CREATE A table of contents

Adding a Table of Contents to a document is a good idea because it help readers navigate around your document, get a quick idea of what your document contains, and more efficiently locate the information they need. It helps show how information is organised and gives a professional appearance to your written product.

You can automate the Table of Contents in your document, by using the in-built functions available in Word and Google Docs. Using these features has two benefits:

1. The readers can click on a heading in the table and automatically be taken to that part of the document.
2. As an author, you do not need to manually update page numbers and headings; if you edit your document, all you need to do is refresh the table, for the latest edits to carry through automatically.

Microsoft Word
In Word, you can insert a Table of Contents by putting your cursor in the place in the document where you want the table inserted > selecting the Reference ribbon > select Table of Contents > and choose which table you want to insert.

The table headings are linked to the way you format heading text using the Home ribbon > Styles.

Google Docs
In Google Docs, use the Insert menu > Table of Contents (scroll down to the bottom of the menu). Headings also appear in the table depending on how you format the heading text through the Format menu > Paragraphs Styles.

Video tutorials
For a quick overview of this feature in Word, see @lifeofawriter (1m 15s).

For an in-depth explanation on using the Table of Contents features in Word, see @Technology for Teachers and Students (7m 6s).

For a concise overview of this feature in Google Docs, see @lifeofawriter (1m 48s).

And for an in-depth look at the features in Google Docs see @ShakeUpLearning (5m 3s).