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Microsoft Word - Change Tracking

Overview word document image

hange tracking is a feature of Microsoft Word that allows users to keep track of changes made in a document. When change tracking is turned on a balloon shows each formatting change, content change, comment, or deletion. If more than one person makes changes in a document each person is given a different color set of balloons in the document. Once a change has been made it can be accepted or rejected by the editors.

Change tracking has a few different “views” that allow the editors of a document to view the change tracking as the original document with no changes, the document with the markup changes, and what the final document would look like if all of the changes were accepted.

Microsoft Word - Change Tracking

Application to All Courses word document image

Change Tracking has similar implications in regular, large enrollment, and online & hybrid courses. The main uses and benefits of change tracking are:

Feedback:
  • Allows instructors to insert suggestions and comments into a paper.
  • Instructors or students can see who made a change, comment, or deletion and the time the change took place thus allowing for fair assessment of group or collaborative work.
Group Writing:
  • Allows a group of people to peer write or edit a document or paper and tracks who made contributions as well as when edits were made.
  • Allows users to accept or reject changes in a document.
Example

Tracking Changes and Comments: Tutorials from Microsoft with instructions for the change tracking tool.

Microsoft Word - Change Tracking

Getting Started

word document image

To turn on change tracking in Microsoft Word 2007 or 2010:

  • Open the document you wish to utilize change tracking in.
  • Click on the Review Pane and click on the “Track Changes” icon.
  • Any changes you make to your document will now be tracked.

To accept or reject a change either:

  • Right click on the change and click accept or reject.
  • Click on the accept change or reject change button in the track changes menu (appears when you turn on Change Tracking).
  • In the Review Pane click on the accept or reject icons.

To ensure that all of the change tracking has been accepted or rejected:

  • Click on the Review Pane
  • Accept or Reject each change. Utilize the “previous” and “next” buttons to move through changes.
  • You can also click on the “accept” icon dropdown arrow and click “accept all changes in document.”

To turn off change tracking in Microsoft Word:

  • Once changes have been made with change tracking, turning off Track Changes will not remove the changes that have been made. To remove tracked changes you must accept or reject the changes.
  • After you accept or reject the changes click on the “Track Changes” icon in the Review Pane. Be sure the icon is no longer highlighted yellow.
  • Changes will no longer be tracked.

Microsoft Word - Change Tracking

Additional Resources word document image

For information on similar tools in the CITT Tools & Techniques Toolbox visit:

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