Before CSS styles are rendered, you must apply the desired style to your text. This can be done manually by editing the HTML, or with Dreamweaver.

How to apply styles (short answer):

1. Select/highlight text or place cursor in desired paragraph you wish to apply the style
2. Choose style either from drop-down Style menu or Text > CSS Styles menu

Dreamweaver's drop-down Style menu (see enlargement)

How to apply styles (detailed explanation):

Before applying a style, be clear on what you want to apply the style to. Most times, style will either by to a paragraph or to specific text.

Let us take up the example of a paragraph first. Say you want to make a paragraph or sentence a section heading to set it apart from the other paragraphs. To do this, place the cursor within the desired text and choose the appropriate style from the drop-down Style menu or Dreamweaver's Text > CSS Styles menu. Dreamweaver will then apply the style to the paragraph.

If, on the other hand, you want to apply a style to specific text within a paragraph, then: highlight the text, and apply the style by choosing the appropriate style from the drop-down Style menu or Dreamweaver's Text > CSS Styles menu. Dreamweaver will then apply the style to the paragraph.