How to Make a Table of Contents in Word
Creating a table of contents to include with a document does not have to be difficult or time-consuming. Microsoft Word was created with several options to help you make a table of contents that looks professional, is understandable and can add a special touch to your papers, manuscripts or reports.
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Instructions
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Make a table of contents in a scrollable frame. This works best within the Word program itself, and can make it easier to find things as you are writing--especially if your document is a long one, because it creates hyperlinks that, when clicked, will take you to that section of the document. It only works if you are using built-in heading styles, which you apply by going to the Format menu, choosing the Frames option and then choosing Table of Contents in Frames. You will have to save your document before you can create a scrollable table of contents--but you should be saving frequently anyway, to make sure you don't lose any valuable or important information.
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Make a table of contents using built-in heading styles. Heading styles are formatting options that are created within Microsoft Word. To apply them within a document, select the headings you wish to include in your table of contents. Then go to the Format menu, choose the Style option, and in the dialog box that opens up, choose List: All Styles. This will open a listing of all the heading styles Word has to offer. You will want to choose one of the Heading 1-9 options. Then place your cursor where in your document you would like your table of contents to be located. This can be before all of the other text, or after it, or even in the middle if you prefer. After placing the cursor in the correct spot, go to the Insert menu and choose Index and Tables. From here you will choose the Table of Contents option. There are premade formats available if you would like to use them, located within the Formats box. Otherwise, you can choose the Options button and create your own formatting.
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Make a table of contents using outline-level styles. This is one of the trickier methods of creating a table of contents in Word, so you may want to try it after you are used to the other methods. It involves using outline-Level formats instead of heading styles. In order to apply these outline-level styles, choose the headings from your document that you wish to include in your table of contents, then go to the Format menu. From here, choose the Paragraph option, followed by the Outline Level option from the next box. This will give you choices numbered 1 to 9; pick whichever one suits you best. Then follow the same basic procedures as you would when making a table of contents using built-in heading styles.
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Make a table of contents using embedded headings. This method is a little bit trickier than the one that uses built-in headings, as it requires you to use the "Show/Hide Codes" option in Word. This is signified by a button on the toolbar that shows a P with two lines through it (the mark for a paragraph, if you know proofreading symbols). Once you have created text and are ready to make a table of contents, be sure all of your headings are separated from each other by hitting Enter between them. Then use the built-in headings formatting. You must click on the "Show/Hide Codes" button so that the paragraph mark is visible. Highlight the paragraph marks and go to the Format menu. Now choose "Font" and check the box for "Hidden." Then click the "Show/Hide Codes" button again so the paragraph marks are invisible. Finally, use the same method of inserting your table of contents that you employed in the two previous steps..
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Make a table of contents using custom styles. This method differs from the other four in that you do not choose your headings first. Instead, you first place the cursor where you want your table of contents to be located, then go to the "Insert" tab on the top menu bar. From here, choose "Index and Tables," followed by "Table of Contents." This will open up a box with several options; choose the "Options" button. Now choose "Available Styles" and find the heading style you applied to the headings within your document. Now choose "Table of Contents Level" and enter a number from 1 to 9. You must repeat these steps for each heading style you want to include in your table of contents. Once you have finished with these, press the "OK" tab. Finish by following the same basic procedures you would when making a table of contents using the methods mentioned above.
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