CompTech4MicroEnt-HNC

Computer Technology for
Micro-entrepreneurs:
Introduction to Business
Technologies
An Introduction to Computers and the Internet
for the Micro-entrepreneur
Carlos F. Camargo

The New America Foundation
Computer Technology for Micro-entrepreneurs
2
Table of Contents
FOREWORD
INTRODUCTION 5
Responsible Use: Occupational Health and Safety 6
The Windows Operating System 12
Managing Files 22
WORD PROCESSING – DOCUMENT CREATION 25
The Word Processing Window 25
Entering Text 26
The Keyboard 26
Saving And Retrieving A Document 29
Previewing And Printing 30
Environmental Issues 32
Using Help 33
WORD PROCESSING – DOCUMENT ENHANCING 34
Moving Around and Selecting Text 34
Text formatting 37
Text Alignment 38
Fonts 40
Inserting Graphics 40
WORD PROCESSING – DOCUMENT PRESENTATION 42
Cut, Copy and Paste 42
Spell Check 43
Thesaurus 43
Page Formatting 44
Insert and Overtype 44
Page Breaks 44

3
THE INTERNET 46
About the Internet 46
Using Search Engines 47
Printing a Web page 47
Text/Image transferring 47
Favorites 48
E-MAIL 48
Sending an Email 48
Setting Up An Email Account 49
Attachments 49
Printing an Email 50
GLOSSARY 51

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The New America Foundation:
Changing the Face of Business
One Entrepreneur at a Time
Such is the enthusiasm with which low -income immigrants and minority entrepreneurs have
embraced the new information technology that the demand to become competent in the use and
application of Internet, Communication and Networking standards and business best practices
that are integral to this technology has been almost overwhelming. And merits response from all
sectors of social and economic life in our communities.
The New America Foundation has been in the forefront of meeting this demand, and this text
curriculum is an excellent example of the way in which NAF has contributed to empowering
American New Comers as they transition into the mainstream U.S. economy by helping them
accelerate asset formation and transformation through practical education and training.

Introduction
This booklet is intended to be used as instructional material for an introductory course in
“Computer Technology for Micro-entrepreneurs” jointly sponsored by The New America
Foundation and Holy Names College for Bay Area immigrants in the Latino and Vietnamese
Communities.
The course is intended to be run as a 18 hour module in six 3-hour-long sessions in a computer
lab with Windows and Office available on the network. It is targeted at adult students with little
or no previous computer experience.

6
Responsible Use: Occupational Health and Safety
Before you begin keyboarding (typing), you should be aware of any health and safety factors
that will affect your health and well being during this activity. Simple measures that are easily
implemented can minimize the occurrence of stress and injury at home and in the office.
Health and Safety Issues
An ergonomically designed workplace has benefits forboth the employee and the employer.
• Work efficiency is increased • Errors due to fatigue are decreased
• Health and injury problems are reduced • Work satisfaction is increased
The introduction of computers into the office workplace has seen a number of health problems
increase. Some of these problems include vision difficulties, radiation risks, repetition strain
injuries, and work pattern problems. Most of these problems can be minimized by paying
attention to:
• Posture • Workplace and equipment design
• Job design • Workload
• Work pressures
Posture
A lot of research has been conducted into the ideal posture for someone sitting in front of a
keyboard. Diagram 1.1 shows the correct posture when using a keyboard.
Diagram 1.1
The desk on which your keyboard is located should be just high enough to fit your knees
underneath.
• You should have an adjustable chair, with the seat height positioned so that when sitting
your thighs are parallel to the floor.
• The padded back of the chair should be adjusted in height so that it supports the small of
your back.
Your back should be straight, with your body sloping slightly forward from the hips. Your bottom
should be set well back in the chair.
• Your shoulders should be held back, but relaxed. Your reading material should be placed in
front, at eye level, or just below.
• Your chair should be placed so that your body is centred in front of the alphanumeric
keyboard (the J key should be opposite the middle of your body).
• Your feet should be placed flat onthe floor, one slightly in front of the other, or on a
footstool if you are short.

7
• Your forearms should be either parallel with the floor or sloping slightly downwards.
• Your wrists should be held so that fingers slope down towards the keyboard. Fingers
should be curved over onto the keys.
Diagram1.2

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Vision and Lighting
Working with screen based equipment places no greater demands on the eyes than many other
clerical tasks, however many people now exposed to computers were not previously engaged in
these tasks. This could lead to pre existing problems becoming more apparent. A small
number of people have problems such as headaches, migraines, inability to focus (usually after
lengthy sessions in front of a screen), and confusion of characters. Vision problems can be
overcome in a number of ways:
• Regular eye checks
• Adjust viewing distance (see diagram 1.1)
• Reduce reflected glare from the screen
• Provide visual rest centres
• Adjustable screen position
• High resolution screens
The key factors in planning appropriate lighting:
• VDU screens at right angles to the window
• Reduce external light from high windows with blinds or curtains
• Provide diffused lighting from indirect light sources (such as fluorescent lights with glare
shields)
• Display screens should be placed between rows of light fittings
• Individual switches should be available for all light fittings to allow keyboard operators to
select the most appropriate lighting levels
Temperature and Humidity
The range of comfort for office workers is between 20
o
- 26
o
C. Although the heat from the VDU
or computer or printer is not high when a number are grouped together the temperature may be
dramatically affected. This can be overcome by allowing enough space between the units to
allow for sufficient ventilation.
The humidity should be also monitored to avoid drying of the eyes. When extended screen
based work is being done blinking of the eyes is reduced, which reduces the natural lubrication
of the eyes.
Noise
The background noise level in an office environment is 55 dBA – 65 dBA. Computer keyboards
are significantly quieter than manual typewriters, however impact printers are quite noisy.
Noise associated with printers can be reduced in the following ways:
• Providing acoustic hoods
• Lining workstations with sound-absorbing material
• Use of ceiling tiles to absorb noise
• Locating the printer in a separate room
• Using a non-impact printer with a low noise output
Radiation
There have been many reports and studies about the harmful radiation from computer screens.
During the 1980’s there were many investigations into connections between computer screens
and health problems.
For the most part the findings were very reassuring. The 1985 AIIA (U.S. Information Industry
Association) reported the findings of a number of studies from both U.S. and overseas. In
summary, computer screens were not found to pose a health risk to users. The radiation
emissions from computer screens is considered to be so low it is insignificant.
RepetitionStrain Injuries
Repetition strain injury - RSI has been a controversial issue in the U.S. and not only in the
computer industry.

