Using Word 2007's Spelling Checker 

In addition to following these general guidelines for using Word's spelling checker, you must also make the following change to Word 2007's default settings:

1.      Click the Office Button. 2.      In the menu window that pops up, click on the Word Options button at the bottom. 3.      In the menu on the left side of the Word Options window that pops up, click on the item Proofing. 4.      In the pane that appears on the right, under the section "When correcting spelling in Microsoft Office programs," UNCHECK the box labeled "Ignore words that contain numbers." 5.      Then in this same pane on the right, go down to the section "When correcting spelling and grammar in Word"; if you see a button labeled "Recheck Document," click on it.         You'll see a dialog box like the one on the right pop up; click on its Yes button. 6.      Finally, click on the OK button at the bottom of the Word Options window.

The primary reason I require you to make this adjustment is to help you locate and correct a very common error in using APA in-text parenthetical citations, namely failing to put a space between the period after p or pp and before the first or only digit of the page number that follows in the citation (see slides 6-11 of my "Guidelines for Writing Studies I Essays" lecture). For example, in the following sentences the parenthetical citations are in improper APA format, i.e., they should be (p. 69) and (Lee, 2009, p. 70), respectively:

If you follow my directions in steps 1.-6. above, the above sentences will look like this in Word 2007:

Note that Word will now flag the incorrect citations with wavy red lines as though they are spelling errors, and you will know to correct these by putting a space between the period and the page number(s):

Now, notice that texting/instant message abbreviations, and likely other abbreviations and acronyms in your text if they contain numbers, will be labeled as spelling errors as well, but IN MOST CASES YOU CAN DISREGARD THESE "ERRORS" especially if you see they are written the same way in a source you're using (a principle you can safely follow for some other spelling "errors" too, especially many proper names).

 

 

 

The following guide to Word 2007's spell-checker comes from this page from Florida Gulf Coast University:

 

 

 

For additional help with Word's spell-checker, you can consult this excellent page.

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