Working with word processing

Word processing
Working with text	Introduction  |  Character formatting  |  Paragraph formatting  |  Editing features  |  Working with tabs  |  Key points  |  Assessment

Editing

To edit a document is to change the way it appears: this can be by moving and inserting text, deleting text or creating and removing paragraphs.

The following functions are used when editing an existing document or text you have entered. The procedure column outlines the commands you will need to carry out in order to apply the editing feature.

Editing Function	Procedure to use
Inserting	Click the I-Beam cursor at the point to insert, and type in the text to be inserted.
Overtyping	Double click OVR on the Status Bar at the bottom of the screen. Type text. Double click OVR to end overtyping or press Insert on the keyboard to begin overtyping, press Insert again to end overtyping.
New Paragraph	Press the Enter key twice after the end of the previous text.
Join Paragraphs	Place cursor at the end of the first paragraph and press Delete twice or place cursor at the beginning of the second paragraph and press Backspace twice. Press the Spacebar.
Delete to right of cursor	Press the Delete key. (Ctrl + Delete deletes a word to the right).
Delete to left of cursor	Press the Backspace key. (Ctrl + Backspace deletes a word to the left).
Delete a blank line	Place the cursor on the blank line and press Delete.
Insert a blank line	Place the cursor where you want the new line and press Enter.
Undo last action	Click the Undo button or click the Edit menu then select Undo.
Redo last “Undo”	Click the Redo button to redo the last “Undo” or click the Edit menu then select Redo.
Typing Replaces Selection	Select (highlight) text and type in new text.
Transpose text (swap)	Select the second part of the text to be swapped. Click the Edit menu, then click Cut. Click the cursor where you want the text to be placed. Click the Edit menu, then click Paste.

Spell Check a whole document

The Spell checker is great for picking up errors but don’t rely on it entirely. A word may be spelt correctly but still not be correct e.g. here/hear, went/want, their/there. It is still very important to proofread (check) your document before printing.

1. Click on Customize Quick Access Toolbar and add Spelling & Grammar
2. Click on .

   The Spelling and Grammar dialog box will appear and the cursor will move to the first incorrect word and highlight the word.

   

3. The spell check feature automatically gives you some options down the right hand side of the dialog box.

This is what each option means:

Change

When the word is spelt incorrectly click on the correct spelling from the list of suggestions, then click on Change.

Ignore Once

Click on Ignore Once when you know the word is spelt correctly but is not in the dictionary and you are not likely to use it again e.g. an odd place name

Add to Dictionary

When you know the word is spelt correctly and you are likely to use it again e.g. your name, highlight the “incorrect” word and click on Add to Dictionary. The highlighted word will be added to your own Custom Dictionary rather than the main Word dictionary.

Spell check exercise

Editing exercise 1

Editing exercise 2

Moving and copying blocks of text

You can change the order of words, sentences and paragraphs to improve the structure of your document. When moving or copying text, the text (plus any space required) must be selected.

When you copy or move text, the text retains the character formatting e.g. bold, font style. If the copied or moved text includes the paragraph mark ¶, the text retains the paragraph formatting e.g. line spacing, alignment.

To move text

Cut the text from one place in the document and paste it into another.

To copy text

Copy it from one place in the document and paste a copy of it into another.

Moving paragraphs exercise

Find and Replace Text

The Find facility allows you to quickly find text and/or formats when editing a document. For example, say you find a mistake in a printed document, instead of scrolling through the document yourself; you can use Find and go straight to the mistake.

Find Text

1. Go to Home Tab ⇒ Editing group
2. Click on Find. (The keyboard shortcut key is Ctrl F)
3. The Find dialog box will appear:

   

4. Key the text to be found in the Find what field
5. Click Find Next

Replace Text

The Replace facility allows you to replace existing text with other text and/or formats. For example, say you keyed in Club Med throughout a document and you wanted to replace it with Holiday Club, you tell Word to do this once and it happens throughout the document.

1. Go to Home Tab ⇒ Editing group
2. Click on Replace
3. The Find and Replace dialog box will appear:

   

4. Key the text to be found and the text you would like it to be replaced with
5. Click on Find Next — the first occurrence will be highlighted
6. Click on Replace
7. Repeat until all occurrences have been replaced and this appears: Click on OK
8. Click on Close in dialog box

Both Find and Replace save lots of time!

Replace text automatically

This time we will replace all occurrences automatically

1. Press Ctrl + H to open dialog box.
2. Next to Find what, enter the text to find : our.
3. Next to Replace with, enter the new text: the
4. Fill in options – whole word only, search all
5. Close options — click on Less
6. Click on Replace All
7. When this appears, click on OK or press Enter
8. Click on Close to close the dialog box

Replace standard text with formatted text

1. Press Ctrl + H
2. Key text to find: Holiday Club. Key text to replace with: Holiday Club
3. Click on More
4. Choose Format ⇒ Font

   

5. The Font dialog box will appear: choose the Font, Font style and Size, then click on OK
6. Click on Less and the dialog box will close up
7. Check that the format is under the Replace with text, not the Find what text:

   

   Note: If formatting appears under Find what, this is a mistake:

   

   To fix this, click on No Formatting and redo making sure you are in Replace with:

   

8. Click on Replace all
9. When replacement has finished, a dialog box will appear. Press Enter or click on OK.
10. Print preview – Oh!!! the font size was too small with this font. So Press Ctrl + H again, click on Replace with text Holiday Club
11. Change the Replace with font format to 18
12. Replace all, check your Preview, then close the Preview.
13. Save the changes to the document and close it

Find and replace exercise

Corrections

Note: When you have finished with this section, you can use your browser’s Back button to return to the page you were viewing.

The following correction signs are commonly used to indicate alterations in a document:

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Word processing software helps you manipulate a text document and create or edit a text document.

A quality word processing software can also provide output options such as printing or exporting a text document into other formats.

Without word processing software, you would have difficulty processing paragraphs, pages, and even papers.

Not many people know that early word processing software was standalone devices, but word processors come as lightweight software that’s easy to install with technological advancements.

Another great advantage of word processing software is that it allows you to store documents electronically, display them across screens, or fully modify documents before printing them.

Even though word processing software isn’t complex to learn, it might take a bit of time to learn how to take full advantage of the software with so many functions.