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RSI is “the collective name given to muscle and tendon injuries resulting from the continuous
hand and body movements and static muscle load demanded by numerous forms of repetitive
work”.
The following factors may all contribute to RSI:
• Force • Speed and direction of movement
• Frequency of movement • Work posture
• Rate of work
Keyboarding has received a lot of attention with this type of injury. It involves all types of small
repetitive movements. In many cases the keyboarder is under increasing pressure to do more
keystrokes in less and less time.
Drugs and physiotherapy have only been partly successful in the treatment of RSI. The best
treatment is prevention. Experts believe the injury arises from:
• Poor workplace design • Poor tools and equipment design
• Poor job design • Poor work practices
• Stress
Other Physical Disorders
A variety of postural complaints arise among keyboarders/typists. These include headaches,
stiff neck, leg and arm aches and backache.
Causes can be the design of the furniture and equipment, inappropriate work practices and
office layout. Even the best workstations may still have some users suffering injury, this could
be the individuals posture or that they do not take frequent rest breaks.
Workstation Environment
Your workstation is your immediate environment, including furniture and equipment. This
includes screen, keyboard, desk and chair.
Below are some summarized points relating to each of these.
Screen position and document holders
• The centre of the screen should be located approximately 20 degrees below the horizontal.
The face of the screen should be at right angles to your line of sight.
• Viewing distance is usually between 30-60 cm, so the screen should be able to be moved
through this distance.
• You should use a document holder to hold the copy material the same distance from your
eyes as the screen.
• You can try centring the document holder in front of you, and placing the screen off to the
other side rather than the other way around.
The keyboard
• The keyboard should be stable on the work surface
• Its angle should be adjustable
• The keyboard should be separate from the other computer components, to allow maximum
flexibility of position
• Keys should only need minimum force to operate
• Key movements should provide you with tactile or auditory feedback, ie, you should know
from touch or the sound that the keystroke has been completed
• Keyboard surfaces should be non-reflective
• Function keys and control keys should be a different colour from the alphanumeric keys
The desk
• The desk should be deep enough to allow flexibility in positioning the keyboard

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• It should be high enough to easily accommodate your thighs, and to allow you to change
position
• Ideally, the surface should be adjustable
• If you are short it may be necessary to provide a footrest if the desk height cannot be
adjusted
• The desk height, and the chair height, should be such that your arms lieparallel (or up to 20
degrees above parallel) with the floor, with your hands resting on the keyboard
• You may prefer to use the keyboard while standing (with the keyboard at the same height).
Some operators claim this reduces the strain on the back and shoulders
The chair
• The height of the seat should be easily adjustable to suit individual operators
• The seat should provide firm support for your buttocks so that they carry most of your
weight, rather than your thighs
• The backrest should be adjustable in height and tilt, so as to supply maximum lumber
support
• A footrest may be necessary to compensate for lack of height in short operators
• The chair should swivel easily, and have free-moving castors, to enable you to move from
one task to another
• Some people claim great success using alternative chairs. The Scandinavianbalanschair
requires a semi-kneeling position
Improving Comfort And Health With Exercises
One way of dealing with fatigue and pain is to do some simple stretching and contracting
exercises. Build these exercises into your work or study routine by setting aside 5 minutes
every couple of hours for five or six exercises.
Tone Up At The Terminals
Even though we have included an ideal posture, you will have to change your position
frequently so that your muscles do not become starved of oxygen. A lot of benefit can be
gained by doing these exercises away from your workstation. They may be done sitting or
standing.
When you sit for a long time, blood flow is restricted and your muscles may not receive the right
amount of oxygen. This can lead to headaches, stiffness and back pain. The exercises are
intended to improve the blood flow and keep your joints mobile. Used throughout the day they
will increase your concentration and performance.
Putting it into Practice: Exercises
Neck
Drop head slowly to the left, then to the right.
Drop chin onto your chest then lift to maximum
height.
Turn your head to your left, then to the right.
Repeat thiscycle five times.
Shoulders
Shoulders should roll forward five times slowly.
Then, roll them backwards again five times: IT’S
EASY!!

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Arms
Raise your arms to the side with your elbows out
straight.
Rotate arms in small backward turns.
Pectoral
Grasp your hands behind your neck and stretch
your elbows back.
Return the elbows back to start, drop arms and
then relax.
Mid-upper back
Hand on elbow and a gentle pull until it goes no
more.
Count up to five, then relax, and do it four times
more.
Repeat using other arm.
Wrists
Place forearms and wrists flat on the table.
Keeping wrists on the table bend your arms and
fingers back as far as is comfortable.
Fingers
Face both your hands palm down and spread your
fingers into a fan.
Hold it until you count to five.
Relax and do it again.

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The Windows Operating System
The Windows operating system is quite precise in its requirements for startup and shutdown. It
is important that you follow the correct procedures, especially for shutdown.
Start Computer
• Turn on the computer at the on/off button on the computer.
• Make sure that the screen is turned on at the screen button.
• There should be no need to turn the screen off and on; the power to the screen is usually
through the computer.
• The computer will go through various routines and checks at this point, which will take you
to the Windows Desktop.
The Mouse
The mouse will be one of your main tools when you are using the computer. It is simple to use,
but does take some practice.
The mouse pointer is the small arrowhead that is visible on the screen. It is used to point to the
item you are choosing or for selection.
• Pick up the mouse and look at the base. You will see a small ball. This ball is the means
by which the mouse pointer is moved. The mouse pointer will only move when this ball is
making contact with a solid base, such as the table top or mouse pad. Place the mouse
back on the table top.
• You need to hold the mouse firmly in your hand to gain control over the movements. Place
your hand over the mouse with your pointer finger resting gently on the button on the left
side. Keep your wrist firm on the table top.
• Move the mouse slowly around the table top and watch the mouse pointer changing
position on the screen. This does take practice. If the mouse seems to run out of table top
and knocks your books to the floor, simply pick the mouse up and move it back to a more
convenient spot on the table top. The mouse pointer will not move if it is not making contact
with the table top or mouse pad.
• Try liftingthe mouse up and moving it around in the air, the mouse pointer does not move
on the screen.
• The mouse is used in a number of different ways: moving and pointing, clicking with the left
button (or occasionally with the right button), double clicking and dragging items.
Clicking
To select an item on the screen you move the mouse pointer to the item and click once with the
left mouse button. Selecting an item makes it active so you can work with it. For example you
click once on a menu item or button to use it.
DoubleClicking
Some items need to be double clicked to open them. Double clicking means to click twice
quickly on the item you wish to open.
This diagram 2.1 shows the
correct way to position your
hand on the mouse. Notice
that the wrist is firmly on the
table top.
Diagram 2.1

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When you are clicking you need to make sure that the mouse is held firmly and does not move.
This is best done by ensuring that your wrist is firm on the table top when you are holding the
mouse.
Desktop Window
The desktop is the first screen you see when windows starts it looks like the one below. Each
desktop is slightly different, but the important items are the same, they are simply customized to
the user. This is my desktop.
The Start Button
Most of the activities you do on the computer will be done through the Start button. Take your
mouse pointer to the Start button and click once with the left mouse button. The Start menu will
appear. This menu lists all the options that are available to you. Move the mouse pointer to the
programs option, a new menu will appear to the right, and this lists the program s that are
available to you. Keep exploring the menus, they will appear and disappear depending on
where your mouse pointer is resting. If there is a small arrowhead next to the option, there will
be another menu from that option. Should you get in difficulty hit the Escape or Esc key on the
keyboard. This is found in the top left area of the keyboard.
Task Bar
The task bar will show any programs you have open at the time. When you start the computer it
will probably be empty. As you move through the rest of the course you will see the task bar
become more relevant.
Program Icons
Program icons are sometimes referred to as shortcuts. Double clicking on these will open the
program for use.
Recycle Bin
The recycle bin is also found on the desktop. This is used to hold files that have been deleted.
It needs to be emptied when you are sure that the deleted files are of no further use.
Ta
sk
My
Comput
er
Start
Button
Task Bar
My Computer
Icon
Clock
Desktop
Program Icons
Diagram
2.2

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Diagram 2.4
Minimize Close
Maximize
My Computer
This icon shows the contents of your computer. It is a simple way of locating files. We will use
this icon for a number of different tasks.
Putting it into Practice: Using Windows
Move the icons on the desktop to a different location on the desktop by locating the pointer on
the icon, click and hold down the left mouse button while you drag the iconto its new location.
Release the mouse button.
Practice your mouse and dragging skills by playing a game of Solitaire. Go to Start…
Programs….Accessories….Games….Solitaire.
My Computer
Double click on the My Computer icon on the desk top. Be careful that you keep your hand
steady on the mouse when you do this. If the window does not open, hit the Escape key on the
keyboard and try again. The My Computer window looks something like this:
This window shows the contents of My Computer. The first small icon shows that you have an
“A” drive. This is your floppy disk drive. If you need to find a file that is saved or stored on the
floppy disk, you would insert the disk and double click on this icon to view the contents of the
disk.
The second icon shows the contents of the “C” drive, or the hard drive of your computer.
Double click on this icon to view the contents of the drive. There should be quite a lot of folders
and objects shown. Click on the CrossX in the top right toclose the window.
Minimize, Maximize, Close
There are 3 important buttons on the title bar
of this window, they are the maximize,
minimize and close buttons.
TitleBar
Minimize Maximize
Close
Menu Bar
Tool Bar
Status Bar
Diagram 2.3

15
They are found on the right side of the bar. (Refer to diagram 2.3 above). These three buttons
will be visible on the title bar of most windows you access on your computer.

