Additional Information

Tables

What it is

Tables in Word are structured grids of rows and columns used to organize and present data. Accessible tables have a clear structure that helps all users, including screen reader users, understand the relationships between data.

Tables consist of:

  • Header rows: The first row(s) that label what each column contains
  • Header columns: The first column(s) that label what each row contains
  • Data cells: Cells containing the actual data

Why it matters

Properly structured tables are essential for accessibility:

  • Screen reader navigation: Users can navigate by row and column, with headers announced to provide context
  • Data comprehension: Clear headers help all users understand data relationships
  • Reflow and responsiveness: Well-structured tables adapt better to different screen sizes
  • Document conversion: Tables with proper headers maintain accessibility when converted to PDF or other formats

❌ Don't use tables for layout

Never use tables to create page layouts, position text, or create visual effects. Tables should only be used for actual tabular data. Using tables for layout creates confusion for screen reader users and makes content difficult to reflow.

How to do it

Creating an accessible table

  1. Go to Insert > Table
  2. Select the number of rows and columns, or draw your table
  3. Enter your data, placing column headers in the first row
  4. Select the first row (header row)
  5. Go to Table Design or Table Tools Design tab
  6. Check the "Header Row" checkbox in the Table Style Options group
  7. The header row will be formatted distinctly and marked for accessibility

For tables with header columns

  1. After creating the table, select the first column
  2. Right-click and select Table Properties
  3. Go to the Row tab
  4. Check "Repeat as header row at the top of each page" if applicable
  5. For proper accessibility, you may need to manually set the header column in the alt text or ensure it's clearly labeled

Table best practices

  • Keep tables simple: Use simple table structures without merged or split cells when possible
  • Avoid blank cells: Fill cells with "N/A" or appropriate indicators rather than leaving blank
  • Avoid nested tables: Don't place tables inside other tables
  • Use clear headers: Make column and row headers descriptive and concise
  • Add alt text: Right-click the table, select "Table Properties," go to Alt Text tab, and add a brief description
  • Keep columns consistent: Don't vary the number of columns within a table
  • Consider splitting: If a table is very large or complex, consider splitting it into multiple simpler tables

Adding alt text to tables

  1. Right-click anywhere in the table
  2. Select Table Properties
  3. Go to the Alt Text tab
  4. In the Title field, enter a brief name (e.g., "Quarterly Sales Data")
  5. In the Description field, provide a brief summary of what the table shows (e.g., "Sales figures by region for Q1-Q4 2024")
  6. Click OK

✅ Table accessibility checklist

  • ☐ Table has header row marked
  • ☐ Headers are clear and descriptive
  • ☐ Table structure is simple (no unnecessary merged cells)
  • ☐ No blank cells (use "N/A" or similar)
  • ☐ Alt text describes the table's purpose
  • ☐ Table is used for data, not layout

Headers and Footers

What it is

Headers and footers are areas at the top (header) and bottom (footer) of each page that typically contain information like:

  • Document title or section names
  • Author name or organization
  • Page numbers
  • Date
  • Document version or status
  • Logos or branding elements

Why it matters

Headers and footers require special consideration for accessibility:

  • Reading order: Screen readers may read headers and footers before main content, potentially causing confusion
  • Repetition: Content in headers/footers repeats on every page, which can be disruptive for screen reader users
  • Essential content: Important information should not be exclusively in headers/footers as some assistive technology may skip them
  • PDF conversion: Headers and footers don't always convert properly to accessible PDFs

⚠️ Keep it simple

Headers and footers should contain only non-essential, supplementary information. Never put critical content that readers need to understand the document in headers or footers.

How to do it

Adding headers and footers

  1. Go to Insert > Header or Footer
  2. Choose a built-in style or select Edit Header/Footer
  3. Enter your content in the header or footer area
  4. Use the Header & Footer Tools Design tab to add elements like page numbers or date
  5. Click Close Header and Footer when done

Best practices for headers and footers

  • Limit content: Keep headers and footers minimal - page numbers, document title, date are typically sufficient
  • No essential information: Don't put important content that readers need to understand the document
  • Simple formatting: Use plain text with minimal formatting
  • Accessible images: If you include logos or images, ensure they have alt text or mark them as decorative
  • Readable text: Ensure text color has adequate contrast with background
  • Appropriate size: Use readable font sizes (minimum 10pt)

Adding alt text to images in headers/footers

  1. Double-click the header or footer area to edit it
  2. Right-click the image
  3. Select View Alt Text
  4. Add descriptive alt text or mark as decorative if it's purely visual (most logos in headers/footers can be decorative)

Using page numbers

  1. Go to Insert > Page Number
  2. Choose position (top or bottom of page)
  3. Select a format from the gallery
  4. Page numbers are automatically accessible and update as you edit

✅ Headers and footers checklist

  • ☐ Headers and footers contain only supplementary information
  • ☐ No essential content is exclusively in headers/footers
  • ☐ Text is readable with adequate contrast
  • ☐ Images have alt text or are marked decorative
  • ☐ Content is kept minimal and simple

Watermarks

What it is

A watermark is faded text or an image that appears behind document content, typically used to indicate document status (Draft, Confidential, Copy) or for branding purposes. Watermarks appear on every page but don't interfere with the main content.