Also, keep in mind that some word processing software comes from the office bundle that includes other processing software.

In this article, you’ll learn more about word processing software and see 15 of the best examples.

Whether you’re a writer, editor, or only need quality word processing software to prepare your documents pre-printing, at least one of these 15 software will be a good pick!

Even though most word processing software has similar features and offers similar benefits, the small but significant differences between these word processing software examples can make a huge difference for personal use.

1. Microsoft Word

The most known word processing software is Microsoft Word, and chances are high you’ve used it at least on one occasion to process or create text documents.

Word is the most known word processing software because the creator of Windows creates it and it often comes integrated with the Windows operating system.

However, Word is also known for the benefits it offers. Improved search and navigational experience combined with the ability to work with others simultaneously are just some of the benefits.

Along with that, Word gives you the ability to access, share, and work on your documents from almost anywhere.

With plenty of options to create, edit, and process text, Word also has additional visual effects, turning text into diagrams, and combining visual aspects into text documents.

Instant help when creating documents is another great integration that especially helps writers. Exporting and having document flexibility is helpful when producing specific documents for your studies or work, and it’s just one of many benefits of Word.

2. iWork Pages

iWork Pages is a must-have word processing software for Apple users. Even though Microsoft Word is available for macOS, iWork is a great native alternative that helps Apple users process, create, and work with word documents.

iWork Pages was previously known as AppleWorks, and it is part of the official Apple iWork suite.

Not only Pages can help you create documents, but they can also help you to collaborate with others efficiently, create animated documents from your data, and even build interactive charts from your text.

What’s great about Pages is that it comes with built-in help and sample formulas, so you don’t always have to create a document from scratch. Instead, you can use templates or benefit from function suggestions to improve the way you work.

With over 30 spreadsheet templates, you won’t have to create text documents from scratch unless you enjoy creating your work from scratch. Templates can help you spend less time formatting and creating the basics of your document and yet leave you with more time to focus on your text.

3. OpenOffice Writer

Among the paid word processing software, there are a couple of free gems such as OpenOffice.

OpenOffice is a free and open productivity suite that includes Writer, the perfect software for word processing.

Whether you’re trying to draft a quick letter or working on complex text documents (maybe even writing a book), the writer is a reliable and fully equipped word processing software to handle all needed tasks.

What’s great about Writer is that it is very easy to use, so you won’t have to spend hours learning the ins and outs of the software to take full advantage of it.

Instead, you will be able to focus on producing documents of all types and letting Writer help you along the way.

With built-in features such as AutoCorrect or AutoComplete, you can quickly write your documents without having to worry about making mistakes.

Along with these two features, OpenOffice Writer comes with a table of contents, references, multi-page display, and notes to help you annotate and review documents, as well as create well-structured text documents.

Lastly, exporting isn’t going to be a problem since Writer can help you export your text document into other formats such as HTML, PDF, or even .odt.

Also, keep in mind that OpenOffice provides templates you can download and use with Writer to make your drafts easier.

4. WordPerfect

WordPerfect is described as the Microsoft Office alternative. It is an all-in-one suite that focuses on productivity and efficiency when working with digital documents (especially text documents).

Inside the WordPerfect Office, you will have access to a neat and efficient word processor that can help you quickly draft new documents, create letters or brochures, write resumes, and even start writing a book.

What’s so special about WordPerfect is that it supports collaboration with about 60 file formats, so you can import and export documents from any third-party software.

With the help of Reveal Codes, WordPerfect provides seamless formatting after you import documents from any source.

And if you’re looking to “spice up” your text documents, you can do so easily with the help of built-in PDF forms into this powerful and versatile word processing software.

5. FocusWriter

If you spend a lot of time writing documents in your word processing software, and yet you find it hard to concentrate and focus on the words, FocusWriter is a great pick.

FocusWriter is a very simple word processing software that utilizes a versatile interface hidden away from the most important part of the software. This way, you can focus on the page and text, and whenever you need to use any integrated feature, all you have to do is swipe your cursor across the edges to open the hidden menu.

With integrated features such as timers, alarms, daily goals, fully customizable themes, and even the ability to use typewriter sound effects, this word processing software will help you stay on track and get things done.

Along with these features, FocusWriter has optional features such as live statistics, spell-checking, and even the ability to use FocusWriter in 20 different languages.

These features aim to improve the user experience and make word processing tasks fun and more productive since you can set your own goals.

This is a word processing software that adds improved features that aren’t very common among its competitors.

6. LibreOffice Writer

When you are a very organized person and need word processing software that will match this, LibreOffice Writer is worth trying.

LibreOffice Writer is a modern word processing software that ensures you can edit any document quickly with the help of integrated features.

Therefore, Writer is good enough for doing quick and simple edits. Still, it’s also more than enough to finish books, edit many content pages, add diagrams, and even feature indexes into your documents.

The user interface is very neat and even though there are many features they’re hidden away so you can focus on the most important aspect of word processing: the text.

7. AbiWord

When you require a very similar word processing software to Word, and yet you’re on a budget, AbiWord is a good choice.

AbiWord is compatible with the latest operating systems and interface-wise, it is very similar to Microsoft Word. Even though it’s not the “prettiest” word processing software, it has everything you might need to get the work done efficiently, and it won’t cost you a penny.

With compatibility to work with all standard text documents, AbiWord also allows you to share your documents with others easily or even merge your letters directly with your email.

Even though AbiWord might not have all features other word processing software include, AbiWord is built on the extensible plugin architecture, so you can always find plugins to include features you might be missing.

On top of that, I should mention that AbiWord is available in 30 different languages, and it is still getting updates so that you won’t be relying on an outdated version.

8. WPS Word

WPS offers a suite similar to Microsoft Office that includes three components: the Word, Excel, and Presentation.

Word is a word processing software that is highly compatible with almost all compatible document formats, and it is even compatible with all operations systems.

Creating documents from scratch with Word is very simple, and yet with standard formatting tools everyone is familiar with, editing documents is even easier.

On top of that, Word includes many extras that are rarely found in other word processing software, such as hundreds of document templates. Therefore, if you don’t feel like creating documents from scratch, basing your documents on pre-existing templates can save you a lot of time and work.

Combining media with text is highly possible, and viewing multiple documents simultaneously improves efficiency when working with multiple documents.

