How to convert a Word .docx to .txt file
In Word docx, choose “Save As” and then choose “Plain Text (.txt)” format ** make sure that you give your file a new name, just in case it overwrites your existing Word document (it shouldn’t, but just in case ..)
You should get a pop-up window that says something like “Warning: Saving as a text file will cause all formatting, pictures, and objects in your file to be lost.” Click “OK”.
The .txt file should maintain line breaks, but will remove “smart” quotation marks, long dashes, other formatting such as bulleted or numbered lists, tables, as well as images, embedded links, embedded media, etc.
The benefit of converting to a .txt file is that it will help as we continue to work with your document in the textual analysis and textual encoding assignments – especially since in some cases student work will be compiled from several different files.
Note 1: Don’t safe file as .rtf (Rich Text Format) – this will not remove the formatting.
Note 2: this should also work for Mac Pages files and Open Office odt files, which import their own peculiar formatting issues into the document.