Page and Layout Design

12 min read Chapter 2

Master page setup, margins, paper orientation, and professional header/footer settings.

The first step in typesetting is designing the page structure. Proper page settings lay the foundation for all subsequent content formatting.

2.1 Margin Settings

Standard Margin Guidelines

Document TypeTopBottomLeftRight
Dissertation2.5cm2.5cm3cm2cm
Business Report2cm2cm2.5cm2.5cm
Academic Journal2cm2cm2cm2cm
Resume1.5cm1.5cm2cm2cm

How to Set (Word Example)

  1. Click “Page Layout” → “Margins” → “Custom Margins”
  2. Enter the values
  3. Click “OK”

WPS: Click “Page Layout” → “Margins” → Select or customize

2.2 Paper Orientation and Size

Orientation Selection

  • Portrait: Reports, theses, resumes (standard choice)
  • Landscape: Wide tables, data displays, professional charts

Common Paper Sizes

  • A4: 210mm × 297mm (international standard, most common)
  • Letter: 8.5” × 11” (North American standard)

Headers and footers are essential components of formal documents, carrying copyright, page numbers, dates, and other key information.

Common Header Content

  • Company or department name
  • Document title
  • Report date
  • Logo (left or center)
  • Page numbers (center or right)
  • Copyright notice
  • Contact information

Creating Headers and Footers

  1. Double-click the page top (for header) or bottom (for footer)
  2. Enter content or use insert functions
  3. Click anywhere in the document body to exit editing mode

2.4 Page and Section Breaks

Page Breaks

  • Purpose: Force content to move to the next page
  • Shortcut: Ctrl + Enter

Section Breaks (More Powerful)

  • Purpose: Allow different parts of the same document to have different headers/footers
  • Operation: “Page Layout” → “Breaks” → “Section Break (Next Page)”

Practical Application:

  • Pages 1-3: Table of contents (no page numbers, no header)
  • Pages 4-50: Main content (show page numbers, have header)
  • Create two separate sections with independent formatting

Next: Chapter 3: Fonts, Font Sizes, and Basic Character Formatting