Part of our "Got 20 minutes?" basic computer literacy presentation program at Virginia College. Created by Georgen Charnes and Amanda Van Camp.

2. …is the word processing component of the Microsoft
Office Suite.
It is used primarily to enter, edit, format, save,
retrieve and print documents.

3. About Word…
Versions:
31 year old program
Version identified by date
Usually can go from old to new, but not new to old
VC uses 2010
Most of these instructions will be somewhat true for
other word processors

4. Microsoft Office 2007 & 2010 use what is
referred to as the “Ribbon” interface. The
area outlined in red comprises the
Ribbon.

5. The Words File, Home, Insert, etc…
outlined in red are referred to as tabs.
Each tab has several Groups attached to
it.

6. Getting started
Double click on
Taskbar
Desktop
Start button menu
Start button -> All programs -> Microsoft Office ->

7. You Just Created Document1
1. File -> Save As
1. Rename
2. Save on the S: drive or your Flash Drive
3. It will have the .doc or .docx extension
2. Write your paper.
3. Citations in the document should look like this:
1. (Shahidi et al., 2011, p. 322)

8. Multiple files can be open


9. Spelling and Grammar Check
Review tab
Spelling and grammar
check
You will be offered
suggestions
PAY ATTENTION! RED UNDERLINE = MISSPELLED
GREEN UNDERLINE = GRAMMAR ERROR

10. Student Portal
My Resources
Writing Resources

11. APA checklist: Margins
In the Page Layout tab -> Margins

12. APA checklist: Spacing
<Ctrl A> to select whole
document
Home -> Paragraph Box
arrow
Line spacing: dropdown
APA format requires double
spacing, so choose the double
spacing option

13. APA checklist: Fonts
<Ctrl A> to select whole
document
Home tab -> Font
Dropdown boxes for
Font and Size
For APA style, choose
Time New Roman
12 pt font

14. APA checklist: Indent
<Ctrl A> to select whole
document
Home -> Paragraph Box
arrow
Indentation
Left .5”
Only if you didn’t tab
during writing

15. Adjust typography
Center and bold section headings
Redo any long quotes that need to be indented
Italicize if needed (names of books)

16. APA checklist: Title page
For fresh page at beginning of paper
Go to top of paper
<Ctrl><enter>
Write:
Full title
Your name
Virginia College
Instructor’s name
Class number

17. APA checklist: Title page
Center it:
Select title page with mouse
Align on Home tab
Double spaced
Move to middle

18. APA checklist: Heading
Insert tab
Page Number dropdown
Choose Top of Page -> Plain Number 3

19. APA checklist: Heading part 2
Type your heading in next to the page
number
Hit the Tab key twice to space your title to
the left

20. APA Checklist: Citations
IN THE TEXT
(Authors, date, p. #)
REFERENCE SHEET
New sheet. <ctrl><enter>
Alphabetical order by last name or title if there’s no last
name

21. Hanging indent
Highlight or Select your citations
Select Home tab -> Paragraph arrow
A box opens
Under Indentation-> Special
Choose Hanging from the dropdown
.5 in the next box

22. APA Reference sheet:
Article from web
McGhee, P. (n.d.). 25 ideas for building fun into your work
setting. Retrieved from
http://www.laughterremedy.com/articles/25_ideas.html
Newton, P.J., Mulcahy, T.M., & Martin, S.E. (2008). Finding
victims of human trafficking. (NCJRS Publication No.
224393). Retrieved from
http://www.ncjrs.gov/pdffiles1/nij/grants/224393.pdf
Smith, M., Kemp, G., &Segal, J. (2010, May).Laughter is the
best medicine: the health benefits of humor. Retrieved from
http://www.helpguide.org/life/humor_laughter_heatlh.htm

23. APA Reference sheet:
Article from journal
Shahidi, M., Mojtahed, A., Modabbernia, A.,
Mojtahed, M., Shafiabady, A., Delavar, A., & Honari,
H. (2011). Laughter yoga versus group exercise
program in elderly depressed women: a randomized
controlled trial. International Journal of Geriatric
Psychiatry, 26(3), 322-7.

24. APA Reference sheet: Book
American Psychological Association. (2010).
Publication manual of the American Psychological
Association (6th
ed). Washington, DC: American
Psychological Association.

25. Before you print
File tab
Print
Look

26. You’re on your way