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Putting it into Practice: Maximize and Minimize
You should have the My Computer window open to complete the following tasks, if you have
not, follow the steps in the previous paragraphs.
• Click the maximize button on the title bar. The My Computer window should now fit the full
screen. Click the maximize button again, to reduce to the screen size you had when
opening.
• Click the minimize button; the window should no longer be visible to you. Look at the task
bar, the grey bar at the bottom of your screen. You should see the words My Computer
written along there. Click on the My Computer Button on the task bar, the window should
now open once again. The minimize button is used to temporarily place a window out of
view without actually closing the window.
• Click the close button. The My Computer window is now closed. To open this window again
you must double click on the icon on the Desktop.
• Repeat the previous steps until you are comfortable with using the minimize, maximize and
close buttons.
Moving a Window
Quite often when you open a window it places itself over the area you need to see. It is quite
simple to move the window to another location.
Point to theTitle bar of the My Computer window, this is the colored bar at the top of the
window. (Refer to diagram 2.3). Your mouse pointer should be a white arrow. Hold the left
mouse button down and move the window to the right. Release the mouse button. You can
position the window anywhere on the screen. Be careful that you do not place the title bar in a
position that does not allow you to point to it. In other words, do not position the title bar too
high on the screen.
Resizing a Window
The window can also be resized very easily. Point your mouse pointer to the edge of the My
Computer window. The mouse pointer will change shape to a double headed adjustment arrow.
Hold the left mouse button down and drag the mouse to the left or right. Release the mouse
button. The window will be resized.
Putting it into Practice: Working with Windows
• Practice moving the window around the screen.
• Practice changing the size of the window by making it around the size of a CDROM case
then into the size of a matchbox.

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Scroll Bars
When the My Computer window is reduced in size and not all the contents are visible, a scroll
bar will appear either at the right or at the bottom of the window. A scrollbar only appears when
there are items that do not fit in the current screen or window.
Continue to practice these activities. If you need more practice with the mouse, play Solitaire or
one of the other games. Playing games on the computer is a very useful tool to enhance all the
skills you will needto develop.
The Program Menu
The program menu is where you will find the applications you need to create documents on the
computer, it is also where you will find the games and other applications.
The programs menu is accessed through the Start Button.
Opening and Closing Programs
There is no need to close each program in order to open another. You can have many
programs open at the same time. You can see what is currently open by looking at your task
bar at the bottom of the screen. You can move between the programs you have open by
clicking on the one you want on the taskbar. It will then become the active window and your
previous program will still be open and available from the taskbar.
Putting it into Practice: Opening & Closing Programs
• Close all open windows. You should now only have your desktop visible
• Point to the Start button and click.
• Point to the programs option; rest your mouse pointer on this option. A large menu should
appear to the right.
• Take your mouse pointer to the Accessories option and rest it there, another menu should
appear to the right. Towards the bottom of this menu you will see the Notepad program.
• Point to Notepad, click once with your left mouse button. If you have problems selecting the
options, hit the escape key until you have closed all the menus and start again. Try to keep
your hand steady on the mouse as you select options from the menus, they can move about
easily if you are not steady.
• If you have been successful, the Notepad window will be open on the screen. Notepad is a
small, simple word processor.
• Make sure that the window is maximized (takes up the whole screen) if not use the
maximize button to increase the size.
• Close the notepad application using the cross X on the right of the title bar. Repeat the
previous steps to open Notepad again.
• Notepad should now be open on the screen in front of you.
Diagram 2.5
Scroll Bar
The scroll bar is used to bring
into view those items which do
not fit into the current window.
To use the scroll bar you need to
point to the small arrow head at
either end of the Scroll Bar. By
clicking on this arrow head you
will move the scroll bar up and
down, or left and right. To
practice this you will need to
resize you window until the scroll
bar appears.

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• Minimize Notepad to the Task bar. The minimize button is the one that looks like a minus
sign(diagram 2.4). Your screen will now be returned to the desktop, with Notepad
appearing on the task bar.
• Click on the Notepad button on the Task bar to bring it back to the screen.
• Take time to practice opening applications from the programs menu. You may open and
close any application you wish.
Personal Preferences
On your own computer you may wish to change the colours, the names and the general
appearance of the screens. It is relatively simple to make these changes.
Rename a File
You will find that at times you will need to rename your files and folders. You may need to
correct a spelling mistake or simply change the name. The principles for renaming are the
same in most areas of the computer, we will look at renaming through My Computer. This is one
of the methods of renaming used in file management, and renaming of desktop icons.
Putting it into Practice: Renaming a file
• Locate the My Computer icon on the desktop.
• Using your mouse, point to the words My Computer.
• Double click slowly. ie click once, count 1,2, click again.
• The words My Computer should now have a blue outline around them, and there should be
a line flashing at the end of “computer”. (If you open the window by accident, close the
window and try again. It may take a couple of times to get the timing right.)
• Hit the delete key on the keyboard.
• Type your own name and hit the enter key.
• Your name should now replace the title “My Computer”.
ControlPanel
A common task is to adjust the date and time. It may be necessary to change date and time
with daylight savings or if the time is wrong for any reason. Incorrect date and time settings can
cause problems with file management, the date and time are used by the computer when
storing files.
Point to the Start button and click. Rest your mouse pointer on Settings, wait for the next
menu, select Control Panelfrom this menu by clicking once on the option.
Diagram 2.6
The control panel is used to adjust the
settings on your computer. You can
change system settings, colours, fonts,
add and remove programs and
hardware and change the date and
time. As you become more
comfortable with using your system,
you should learn more about these
options.

