The Art of Document Auditing
Why Documents Need Auditing
Even experienced document creators make formatting mistakes. Common issues include:
- Manual formatting instead of styles (bold text instead of Heading 2)
- Inconsistent spacing (mix of 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 line spacing)
- Empty paragraphs used for spacing instead of paragraph spacing
- Inconsistent alignment (some paragraphs justified, others left-aligned)
The Audit Checklist
1. Heading Hierarchy
- Does the document have a clear H1 → H2 → H3 structure?
- Are headings applied as styles, not manual bold?
- Is the hierarchy consistent throughout?
2. Manual Formatting
Look for text that appears formatted but uses the wrong approach:- Bold text that should be a heading style
- Italic text that should be a style
- Manual font size changes
3. Spacing Issues
- Are empty paragraphs used for space? (Remove them!)
- Is line spacing consistent? (Should be 1.15 for body text)
- Is "Space After" used consistently? (Usually 12pt)
4. Alignment
- Body text should be left-aligned (not justified)
- Titles are typically centered
- No mixed alignment in similar elements
5. Lists
- Are list items formatted as proper lists?
- Or are they manual numbers/bullets with text?
Common Bad Patterns
| Bad Pattern | Correct Approach |
|---|---|
| Bold + big font for titles | Use Heading styles |
| Multiple Enter keys for space | Use "Space After" setting |
| Manual "1. 2. 3." numbering | Use numbered list |
| Spaces/tabs for indentation | Use paragraph indentation |
| Justified body text | Use left alignment |
How to Fix
- Start from the top - Work through the document systematically
- Fix headings first - This creates the document's structure
- Remove empty paragraphs - Replace with proper spacing
- Standardize body text - Same alignment, spacing, style
- Check lists - Convert manual lists to proper lists
- Final review - Scroll through to verify consistency
In this module, you'll practice auditing and cleaning up a messy document.