Margin Setting in MS Word 2003

Question
Using MS Word (Office 2003) on a Windows XP platform, I am trying to convert my MS Word resume to Text Only format. I am following the instructions of Ms. Ireland. She says, left margin should be 1 inch. My problem is, in the "Page Setup" the margins are given in points; e.g., 72 points. So, my question is: How many points is 1 inch, and how do we change the units of measurement? -- Bodhi

Answer
Bodhi, first let me clarify for readers that your question is about how to set the line lengths in a resume created in MS Word, before you insert it into the body of an email message. The full set of my instructions that you refer to in your question come from my Electronic Resume Guide, which was written with MS Word 2000 for XP in mind.

I don’t have access to Word 2003, so I did a little research online and found the following:

First I looked to Microsoft Support’s Page borders may be displayed or printed incorrectly in Word 2002 and in Word 2003. A little ways down the page under the Cause section it says, “…24 points (approximately 5/16 of an inch)”

Lower down the page under Method 1 it says, “A measurement of 31 points is equal to approximately 0.5 inch.”

According to my math, both of these equivalents can’t be right. If 24 points equals 5/16 inch, then 1 inch equals 76.8 points. Alternatively, if 31 points equals ½ inch, then 62 points equals 1 inch. I know MS Word Support is referring to approximate measurements, but the two don’t seem even close to me.

Then I found "Inches instead of pts" (http:/help.lockergnome.com/office/inches-pts-ftopict863931.html) by Rae Drysdale, who gives us a more useful answer to the question “How do I change margin rulers to read inches instead of points?”

Drysdale writes: “Tools Options and General Tab. Down at the bottom you will see Measurement Units. Change the drop down list to inches.” This answer is followed by others’ comments, which you might like to read.

So, I thank Rae Drysdale for her answer and I thank you, Bodhi, for alerting me to this new twist in MS Word 2003. I’ll be sure to use this info when I update my E-Resume Guide.

Job Loungers who use MS Word 2003, please comment if you know more about this margin-setting issue. Thank you!