With collaboration tools, password protection for chosen documents, and automatic spell-checking tools, you can easily get your work done without worrying about accuracy.

9. Polaris Docs

Polaris Office is a combination of tools that includes Docs, a highly versatile version that’s very similar to a combination of Microsoft Word and Google Docs.

It’s a very versatile word processing software that allows you to work on your documents wherever you are.

Not only is it available as computer software, but it also has a dedicated web browser version and even the app version suitable for Android and iOS smartphones.

Collaboration is guaranteed with such versatility, and when it comes down to getting the work done, Polaris Docs supports all types of documents, including sheets, slides, and more.

Saved documents can be worked on in groups, meaning that more than one person can edit the document in real-time. And if you ever decide to collaborate on a document with someone, you can invite them with a link and keep the communication open with an integrated chat in the Polaris Docs.

Feature-wise, Polaris Docs is packed with the most standard features you would expect from a word processing software, and yet the main improvement is the way you can collaborate with others and work on the same document in real-time.

10. Writemonkey

If you search for a word processing document that will leave you on your own with your words and yet will hide all functionalities in a very minimalistic and simple interface, Writemonkey makes a great choice.

Writemonkey might look like a coding interface at first, but it is a stripped-down word processing software that helps you focus on your writing.

Of course, Writemonkey is also ideal for making quick edits and even reading.

This is probably one of the lightest and smallest word processing software that is very easy to install and even easier to get used to.

What’s also great is that you have full control over the interface to customize it to your needs. On top of that, you can set timed writing or even feature a visual progress bar to make your writing work feel like a breeze.

And if you ever end up missing something in Writemonkey, you can always introduce third-party upgrades to this word processing software via plugins.

11. Dropbox Paper

When you need a versatile, reliable, and quick word processing software that’s perhaps web-based, Dropbox Paper is worth considering.

Dropbox Paper is a lightweight web-based word processing software that allows simple editing and collaboration between teams.

With Dropbox Paper, you can create documents from scratch or import existing documents to easily track any edits or changes made by your team members. On top of that, with this light word processing software, you can keep everything organized, ensure feedback is properly given, and even improve your documents.

You can do almost everything in Dropbox Paper that you would do in other word processing software. However, Paper can also serve as a co-editing software.

Whether you’re trying to improve communication in your team, improve collaboration between team members, or you’re writing a book with your partner, Paper is the place to stay productive, organized, and efficient.

12. Scribus

If you require professional word processing software to handle your business/work documents or edit and prepare your book for publishing, Scribus is a great choice.

Even though it’s a bit different from standard word processing software, Scribus allows you to choose one of the designed layouts, set your typesetting, and even improve your written documents with professional-looking quality images.

With Scribus, you can also create animations that you can place directly inside your document, or you can turn your text documents into interactive PDF presentations.

On top of that, the creation of forms or questionnaires is very simple. With OpenType support, you can now edit your existing documents with advanced features such as advanced typography.

While Scribus is a great fit for simple editing and personal documents, it excels at creating magazine covers, newspaper front pages, preparing the books for publishing, and even manufacturing artwork.

It might not be the standard word processing software most people are looking for, but it will fit professional needs easily for a very fair price.

13. SoftMaker FreeOffice TextMaker

When you need a simple word processing software, SoftMaker FreeOffice is a great stepping stone that won’t cost you anything, and yet it includes almost everything you might need for personal or business use.

In the FreeOffice, you will get TextMaker included. TextMaker is a small but efficient word processing software that allows you to create all types of documents and edit existing documents that you can easily import.

What’s unique about TextMaker is that it doesn’t only focus on written documents. Instead, it also offers great features for processing words on graphics. Therefore, you can use TextMaker to create great text for your images, logos, or even banners.

With many different fonts, styles, and even wrapping options, TextMaker will make all your graphics look professional and attractive yet easy to read.

Since TextMaker can import almost all types of documents, you can also export your work in the most standard formats, such as Word DOC and DOCX. However, what’s also great about TextMaker is that it allows you to create PDF files from your documents.

You can even create an EPUB eBook with the help of TextMaker, which is a great feature, considering that SoftMaker provides the TextMaker for free.

14. Zoho Docs Writer

Zoho Docs Writer is a perfect example of an online word processing software that is easy to use and easy to access. Yet, in return, you will get very reliable and advanced features you can use on any of your documents.

The writer allows you to focus on your words in a distraction-free interface, yet you can work with others in an effortless document sharing.

With the most standard features, you would expect a word processing software packed in the interface you can access via the web browser and even get unlimited versions of your document.

These versions help you compare differences and find differences after collaboration with others.

One of the most advanced yet convenient features is publishing your documents directly (if you are a content creator).

If not, Zoho Docs Writer can help you electronically sign documents and even fill out PDF forms (or edit PDFs) without a problem.

15. Google Docs

Suppose you are not a fan of standalone word processing documents or don’t consider your computer reliable enough for your work. In that case, Google Docs is one of the most reliable web-based word processing software than most others in this space that you can get your hands on.

Along with the Sheets, Slides, and Forms, Docs allows you to not only create documents from scratch or import and edit existing documents, but it also allows you to store all your documents in the cloud for free.

You can easily access your documents from any device, as long as you’re signed in to your Google account, and yet you will easily get used to the functionality and features of the Docs.

On top of that, Docs is very flexible, so you can export them in many different formats just the way you can import documents. However, one thing to keep in mind is that you will need an internet connection at all times to access your documents or work on them.

Conclusion

Even though Microsoft Word is one of the most known word processing software globally, there is much other software that is as good and worth giving it a try.

One couldn’t do without quality word processing software, but you even get the chance to find the one that will fit your needs the most with so many choices.

Even though each one of these is similar, there are differences in the interface, functionality, and even features that the software provides.

With that being said, you can easily choose according to your needs and purpose, which I highly recommend!

Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction to Word Processing

Word
Processing Basics

Terminology

The word
processor screen

Creating a
document

Saving a
file

Paragraph
formatting

Footnotes

Spell
Checker

Margins

Print
Preview

Modifying a
document

Replace

What�s
wrong with this Document

Summary of
Word Processing Basics

Summary of
Computer Basics

Word Processing Basics

Computers have made typing papers a breeze for those of us
who do not know how to type! We can make mistakes left and right and be able to
fix them on the computer before we print the paper. We can save a paper as a
file on a diskette and keep it for future reference. We can modify papers in a
flash and we can even include pictures in our papers.

