Final answer:
To change alignment and spacing within the Paragraph Dialog Box in MS Word, navigate to the 'Paragraph' settings and adjust the alignment choices and spacing options. Apply special indentation settings as needed, considering overall text space and element proximity for readability.
Step-by-step explanation:
To change alignment and spacing in the Paragraph Dialog Box in Microsoft Word:
- Start by selecting the text you want to format or place the cursor at the start of the paragraph.
- Next, navigate to the 'Layout' or 'Page Layout' tab and click on the 'Paragraph' dialog box launcher, which is a small square with an arrow located in the bottom-right corner of the 'Paragraph' group.
- In the Paragraph Dialog Box, you'll find options for setting alignment, which can be left, centered, right, or justified. Choose the desired alignment.
- For spacing, you can adjust the 'Before' or 'After' fields to add space before or after the paragraph. If you need special indentation like 'Hanging', go to the 'Indentation' section and select 'Hanging' from the 'Special' dropdown menu.
- Standard practice dictates that you capitalize the first letter of a new paragraph and apply proper grammatical tools like periods and apostrophes where necessary.
- While formatting, consider the overall text space and proximity; this will affect the amount of space a character or idea occupies on the page and how closely related elements are grouped.
- Finally, click 'OK' to apply your settings to the selected text.