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Date and Time
On occasion you may need to change the time or date on your computer.
With the Control Panel open, locate the Date/Time icon. Double click on this icon to open the
window.
To change the time, follow these steps. The time section shows the clock in both analogue and
digital display. To change the time you will work with the digital display under the analogue
clock.
• To change the hour, click twice on the hour digits. On the diagram above you would be
clicking twice on the 11. The hour digits will be selected with a colored box, generally blue.
Type in the new hour digits.
• Double click on the minute digits to select them, change these digits. You will not be able to
enter hour digits greater than 24 or minute digits greater than 60.
• When you have made the changes to the time, click the Apply button. You may choose to
change the digits by using the up and down arrows at the right of the digital display box
instead of typing the new numbers from the keyboard.
The correct date and time can be seen on the clock at the far right of the task bar. The time is
visible always, and to see the date rest the mouse pointer over the time display.
Putting it into Practice: Changing the Date and Time
• Change the date to January 13, 2009.
• Change the date back to the current date.
• To set the date in the system, click the apply button at the bottom of the window
• Change thedate and time to 9:30, December 25, 2005
• Return date and time to the correct settings for the current day
DisplayProperties
The Control Panel also contains the options for changing the colour scheme of the computer.
You may choose to change the colours simply because you prefer a different colour or you may
find a different colour scheme is easier for you to work with. Quite often different colours enable
you to see the screen more clearly and with less strain on your eyes. The standard windows
colours, however, are set because someone has decided that they are suited to long use of the
computer.
Diagra
m 2.7
The first part of this window is the
Date & Time.
• To change the month, click on
the small arrow head next to the
current month. This diagram
shows June. Select the correct
month from the list by clicking
on your choice.
• The year is changed by clicking
on the small arrows to the right
of the year, up arrow to
increase, down arrow to
decrease.
• To change the date click on the
date in the sample calendar
shown.
To change yearTo change Month

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To change the colours and other display settings complete the following instructions.
Click on the Start button, rest your mouse pointer on settings and select Control
Panel.
From the Control Panel window double click on the Display icon.
Screen Saver
The screen saver was introduced many years ago to protect the screen from damage. When
an image stayed static for a length of time on the screen the image could be “burned” into the
screen. Screen Savers were introduced to eliminate this problem by activating a moving image
when the program was at rest. The movement created would stop an image “burning” onto the
screen.
The advancements in screen/monitor technology has meant that this is no longer a problem.
We still have screen savers today because they are fun. The variety of screen savers is
enormous, windows itself comes with many options available. The introduction to the use of the
Internet has meant that there are even more available for users.
To change the screensaver click on the Screen Saver tab in the display window; this should be
the second one along the top.
Once a screen saver is activated you only need to move the mouse to return to your normal
screen.
Diagram 2.8
The screen saver window looks like the
one on the left. We have set the flying
window s, with a wait time of 10
minutes. The wait time is the length of
time the screen is idle before the screen
saver comes on.
To change the screen saver, click the
arrow head to the right of the screen
saver options and select a different
option.
The option you select will preview in the
window. To change the wait time, click
the up and down arrows next to the
time box. Ten minutes is a reasonable
time to have in here. If it is less you
will find that the screen saver comes on
too quickly.
Click here to
select a new
screen saver

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Appearance
To change the colour scheme on your computer you use the appearance tab. Click on this tab
to bring forward the following window.
Putting it into Practice: Changing the Display
• Change the screensaver to something different and have it come on after 5 minutes.
Preview it to see how it will look.
• Change the colour scheme to something other than the usual Windows colours. Change
the colour scheme back to Windows Standard.
This is the appearance window. The top half
of the window shows an example of the colour
scheme chosen.
To change the colour scheme click the arrow
head next to the scheme name and choose
from the available list. The sample screen will
change.
Change the colour scheme a number of times
to become familiar with the options. For
example if you choose Rose, the sample
screen should reflect the pink shades available
in this scheme.
Diagram 2.9

22
Managing Files
Managing your files is an important task when using a computer. The performance of your
computer system can be affected by the way in which you store and name files and folders.
When you are working within an application, such as a word processor, you are continually
creating files and saving them to be stored on the computers hard drive. By not taking care in
storing your files you can slow the amount of time it takes the computer to retrieve your files.
Windows Explorer
The filing system used in Windows is found in an area known as Windows Explorer. Windows
Explorer has the function of a filing cabinet. A filing cabinet has drawers, suspension folders
and manilla folders. Windows Explorer has basically the same. Like a filing cabinet, if you open
the top drawer and dump everything in, you will have trouble finding things.
The naming of files and folders does not have many rules, but there are some limitations. The
file name can have up to 255 characters, including numbers and spaces. You may also use
some of the punctuation marks, but unless you are very sure which ones you can and can’t
use—don’t use any.
Even though you can use up to 255 characters, you can only see about 15 when the file names
are listed, it is much easier to use only about 12-15 characters in a file or folder name. It will
help you to find your files if you name them something meaningful describing the contents.
It may be easier to imagine the contents of Windows Explorer as a filing cabinet in an office.
The “C” drive or hard drive in the computer is like the filing cabinet. The main individual folders
are the same as the drawers in the filing cabinet and the sub-folders can be seen to be the
same as the suspension folders in the drawers. Inside each suspension folder we can then
place individual files. We can have as many sub-folders or folders within other folders. Each
level we create makes it simpler to find the file we need to work with.
Filing cabinet or
“C” drive
Drawer or main
folder
Sub-folder with file

23
Let’s start creating a folder structure to save your work into. The structure we will create is
going to look the same as the one below. This is a diagram of how Windows Explorer will show
the structure of folders.
Create a Folder
• To create a folder you should point to the Start button and click.
• Point to the programs option and rest, the programs menu will appear to the right of the
current menu. Towards the bottom of this menu you will find the Windows Explorer option
• Click on this option to open Windows Explorer.
• Make sure the screen is maximized.
Putting it into Practice: Creating a New Folder:
• Click onto the C: drive, a blue or coloured line will appear through the drive name. The hard
drive is now open to start accepting folders.
• Point to the File option on the menu bar; click.
• Rest your mouse pointer on the word New
• Select the option Folder from the menu that appears.
Windows Explorer has this
appearance.
Yours will look slightly
different to the one shown
here because different
computers have different
programs on them. However,
you can see the C: or hard
drive and all the folders that
belong to that drive.
This is a picture of a computer
and it is obvious it has many
programs and files stored on
it.
The yellow folders are the
separate folders that contain
extra sub-folders and files.
Vic
Sa
Contracts
Letters
Contracts
Letters
SaPractice
Diagram
1.10
Diagram2.11

24
Diagram 2.12
• At the bottom of the right side of the Windows Explorer screen you will see your new folder.
The text new folder is highlighted with a blue outline.
• Type the namePractice; hit the Enter key on the keyboard. The folder is now created and
the name is accepted. You must remember to hit the Enter key when you have typed your
folder name.
• To create a sub-folder in this folder you will have to open the folder. You cannot put
anything in the filing cabinet if the drawer is not open.
• Double click on the folder named Practice. The folder opens and now appears on the left
side of the screen.
• Click on the file option on the menu bar, select new and folder name this folderSa
• Hit the Enter key to confirm your entry.
• Check that the folder Practice is still open, the diagram of the folder will appear to be open if
it is.
• Repeat the steps to create the folder Vic.
• The next step is to place the sub-folders in Sa and Vic.
• Double click on the folder Sa, the folder should now appear to be open.
• Click on the File option on the menu,
• Rest your mouse pointer on New; select Folder from the list.
• Name this Folder Contracts.
• Repeat these steps to create a folder named Letters.
• Repeat these steps to place folders named contracts and Letters in the Vic folder.
The folder structure you have created will look the
same as the one on the left. Practice will lead to
this becoming a simple task.
Throughout the course you will be encouraged to
create folder structures regularly.
A frequent function in the use of Windows Explorer
is to copy, rename and move the files and folders.
From Explorer you can access files held on the A: or
floppy drive.
Some organisations prefer their students to save
their work onto a floppy disk. If this is the case you
would place the floppy disk you have been given
into the A: drive.
The disk will only go in one way, so turn it around
and try again if it does not go in first time, do not
force it. With the disk in the drive and while you
are in Explorer, click on the symbol for 3 ½ floppy
(A:) .
The contents of your disk will show on the right
side of the screen. We will now move these files to
the folders we previously created.

