CPM Teacher Tutorials

MS Word: How Do I Manage/Hide Answers in Microsoft Word?

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Many teachers either save two copies of a test -- one with answers and one without answers.  Or teachers save the test with hidden answers which can be viewed/printed with or without answers.  This lesson will describe both methods.

Method 1 -- a. Save two copies of a test

Method 1 -- a. Save two copies of a test

Save two copies of the test.  One of the copies should retain the answers. Delete answers from the other copy.

b. On the student version, the answers need to be deleted.

b. On the student version, the answers need to be deleted.

Highlight the answers below each problem and hit the delete key.  After all of the answers have been deleted, save this version as the student version without answers.  The original test will be the teacher version with answers.  The disadvantage to this method is that you need to store twice as many files and you may misplace the answer file.  

Method 2 - a. Save the answers in hidden text.

Method 2 - a. Save the answers in hidden text.

Highlight the text with the answers and on the top menu bar go to Format --> Font.

b. Check Hidden.

b. Check Hidden.

With the text already highlighted, check the "hidden" box. Then click on "OK".  The answers will be hidden.

c. Click the Paragraph Symbol to view answers, unclick it to hide answers.

c. Click the Paragraph Symbol to view answers, unclick it to hide answers.

If you do not see the paragraph symbol, go to View --> Toolbars --> Standard.  The paragraph symbol will appear.

d. Click and unclick the paragraph to view and hide answers.

d. Click and unclick the paragraph to view and hide answers.

Click the Paragraph Symbol to show answers.  Click again to deselect.  The answers disappear.

Print the Test with and without answers.

Go to file --> print.  Click on Copies and Pages and select Microsoft Word.

Click "Word Options".

Click "Word Options".

Click "hidden text".  Then click "OK".

Click "hidden text".  Then click "OK".

In the Word Options, check the "hidden text" check box.  Then Click "OK".

Print.  Then go back and unclick the "hidden text" check box.

Your document will be printed with the answers.  It is important to remember to go back through this process and unclick the "hidden text " check box.  Otherwise the answers will always be on the student test version.  This method of saving the answers in hidden text is a more efficient method for your tests since both the student version and the teacher version are in one file.  However, forgetting how to view and print  with and without hidden text could make Method 1 more advantageous.

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