Mastering Table of Contents Page Numbering in Microsoft Word > 자유게시판

Correctly applying page numbers to a Word TOC requires only a few precise steps but numerous users encounter erratic spacing or absent page indicators. To ensure your table of contents displays page numbers accurately and professionally, follow these steps. Begin by applying Word’s standardized heading styles—Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.—to all your section titles because Word uses them to generate the table of contents automatically. If you’ve applied custom formatting or manual text styling the table of contents will not recognize those sections correctly, leading to erroneous or absent pagination.

After ensuring all headings use the correct styles place your cursor where you want the table of contents to appear, typically near the beginning of the document after the title page or abstract. Navigate to the References tab on the Ribbon, and click on Contents List. Choose one of the automatic styles—the default AutoTable options—depending on your preferred layout. Word will then generate the table with all the headings and their corresponding page numbers based on the document’s current pagination.

After modifying content following TOC creation—such as restructuring paragraphs or chapters—you must update the table to reflect those changes. Right-click anywhere within the table of contents and select Update Field. You’ll be given two options: Update Only Page Numbers or Update All Content. If your edits were limited to body text with no heading modifications choose Update Pagination Only. When headings were renamed, merged, or reordered select Update All Entries to ensure all entries remain accurate.

To customize how page numbers appear you can modify the table of contents style. Once the TOC is placed, click the small icon in the top-right corner labeled "Table of Contents Options". Clicking this opens a dialog box where you can select which heading tiers to display and define their visual style. You can also modify the connecting symbol which controls the visual bridge between section titles and their corresponding page numbers. For a more professional appearance choose the dot leader option which is standard in most professional documents.

Never enter page numbers by hand ketik in your TOC because doing so defeats the purpose of using Word’s automated system and may result in outdated or incorrect references. Trust Word’s built-in TOC engine. If your document has preliminary sections—like a preface or abstract—numbered in Roman numerals make sure your the body text begins numbering at "1" with Arabic numerals. You must insert a section break at the start of your main content and configuring the page number reset to "1" via the Header & Footer Design options.

Lastly, always review the final table of contents before printing or sharing your document—check that all sections appear in the TOC, that the page numbers correspond correctly to the actual location of each section, and that the typography is cohesive. If anything appears off update the table one more time and confirm that all headings retain their assigned Word styles. Applying these best practices you’ll create a precise, professional, and automatically synchronized contents list that boosts clarity and trustworthiness of your work.