Templates & Tools — VWA / ABA
BG Zehnergasse provides a professional Word template. It includes the school branding, pre-configured styles and an automatic table of contents — you only need to replace the placeholders.
Template for Download
Writing a VWA with Microsoft Word
With the right settings you can achieve a professional result in Word. The key steps:
Setup
1
Set page margins
Layout → Margins → Custom Margins: Left 3.5 cm (incl. binding offset), Right 2.5 cm, Top 3 cm, Bottom 3 cm.
2
Font and paragraph
Font: Calibri or Times New Roman, 12pt. Paragraph → Line spacing: 1.5. Spacing after: 6pt.
3
Use styles
Always use styles for headings (Heading 1, 2, 3). Never format manually! This ensures the automatic table of contents works correctly.
4
Insert a table of contents
References → Table of Contents → Automatic Table. Before submission: right-click → "Update Field".
5
Insert page numbers
Insert → Page Number. For Roman numerals in the front matter: insert a section break, then change the page number format.
Tip: Automatic backup with OneDrive
Save your work in OneDrive (via your school account, 5 TB). The file is then backed up automatically and you can return to an earlier version at any time via the version history.
Reference Management in Word
- Zotero (recommended, free): Install the Zotero Word plugin for automatic citations and bibliography — full details on the Citations & Zotero page
- Word Source Manager: References → Insert Citation → Add New Source (simpler but less flexible)
- Citavi: Professional, free for students (Windows only)
Common Word mistakes
- Manually formatted headings: Always use styles — otherwise the automatic table of contents will not work
- No section breaks: You need section breaks for different page numbering (Roman/Arabic)
- Images not anchored: Right-click on image → Wrap Text → "In Line with Text" or anchor it
- Directories not updated: Always update all directories before submission
More VWA Topics
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