Problem: In group projects, figuring out which changes individual group members have made to a document can be difficult.

Solution: The Track Changes feature allows group members to see what has been added, deleted, or changed in a document.

Classroom Application: Use this feature when working on a collaborative project with any upper elementary through high school class. Track Changes also can be useful for educators working together on documents for committees, team planning, and similar collaborative activities.

Directions:
When using Word 98 and Word X for Mac

• Go to Tools>Track Changes>Highlight Changes and check "Track Changes While Editing."
  
  
  
• If you are an editor, you can add, delete, change words, and so on, and the changes you make will be marked in red.
• If you are one of several editors, you can use the options button on the window at Tools>Track Changes to change ink color, so each editor's changes will appear in a different color ink.
• If you are a writer, you can see the editor's (or editors') changes, and accept or reject those changes by going to Tools>Track Changes>Accept or Reject Changes.

• Go to Tools>Track Changes to open the Reviewing toolbar. The toolbar includes four yellow icons, each with a different symbol (a forward arrow, a back arrow, a check mark, and a red X ); a New Comment icon; a Track Changes icon; and a Reviewing Pane icon.
  
  
  
• If you are an editor, you can add, delete, change words, and so on, and the changes you make will be marked in red.
• If you are a writer, you can see the editor's changes, and click the appropriate yellow icon to accept or reject each change: Click the arrows to move to the next or previous change; click the check mark to accept a change; click the X to reject a change.

This technique can be used for in-depth editing of student work and for a number of professional tasks. Track Changes especially is helpful for working on committee or collaborative documents.