25
Word Processing – Document Creation
The Word Processing Window
Word processingis the software that is available with a computer system for the creation of
written documents. This could be a simple letter, your autobiography, lists of many types or a
newsletter, the possibilities are endless. The word processor replaces the typewriter.
Microsoft Word is one of the more powerful word processors available, though a firm
understanding of this package should give you the confidence to use any other word processor.
Through the following sessions you should understand the capabilities of the word processor as
well as being able to solve specific problems.
Microsoft Word has a lot of built in options, before you start moving through any of the exercices
in this section please check the following options are set:
Microsoft Word has a lot of built in options, before you start moving through any of the exercizes
in this section please check the following options are set:
Click View on the Menu Bar, select Page or Print Layout. Note the icon shown beside this
command, locate the icon on the bottom left of the screen. In future to change to Page layout
view quickly, click this icon found in the bottom left corner of the window,
Click View on the Menu Bar, select Make sure that the Ruler has a tick beside it, if not, click the
ruler option.
This as a typical Microsoft word screen. The top line, or title bar, tells
you the file name (ie: Document 2). The next line is the menu bar. Most
of the options on the menu bar can be performed by using icons The
icons sure the pretty pictures. By pointing and clicking on an icon you can
perform the functions much quicker. There are three types of icons:
toggle switches, drop down lists and selection buttons. If you have
difficulty remembering the icons, rest the mouse pointer on the icon and a
hint will appear telling you the function of that icon. The icons are held
collectively on toolbars The other important feature of the screen are the
rulers.
Title bar Menu bar
Toolbars
Rulers

26
Select Options from the Tools menu, click on the View tab, in the window section at the bottom
of the box, make sure that the 4 boxes are all ticked.
Finally, check the Show/Hide button on the toolbar is turned on. It will be lighter in color. This
button is found to the right of the toolbar.
Entering Text
Word displays a flashing cursor, called the insertion point, on the screen which indicates where
the text you type will appear. It is important that you are aware of the position of this insertion
point, create the habit of glancing at the screen to check.
Word Wrap
When typing, do not press the [ENTER] at the end of a line. You will find the text will
automatically jump to the next line (called WORD WRAP) when it detects the margin.
To move the insertion point, you can use the mouse to where you want to enter or edit text and
click. You can also move it using the cursor (arrow) keys.
To add an extra line, place the insertion point at the beginning of a line and press [ENTER], a
new line will be inserted above the line you are currently on. To add a new line below the
current line, place the insertion point at the end of the current line.
Paragraphing
To start a new paragraph, press enter at the end your sentence and the cursor will move to the
beginning of a new line for you to start the next paragraph.
Correcting mistakes
If you need to correct your typing you can use either the Backspace key or the Delete key. The
Backspace key removes the character to the left of the insertion point. It usually has an arrow
pointing left on the key.
The delete key will remove the character to the right of the insertion point.
Putting it into Practice: Entering Text
• Type your name, press [ENTER], type the town you live in.
• Point with the mouse to the start of your name and click. The cursor should now be flashing
at the start of the line. Press the [ENTER] key. A new line should appear at the top of the
page.
• Position the insertion point at the end of you name, press [ENTER], a new line should
appear under your name. Type you street address.
• Type the following sentence to see how the program automatically wraps to the next line.
Word processors automatically do what used to be called a carriage return when using an
old manual typewriter.
The Keyboard
Before you go any further let’s look at the layout of the keyboard. If you cannot touch type,
don’t be too concerned, speed and accuracy come with time. If you wish to increase your
Show/Hide

27
speed you could take part in a touch typing/keyboarding course or access a typing tutor
program.
If you hold your finger down too long on the keyboard you will cause the keystroke to repeat. If
you repeat characters or spaces you will need to backspace them out of your document.
Keyboards can vary but the basic keys are the same.
The diagram below shows the layout of a basic keyboard.
The long bar underneath the bottom row of letters is the space bar. The space bar is used to
create the spaces between letters. Each press of the space bar creates one space.
Enter Key
The enter key is usually to the right of the middle row of letters. The enter key moves the writing
to a new line or paragraph. When you are typing a paragraph you should only use the enter key
to complete the paragraph, not at the end of every line. This is covered further in word
processing.
Shift Key
The shift keys are found at either end of the bottom row of letters. The shift key is used for
capital letters or to access some of the special characters. To type a capital hold the shift key
down and press the letter you want in capitals. This is a two-handed operation, press and hold
the shift key while you press the letter you want.
The top row of number keys have special characters on them as well. To access these special
keys you need to hold the shift key down while you press the chosen key. For example to type
a $ sign, you need to hold the shift key while you type the number 4 from the top row of
numbers.
Caps Lock
The caps lock key is found to the left of the centre row of letters. The caps lock is used when
you want a group of letters in capitals, such as a heading. When the caps lock key is pressed,
all letters will be in capitals and if you use the shift key, the letters will appear in small letters.
Press the caps lock key and look across to the right of the keyboard, you will see three small
lights, one is labelled Caps Lock, this one will be lit up. If you are unsure if you have the caps
lock on, check to see if this light is showing.
Backspace
The backspace key is located to the right of the row of numbers, this position can vary. It
usually has the words backspace or simple an arrow pointing back to the left. The backspace
key removes one character at a time to the left of the flashing cursor on the screen. This key is
used for making corrections.
Space bar
Caps lock

28
Escape
The escape key is found on the left side of the keyboard next to the row of special function
keys. This key is used to close windows and cancel options. Quite often if something appears
on the screen such as a menu, you can remove it from the screen by using the escape key.
The escape key can be known as “get-out-of-trouble” key or “oops, I didn’t mean that” key.
Control & Alt
The control and alt keys are used in combination with other keys to perform commands when
you are using various applications on the computer. They will not be used in this course, but as
you progress to more advanced functions you will see their uses.
Function Keys
The top row of keys are the special function keys. These keys are used to activate commands
from within applications. The most common and universal of these keys is the F1 key. This key
will usually activate a Help command.
Putting it into Practice: Using the Keyboard
Practice using some of the keys on the keyboard. Locate the following keys and tick the boxes
when you are happy with knowing their location.
o Numeric row of keys
o Alphabet rows of keys
o Spacebar
o Shift keys
o Enter key
o Escape key
o Caps lock key
o Backspace key
Practice by typing the following: # & ( % $
CursorKeys
There is a group of arrow keys in between the alphabet keys and the number keys on the right
of the keyboard. These arrow keys are used to move the position of the flashing cursor on the
screen.
Above the arrow keys there is another group of six keys, locate these.
Delete
The delete key is used when making corrections to your text. The delete key will remove the
character to the right of your position on the screen.
Home & End
The home key will return you position to the start of the line you are working on, and the end
key will position you at the end of the line you are working on.

29
Saving And Retrieving A Document
Saving a document
Open a new page in your word processing program by clicking on the New button on the
toolbar. Before you start to enter any text Save the file. To do this follow the following
instructions:
• Click theFile option on the menu bar.
• From the drop down menu select Save As. Save As is onlyused mainly to save a file the
first time and to name it, after this you use the Save command or click the fast save button
on the toolbar.
• In the filename edit box enter the following name: TIPS.
• Click the save button or press the [ENTER] Key.
• Two things will make finding this document again easier. Firstly, give it a meaningful name
which will be recognizable even some time later, and save it in an appropriate folder. If you
name every file after yourself, eg, Jenny1, Jenny2, etc, you will not remember the contents
of each.
Exiting Word
It is important that you close your applications and exit from them correctly. Windows may not
work correctly the next time it is used if you do not exit properly.
• Select Close from the Filemenu.
• If you have not saved your work recently, Word will prompt you to save changes, click Yes if
this question is asked.
• When you have closed all the active files, select Exit from the File menu to exit from Word.
Closing the Computer
If you wish to close the computer and switch off:
• Point and click the Start button in the bottom left corner
• Select Shut Down, and click on Shut Down The Computerat the next window.
• When the screen telling you it is safe to turn off your computer appears, push the power
button on the computer.

