Word Processing Basics

How to Create, Edit, and Print a Microsoft Word document

Last Updated: 2007

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Contents

• Introduction

• Part 1: Keyboard Basics

• Review: File Management

• Part 2: Formatting Text

• Part 3: Tools

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Introduction

• What Are Word Processors?

• Why use Word Processors?– Drafts

– Layout

– Colour

– Images

– Flexibility

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Kinds of Word Processors

• WordPad• Corel WordPerfect• Microsoft Word

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Part 1: Keyboard Basics

Tab Caps Lock

Shift Enter / ReturnSpace Bar

Backspace

Arrow Keys

Practice Moving Your Cursor

Keyboard Exercise

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Keyboard Basics Review

• Arrow Keys• Space Bar• Tab• Enter/Return• Shift• Caps Lock• Backspace

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Review: File Management

Three Ways to Open a File

1. Double Click on the Desktop Icon

OR

2. Find “Microsoft Word” on the Start Menu

OR

3. Double Click on a Word file

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Document: Write Here

Title Bar Menu Bar Toolbars

Find the cursor (the flashing vertical line). Your text will appear here

when you type.

Buttons

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Part 2: Formatting Your Document

• Moving Text: – Highlighting– Cutting & Pasting / Dragging &

Dropping

• The Clipboard• Page Setup• Font• Undo - Redo

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Moving Text: Highlighting

1. Click and Hold

2. Drag

3. Lift

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Moving Text: Cut and Paste

Cut:

1. Highlight the Text

2. Go to the Edit Menu

3. Choose “Cut”

Paste:

1. Move your cursor to where you want to put the text.

2. Go to the Edit Menu

3. Choose “Paste”

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The Clipboard

• Cut or copied text goes to the Clipboard and stays there so that you can use it and reuse it

– It is a way of moving text from one application to another.

• The Clipboard can hold up to 24 items

– If you copy a 25th item, the first item in the Clipboard is deleted

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Page Setup

• Under the File Menu, click on Page Setup.

• You can change margins, page orientation and paper size.

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Font

You can change the font type and size by using the Format menu and clicking on Font …

… or you can use the shortcuts in the Format toolbar

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Undo/Redo

Did you make a mistake?Don’t panic!

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Undo & Repeat

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Saving a File

Save vs. Save As

Use Save As• When you are saving your file for the

first time OR• When your are saving your file to a

new place OR• When you are saving your file under

a new name

Use Save• When you have made a change to

your document

Remember: Save your file OFTEN !

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Saving a File

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Save your work!!

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Part 3: Tools – Spell Checker

Spell Checker• Finds (potential) spelling errors in your document

– Compares each word against the words in the built-in dictionaries

• Highlights a word if it can’t find a match

• May highlight words that are actually spelled correctly because they are not in the built-in dictionary

• Cannot identify a misspelled word if it correctly spells another word– E.g., from vs. form; there vs. their

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Part 3: Tools – Spell Checker

To check your file for spelling mistakes

1. Go to the beginning of your document

2. Click the Spell Checker button in the toolbar

The Spelling & Grammar Window will appear if Word encounters a spelling problem

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Part 3: Tools – Spell Checker

To add a word to the dictionary

1. Right-click the highlighted word

2. Click “Add to Dictionary”

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Part 3: Tools - Printing

• Print Preview

• Printing

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Part 3: Tools - Printing

• Shows you what your file will look like on the printed page

• Saves time and money• Process:

1. Go to the File menu

2. Click Print Preview

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Close

Part 3: Tools - Printing

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Close

Part 3: Tools - Printing

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Part 3: Tools - Printing

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Printing a Selection

• Highlight the text you want to print

• Choose “Print” from the File menu

• Click on the circle beside Selection

• Click “OK”

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Part 3: Tools - Printing

Final Exercise: Print Your Letter

• Print Preview– Do you like the formatting?

• Print– How many pages do you want to

print?

– Do you want to print the entire file or just a selection?

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Conclusion

Any questions?

• Handouts• Upcoming training programs• Library resources• Program evaluation forms