When using a word processor you should be aware that you can
move an entire paragraph or simply one word very easily in your paper. You can
also include a new paragraph, a new sentence or just a new word anyplace within
your paper. This ability to manipulate your text is the prime advantage and
difference between using a word processor and a typewriter. The word processor
also allows you to make modifications relatively easily. Especially if you have
followed the simple basics as outlined in Figure 1.

The basics of word processing are guidelines to follow to
make it easier to change and modify your document. They all relate to something
called paragraph formatting features. The four computer Basics are common to
all applications not just the word processor.

Most word processors are similar, so I want to introduce you
to some of the things in general that can be done using a word processor. What
I want to stress is the correct way to use a word processor, which is by
following the basics that are listed in Figure 1. Anyone can sit down on a
computer and type in a paper, but not everyone knows how to type in the paper
correctly. If you ever need to modify the paper in some way it will be easier
to do if you have followed the basic guidelines.

Terminology

Let�s start with a little word processing terminology so
that we are all working from the same reference point.

Cursor�/
Insertion Point�—
The cursor, or insertion point, is a flashing vertical bar on the screen. This
is where your text will appear when you start to type. The mouse pointer will
be an I-beam on your document window and can be used to move the insertion
point by clicking the left mouse button.

Word-wrap�—
When using a word processor we want to take advantage of word-wrap. When you
reach the end of the line, the computer will automatically go to the next line;
this is called word-wrap. If you were trained to use a typewriter, your most
common mistake will be hitting the carriage return key at the end of every
line. In word processing, we only want to hit the return (enter) key at the end
of the paragraph.

Paragraph�—
A paragraph is defined as going from one enter key stroke to the next time you
hit the enter key. So, every time you hit the enter key, you create a new
paragraph.

Formatting��—
With word processing, you can change the appearance of your text by formatting
the text. There are two kinds of formatting features:
1. Features that effect characters
or only what is highlighted.
2. Features that effect the entire paragraph.

Highlighted�or
Selected�—
Generally speaking, whatever you have highlighted will be affected by the
formatting feature that you do, or will be deleted, or will be moved, or will
be copied, etc. Highlighted text appears with text in the background color
(usually white) and the background color as the text color (usually black). You
can highlight text by clicking with the mouse (holding down the left mouse
button) and dragging the mouse cursor over the text. Oftentimes when
highlighting text in this manner, you may let go of the mouse button too early
and miss a letter or two. No problem. Simply hold the shift key down and press
the arrow keys to move the highlight in the direction that you want. In fact,
you can use any of the cursor movement keys (Figure 2) combined with holding
down the shift key to highlight text. Also, if you place the mouse pointer on
the extreme left side of the document window you can then click to highlight
the entire line.

Toggle�—
Many features in word processing work as a toggle, which means it is a switch
that can be turned on or off. If you decide you do not like the option you
simply turn it off. Some of the toggle options include BOLD, Underline, and Italics.
These can all be turned on or off. If you have something bold and you do not
want it bold, you simply highlight the text and then click the bold switch to
turn it off.

Non-Printing Characters�Figure 3 — There are several key strokes that you use all the time that do
not print. These would include hitting the space bar, tab key, and enter key.
All of these characters can be shown on the screen. It is sometimes helpful to
see these characters so that you know what is happening in your document. I
will talk about the non-printing characters more when I talk about the basics
of word processing.

Font�Figure 4
— The style of character that your text is in. I am using Arial at the
moment. You can have as many fonts in a document as you want. In fact, you can
make each letter a different font! One very important point about fonts is that
the fonts that are available to you are dependent upon the printer that you
have. So if you don�t see any of the fonts that I have here, that simply means
your printer does not have those fonts. You can buy fonts for your printer and
then you would be able to use them in your documents. You should also know that
you can make your computer think it has a laser printer (has a lot of fonts) by
just setting the option as if you had that printer. Your computer will not know
the difference. You will not be able to print them on your computer but you can
save the file on a disk and bring it to a computer that does have that printer.
The bottom font is Wingding. In fact if
you type a lower case L and change the font to Wingding
you will get a bullet l.

Font Size�— The
size is how big or small your text is. The larger the number selected the
larger the size. Some fonts have more sizes available to them. Again size, just
like font, is printer dependent. You can also use as many sizes as you feel
like in your papers.

The
word processor screen

In Figure 5 above you can see what a new word processing
file will look like in Microsoft Word. Let me describe the various parts for
you. You should begin to recognize some of them. Also, as you practice your
word processing, pay attention to how the program works. Most Windows programs
work in a similar fashion. For example, opening or saving a file is done in the
same way for most applications. You would click on the Save Icon (looks like a
floppy diskette that no-one uses anymore :).

Title
Bar�— This is something that you have seen before.
In this case the title bar is showing you the name of the application that you
are using (Microsoft Word) and the name of the file (Document1). In this case the name of the file is the default name[1].
You should notice the Minimize —
Maximize and Close button on the
title bar for the application. The buttons on the menu bar are for the
document.

Office Button �
The Office Button shown to the left has the options to create a New File, Open
an existing file and Save or Save As a file. You choose Save As when you want
to specify the drive letter, folder, name and type (as described later on). We
will also use Print and Close however the rest of the buttons are up to you to
learn about. If you right click any option you will get a pop-up menu that one
choice is to add this button to the Quick Access Bar. In Fact you should add
your most common buttons to the Quick access bar.

Tabs�— The
different tabs group like items together, most of the common formatting
features are on the Home tab, which also looks more or less the same in all the
office applications. Insert Tab allows you to put things into your document (no
real need for me to describe them to, just take a look). Page layout is where
you would go to change your margins etc. The more you use Office the more you
remember where to look for the various options. One of the problems with the
tabs is in trying to remember what those cute little buttons stand for.
Software companies have helped this problem by supplying mouse tips. When you
place the mouse pointer over a button on the toolbar and wait a few seconds, a
small description will pop up on the screen.

