Document preparation
Make a coursework document easier to navigate and read
An assignment can be well argued and still difficult to navigate if its structure is only visible through bold text and blank lines. Build the document's organisation as you write. This helps readers move through it and helps you review whether the sections follow a clear sequence before submission.
Microsoft's guidance covers accessible Word documents and preparing accessible PDFs from Office files. These are practical authoring references rather than a guarantee that a finished file meets every reader's needs. Follow the course's submission requirements, and use the checks below to improve the document within those requirements.
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Give headings a real structure
Use the word processor's heading styles for sections and subsections, with a logical order. Choose headings that describe what follows. A heading such as Discussion of interview findings tells the reader more than a decorative phrase whose meaning only becomes clear several paragraphs later. Keep the hierarchy consistent across the assignment.
Use the navigation pane or equivalent outline view to inspect the sequence without reading every paragraph. Check for a missing level, repeated heading or section that contains unrelated material. This can expose an argument problem as well as a formatting problem. Adjust the outline before spending time on fine visual details.
Keep the page easy to follow
Use a readable body style and consistent paragraph spacing within the permitted format. Avoid constructing layouts with repeated spaces or empty paragraphs. Check that text remains legible when zoomed and that the page does not require a reader to infer meaning from colour alone. A simple layout is often easier to maintain during revision.
When using lists, create actual list structures rather than typing symbols into separate lines. Keep list items parallel in purpose and avoid making them so long that the hierarchy becomes unclear. If a list is really an argument with several linked steps, connected prose may be easier to read and assess.
Explain meaningful visuals
For a figure, decide what information the reader needs from it and provide an appropriate description. A chart's purpose might be to show a trend or compare groups; the description should communicate that purpose and relevant detail. Do not use a file name as the only explanation of an important image.
Refer to the figure in the surrounding text and explain how it relates to the argument. Include units, labels and source attribution where required. If a complex diagram carries essential information, provide a fuller textual explanation in a sensible location. This also helps readers who are viewing the document on a small screen or a poor printout.
Review tables and links
Use tables for information that genuinely benefits from rows and columns. Give columns clear labels and keep the structure as simple as the material allows. Avoid using a table merely to position unrelated blocks of text. Check the reading order and whether the table still makes sense when considered one row at a time.
Write link text that identifies the destination or its purpose. A row of identical click-here links is difficult to distinguish. Where the assignment requires a formal reference, retain that reference as well; a hyperlink is not automatically a substitute for the specified citation format. Check that the destination is the intended source.
Inspect the exported file
Run the application's accessibility checker and address the issues you can resolve. Read its explanations rather than accepting every automated suggestion blindly. Microsoft advises preparing the source document before exporting an accessible PDF. Use the documented export process available in your version and retain the editable source.
Open the resulting file and check headings, figures, links and page breaks. If you use assistive technology, test the workflow with your usual tools; ask university support for help where needed. Keep any remaining limitation visible and seek an appropriate alternative format if the course or recipient needs one. Passing an automated check is useful evidence, not a complete accessibility guarantee.
Your next steps
- Use heading styles in a logical order.
- Explain essential figures and chart meaning.
- Keep tables and link text clear.
- Check both the source file and exported result.
Sources and further help
Sources were consulted on 5 September 2026. Provider terms and services can change; check your exact booking, product or university service.
Keep planning
- Use read-aloud tools for a focused coursework proofread
- Choose what to read first from a long reading list
- Keep high-demand library books from derailing preparation
- Make reading notes that help you build an argument