Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Using Dot Leaders in a Paragraph.
Dot leaders are dots (which look like periods) that appear to the left of information. Dot leaders are often used in tables of contents or in some tabular material. Word allows you to automatically place dot leaders in tabular material. Simply follow these steps:
Figure 1. The Tabs dialog box.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (618) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Using Dot Leaders in a Paragraph.
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Believe it or not, if you know how Word stores paragraph formatting, it can help you in your editing.
Discover MoreNeed to indent an entire paragraph from the left margin? It's easy to do using the tool described in this tip.
Discover MoreTired of the formatting used in a paragraph? One way to "start over" is to make sure that the formatting is reset to its ...
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2015-03-18 21:48:54
Lynette Ford
`I don't think I will understand how to insert leaders in a paragraph. Mainly in the Tab dialog box. Trouble aligning margins. From there you must go to the tab dialog box how to apply add leaders. This a very frustrated feeling.
2015-03-18 21:35:57
Lynette Ford
Well I just started Word Processing in 2012 I took Computer Familiarization I had to take it three times. I feel real ridiculous because classmates in the class they had a lot of experience with Word Processing. I was having problems with the homework the assignments. I had difficulties reading the textbook. There a chapter of leaders,but when it came to do the test it said to add leaders. I didn't know how to do it.
2014-06-14 10:32:11
CArol Berrett
I follow the directions for "Using Dot Leaders in a Paragraph" but the command will only work for one line of my Table of Contents so I have to re-enter the "Tabs" command at every line.
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Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: 
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