Status Bar�—
The status bar gives information about our position within the document. Page 1
is the page we are on, of 1 page total in our file. Along with how many words
you have. It�s just handy to be able to �see at glance�. To get a groovy
description of the status bar simply click the help icon (top right ?) and type
in status bar!

Scroll Bar�—
The scroll bar simply allows you to scroll through the document. If you click
the scroll arrow you will move 1 line at a time. If you click in the scroll bar
itself you move one screen at a time. The square box indicates your position in
the document. If you click above the square box you will move up, if you click
below it you will move down. You can also drag the square box to where you
think you want to go.

Document
Window�—
This is simply the window that your document will be in.

Insertion Point�—
The insertion point is the place where once you start typing, the text will
begin. The text will be inserted to the left of the insertion point. The
insertion point is also known as the cursor.

Paragraph Marker�—
Our document already has a paragraph even though we have not typed in a single
word. The paragraph marker may not be showing on your screen. It is a toggle to
display non-printing characters or not to display them. Look for the show/hide
button on the toolbar to turn this option on or off[2].

Mouse Pointer�/
I-Beam�—
These show the location of your mouse. If you are moving the mouse pointer and
you run out of desk space to slide the mouse on, simply pick the mouse up in
the air and move it to a place you can reach. The mouse pointer will not move
unless the mouse is on the desk. It is helpful to use a mouse pad when using a
mouse. A book or some paper makes a quick mouse pad if you do not have one.

Ruler�—
The ruler is one of the most important
things to understand in word processing as it tells you what is happening. To
have your ruler display, choose the View Tab, Show hide button and check ruler.
Looking at Figure 7, the ruler is telling us that we have 6� inches of working
area, no tabs set (only default at every 0.5�), and no left or right indent
set.

The zero mark on the ruler is at the left margin. When the layout of the text
is wrong the ruler is the first place to look. You may have an incorrect tab
setting or indent.

We have just been talking about Microsoft WORD 2007 but looking
at most any other word processor screen will be the same.

The big difference between programs tends to be �how� to do
things and most of that is really WHERE the option is located. So just because
we are learning one specific application package remember that what we learn is
applicable to many other software products as well. Have confidence in your own
ability and try the different packages. If worst comes to worst, simply close
the program (Click on the X)! If things are really bad turn the computer off,
but do this as your last alternative. You will not break anything (that can�t
be fixed) but turning a computer off when it is still running a package leaves
a lot of extra temporary files[3] on
the computer that normally get deleted.

Creating a document

Well let�s try to create a simple word processing document.
Remember to use word wrap, so just keep typing until you get to the end of the
whole paragraph and then hit the enter key to start a new paragraph.

When you set formatting attributes you have two choices: one
is to set the attribute and then type in the text, the second is to type the
text first and then go back and highlight the text and set the attribute. You
can use either method. I use a combination of the two techniques myself.

Start up the word processor that you will be using. Some
word processors will automatically start a new document for you and some will
not (check the title bar for a default document name). If there is not an empty
word processing file on your screen, create a new one (Click on the Office
button and choose new).

Saving a file

The first thing I want you to do is to save this blank
document! When using computers you should save often; the more you save, the
better off you will be. I am guilty myself of typing for an hour and losing all
of my information. One thing that can happen is that there may be an error on
your disk drive[4].
It is better to find this out before you start typing than after you have been
typing for an hour. So, the first time you should save a file is BEFORE you
type anything. Another more common problem is that you may turn the computer
off by mistake (or the electricity goes off) and then lose all of your
information. To save your file, simply click the save icon (either under the Office Button or directly
on the Quick start bar). This will give you a
dialog box as shown below.

�Be sure to pick the correct drive and folder
to save in. When giving files a name, pick a name that will best describe the
file so that you can find it easily in the future.

In the figure above the file will be saved as Doc1.docx in the folder Robert Erickson�s Documents.
To see which drive it will be saved on, you must click the arrow �to see the drop down list box. Technically it
still doesn�t show you exactly which drive it is being saved in! In this
example I can click on the Hard drive C: go to documents and settings folder,
find Robert Erickson, click on my documents which will take me to Robert
Erickson�s Documents. The reason I mention this is that some computers are set
up to save your files to a network drive. You should look to find out how your
computer is set up.

After you pick (or verify) the drive you then choose the
correct folder(s) by double clicking the folder (easier to double click the
icon of the folder instead of the name).

To change the file name, you simply type in the name desired.

If you need to change the File Type you do so by picking the
correct type in the drop down list box.

Once you are all set, go ahead and choose the Save command button. As you type
your document, be sure to click the save icon �every now and then. So remember that when you
save a file you must specify the DRIVE,
FOLDER, NAME and the File Type (if needed).

Paragraph formatting

Okay, now that we have given our file a name, let�s start
typing it. I want you to type in the following memo just as it appears in
Figure 11. I have shown you the non-printing characters so you know when to hit
enter. There are 10 paragraphs in this document (remember, every time you hit
the enter key you create a new paragraph).

I want you to format the document to look like my sample shown
in Figure 12 (This file is done correctly). We will be using the Paragraph Group on the Home Tab.

Start by selecting the first four paragraphs. The easy way
to do this is to put the mouse cursor to the left of the first paragraph (on
the extreme left of the document), then with a click and drag motion highlight
all four.

Currently the first 4 paragraphs are left aligned; meaning the left side is smooth on
the left indent. To change this to center
aligned,
simply click the center align icon. This will center the paragraph between the
left and right indents. If you forget which button this is just leave the mouse
pointer on top of the button for a couple of seconds and you should see a mouse
tip that will tell you.

We also want to change the font for these paragraphs to
Arial. Since they are still highlighted we can simply click the drop down list
box for the Font (top of the FONT Group: See
figure below) to get the list for the different fonts available. Scroll to the
top of the list and click on Arial. You should note that whatever is selected
is going to be changed. If the size is not 12, simply change the size to 12 by
clicking on the size list box and choosing 12. If you do not have Arial, simply
choose a font that you do have.

