Time to Write: #3 Table of Contents

A Table of Contents is a necessity for a well-organized genealogy book. When I am in an archives or library and I am trying to decide if a reference book will be helpful to my research I first look at the Table of Contents and the Index. Therefore, when writing my own books, I am sure to include both.

In Microsoft Word there are manual and automatic options for inserting a Table of Contents. I like to use the automatic option. It is easier because my contents may be altered as I write and Microsoft Word will change my Table of Contents as I make those alterations. To make that happen I had to first set up Heading Styles.

Heading Styles

I looked at my outline to decide the sections of my book. Then I decided on the styles I wanted. Because my book is titled ‘Remembrances’ I named my Styles REM1, REM2, REM3, etc. I made notes on my outline to keep track of my ideas.

REM1. All Capitals; size 18 font; double underline

REM2. All Capitals; size 18 font; no underlines

REM3. All Capitals; size 16 font; etc.

Here is a section of that outline with my Style Markings. {I made changes here to make it fit easily in this post.]

REM1         TABLE OF CONTENTS                                                 

REM1          INTRODUCTION          

REM1         ANCESTOR TREE OF A J  GARDNER                       

REM1         THE FAMILIES                                                                       

REM2                   BRADY                                     

REM3                            The Brady Family Tree           

REM3                            The Brady Family Timeline                                   

REM3                            The Thomas & C (Gibney) Brady Family Story    

REM3                            The Children of Thomas Brady       

REM4                                      Patrick Brady                        

REM5                                               The Children of P & E (Reilly) Brady 

REM4                                      William Brady                       

REM5                                               The Children of W & B (O’Reilly) Brady 

REM4                                      Owen Brady                          

REM5                                               The Children of O & M (McGovern) Brady  

REM4                                      Ann Brady Kilday                   

REM5                                               The Children of J & A (Brady) Kilday   

REM4                                      Bartholomew Anthony Brady  

REM5                                               The Children of Bart & M (Reddan) Brady    

REM3                            The Descendants of Thomas Brady    

REM2                   COYLE              

REM3                            The Coyle Family Tree                      

Table of Contents

Next I clicked on the spot I wanted to add the Table of Contents. Then I clicked on the Reference tab & clicked the Table of Contents box. The drop down menu gives Automatic & Manual options.

I wanted more options. For example, I set up 5 Style Headings [REM1 - REM5] and I want 5 levels in my Table of Contents. My outline & my Table of Contents will begin at the margin for level 1 & then move over 4 times for subsections, giving me 5 levels.

There is a video that shows the steps more clearly than I could list here.  

Once it is in place I can work on my book, click on the Table of Contents & then click ‘Update Table’. The table will be updated to show the changes I made.

Have you made a Table of Contents? What did you use to generate it?

Related Posts:

• Time to Write
• Time to Write: Making an Outline
• Time to Write: Format & Page Numbers
• Time to Write: Table of Contents
• Time to Write: An Index
• Time to Write: Section Dividers 
• Time to Write: Maps
• Time to Write: Appendix