Printing Etiquette

Believe it or not, the production of "hard copy" (documents printed from a computer) has actually continued to increase since the advent of the Information Age. Students are printing a far greater volume of paper today than their parents (or grandparents) did when the only word processor available was a typewriter. Of course, you need to print certain documents, but a little planning and effort can greatly reduce the amount of paper used in our public labs, which helps to keep the cost of printing down and allows us to continue to offer printing services at no additional charge to students.

• Don't print unless you absolutely need a paper copy.
• Do not print multiple copies of the same document. If you need a second copy, use a copy machine.
• Don't print unless you absolutely need a paper copy.
• Use the "Print Preview" option in your word processor. This feature allows you to see your page margins, page breaks, and other aspects of the document layout exactly as they will appear on the printed page. If anything is incorrect, you can make changes before you print.
• Don't print unless you absolutely need a paper copy.
• Use page proofing tools (spell checking, grammar checking, word count, etc.). While these tools are no substitute for proofreading, they help to reduce the number of draft copies that are printed.
• Don't print unless you absolutely need a paper copy.
• LEARN TO USE YOUR WORD PROCESSING PROGRAM! A little time spent reading the help screens, trying out a tutorial, surfing the web for help documents and advice, or asking an expert for help can pay off in the long run. You'll end up with a better looking paper and fewer pages in the recycle bin.
• And finally, DON'T PRINT UNLESS YOU ABSOLUTELY NEED A PAPER COPY!