30
Putting it in Practice: Saving Your work
Type the following text exactly as it appears:
The difference between a fast save and a save
Fast save is one of the options you can choose to customize your word processor to suit your
needs. You would select allow fast save from the TOOLS, OPTIONS menu. Fast Save saves
only the changes to a document. This takes less time than a full save, in which Word saves the
complete, revised document. Select the Allow fast saves check box when you are working on a
very large document. However, a full save requires less disk space than a fast save. If you are
working on a document over a network, clear the Allow fast saves check box in the TOOLS,
OPTIONS menu. Fast saves cannot be performed over a network.
Save your work using File...Save or by clicking on the Fast Save Icon which is a picture of a
floppy disk. Name the file Saving.
Opening a saved document
To open a document that you have previously worked on and then closed, you need to go to
File..Open… and locate your file from the folder where you saved it. It is very important to take
note of where files are saved so that you can find them again next time you need them.
Select the document you want and click on Open.
If you have used the file recently, an easier way is to go to File… and look to the bottom of the
menu list. You will see the most recently used files listed and you might find yours amongst
them. If so, click on it and it will open.
Previewing And Printing
Print Preview
You should always look at your document before printing. Do this by clicking the Print Preview
icon on the standard toolbar.
To return to the document, click the close button on the print preview toolbar.
Print the document by selecting Print from the File menu.
To return to the document, click the close button on the print preview toolbar.
Print the document by selecting Print from the File menu.
Filename Edit Box
Print Preview

31
Putting it into Practice: Print Preview
Print preview the Saving document you have previously created. If yousee any errors or things
you would like to change before printing, click close to return to the document. After you have
made your changes, print preview it again and if you are happy with it, Print it.
Printing a Document
There are two methods of printing your document. The first is to click on the Print option in the
File menu.
The following screen will appear.
This screen allows you to select your options for printing. The top section gives you the name
of the printer you are using. Page range allows you to state whether you are printing the whole
document or selected pages, as well as being able to state how many copies you may wish to
print.
Click the OK button to accept the default settings for printing or change any of the options so
suit your purpose.
The second method is to click the printer icon on the toolbar. This will print immediately using
the default options.
Page Setup
Before you print you may wish to change some of the Page Setup options. Follow the
instructions below to view the changes that can be made.
Select Page Setup from the File menu.
The first screen you see in Page
Setup is this one which shows
the margin settings.
The margins can be changed in
this area. The margin is the
white area surrounding your text,
you cannot type directly into this
area.
As you change the margins
watch the Preview section
change.

32
The other options in Page setup are concerned with more advanced functions which you will
use as your skills develop.
Environmental Issues
During the 1980’s we were told that within a very short time the computer would create a
paperless office. Instead, we now not only have one copy of our work, but because of the easy
printing, we create spares and extras to circulate.
According to the Federated Clerks Union of U.S. the average office worker creates about 130
kg of waste paper a year. One ton of paper can consume up to 17 trees and in U.S. we use
around 2.4 million tons each year. (Working Greener: Suitable Work Strategies for
Organisations, Industry and Business, K Ralston, Green Press, 1990)
Three rules for paper conservation in the office (and at home)
• Reduce
• Reuse, and
• Recycle
Reduce
Reducing the amount of paper we use in the office will have immediate benefits.
Make sure word processed documents are proofread properly before printing. You should
check for errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar and layout. Most documents, if they are
properly checked on the screen, should not require further printing.
• Where a draft is required for further editing, ensure that only one draft is permitted – the
second version should be the final version.
• Wherever possible have the author of the document correct the draft on screen, rather than
printing it first.
• By reducing the size of the print from 12 point to 10 point you will fit much more text on a
single page.
• Check mailing lists to ensure that all names and addresses are still current. Do they still
need to be there?
• Use noticeboards for memos rather than circulating memos to all staff.
• Reduce the size of memos.
• Ensure that equipment such as printers and copiers are regularly serviced and maintained
correctly so that there is no wastage due to malfunction.
Reuse
• Where a draft copy is needed print on used paper
• Double side both printing and copying
• Make message pads from discarded paper
The second screen you see in Page
Setup is this one titled Paper Size. The
paper size should be set to A4 (210 x
297mm).
Under the paper size is a section for
orientation. The page orientation is the
setting for either portrait or landscape.
Landscape will turn your page on the
side.
Click in both of the options and note
the change in appearance

33
Recycle
• Wherever possible, buy and use recycled paper
• Organize a recycling scheme
• Monitor the amount of paper used
Using Help
HelpbyTopic
Sometimes you can solve a word processing problem by looking in the Help Menu. You should
go to Help, on the Menu Bar, and select an item from the Help by Contents list or if you can’t
see a relevant item, go to the Index tab and type in a key word for the help to search on. You
may need to try several different key words to find what you want.
Office Assistant Help
The Office Assistant is a helpful paperclip shaped animation which you can choose to have
active on your screen. When you click the Assistant a dialogue box appears and you are invited
to type your question. The Assistant then searches on key words in your questions and offers a
list of items from which you can choose. You would then click on the most appropriate one for
explanation.
You can turn the Office Assistant on by pressing F1 on your keyboard or by clicking on the ? in
the toolbar.

34
Word Processing – Document Enhancing
Moving Around and Selecting Text
Moving around using the keyboard
The insertion point or flashing cursor can be moved using the mouse or keyboard. Below is a
table showing the various keys on the keyboard that can be used to quickly move the cursor.
As you become more confident in using the word processor, you will find the keyboard a much
more convenient way to navigate.
Key Function
é Moves the insertion point up one line
ê Moves the insertion point down one line
è Moves the insertion point right one character
ç Moves the insertion point left one character
Control è Moves the insertion point right one word
Control ç Moves the insertion point left one word
Home Moves the insertion point to the beginning of the line
End Moves the insertion point to the endoftheline
Control Home Moves the insertion point to the start of the document
ControlEnd Moves the insertion point to the end of the document
Control PgUp Moves to the top of the window
Control PgDn Moves to the bottom of the window
Putting it into Practice: Moving around your document
Using the text you have typed in practice moving around in it.
• Move the insertion point to anywhere in the first line and press theHOME key.
• Now press the END key.
• Try pressing the CONTROL and left arrow key together.
• Use the arrow keys to move up and down through the text.
• Try pressing CONTROL and HOME together.
Moving around using the mouse.
You can use the mouse to position the insertion point by pointing with the mouse at the location
and then clicking the left button to anchor the insertion point. In the early days, it may be
difficult to place the insertion point exactly where you want it, don’t worry, just get as close as
possible and then use the arrow keys to get to the correct position. Remember to click the
mouse button to anchor the insertion point.

