Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical
Principles
Richard Holaj
Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University
February 14, 2024
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 1 / 14
Agenda
1 Introduction to LaTeX
2 Setting Up Overleaf Accounts
3 Basics of LaTeX Document Structure
4 Simple Text Formatting in LaTeX
5 Exercises and Practical Application
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 2 / 14
Introduction to LaTeX
LaTeX is a typesetting system for technical and scientific documents.
Focuses on content rather than formatting.
Automates numbering, tables of contents, and equation formatting.
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 3 / 14
Benefits of Using LaTeX
High-Quality Typesetting
Mathematical Notation
Cross-Referencing
Consistency and Reproducibility
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LaTeX Usage Across Fields
Mathematics: Equation formatting capabilities.
Computer Science: Technical reports, documentation.
Linguistics: Typesetting linguistic analyses.
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 5 / 14
Setting Up Overleaf Accounts
Overleaf: Online LaTeX editor for collaboration.
Account Creation: Visit https://www.overleaf.com/
Overleaf Pro https://www.fi.muni.cz/tech/overleaf.html
Benefits:
Real-Time Collaboration
Version Control
Access to Templates
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 6 / 14
Basics of LaTeX Document Structure
The document is divided into:
Preamble: Document settings and configurations.
Document Environment: The content of your document.
See Example 1
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 7 / 14
Typographical Principles
Considerations for document design:
Font Selection: Serif vs. Sans-serif
Font Size: Headings vs. Body text
Line Spacing: Readability
Margins: White space balance
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 8 / 14
Basic Text Formatting Commands
Formatting commands include:
% Document margins, in preambule
\usepackage[margin=1in]{geometry}
\textbf{Bold Text},
\textit{Italic Text},
\underline{Underlined Text}
% Font size and line spacing
\fontsize{12pt}{14pt}\selectfont
% Paragraph indentation
\setlength{\parindent}{0pt}
% Set line spacing to 1.5
\linespread{1.5}
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 9 / 14
Exercise: Apply Text Formatting
Task 1
Apply bold, italic, and underline to specific parts of a given text. Adjust
font size, line spacing, and margins.
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 10 / 14
Clarification and Guidance on Common Formatting Issues
Adjusting Line Spacing
Changing Font Styles
Modifying Margins
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 11 / 14
Tips and Best Practices
Use Templates
Proofread for Formatting Errors
Leverage LaTeX Packages for Advanced Formatting Needs
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 12 / 14
Exercise: Fix Formatting
Task 2
Correct the formatting errors using LaTeX commands.Experiment with
different font styles and sizes to familiarize yourself with LaTeX’s
capabilities.
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 13 / 14
Conclusion and QA
Recap of LaTeX basics and typographical principles.
Open floor for any questions or clarifications.
Richard Holaj (Department of Czech Language, Masaryk University)Week 1: Introduction to LaTeX and Typographical PrinciplesFebruary 14, 2024 14 / 14