Now I want you to make the first paragraph larger than the
rest. So we will need to highlight just the first paragraph. Simply double
click[5] to
the left of the paragraph; this will highlight the entire paragraph. Now change
the Size to 20. I want the rest of the document (from Hillary on) set to a size
of 14. Simply click the mouse pointer to the left of the fifth paragraph. This
will highlight that one line only. Now to get the rest of the document
highlighted we will use the keyboard. Remember that we can highlight by holding
the shift key down and using the cursor movement keys. I know that if I choose
Ctrl + End it will take me to the end of the document. So I want you to press
Shift + Ctrl + End. This will highlight from the cursor�s current position, to
the end of the document. Now go ahead and change the size to 14. If the Font is
not Times New Roman, change that now as well.

A few more things to do and then you will be done. You will
notice that there are no paragraph markers between the paragraphs. This is
because I have set my paragraph spacing correctly. You will also notice that
there is no tab mark at the beginning of each paragraph. I have used a feature
called first line indent. The file in Figure 12 is
done correctly following the basics of word processing. We can set the line
spacing and the first line indent at the same time. Before we do this let�s
make sure we have the correct paragraphs highlighted. Click the mouse just
before Dear and highlight to the end of the document.

Now choose Paragraph
on the Paragraph Group of the Home Tab
and click on:

This will give you the Paragraph
dialog box. Be sure you are looking at the indents and spacing tab as shown. I
have set this dialog box to the correct options and this is what I want you to
do as well. Set the First Line Indent to 0.5. Looking at the Special list box
choose first line (you may just have a first line text box and that is the same
thing). You can type in .5 or click the up arrow till 0.5 shows.

Your first line
indent is always measured from your left
indent. Your left indent is measured
from the left margin (the zero mark on
the ruler).
Your right indent�is measured from the right margin. If you were
to set your left indent to 0.5� with a first line indent of 0.5�, your first line
indent marker would be at the 1� mark as shown in this example.

For spacing I want you to set the Spacing After�to 12 pt. 12 points is the standard size for 1
Line. You can set the spacing to whatever number you want as long as it is in
the same form of measurement. For example if I wanted 1 and a half line I would
type in 18 pt.

Notice that the Alignment�is set to the left. We changed the alignment
earlier by using the icon. Also notice the little preview section. If you hit
the tab key (to move the focus to another option in the dialog box), it will
put into effect your last change in the preview section so you can get an idea
of how it will look when you choose OK.
One last thing before you choose OK and that is the Help icon, choose it now and read all there is to read about
the paragraph dialog box (it will explain a lot). When you are done reading
Help, click the Help�s Close icon. When you are ready, go ahead and choose the
OK command button. Your document is all set and done correctly.

Let�s take a look at Figure 15, which shows the same
file, but this time it was done incorrectly. What was done wrong is that the
enter key was used to insert the blank lines for paragraph spacing and the tab
key was used to start the paragraphs. If we were not looking at the
non-printing characters we would not be able to see any difference whatsoever.
I admit it would not make much difference in this example because this is a
short one to type in. However you might as well learn the correct way now, so
that when you type in a longer document you will be able to make multiple
spacing and indent changes much more rapidly than if you had not used your word
processor correctly.

Okay, my point is a simple one. When we want to make a
change (if we have used the word processor correctly) we can make them quickly
and easily and our document will look the way we want it to. Suppose I were to
say to you that I wanted 1.5 spaces between each paragraph and I did not want
the first line indented. If you have used your word processor correctly than
all you have to do is:
����������� 1) Highlight the paragraphs.
����������� 2) Choose Format, Paragraph
����������� 3) Set your spacing to 18 pt
����������� 4) Set your Special Indent
(First Line) to none.

If you have not used the word processor correctly than you
would need to delete all the tabs at the beginning of each paragraph. How would
you set the line spacing to 1.5 without formatting the paragraphs, I am not
sure[6].
If your document were 20 pages long, this would be a real hassle. However if
done correctly, it makes no difference how many pages there are because it
requires the same number of steps and the same amount of time.

Now modify your memo a little by putting
your name, lecture, lab and the date at the top in block format. Simply place
your insertion point at the beginning of the document. You may find it easier
to hit enter and give yourself a blank paragraph. It is okay to hit enter a few
times and create blank paragraphs, just remember to delete any extra ones you
may have. Move your insertion point before this blank paragraph and start
typing. If you find you are typing in the center of the page choose the left
aligned button to bring the text over to the left margin. For the date I want
you to insert a date field. The date field will always print the
current date. For example: if you print this document on May 1, 2525, then that
will be the date that prints. On the other hand if you print this document on
May 31, 2525 that would be the date that would print. To insert the date field,
all you need to do is choose Insert tab, look for
the Quick Parts in
the Text Group, and choose Field.
It is easiest to click on Categories and then choose dates. Now just pick the format
that you want for the date and choose ok. Your document will look like this
when you are done:

TO:����� Professor’s
name

FROM:���������� Your
name

LECTURE:��� Your
Lecture

LAB:�� Your lab

DATE:����������� May 15, 2525

In Figure 16 we can see the top half looks
correct, however it is done incorrectly. You do not want to hit the tab twice
in a row in order to line up your information. The bottom half of the diagram
is done correctly as far as how it was typed in by hitting the tab key only
once. We would now need to highlight the 5 paragraphs and set a tab stop to 1
inch. �Notice in Figure 17 I have
highlighted portions of all the paragraphs. This is ok since tabs are a
paragraph formatting feature you only need to have a part of the paragraph
highlighted since the formatting will affect the whole paragraph.

To set the tab stop all you need to do is to click the mouse
just below the number 1 on the ruler (be sure to highlight the 5 paragraphs
first). This will put in a left aligned tab at one inch and align your text
like shown in Figure 17. If you need to move the tab simply click and drag it
to the desired location. If you want to delete the tab stop simply drag the tab
above the ruler.

Now would be a good time to save your document again!

Let�s make the TO paragraph bold. This is easy to do, as all
you have to do is highlight the TO paragraph and click on the �bold button on the Font Group
under the Home Tab. Again, what you have highlighted
will be changed. Let�s practice this a little more by making the FROM paragraph
bold as well. You can format your text as many ways as you like, so for
practice let�s underline only your name. Simply highlight your name and
click the �underline button on the toolbar. Try something
on your own. Make your lecture section and lab section Italics. It should look
like the sample (Figure 18) when you are done.

Footnotes

Looking
back at the memo I realize that Hillary may not know where our headquarters are
located. Our headquarters are actually located in Kansas, Vermont though our mailing address is Manchester, Vermont.
We will be sending her an information packet that gives complete directions to
our lodge, so I really do not want to give the directions in the memo. What I
want to do is to use a footnote so that I can explain that directions will be
forthcoming.