35
Putting it into Practice: Moving using the Mouse
• Position the cursor close to the end of the word “complete” in the text you have typed
(remember to click the mouse button to anchor it there), and press the backspace key to
erase the word complete from your typing.
• Position your cursor close to the beginning of the word “picture” and use the delete key to
erase the word from your sentence.
Selecting text using the mouse
When you wish to change the appearance of text that has already been entered, you need to
select or highlight the text so that Word will change only the part you wish to change.
Position the insertion point at either the start or the end of the text to be changed. Don’t forget
that once a group of text is selected if you press any key on the keyboard the selected text will
be replaced by the key you have pressed. This may simply be the spacebar or the enter key. If
this happens then you may need to go to EDIT ..UNDO on the toolbar.
Holding the left mouse button down, drag the mouse along the text you wish to select. Release
the mouse button when you have reached the end of your selection.
When the text is selected you may press the delete key to remove the text or you may change
its appearance.
To remove the black outline or selected area, simply point and click to another area on the
screen. It is best if you click to the right of the page.
Undo and Redo
When editing it is important that you know theEDIT UNDO option so that you can go
backwards if you need. Edit undo allows you to undo the last action. To find this option you
can select undo….from the edit menu. You can also redo yourlast action if you need to. This
option is found under the same menu option.
The edit... undo and redo commands are also available on the toolbar. This may be a quicker
way to access the commands.
Putting it into Practice: Selecting Text
Make the following changes to your document
The difference between a fast save and a save
Fast save is one of the options you can choose to customize your word processor to suit your
needs. You would selectallow fast save from the TOOLS, OPTIONS menu. Fast Save saves
only the changes to a document. This takes less time than a full save, in which Word saves the
complete, revised document. Select the Allow fast saves check box when you are working on a
very large document. However, afull save requires less disk space than a fast save. If you are
working on a document over a network, clear the Allow fast saves check box in the TOOLS,
OPTIONS menu. Fast saves cannot be performed over a network.
Save your work.
selections completeentire

36
Shortcuts to select text with the mouse
Selecting one word Double click on the word
Selecting one line
Move the mouse pointer to the left margin, it should change
shape to an arrow like thisö, and click once. By holding
the mouse button down, while this arrow is showing, you
may select line by line.
Selecting one paragraph
Triple click within the paragraph, or point the mouse to the
left margin, the pointer should change to a white arrowö,
then double click. Triple clicking at this point will select the
entire document.
Selecting a large block of text
Click at the beginning of the text you want to select. Hold
theShift key and click at the end of the block of text.
Everything in between should be selected.
Putting it into Practice: Moving with the mouse
Using your paragraph about fast save, practice selecting parts of the text with your mouse,
using all of the above methods.

37
Text formatting
There are many ways to change the appearance of your text. We will begin by using the icons
on the formatting toolbar.
When formatting text you can either format as you type or change the format of the characters
after you have typed them. Don’t delete text because you wish to retype it with a different
format.
The formatting toolbar
The formatting toolbar is shown below, those tools we will work with i nitially are labelled
Using Bold, Italics and Underline
To turn bold on, point to the bold icon and click, to turnbold off, point to the bold icon and click.
Italics and underline icons are used in the same way.
Putting it into Practice: Using Bold, Italics and Underline
If you are not already in Word, start Word and make sure you are in a new blank document
Save your new document under the name FORMAT
Type the following in the formats shown. Firstly, point to the Bold button on the tool bar and click
to turn bold on.
To create bold text, click the bold icon on the formatting toolbar.
To turn bold off, point and click on the bold icon. To turn italics on, point and click the italics
button.
Click the italics button to turn italics off, turn underline on by clicking the underline button.
Single words can beunderlined. Single words can be underlined and bold.
Bold and italics look great together.
Style
Font type Font size
Underline
Bold Italics

38
Putting it into Practice: More Bold, Italics and Underline
Test what you have learnt aboutbold, italics and underline
Create a new document by clicking the new file icon on the standard toolbar
Save the document using the name BIU.
Type the following so that it looks much the same using bold, italics and underline. Your line
length may vary depending on how the margins are set on your computer, so don’t worry about
that.
Bold: emboldens texton the screen and on the printed page. Whileboldis on all text will be
emboldened. Click the bold key to turn bold off. Underline and italicsare turned on and off in
the same way. If you wish to embolden,italicize or underline existing text, select the text and
click the bold,italics or underline buttons. When any of these buttons are turned, the buttons
appear to be pushed in. To turn bold on or off quickly, you can use the key combination of
control + B. Simply hold the control key down while you press the B key on the keyboard.
Control + I will turn onitalics, control + U will turn on the underline.
Save your document.
Text Alignment
Text can be aligned 4 different ways, left, centre, right and justified. The alignment buttons are
found on the formatting toolbar. This exercize will look at centre alignment only. To centre the
text on the page click the centre button on the toolbar. The alignment buttons work a little
differently to the others. As text can only be aligned in one way, the buttons are not turned on
and off, you in fact simply select the type of alignment you wish. A little like selecting pre set
stations on the car radio.
Putting it into Practice: Alignment
Create a new file; save with the name Menu.
Select the centre icon on the formatting toolbar and enter the following menu:
THE YUMMY DINER
SMORGASBORD MENU
Roast Chicken
Roast Pork
Roast Beef
Potato Salad
Bean Salad
Hot Vegetables
New file
Centre

39
Black Forest Cake
Fresh Fruit Salad
Homemade Ice Cream
Caramel Apple Tart
Tea
Coffee
Select the first heading, click the small arrow to the right of the font size box and choose 24
from the list
Click the small arrow to the right of the font box and scroll through the list and choose Lucida
Calligraphy
Select the next heading, change the font size to 18, and the font type to Ariel
Select the rest of the text and change the font size to 16, and the font to Ariel
If you have time you may now explore the other options available under font size and type.
Don’t forget to save your work along the way.
More about Alignment
Previously, we looked at centering text but there are three more alignments that can be applied
to text. They are Left, Right and Justify. Each of these has its own application and as you
become more familiar with the word processor you will find uses for them all. Alignment is a
paragraph format, so you do not have to select the paragraph before you apply an alignment
choice. The insertion point must, however, be within the paragraph you are formatting.
REMEMBER:
Select the text you wish to
change before you make
the changes.

40
Putting it into Practice: More about Alignment
If you do not already have the CUTPASTE file open, open that file.
You should have 4 copies of the same paragraph on the page.
Position your insertion point in the second copy of your paragraph and click the Centre icon.
Position your insertion point in the third copy of your paragraph and click the Right icon.
Position your insertion point in the fourth copy of your paragraph and click the Justify icon.
Click the Fast Save, and then the Print Preview icon to view your work
Choose Close and return to your document.
Fonts
A font is the style of type faced used when you type. Most word processors have a choice of
available fonts. Not all computers will have the same fonts available, as it depends which
programs are loaded on a particular machine. You can change both the font and the size in
which it appears.
Some of the common fonts are
Times New Roman, (14)
Ariel (11)
Comic Sands (15)
You can change the font and size either before or after you have typed your text.
There are two ways of changing it.
If you have already entered the text, select what you want to change by highlighting it, otherwise
make these selections before beginning your typing.
1. Go to Format menu… Font…. and select the font and size to suit. Click OK and return to
your document.
2. Alternatively, you can choose the font and size by selecting form the drop down list on the
toolbar. You will see the name of the font you are already using displayed in the box. To
the right of this is the Font size box. Click on the small downward facing triangle to open
the box. You can choose one of the standard sizes or remove the current entry and type in
your own size.
Inserting Graphics
Finding a picture
You can insert a picture into your text from a range of clipart which is included in most word
processing programs. Computers can have different selections of pictures depending on what
software is installed on them. To insert a picture you would go to the Insert menu and select
Picture… Clipart and select the picture that suits your purpose. Click on Insert and the picture
will appear on your page and the clipart box will automatically close.
You can resize the picture by single clicking on it and dragging one of the “handles” or. small
squares, around the picture when it is selected. By pointing you mouse to the handles, the
pointer will change to an adjustment arrow. When the adjustment arrow is visible, holding the
mouse button down and dragging will resize the picture.
Centre Justify
Right
Left

41
Putting it into Practice: Inserting graphics
• Create a new file and save it with the name clipart
• Select Picture, Clipart… from the Insert menu to display the Clipart Gallery. An example of
the gallery is shown below:
• Scroll through the many pictures available to you in the gallery and when you have made
you selection; click onto that picture.
• Click the Insert button, to insert the picture into yourdocument.
• Once you have the clipart selection in your document you may need to make a few
adjustments.
• Resize the picture by using the handles that appear around the picture when it is selected.
Practice resizing your picture using the
handles.

