Learning Objectives

  • Set A4 margins, orientation, and page size used in PRC 110 reports
  • Control indents and paragraph spacing with Styles where possible
  • Insert page breaks vs section breaks for the right job
  • Build multi-section documents (portrait + landscape, different headers)

PRC 110 Lab Report Defaults

Setting Value
Paper A4
Margins Top/Bottom 1”, Left 1.25”, Right 1”
Orientation Portrait (landscape only for wide tables)
Line spacing 1.5
Spacing after 6 pt
Body alignment Justified

Apply via Layout → Margins / Orientation / Size and Paragraph settings (or Normal style).

1) Margins, Orientation, Size

  1. Layout → Margins → Custom Margins for the lab-report values above.
  2. Orientation: Portrait for narrative; Landscape for wide screenshots/tables.
  3. Size: A4 for PU submissions (avoid Letter unless asked).

Always check File → Print → Print Preview before exporting.

2) Indents and Spacing

  1. Select body text → Paragraph dialog.
  2. First-line indent 0.5” for academic paragraphs (optional for business letters).
  3. Line spacing 1.5; Spacing After 6 pt.
  4. Prefer modifying Normal / Heading styles over one-off manual tweaks so the TOC stays reliable.

3) Page Breaks vs Section Breaks

Break Use when
Page Break (Ctrl+Enter) Start a new page but keep the same headers/margins
Section Break (Next Page) Change orientation, margins, or header/footer rules
Section Break (Continuous) Multi-column segment mid-page

Insert → Breaks (Layout → Breaks).

4) Multi-Section Documents

Example structure:

  1. Cover — section 1, Different First Page, no page numbers
  2. Body — portrait, header with course name
  3. Appendix — new section, landscape, restart or continue numbering

Unlink headers: In header edit mode, turn off Link to Previous before changing section 2’s header.

Page numbers: Insert → Page Number → Format Page Numbers (start at 1 after the cover if required).

Practice Task

Create a 5-page document with:

  • Custom PRC 110 margins on the body section
  • Cover without header/footer
  • One landscape appendix section for a wide table
  • Distinct headers per section
  • Page numbers that skip the cover

Step-by-Step Lab Exercise: A Three-Section Lab Report

Goal: a report with a cover, a portrait body, and a landscape appendix, each with the correct headers and page numbers.

  1. Type a cover page (title, your name, roll number, college, date).
  2. Place the cursor at the end of the cover → Layout → Breaks → Section Breaks → Next Page.
  3. Type two pages of body text (use =rand(10) and press Enter to generate sample text).
  4. At the end of the body, insert another Next Page section break.
  5. In the new (third) section: Layout → Orientation → Landscape. Only this section should turn landscape.
  6. Set body margins: click in section 2 → Layout → Margins → Custom Margins → Top 1”, Bottom 1”, Left 1.25”, Right 1” → Apply to: This section.
  7. Double-click the header of section 2 → turn off Link to Previous → type the course name.
  8. In section 3’s header, turn off Link to Previous → type “Appendix”.
  9. In section 2, Insert → Page Number → Bottom of Page, then Format Page Numbers → Start at: 1.
  10. Check that the cover has no header or page number.

Check your work (File → Print preview):

Page Orientation Header Page number
1 Portrait None None
2–3 Portrait Course name 1, 2
4 Landscape Appendix 3

Common Errors and Fixes

Problem Likely cause Fix
Whole document turns landscape No section break, or orientation applied to the whole document Insert a Next Page section break and apply orientation to This section
Changing one header changes all headers Link to Previous is still on Turn off Link to Previous in the later section before editing
Page numbering starts at 2 on the first body page Numbering continues from the cover Format Page Numbers → Start at: 1
Blank pages appear Many Enter presses instead of page breaks Delete empty paragraphs; use Ctrl + Enter for page breaks
Text not aligned to margins Manual spaces and tabs used for layout Use paragraph indents and alignment settings

Key Takeaways

  • Use a page break to start a new page; use a section break to change layout.
  • Margins, orientation, and headers can differ by section.
  • Turn off Link to Previous before editing a section’s header.
  • Check print preview before exporting or printing.

Exam-Style Questions

Viva (short answer)

  1. Distinguish between a page break and a section break.
  2. How do you make only one page landscape in a document?
  3. What is the purpose of “Link to Previous”?
  4. What are the standard margins for a PRC 110 lab report?
  5. How do you start page numbering from 1 on the second page?

Lab test tasks

  1. Create a four-page document with a cover, two portrait body pages, and one landscape page, with correct section breaks.
  2. Set custom margins of 1” (top, bottom, right) and 1.25” (left) for the body section only.
  3. Give each section a different header and make page numbers start at 1 after the cover.

📚 Continue to: Advanced Features