Inserting footnotes into a document is
very easy. You simply place the cursor where you want to mark the footnote,
choose the References Tab, and look for Insert Footnote.
This will put the footnote mark where your cursor is and jump you to the bottom
of the page so you can type in your footnote. If you want to get more options,
simply click the �icon to get the footnote dialog box as shown
in Figure 19. You have your choice of a footnote
which shows up at the bottom of the page that the mark is on, or endnotes�( �icon) which show up at the end of the
document. We are going to use footnotes and Autonumber�for this class. As always, to learn more about
the various footnote options simply choose Help.

The computer handles the numbering for the footnote marks
both in the document text and the footnote window. If you have two footnotes on
a page and add a third one in the middle, it will be numbered in order as two.
The same is true if you delete[7] a
footnote, then the existing footnotes would automatically be renumbered.

In the footnote paragraph you can do any formatting feature
that you normally would do. You can change the font and size. You can bold,
underline, or italicize text. You can set tabs, indents, and spacing. Basically
you can do most anything, just try it. If the computer will not let you do
something then I guess you can�t, at least try it first. Who knows, maybe
someday you will be able to!

The style of footnote that I like to use is the MLA — Modern
Language Association Guidelines (http://www.mla.org/style)
for footnotes. The footnote should be a different font and a smaller size than
your main document. You should use a first line indent of 0.5� for each
separate footnote. Other than that, there really is nothing to it.

Spell Checker

Unless you are a perfect typist and never make any mistakes,
chances are that you have made a spelling or typo mistake. I have a tendency to
make a million of them when I type! Luckily, word processors come with a spell
checking feature that works great. If you made a mistake while typing you may
have noticed that the incorrect word was underlined with a red squiggly line.
If not type a word incorrectly now to see it. This shows you that a word is
spelled incorrectly or is unrecognizable by the computer. You may notice a
green squiggly line, which indicates that you have a grammar error. You can
continue typing and then check your spelling and grammar at the end or you can
fix the words as you go.

It is a good idea to save your document before you run the
spell checker[8].
The spell checker is a neat feature as it will check every word in your
document and compare it to the internal dictionary to see if it matches any
words. So that means the spell checker will look �I� up in the dictionary to be
sure you spelled it right! I do not think I would have the patience to
literally look every word up in the dictionary. The spell checker will also
find repeated words, for example if you type type
a word twice, the spell checker will ask if you want to delete one. Also if you
type «i» the spell checker will
ask you if you want to capitalize it. However the spell checker will not check
your grammar so you may spell �two� when you meant to spell �to� and the spell
checker will not say anything. The grammar checker will put a green squiggly
line under the words.

You can look on the status bar for the spell check symbol to see if you need to run the
spell checker. The blue check �means it is okay, however the red check ��means you have misspelled word(s). To run the
Spelling and Grammar checker choose Review tab and click
on the Spelling and Grammar icon.

When the spell checker finds a word that
it cannot match, it will give you a dialog box with several options for you to
choose (most spell checkers work pretty much the same). In Figure 20 you can
see that patience is misspelled. You will be shown how you spelled the word
with a list of possible correct spellings. You can Ignore the spelling if the word is spelled correctly as,
some words will not be in the dictionary. For example, your last name is
spelled correctly but will not be found in the dictionary. If you have used
your last name throughout the document you may want to Ignore All, which means the spell checker will not stop at
that word again. If you see the correct spelling in the list simply click on
the correct spelling and choose Change.
This will change the spelling in your document. If you are a consistent bad
speller like myself you may want to choose Change
All so that the spell checker will just automatically change the
word throughout the rest of the document. If you are using your own computer
you may want to Add a
correctly spelled word such as your last name to the dictionary. You simply
double check to be sure it is spelled correctly and choose the add button to
add the word to your CUSTOM.DIC. If you
accidentally added a misspelled word you can open the file called CUSTOM.DIC[9]
and fix the spelling. After you have finished, be sure to save your file again
so you do not lose your corrections.

A couple of notes about the spell checker. When you click on
the spell check button, the computer will begin to check the spelling from the
cursor and go down to the end of your document. After the spell checker
finishes with the main document it will then check your footnotes. If you have
started the spell checker someplace in the middle, when the spell checker
reaches the end of your document, it will ask if you want to check the rest of
the document. If you want to just check a word or paragraph simply highlight
what you want to be checked and then run the spell checker (remember what is
highlighted will be affected).

Margins

The margin�default is finally set to the standard 1�!
However if you need to change your margins it is not hard. Choose the Page Layout tab and click on any of the standard settings.
If you choose Page Setup 
to get the dialog box that looks like Figure 21. Be sure that the Apply To: list box has Whole Document in it. If it only
applies to the selected text you will wind up putting in section breaks
(Chapter 3).

Print Preview

Now that we have finished our document, proofread it on the
computer, checked the spelling and saved it again we are ready to see what it
looks like printed. Word processors come with an option called Print Preview�that will show you what your document will
look like on a piece of paper. Choose the Print icon on the Office Button, and then choose the preview icon.� This will show you (more or less) how your
document will look on a piece of paper. You most likely will not be able to
read the document but you can see the layout. Actually if you move your mouse
cursor over the paper it will turn into a magnifying glass. When you click the
left mouse button it will Zoom In and enlarge that section so you can read it.
Print preview helps you to see the format of your document on paper. It is
faster to look at your document in print preview than it is to print the
document, look at the printout, make any necessary changes and then reprint the
document. It also saves paper!

Some things to look for in print preview are blank pages (we
do not want to waste paper). To check for blank pages simply press the page
down button until the computer �beeps�. This means there are no more pages. If
there are blank pages, you need to go back to the document and fix whatever is
wrong. Most likely there are several paragraph marks at the end of your
document that should be deleted (remember to look for the end of document
marker). If on the other hand everything looks fine simply choose the print
button on the tool bar. I never use the print button on the standard toolbar as
I can easily use the print button found in print preview. You should always
check print preview before you print to spot any possible errors.

