggested for your manuscript.