COMPUTER O LEVEL(FORM TWO) NOTES – WORD PROCESSING

TOPIC 1: WORD PROCESSING

Introduction

There has always been a need to develop better writing tools to improve the efficiency and legibility of written work. These tools include manual typewriters and electronic typewriters.

ELECTRONIC WORD PROCESSORS

An electronic word processor is application software used for creating documents.

Examples of common word processors include Microsoft Word, Corel WordPerfect, Lotus Word Pro, and AppleWorks.

WORD PROCESSOR

Definition: Software for preparing, formatting, and editing a document.

Examples of word processor packages:

Microsoft Word
Microsoft Works
AppleWorks
OpenOffice Writer
Lotus Word Pro
Corel WordPerfect

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORD PROCESSOR AND MICROSOFT WORD

A word processor is a type of software. Word processing is the activity performed using a word processor.

So, Microsoft Word is a word processor; typing a letter in Microsoft Word is word processing.

BENEFITS OF USING A WORD PROCESSOR OVER TYPEWRITERS

Word processors can save data, while typewriters cannot.
You can edit while working on a word processor, but with a typewriter, you have to start over.
It is easy to correct mistakes with a word processor, unlike a typewriter.
Typewriters do not have features like spell check, which word processors have.

STARTING MICROSOFT WORD

There are two alternatives:

Alternative 1: Using the Start Button

Click the Start button; the menu will appear.
Select All Programs.
Select Microsoft Office; the group menu will appear.
Double-click Microsoft Word (2003-2010); the window will appear.

Alternative 2: Using the Keyboard

Press the Windows logo key.
Select All Programs and double-click Microsoft Word (2003-2010).

Note: If you select All Programs, follow steps 3 and 4 above; otherwise, the window will appear.

FEATURES OF A WORD PROCESSOR

Most word processors have common features. Each task appears in a rectangular area called the Application window.

TITLE BAR

The title bar indicates the task currently running. On its right, there are minimize, restore, and close buttons.

MENU BAR

The menu bar provides the user with a group of commands. Each command has a drop-down list used to create and manipulate documents.

TOOL BAR

The toolbar consists of buttons (icons) that provide shortcuts to commands available in the menu bar. The two default toolbars are the Standard and Formatting toolbars.

DOCUMENT WINDOW

This is the work area where you create documents. It resembles an ordinary piece of paper.

STATUS BAR

The status bar is the communication channel between the user and the application program. It displays the current page, section, line, and activities such as file saving process.

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Search and Replace

Allows you to direct the word processor to search for a particular word or phrase.

Print Feature

Allows you to send a document to a printer to get a hard copy.

File Management

Many word processors contain file management capabilities that allow you to create, move, and search for files.

Font Specification

Allows you to change the font within a document.

Mail Merges

This is particularly useful for generating many files that have the same format but different data. Generating mailing labels is a classic example of using merges.

Spell Checker

A feature that allows you to check the spelling of words.

Table of Contents and Indexes

Allows you to automatically create a table of contents and index based on special codes that you insert in the document.

WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get)

With WYSIWYG, a document appears on the display screen exactly as it will look when printed.

OPEN A FILE WITH WINDOWS XP

Open Word 2007.
Click the Microsoft button; a menu will appear.
Click Open; the Open dialog box will appear.
Use the Look In field to move to the folder where you saved the file. The file is named lesson two.docx.
Click lesson two.docx.
Click Open. The file you created during the previous lesson appears.

ALTERNATE METHOD OPENING A FILE WITH KEYS

Open Word 2007.
Press Ctrl+O.
Locate the folder where you saved your file. The file is named lesson two.docx.
Click lesson two.docx.
Click Open. The file you created during the previous lesson appears.

DOCUMENT VIEWS

Draft view
Web layout
Print layout
Reading layout
Outline view

ADVANTAGES OF WORD PROCESSOR PROGRAMS

Easier to use due to automated features such as word-wrap, auto-correct, and auto-complete.
They have superior editing tools such as spell checker, making editing easier.
Can store documents for future retrieval.
They have superior formatting features that make a document more appealing to the reader.

The user can produce multiple copies more easily.
Copy and move (cut) operations make it easier to manipulate documents.

CREATING A DOCUMENT USING MICROSOFT WORD

Microsoft Word, commonly referred to as Word, is the most common word processor. The five commonly used versions of Word are Word 97, 2000, 2002 (XP), 2003, and 2007.

While Word 97-2003 look alike and are compatible, Word 2007 radically differs in look and layout. There is no File menu, and once text is highlighted, a floating formatting toolbar is displayed above the selected text. Moreover, documents saved in 2007 format cannot be opened in previous versions unless you save the file in compatibility mode. For consistency, we shall use Microsoft Word 2003.

