When writing an MLA essay, you will usually not need footers. Instead, you will need to put your surname (family name) and the page number in the header.

First of all, let's look at what a header looks like. You can access the header easily: just double-click in the top margin. This view will appear:

Note the two tabs in the ruler: a center tab at mid-page, and a right tab at the right margin. This allows for three typing positions: (1) starting at the left margin, text going to the right; (2) starting at the center, text spreading out from the center; and (3) starting at the right margin, text going to the left.

However, MS Word has many pre-set header styles. Depending on what format you must follow, you might choose a different button. For example, when you click on the "Header" button, you will be presented with a menu of these choices:

You can use these styles... if your teacher allows such styles. The MLA, however, simply requires your surname and the page number in the top right corner.

The page number is a special kind of object called a Field. A "Field" is text that changes automatically. When you insert a page number, it must be different on every page. Therefore, you cannot simply type the number "1." It must instead be a "Field."

In previous versions of MS Word, there was a simple "Page Number" button, but MS Word 2007 has made that more difficult. Instead of typing your name and then clicking the Page Number button, you instead must choose a Page Number style:

Choose the "Plain Number 3," for example; then click to the left of the number, and type your family name and a space.

There is an alternate way to insert a simple page number, but it is not a simple way. Go to the Insert tab, click on Quick Parts, select Field from the menu, and then find "Page" from "Field names," and then click OK. That will insert a simple page number field.

Once you are in the Header or Footer, you will see these options in the Ribbon:

Of special interest is this section:

These are the Document Level Changes for the Header and Footers. They include:

• Different First Page: This lets you have a different header for the first page only; it is commonly used when there is a Title Page.
• Different Odd & Even Pages: This is used when you print in double-sided book format; the page numbers should be on the outer side of the page, away from the binding. For odd-numbered pages, the header should be on the right, and for even-numbered pages, it should be on the left.
• Show Document Text: shows or hides the text in the body of the document.

• Header from Top: sets the Header Margin, or how far the header is from the top of the piece of paper. This usually is set to 0.5".
• Footer from Bottom: sets the Footer Margin, or how far the footer is from the bottom of the piece of paper. This usually is set to 0.5".
• Insert Alignment Tab: an advanced feature; don't worry about it.

There is also a "Close Header and Footer" button, but you can go back to editing your document by double-clicking on the body of the document.

• Text Box: create a box with text that can be resized and placed anywhere on the slide.
• Quick Parts: allow you to add preset parts, including:
  • Document Properties: such as "Author" or "Title"; define one and when you insert it again, it will repeat
  • Field: automatic text
  • Building Blocks Organizer: choose from a large number of pre-made designs
• Word Art: create styled, 3-D art using text.
• Drop Cap: Makes the first character of a paragraph extra-large
• Signature Line: adds a line for someone to sign their name, as in a contract
• Date & Time: adds date and or time stamps
• Object: add special objects to the slide.

You will use any of these with varied frequency. College students might use Text Boxes and the Date and Time options the most. Advanced users will use the Quick Parts (because it takes practice and getting-used-to). Business people would use the Signature Line more. People doing creative design might use Drop Cap and Word Art more.

For you, a Text Box is an easy way to make a special inset text area--a small box of text separate from the main text. For examples, go to Quick Parts, select "Building Blocks Organizer," and choose a sample text box from the list.

The Date & Time is very useful if you are writing drafts of an essay. On the first page, you are often required to add your name, the teacher's name, the class name, and the date. However, if you use the same document to make a second draft but you forget to change the date, your second draft will have the same date as the first daft, even though it is a week later. The Date & Time button adds a field which will automatically change the date to the correct date every time you open the document.

The Equation tool is an easy way to add mathematical expressions to your document. Click on the Equation button for a few common examples:

Or select "Insert New Equation." You will see a new "Equation Tools" Ribbon tab, which will give you options to create your own equation from scratch.

Just type whatever elements you want into the formatting frame. Here is a collection of equation elements (a nonsense equation):

The Symbol tool allows you to type characters not usually found via the keyboard. Click the button to see some recently used symbols:

If the symbol you need is not shown here, then just click "More Symbols" and you will get this dialog box:

To insert a symbol, either double-click it, or click it and then click on the "Insert" button.

Note the area to the lower left of that dialog box:

If you select a symbol in the dialog box, the Shortcut Key for that symbol--if one is set--will appear. If there is no shortcut, you can create one with either AutoCorrect or with the Shortcut Key button. For example, if you click the Shortcut Key button, you will see this dialog box:

Here, you can simply type a key combination to use for the symbol. In this case, I used the "Yen" sign and typed the "Alt+Y" combination. MS Word told me that the "Alt+Y" combination was not "currently assigned" to any other command. All you do is click the "Assign" button and the keyboard shortcut will be set.