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References & Academic Structure
TOC from headings, captions, cross-references — why dynamic beats typing See Figure 4.
Static vs dynamic — the core idea
| Static (typed) | Dynamic (field) |
|---|---|
| See Figure 4 on page 12 | See Figure 4 (cross-ref field updates number and page) |
| Table 3 (typed) | Caption field SEQ Table → Table 3 |
| Page 47 in footer (typed) | PAGE field |
| Chapter list in TOC (typed dots) | TOC field from Heading styles |
Static text lies after edits. Fields recalculate when you press F9 or print.
Table of contents requires Heading styles
References → Table of Contents builds from Heading 1–3 — not bold Normal text.
If a chapter is missing from TOC: 1. Click chapter title → confirm Heading 1 in Styles gallery 2. Insert/update TOC → Update entire table
Custom TOC levels: References → Custom Table of Contents → show levels 1–3 for handbook, 1–2 for short guide.
Captions and SEQ fields
References → Insert Caption labels Figure, Table, Equation. Word inserts a SEQ field — the number updates when you add or reorder captioned items.
Table of Figures: after captions exist → References → Insert Table of Figures — another field-driven list, parallel to TOC.
Cross-references
References → Cross-reference → type Table, Figure, Heading, Equation → pick item → insert Reference text or Page number.
Insert a table caption first, then write As shown in → cross-reference → pick Open day schedule.
Broken reference: Error! Reference source not found — caption was deleted or bookmark broken. Fix source, then F9.
Build TOC and cross-reference the open-day table
Goal
Insert automatic TOC and cross-reference the open-day schedule table.
James Okonkwo adds this to NorthgateHandbook.docx as part of one polished student handbook, policy pack, and open-day collateral before families arrive.
Verify headings
Where
Do this
You should see
- All chapters listed.
Verification
Check your work
You are correct if all of these are true:
- TOC lists real Heading 1 chapters with correct page numbers after F9.
- Cross-reference to table updates when you insert a table before it (test on copy).
- No typed See Table 3 strings — only fields.
Practice
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