Typing Text

When typing, once the cursor reaches the end of the current line, it automatically jumps to the next line. If one word does not fit in the current line, it automatically wraps to the beginning of the next line. This is referred to as word wrap.

Saving File

On the File menu, click the “Save As” command.
Select the storage location from the “Save in” list box.
Type a name for the file in the “File name” box, then click “OK.”

EDITING A DOCUMENT

Making changes or modifying an existing document is called editing. Some editing operations include:

Deleting Text

To delete a character, a word, or a block of text:

Highlight the text to be deleted.
Press the “Delete” key or the “Backspace” key.

Find and Replace

Find and Replace is used to locate a word or a phrase and replace it with another:

On the Edit menu, click Find or Replace.
In the “Find what” box, type the word or phrase to find.
Click the “Replace” icon in the Replace box, type the word or phrase to replace the target word or phrase.

Spelling and Grammar Checker

Spelling and grammar checker automatically locates misspelled words and grammatical mistakes.

To spell check a document:

On the Tools menu bar, click Spelling and Grammar or press F7.
In the Spelling and Grammar dialog box, misspelled words are shown in red, while grammatically incorrect phrases are in green.
From the suggestion list, select the correct spelling and grammar.
Click Change (All) button. To ignore, click the Ignore (All) button.

LIMITATIONS OF SPELL CHECKER

Names of people and places are not usually included.
The same two words in a row may not be detected.
If a word is spelled incorrectly but used in the wrong context, it will not be detected.
Quality of dictionaries can vary.

Thesaurus

The thesaurus allows the user to automatically find words or phrases with similar meaning (synonyms) or opposite meaning (antonyms) to the one selected.

To use the thesaurus:

Highlight text.
On the Tools menu, point to Language, then click Thesaurus.
Select a synonym or an antonym.

Autocorrect and AutoText

Autocorrect and AutoText are used to automatically correct commonly misspelled words and insert predefined text when creating a document.

To create an autocorrect or AutoText entry:

On the Insert menu, point to AutoText, and then click AutoText command.
Click the Autocorrect or AutoText tab and type the autocorrect or AutoText entry.
Click Apply and close the dialog box.

Undo and Redo

Undo reverses the most recent command, while Redo reverts back to the cancelled action.

Click on the Edit menu, click Undo or Redo. Alternatively, press Ctrl + Z to undo or Ctrl + Y to redo.

FORMATTING A DOCUMENT

Formatting refers to enhancing the appearance of a document. You can format text, paragraphs, pages, or the entire document.

Text Formatting

We format text by applying different font types, styles, sizes, colors, and other attributes.

Text Font

To format text font:

Highlight the text to be formatted.
On the Format menu, click Font.
In the Font dialog box, select the font, style, size, and color.
Apply other font attributes, then click OK.

Font Dialog Box

Note: A faster way of applying font formats is by using the formatting toolbar.

Case

The cases applied to text are: lowercase, uppercase, sentence case, title case, and toggle case. The use of case in these sentences is deliberate.

To change case:

Highlight the text.
On the Format menu, click Change Case.

In the Change Case dialog box, select the case, then click OK.

Superscript and Subscript

Superscript appears just above the rest of the characters, as in cm² (superscript).

Subscript appears just below other characters, as in H₂O (subscript).

To make text superscript or subscript:

Highlight characters.
On the Format menu, click Font.
On the Font dialog box, check Superscript or Subscript.

Paragraph Formatting

A paragraph is a separate block of text dealing with a single theme and starting on a new line. Some of the formatting features you can apply to a paragraph include alignment, setting tabs and indents, drop cap, bullets and numbering, line spacing, inserting columns, and page breaks.

Alignment

Alignment is the arrangement of text relative to the left margin, center of the page, or the right margin. The five major alignment options available are left, center, right, justified, and force justified.

To align text:

Highlight the text.
On the Format menu, click Paragraph.
In the dialog box, select the alignment option, then click OK.

Note: You can apply alignment by simply clicking any of the five alignment buttons on the formatting toolbar.

Line Spacing

You can set the space between lines, paragraphs, or blocks of text.

To set line spacing:

Highlight the lines of text.
On the Format menu, click Paragraph.
In the Paragraph dialog box, select the line spacing option from the line spacing list box, then click OK.

Setting Tabs and Indents

Tab refers to a definite cursor stop when the Tab key is pressed. Indenting is moving a sentence or block of text away from the margin using the Tab key.

