When it comes to creating a neat and easy-to-follow timeline, there are a number of software products or excel spreadsheets that can be used. If you are like most amateur computer users, you probably don't want to spend the extra money on software to create a single timeline or spend the extra hours trying to figure out Excel. Most computers come equipped with Microsoft Word, a program more than capable of creating a timeline.
Instructions
1. Place all of your research materials in an easily accessible folder. For example, the website you will be siting can be placed in your "Favorites" folder and images you will add to your timeline can be placed in a single "Shared" folder. This way you can access the information you need quickly and easily.
2. Open Microsoft Word, go to '"File" and select "Page Setup." From here you should changed the page orientation to horizontal. This will allow you more space to extend your timeline.
3. Go to the "View" menu and point to "Toolbars" and select "Drawing." Create your timeline bar by clicking the "Rectangle" tool and drag the pointer until it makes a long rectangle on the page. You can change the timeline bar to any color you would like by selecting the "Fill Color" option, selecting your color and clicking in the rectangle.
4. Draw the timeline markers using the "Line" tool in the drawing toolbar. You can draw lines anywhere you like along the rectangular timeline box, spacing them according to your needs.
5. Add information below or above your timeline markers by selecting the "Text Box" option on the drawing toolbar. Using the pointer, draw a text box next to your marker and adjust to the desired size. You can now type into the box all of the necessary information, changing fonts, colors, styles and sizes as normal. Hide the lines that appear automatically around the text box by clicking "No Line" on the "Line Color" tool.
6. Place images into your timeline by either inserting images from your computer's files from the Insert menu, or by right-clicking, copying and pasting images from the web. Once pasted into your timeline, you can adjust the size and create another text box to add captions.
7. Create a dramatic heading for your timeline by selecting "Word Art" on the drawing toolbar. Select a word art style from the list and a text box will automatically appear. Type your heading into the box and click "OK." You can now adjust the size and location of your timeline heading.
Tags: your timeline, drawing toolbar, adjust size, images from, into your, into your timeline, Microsoft Word