Why it matters

Watermarks can create accessibility challenges:

  • Contrast issues: Watermarks can reduce the contrast between text and background, making content harder to read
  • Visual clutter: Watermarks can be distracting, especially for people with cognitive disabilities or attention difficulties
  • Screen reader interaction: Text watermarks may be read by screen readers, potentially causing confusion
  • Printed documents: Watermarks may print darker than they appear on screen, reducing readability

How to do it

Adding a text watermark

  1. Go to Design > Watermark
  2. Choose a preset watermark (Confidential, Draft, etc.) or select Custom Watermark
  3. In the Custom Watermark dialog:
    • Select Text watermark
    • Choose your text or enter custom text
    • Select font, size, color, and layout
    • Important: Check "Semitransparent" to reduce visibility
  4. Click OK

Adding a picture watermark

  1. Go to Design > Watermark > Custom Watermark
  2. Select Picture watermark
  3. Click Select Picture and choose your image
  4. Set the scale (larger scale = more visible)
  5. Important: Check "Washout" to make it very faint
  6. Click OK

Best practices for accessible watermarks

  • Minimize use: Only use watermarks when truly necessary (required for document status or security)
  • Very faint: Ensure watermarks are extremely light (semitransparent/washout) to avoid reducing text contrast
  • Test contrast: Verify that body text still meets 4.5:1 contrast ratio with the watermark present
  • Short text: Use brief watermarks (one word like "DRAFT" is better than long phrases)
  • Simple images: If using picture watermarks, use simple, light images
  • Consider alternatives: Instead of watermarks, consider:
    • Adding status to the document title ("DRAFT - Report Name")
    • Using a text box or shape at the top of the first page only
    • Including status information in headers/footers

Removing watermarks

  1. Go to Design > Watermark
  2. Select Remove Watermark

⚠️ Accessibility testing

After adding a watermark, test your document's readability:

  • Check text contrast using a contrast checker tool
  • Print a page to see how the watermark appears in print
  • Ask someone to read the document and verify readability
  • If the watermark reduces readability, make it fainter or remove it

✅ Watermarks checklist

  • ☐ Watermark is used only when necessary
  • ☐ Watermark is very faint (semitransparent/washout enabled)
  • ☐ Text contrast still meets requirements with watermark
  • ☐ Watermark text is brief and simple
  • ☐ Document remains readable when printed

References and Citations

What it is

References and citations in Word documents identify sources of information, quotes, and ideas that aren't your own. Word provides built-in tools to manage citations and automatically generate bibliographies in various academic and professional styles (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.).

Key components include:

  • In-text citations: Brief references within the body text (e.g., "(Smith, 2024)")
  • Bibliography/References: Full list of sources at the end of the document
  • Footnotes/Endnotes: Numbered references that appear at the bottom of pages or end of document

Why it matters

Properly formatted references and citations improve accessibility:

  • Credibility and trust: Proper citations build trust and allow readers to verify information
  • Navigation: Well-formatted citations help screen reader users navigate between references and source material
  • Consistency: Using Word's citation tools ensures consistent formatting throughout
  • Hyperlinks: Digital citations can include hyperlinks, making sources easy to access
  • Footnote navigation: Screen readers can jump between footnotes and their references

How to do it

Inserting citations

  1. Place your cursor where you want to insert a citation
  2. Go to References tab > Insert Citation
  3. Select Add New Source (or choose an existing source if you've added it before)
  4. In the Create Source dialog:
    • Select the Type of Source (book, journal article, website, etc.)
    • Fill in the required fields (author, title, year, etc.)
    • Click OK
  5. The citation is inserted in your chosen style

Choosing a citation style

  1. Go to References tab
  2. In the Style dropdown, select your required style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)
  3. All citations will automatically format in this style

Creating a bibliography

  1. Place your cursor where you want the bibliography (typically at the end of the document)
  2. Go to References tab > Bibliography
  3. Choose a built-in format (Bibliography, References, Works Cited)
  4. The bibliography is automatically generated from your citations
  5. To update: Click the bibliography and select Update Citations and Bibliography

Adding footnotes

  1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the footnote reference
  2. Go to References tab > Insert Footnote
  3. A superscript number appears at the cursor position
  4. The cursor moves to the bottom of the page where you type the footnote text
  5. Footnotes are automatically numbered and positioned

Adding endnotes

  1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the endnote reference
  2. Go to References tab > Insert Endnote
  3. A superscript number appears at the cursor position
  4. The cursor moves to the end of the document where you type the endnote text
  5. Endnotes are automatically numbered and positioned

Best practices for accessible citations

For in-text citations:

  • Use Word's built-in citation tools rather than manually typing citations
  • Keep citations concise and within the flow of text
  • Ensure citation format is consistent throughout the document

For bibliographies:

  • Use Word's automatic bibliography feature for consistency
  • Ensure entries are in a readable font and size (at least 11pt)
  • Use hanging indents (Word applies these automatically)
  • For online sources, include working hyperlinks when possible

For footnotes and endnotes:

  • Use Word's Insert Footnote/Endnote feature (never manually number them)
  • Keep footnote text concise
  • Ensure footnote text is at least 10pt (readable size)
  • Use footnotes for brief notes; use endnotes for longer explanations
  • Screen readers can navigate between footnote references and footnote text

Making hyperlinks accessible in citations

When including URLs in citations:

  1. Select the URL text
  2. Press Ctrl+K or go to Insert > Link
  3. Ensure the URL is in the address field
  4. In the "Text to display" field, consider using descriptive text like the article title instead of the full URL
  5. Click OK

💡 Managing sources

Click Manage Sources on the References tab to:

  • View all sources in your document
  • Edit existing sources
  • Delete unused sources
  • Copy sources between documents

✅ References and citations checklist

  • ☐ Used Word's built-in citation tools
  • ☐ Consistent citation style throughout document
  • ☐ Bibliography automatically generated
  • ☐ Footnotes/endnotes inserted using Word tools (not manually numbered)
  • ☐ All text (including citations) is readable size and contrast
  • ☐ Hyperlinks in citations have descriptive text
  • ☐ All sources cited in text appear in bibliography