To set tabs and indents:

On the Format menu, click Tabs.
In the Tabs dialog box, set the tab stop, alignment, and leader, then click OK.
Press the Tab key to increase or the Space bar to decrease the indent. Alternatively, click the Increase/Decrease Indent buttons on the formatting toolbar.

DROP CAP

A drop cap is a large character in a paragraph that occupies more than one line down.

To create a drop cap:

Highlight the paragraph you want to begin with a drop cap.
On the Format menu, click Drop Cap.
Click Dropped or In Margin.
Specify the number of lines and other options, then click OK.

BULLETS AND NUMBERING

Bullets and numbers are used to create ordered lists.

To add bullets or numbers:

Highlight the text.
On the Format menu, click Bullets and Numbering.
In the dialog box displayed, click Bullets or Numbered.
Click the bullet or numbering thumbnail you want to apply.

INSERTING COLUMNS

Columns subdivide a page into several vertical sections.

To set columns:

Highlight the text.
On the Format menu, click Columns.
In the Columns dialog box, enter the number of columns, set the column width, then click OK.

PAGE AND COLUMN BREAKS

Page, section, and column breaks are used to force the cursor to move to a new page, section, or column even before the end of the current one.

To insert a break:

Position the insertion pointer where you want to create a break.
On the Insert menu, click Break.
In the Break dialog box, set the break type, then click OK.

FORMATTING THE ENTIRE DOCUMENT

Page Setup

Page setup options let you define the paper size, margins, and orientation.

To set up a page:

On the File menu, click Page Setup.
In the Page Setup dialog box, click any of the following:

Margins tab to set up page margins.
Paper tab to specify the paper type and orientation.
Layout tab to specify the page content layout relative to the margins.

Click OK to apply the settings.

PAGE NUMBERING

Page numbers are used to organize a large document for ease of reference.

To insert page numbers:

On the Insert menu, click Page Numbers.
In the Position box, specify whether to place the page numbers at the top of the page (header) or at the bottom of the page (footer).
In the Alignment box, specify whether to align page numbers to the left, center, or right of the page.
If you don’t want a number on the first page, clear the Show Number on First Page checkbox, then click OK.

Note: Click on the Format button to specify other page number options such as numbering type and font.

HEADER AND FOOTER

Headers are lines of text that appear at the top margin of every page or selected pages, while footers appear at the bottom margin.

On the View menu, click Header and Footer.
To create a header, enter text or graphical objects in the header area.
To create a footer, click inside the footer area and enter the text or graphical object.
Click Close on the Header and Footer toolbar.

FOOTNOTES AND ENDNOTES

Footnotes and endnotes are used in large documents to explain, comment, or provide references for text in a document. Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page, while endnotes appear at the end of a section or the document.

To insert a footnote or endnote:

On the Insert menu, point to Reference, then click Footnote. A dialog box is displayed.
In the Location section, click Footnotes or Endnotes and specify the location.
In the Format section, specify the number type, start, and continuity.
Click Insert.

CREATING AND MANIPULATING TABLES

A table is made up of rows and columns of cells. It is used to organize and present information.

Creating a Table

Click where you want to insert the table.
From the Table menu, point to Insert, then click Table.
In the dialog box, set the number of columns and rows.
Specify the auto format option if needed.

Editing and Formatting a Table

To Delete Rows or Columns

Select the row or column.
On the Table menu, point to Delete, then click Row or Column.

To Insert Rows or Columns

Click the insertion pointer where you want to insert the rows or columns.
On the Table menu, point to Insert, then click Rows or Columns.

To Merge Cells

Highlight the cells.
On the Table menu, click Merge Cells.

To Split Cells

Highlight the cells to split.
On the Table menu, click Split Cells.
Enter the number of rows or columns.

Performing Calculations in a Table

To calculate numerical values in a table, use cell references. A cell is a cross-section of rows and columns. Columns are represented by letters (A, B, C), while rows are represented by numbers (1, 2, 3), as shown below:

To perform calculations in a table:

Place the insertion pointer where you want the result to be displayed.
On the Table menu, click Formula.
Type a formula in the Formula box, e.g., =SUM(A1:E1).
Click OK.

Note: You can select a formula from the Paste Function list and use ABOVE and LEFT instead of typing a formula and using cell references respectively.

PRINTING A DOCUMENT

Word processing is not complete without producing a hard copy. To print a document:

Preview it by clicking “Print Preview” on the File menu.
Click Print from the File menu.
Select the printer range, number of copies, and other options, then click OK.

TROUBLESHOOTING PRINTING-RELATED PROBLEMS

Some of the printing problems you may encounter are:

Lack of two-way communication due to poor installation of the printer software (drivers) if the printer is off or not connected.
Paper jams due to use of poor quality paper or paper folds.
Poor quality print due to poor quality ink or toner used.