If you notice that you have only one or two lines showing up
on the second page you may as well change your margins or line spacing to get
the information to print on one page. Try changing your margins to 0.8� (top,
bottom, left and right). This will be close to 1� and is worth the sacrifice
from the standard to get your document on one page. You could also change your
paragraph spacing to 8 pt instead of 12 pt. The point is that you can do this
easily as long as you have used your word processor correctly. The actual
numbers that you use, i.e. 8 pt vs. 12 pt, 1� vs. 0.8� are not that important
in life. Experiment and use what works the best. However for this class be sure
to follow the directions as given.

Modifying a document

No matter how hard you try invariably you will find that
sometimes you want to change something after you print your document. The nice
thing about using a word processor is that you can easily go back and revise
your document and print it again! If you need to add a paragraph simply place
the cursor where you want the information to go and just begin typing[10].� If you decide you do not like a sentence
simply delete it. You can also move paragraphs by simply highlighting them and
then clicking on the Cut icon.
This will take the highlighted section out of the document and store it in the
computer’s memory. Now place your cursor where you want the information to go
and choose the �Paste
icon (both are on the Home tab).
This will take the information you just cut and place it back into your
document where you have specified by the cursor location.

I hope that you have noticed a pattern about all the dialog
boxes we have seen. Every dialog box has a help command button. If you are not
sure of what you are doing simply click the help button and read the
information available to you. If you are not sure what to look for use the help
feature like a book and search for the key word. If you have the time you may
just want to go through the On-line tutorial available with the program itself.

The other points that are important are following the basics
of word processing and saving your documents often! I have tried to demonstrate
the reason behind the basics but if you do not understand please ask me to
explain again until you do.

Replace

Replace is a handy feature found in both the word processor
and spreadsheet. What it does, is search for a word or series of characters
that you specify and replaces those with whatever you want. The Find feature works the same way, only
it does not replace anything, it just finds it. The search will start from
where the cursor is and goes to the end of the document (unless you have a
highlighted section in which case it would only look in what you have
highlighted). So choose the Home tab, Editing Group and then Replace
to get the dialog box shown in Figure 22. Let�s talk about the dialog box for a
minute. I have filled in the Find
What with �Bob� and Replace With:
�Robert� so I can change every �Bob� to �Robert�. I have a couple options that
I can change. The Search�specifies how to search, Down means from the
cursor to the end of the document. The Match
Case�check
box specifies that I have to find �Bob� and not �bob�. Find Whole Words Only�means that what you are trying to find must
have a space before and after it. In other words Bobbie would not be
replaced with Robert.

The command buttons are also important in what they do. Find Next�will
simply look for the occurrence of the word in the Find What text box. The computer will simply stop when it finds the
word. You can at that point click on Replace to actually change the word.

Replace�will simply find the next word and
automatically replace it without asking. You can choose Replace again to move
on to the next word.

Replace All�will find all the words and replace every
single one without asking.

A strong suggestion is to save your document BEFORE you do a
replace just in case the results are not what you expected. For example, if you
replace the word US with United States without checking any of the options, the
word �just� will become jUnited Statest!
You need to match case and whole word only.

I do not want to get into �Use Wildcards� or �Sounds like�,
so I will leave that up to you to read about in help if you would like. The
added feature you have in the word processor (not in the spreadsheet) is the
ability to format your Replaced word in any way you like. You can change not
only Font characteristics but also Paragraph characteristics (A very powerful
feature, check it out). For a simple replace there is no difference in the word
processor or spreadsheet so use them wisely and to your advantage. Just be sure
to save your file first! Remember you can usually Undo your replace if you do it right away.

What�s wrong with this Document

Looking
at the document in Figure 23, you should see several things that are incorrect.
The first thing I see is that the enter key was used to put in a space between
paragraphs. You should use the Space Before/After option (home tab)
found in the spacing icon .
The next thing that I notice is the Main paragraph was started using the tab
key. You should use First Line Indent option (home tab, Paragraph dialog box or
ruler). The last thing that I see is all that junk near the end of the
document? That is all extra and should be deleted. That extra junk can cause a
blank page to print out with nothing on it (they are all non-printing
characters but that only means they do not show on the page). If this were your
document, you would lose points for all of these mistakes. These are the things
that I will be checking when I grade your work.

Notice
how the first paragraph goes over too far to the left in Figure 24? This is
caused by the fact that you have a negative left indent. When you look at the
ruler the white area is your working area. The light blue area on the ruler is
the margin area on your paper. You should
not have text in the margin area. To fix this problem, simply choose the
home tab and click on the Paragraph bar
(to get the paragraph dialog box) and
set the left indent to 0� (you could also just move the indent on your ruler).
You probably did not mean to do this but it happens a lot when you use your
mouse to set your first line indent. It is pretty easy to fix.

Summary of Word Processing Basics

1.  Only
hit the enter key at the end of the paragraph. You do this in
order to utilize the word wrap feature. If you hit enter at the end of every
line and then change your margins, your paper will not adjust to the new margins
the way that you would like.

2.  Use
the indent option to start
paragraphs and when appropriate. This is so that you can change the indents for
your document easily. Suppose you hit the tab key to start your paragraphs and
later you are asked to have no indentation. You would need to delete all the
tab marks, whereas if you used the indent feature you could simply highlight
the document and remove the indents in a few easy steps.

3.  Use
the spacing option to space your
lines and paragraphs. This is related to using the indent option, since when
you need to change the spacing it can be done easily provided you have used the
spacing option. If you chose to use the enter key for your spacing you would
need to go back and adjust the spacing with each enter key individually, which
could be a lengthy process.

4.  Use
the TAB key once and set the tab stops. This enables you to be able to align
your text up so that it is even. If you have to change the alignment it can be
accomplished easily. If you used the space bar to align your text it most
likely will not be aligned when you print.

Summary of Computer Basics

1.    Use
a Virus Checking program. Today viruses
are prevalent so be sure to have a CURRENT virus checking program installed on
your computer.

2.    Use
the spell checker before you print.
This just makes sense! Why print only to find simple spelling errors. That is
just a waste of paper and time.

3.    Use
print preview before you print. This
also makes sense so that you can see the layout of your document before you
print it. You may find your document has 2 pages. If so, you can change your
margins and have your document fit all on one page.

4.    Save BEFORE you type anything. Hey it�s
your work why risk losing it!