Word 2008 - Set page one (pg #) to be on third page

Hey guys (and gals),

I'm working on my graduate research paper and I need to have page numbers on all of my pages. This usually isn't a problem but I need the page numbering to start on the third page. As it is right now, I have my title page, table of contents and then the first page of my document. So, page three is my "first page" so to speak.

I know how to get the second page to count as page one (Insert > Page Numbers... > Uncheck "Show number on first page" > Format... > Set "Start at:" to 0). I tried to set the start at value as -1 in the hopes that it would make my title page -1, table of contents 0 and my first page as page one but that didn't work (can't set a page as a negative number).

If need be, I'll have a separate document for my title page and table of contents but I would like to, if possible, have all of this in one document.

Thanks in advance!

Unfortunately you'll need to have your Table of Contents and Title Page as separate documents. A real pain. I ran into that same thing doing a term paper - at the time I was using the Windows version of Office. Mac Office has retained that same "glitch".

Open Office by contrast allows numbering to begin anywhere in the document.

Regards.

having the same issue, looks like I'll get open office

No need to switch. I recently came across a method that involves adding a section break. I've done it and it indeed works. Check here for more info.

Hi Van:

I knew about this method but still contend it might actually be easier to have the table of contents and title page designated as separate documents. Anyway, it's easier for me.

Term papers: Yecch! Glad I'm over that. Have fun.

Regards.

chscag said:

Hi Van:

I knew about this method but still contend it might actually be easier to have the table of contents and title page designated as separate documents. Anyway, it's easier for me.

Term papers: Yecch! Glad I'm over that. Have fun.

Regards.

Click to expand...

I have found that certain things throw off the page breaks and mess with the page numbers this way. So, I agree that it would be easier to just have two separate documents.

Writing them is one thing. Marking them is a whole different game and one that tested my sanity .

Yes, but if you make the table of contentsa different doc, it will have to be manually created rather than automatically created by Word. Lots more work. I use Word all day at work, and the section break system is what works.

True but the table of contents is not all that extensive. My paper is only going to have a few chapters with a few subsections for only a select number of chapters (I hope that made sense). Doing it by hand is not going to be that arduous.

There is no need to create your TOC in a separate document.

If you do that you can't easily update it as you write.

You just need to create separate sections. It's under Insert.

Just create your cover as Section 1, TOC as Section 2, and your text as Section 3. Then you can easily start numbering at Section 3.

I did this when I wrote my 300+ page dissertation. It was merely 1 document from cover to Appendixes. I never had any problem.

Appendices? Not Appendixes.