Science in Society

I am no digital native and need help with these: creating hyperlinks, tracking edits in Word, making edits in Pdf, sending large documents and folders via WeTransfer

Science in Society • I am no digital native and need help with these: creating hyperlinks, tracking edits in Word, making edits in Pdf, sending large documents and folders via WeTransfer

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Track changes

Some researchers are unable to track text edits in Word, to use hyperlinks and perform some other basic editorial functions. Solutions can be found by simply googling or being attentive to the style and structure of articles accepted by publications such as The Conversation and Daily Maverick, but many researchers are not digital natives and may feel reluctant to ask for help. Often, googled explanations are not very clear or assume existing knowledge of terminology and skills.

How do I send a large document via WeTransfer?

You can send most large documents or folders with WeTransfer, but the system only stores them for download for a couples of days.

Open this website: https://wetransfer.com/
If you want to send one large document or photograph, click below:

If you want to send an entire folder, click on the words ‘Or select a folder’

Type the recipient’s email address where it says Email to
You can also include a message at Message
Finally, click on Transfer (it will transfer the folder and notify the recipient via email to download the visuals within a few days and then the system deletes the pictures)
It is prudent to send the WeTransfer link (emailed to you) in a separate email to the recipient for in case the HSRC email system blocks WeTransfer.

How do I track changes in text in a Word document?

Open the document in Word
On the top bar, click on Review
Now click on Track Changes ― when Track Changes lights up in a dark grey box, your text edits will be tracked in the Word document.
If you want to stop tracking changes, click on Track Changes again to remove the dark grey highlight.

Tip:

Keep record of versions:

e.g.

You receive a document with the file name Report
First, save the original document as Report so you have it on record.
Then, save a second version that you will be working on, by clicking on Save as and marking this version with underscore plus your initials, e.g. Report_JS
This habit helps us to keep track of edits when several people work on the same document. Finally, the main author of the report may have a document called: Report_JS_AO_HvR_JS
If a specific fact is queried at a late stage, having a record of document versions helps us to find out whom to contact to clarify.

How does one create a hyperlink in a popular article?

We create hyperlinks in text to credit sources and to lead our audience to further reading, should they want to click through.

This is an online link to instructions: https://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Link

Or follow the following steps to create a hyperlinked word:

First, copy the link that you want to insert in your article’s text, e.g.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GN94pZqP1Rc
In your article, select the word (or even a phrase) that you want to link: a traditional music group from Limpopo released a song that
Now “right-click” on this selected word by using your PC mouse or tapping once with two fingers on keyboard pad of your laptop. You will see ‘hyperlink’ in the dropdown box (see picture below). Click on the word hyperlink.

4. You will now see a box appear like the one below. Paste the link (that you copied in step 1) where it says ‘Address’ – as I did below. Then click OK.