Read the manual that comes with the printer to resolve printing problems.

DUPLEX PRINTING

This is the process of printing on both sides of the paper.

TYPES OF DUPLEX PRINTING

Automatic Duplex Printing
Manual Duplex Printing

AUTOMATIC DUPLEX PRINTING

This is the automatic printing on both sides of the paper.

Click the Microsoft Office button.
Click Print Properties.
Click Duplex Printing or Two-Sided Printing.
Click OK.

MANUAL DUPLEX PRINTING

Manually printing on both sides of the paper.

PROCEDURES

Odd and Even Pages

Click the Microsoft Office button and then click Print.
On the Options, select Odd Pages.
Click OK.
After the odd pages are printed, flip the stack of pages over.
Then in the Print list, select Even Pages.
Click OK.

Using Advanced Features of a Word Processor

Inserting Graphical Objects

You can insert a graphical object such as a picture, clip art, or drawing onto your document.

To insert an object:

On the Insert menu, point to Picture.
Click on one of the following options:

Clip Art
From File
From Scanner or Camera
Organization Chart, AutoShape, WordArt, or Chart

Depending on the option selected, insert or import the object.

Using Styles

A style is a predefined set of formats that can be applied to a block of text all at once.

To create a style:

Highlight the text you want to create a style for.
Apply various formats to the text.
Click the Style box in the formatting bar and type a name for the style.
Press Enter to apply the style name.

Note: You can apply an existing style, e.g., Heading 1, to highlighted text.

Generating a Table of Contents and Indexes

A table of contents (TOC) is a list of topics in a document and the pages they appear on. It is placed in the first pages of the document. An index is a list of terms used in the document and the pages they appear on. It is placed at the back pages.

To generate a TOC, you must first mark entries by defining styles.

To generate a table of contents:

Turn to the page where you want to insert the table of contents.
On the Insert menu, point to Reference, then click Index and Tables.
Click the Table of Contents tab.
Set the TOC entries, then click OK.

SORTING AND FILTERING

Sorting is the process of arranging items or data in a given order.

SORTING ORDER

a) Ascending Order

Is the process of arranging data/items from the lowest to the highest.

Example: A-Z or 0, 1, 2, 3…

b) Descending Order

Is the process of sorting data/items from the highest to the lowest.

Example: Z-A or 3, 2, 1, 0…

SORT THE CONTENTS OF A TABLE

In Print Layout view (Print Layout views a document as it will appear when printed, including headers, footers, columns, and text boxes), move the pointer over the table until the table move handle appears.
Click the table move handle to select the table you want to sort.
Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Data group, click Sort.
In the Sort dialog box, select the option that you want.

SORT A SINGLE COLUMN IN A TABLE

Select the column that you want to sort.
Under Table Tools, on the Layout tab, in the Data group, click Sort.
Under My list has, click Header row or No header row.
Click Options.
Under the Sort options, select the Sort column checkbox.
Click OK.

MS-WORD CHART

Definition: A chart is a graphical representation of table data/items.

TYPES OF CHART

Bar chart
Pie chart
Line chart
Column chart
Area chart

STEPS / PROCEDURES

Open MS Word.
Go to the Insert tab.
Select Chart under the Illustrations group.
In the new dialog box, select the type of chart.
Click OK.
Enter data in the imported MS Excel window.
Close the MS Excel window.

To generate an index, you mark the index entries by providing the name of the main entry and the cross-reference in your document.

To generate an index

Mark the index entries in your document; a special XE tag is added to the text.
Turn to the page where you want to insert the index.
On the Insert menu, point to Reference, then click Index and Tables.
Click the Index tab.
Set the index properties, then click OK.

Password Protecting a Document

To protect a document from unauthorized access or modification, use a password. Since passwords are case sensitive, avoid mixed case; preferably use lowercase.

To create a password:

On the Tools menu, click Options, then click the Security tab.
Type a password in the Password to Open box or the Password to Modify box.
Set other security options, then click OK.

Generating Merged Documents

Mail merging is the process of generating personalized letters, labels, or envelopes by merging two files: a main document (e.g., letter, envelopes, or mailing label) with a data source or address book. The three main steps of creating a merged document are:

Create a main document (e.g., a formal letter).
Create or get the data source (i.e., the address book).
Merge the two files to a new document, printer, or e-mail.

To create merged documents:

On the Tools menu, point to Letters and Mailings, then click Mail Merge Wizard.
From the mail merge panel displayed, select the type of document to work on (e.g., letters).
Click Next at the bottom of the panel to proceed.
The wizard will take you through the six steps of creating a merged document.

Note: To create a merged document using another version of Word, read its online help.