When I set my margins for 1" all around, my bottom margin is always bigger?

Question

Whenever I write on Word (with double-spacing and having all the margins set to 1") the bottom margin always comes out bigger.
For example, when I write a paragraph on the first page, it continues sentences onto the second page when there is clearly enough room to write 1-2 more sentences on the first; because of this, it makes the bottom margin a lot bigger.
I've already been onto this site: http://sbarnhill.mvps.org/WordFAQs/BottomLine.htm but it hasn't helped me.
My paper NEEDS to have 12 pt. font, in Times New Roman. The site mentioned above says that for Word 2007, the 11 pt. font is what the default is.. and when I changed the font to 11, it did indeed make the margins all 1", but I can't have it at 11pt... I need it at 12pt.
Please help!!

Answer 1

That sounds like Widow and Orphan control. A widow is the last line of a paragraph alone at the top of a page. An orphan is the reverse: a single line on the first page followed by the rest of the paragraph on the next.



Typesetters apparently consider those isolated lines uglier than a chunk of blank space at the bottom of a page. Go figure.



(Note: This answer is long because it contains two sets of instructions: One for Word versions prior to 2007 and one for subsequent versions.)



In Word versions prior to Word 2007:



1. Click in an affected paragraph.

2. Click on the Format->Styles and Formatting menu item.

3. In the bottom part of the sidebar that pops up, the style for your paragraph should have a bold box around it.

4. Hover the cursor over the style. A listbox arrow should appear. Click it.

5. Select Modify from the list box.

6. Click the Format button and select Paragraph.

7. On the Line and Page Breaks tab, clear the Widow/Orphan Control checkbox.

8. OK out of everything.



All paragraphs in the document with that style should adjust themselves.



Now, if you want to carry this one step further and fix the style on the template your document is based on (probably Normal.dot, but not necessarily), do this:



1. Click the Tools->Organizer menu item.

2. In the left-hand list box, find and click on the style you changed.

3. Click the Copy button between the two list boxes.

4. Click OK.



When you close your document, you may see a warning message asking if you want to save the changes to Normal.dot. This is an anti-virus measure, intended to alert you that something has changed in Normal.dot. In this case, you made the change, so you want to accept it.





In Word 2007, possibly 2010:



1. Click in an affected paragraph.

2. Click the Home tab on the Ribbon.

3. Click the arrow in the lower right corner of the Styles section.

4. The style for your paragraph should have a bold box around it. You may have to scroll down to find it.

5. Hover the cursor over the style. A listbox arrow should appear. Click it.

6. Select Modify from the list box.

7. Click the Format button and select Paragraph.

8. On the Line and Page Breaks tab, clear the Widow/Orphan Control checkbox.

9. Click OK.

10. If you want this to carry forward to other documents based on the template this one is based on, click the radio button for New Documents Based On This Template.

11. OK out of everything.



All paragraphs in the document with that style should adjust themselves.



When you close your document, you may see a warning message asking if you want to save the changes to Normal.dotx. This is an anti-virus measure, intended to alert you that something has changed in Normal.dotx. In this case, you made the change, so you want to accept it.



That should do it.

Answer 2

It's because you set it to a 1 inch margin. By default (if memory serves) they are set to something like .25 of an inch on all sides. Don't hold me to the default value, I use Open Office instead of MS Office. The reason you get that space that looks like you can fit more text is the margin you set. The margin specify the space between text and the edge of the page. With a 1 inch margin all around, there should be an inch of white space on both side as well as on the top and the bottom. If you want/need more text at the bottom, lower the bottom margin from an inch to something smaller. I should also note that because you're actively typing, it sometimes will shift the text around depending on your structure. Sometimes you'll type and get sent to the next page and then when you move on to a new line, it will shift the last line of text up to the last page to meet the margin guides.

Answer 3

It's because it's double spaced. If you take a line of words and measure it to the top of the next line of words and measure that space that's at the end of your document, it will be the same thing. It's not a larger margin you're seeing, it's the blank line of your last line of text.