Graduate Studies > Thesis and Dissertation Information > Tutorials > Setting the Bottom Margin Using MS Word

Tutorials: Resetting Your Bottom Margin with Word

When your manuscript is microfiched, everything outside a 1" border will be cut off. For this reason, we require dissertation writers (and encourage thesis writers, for consistency) to place their page numbers at least an inch above the bottom of the page. Resetting your bottom margin so that the footer floats over that 1" mark is simple.

This tutorial assumes you are already familiar with the basic workings of a desktop computer, such as the use of a keyboard and mouse.

To begin, open Microsoft Word.

Go to File --> Page Setup.

The Page Setup dialogue box opens onto the Margins tab. Go to the Margin Settings From Edge and type in 1.00 in the Footer box. Make sure that the Apply to: box under the Preview is set to Whole Document.

Your page number will now float above the 1" bottom margin required.

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