42
Word Processing – Document Presentation
Cut, Copy and Paste
Cut, copy and paste are frequently used tasks when you are word processing. The concept, to
some, is quite confusing to grasp. The distinction between moving/cutting and copying needs to
be understood.
When text is moved it is removed from one position and placed in another. This means that it
no longer exists in its old position. The process involves two steps known as cut and paste.
On the other hand, copy means to duplicate text in another location, which means it exists in
both the old and the new locations. When the copy is complete there are two versions of the
same text in two locations. The process involves two steps known as copy and paste.
The Clipboard
Before you can cut/copy/move text you need to first select the text. Once the text is selected,
you need to choose the command you wish to use. Copy/cut can be selected either from the
edit menu or using the icons on the toolbar.
When cut or copy is selected the text is placed on an area in the system known as the
clipboard. The text will stay on the clipboard quite happily until you either close the application
or turn off the machine. The clipboard can only hold one parcel of text, so as soon as you
copy/cut another, the original is lost from the clipboard. You can paste this text a number of
times, a great time saver if you need to make a number of copies of the same text.
Putting it into Practice: Cut Copy Paste
Enter the following text, first saving the file as CUTPASTE.
With Word for Windows, you can move and copy items within a document by using only the
mouse. This feature enables you to quickly move paragraphs or sentences, copy phrases, or
drag pictures to new locations. You can also use the right mouse button to cut, copy and paste.
When you click the right mouse button, a context sensitive menu appears at the position of the
insertion point.
Select the whole paragraph, by triple clicking or dragging the mouse over the text.
Click the Copy icon on the toolbar. The selected text is now placed on the clipboard.
Position the insertion point under the selected text. The black will disappear from the selection.
(Don’t worry, it is still on the clipboard). You may need to insert some blank lines under the text
by pressing the enter key twice.
Click the Paste icon.
Position you insertion point and click the Paste icon again.
Repeat this until you have 4 copies of the text on your page
Paste
Copy
Cut

43
Spell Check
After you have entered text into your document you should spell check, but remember this does
not take the place of proof reading.
The Word for Windows spell checker quickly pinpoints words in your document that don’t match
those in its dictionary. When you are not sure about a word, you can ask Word for Windows to
suggest alternative spellings. The program searches its dictionary for a match and offers you a
list of other spellings. It can even suggest one as the most likely choice.
When automatic spell check is turned on Word underlines, in red, any words that are not in the
dictionary. This makes it easy for proof reading your document. An icon of an open book with a
red X also appears at the bottom right portion of the screen, indicating that spelling errors exist
in you document. Remember that most names and proper nouns do not appear in the
dictionary and so Word will see these as misspelt. The spell checker does not replace
proofreading.
Putting it into Practice: Spell Check
Enter the following text in a file you have saved with the name SPELLING. Try to enter the text
exactly, including the spelling mistakes.
Double click the open book icon at the bottom of the screen to find the next underlined word in
the document.. You can also right click an underlined wod in the document. A pop-up menu
appears, shwing a list of suggested words and additional options. You have four choces in
which you can correct mispelled words. Correct the word if it is misspelled. Select a word from
the list shon in the pop-up menu. Select Ignore All to ignore all ocurrences of the word in your
docum ent. Select Add to add the word to the selected dictionary displyed in the AddWords To
box in the Spelling dialog box.
Position the insertion point at the start of the document.
Click the Spelling icon to begin the spell check. The spell checker will take you through word by
word giving you choices of how to deal with each identified error. If you are sure the word is
correct, you could choose Ignore or Ignore All or you could choose Add which would put the
word into the custom dictionary so that it never again identifies it as a spelling error.
Save your work.
Thesaurus
The thesaurus will help you find the most appropriate word for your document. You should type
a word which is close in meaning and use the thesaurus to find words with similar meanings.
Putting it into Practice: Thesaurus
Locate the word document in the text you have just typed and corrected. Select the word
document.
Select the Thesaurus option from the Tools menu. The Thesaurus can also be activated by
using the keys Shift + F7.
The Thesaurus gives options on the use of the word you have selected. In this case there are
two options as the document can be used in more than one context. It can be used in the
context of text or to document or record something.
When you have chosen the meaning
on the left side of the window you can
then choose the synonym (or like)
word from the right side of the
window. By choosing the meaning
text you can then choose the option
manuscript from the right side of the
screen. The replace button at the
button would place your choice from
the thesaurus into the text you are
working with.

44
Page Formatting
Orientation
You can change the way your document looks by changing it s orientation. You have a choice
of having it appear in Landscape or Portrait format. Landscape uses the longer measurement
of the page as its width and Portrait uses the shorter measurement as its width.
Make this selection in File…. Page Setup… Paper size..(Tab at top of dialogue box)
Margins
The margin default is 2.54 cm for top and bottom margins and 3.17 cm for left and right
margins. You can change these in File…Page Setup…. Margins.
Putting it into Practice: Orientation and Margins
• Open a new page and save it with an appropriate name.
• Set the orientation to Landscape and change the margins to 5 cm all around.
• Type a few sentences onto your page.
• Fast save your work.
• Print out this document to see how it looks.
Insert and Overtype
When editing your work you have a choice of inserting or overtyping when making changes. If
you are adding to existing text, you will probably want to insert your changes. This will move
existing text along to fit in the changes you are making.
However you may wish to type over existing text. This saves deleting your original text before
making changes.
You can choose between Insert and Overtype by pressing the Insert key on the keyboard. The
usual mode is Insert as this protects existing text from accidental deletion.
You can tell if you are in Overtype mode by looking at the status bar at the bottom of your
window. The letters OVR will be seen in black. If OVR is grey, you are in insert mode.
Putting it into Practice: Insert and Overtype
Open a new document.
Type the following:
When the OVR key is pressed it changes between insert and overtype. This can be quite
handy but can also be inconvenient if you didn’t mean to have overtype on. You can tell when
overtype is on because the letters OVR become a dark grey. When OVR is off it is a shadow
grey only.
Make sure you are in insert mode and typevery between be and inconvenientin the previous
sentence. You will notice that the text moves to accommodate this new work when in this
mode.
Make sure you are in overtype mode and try to insert the word deliberately between didn’tand
mean. You will notice that your new word is typing over the words mean and to.
Page Breaks
Multi page documents
Creating a long document such as this, or perhaps your memoirs, you will need at time to end a
document or chapter before reaching the bottom of the page. In order to start the next
paragraph at the top of a new page. You need to insert a page break.
You can do this by going to the Insert Menu, select Break and then Page Break from the
selection.
After you insert a page break the next text you enter will be on a new page.

45
A quicker way of inserting a page break is position the cursorat the end of the last text you
require on a page and then hold down Control and hit Enter on the keyboard.
Putting it into Practice: Page Breaks
Enter the following text as it appears making sure you have a blank line between each line of
text, save it with the file name Pages.
The Solar System
The Sun
The Moon
The Milky Way
Earth
Jupiter
Position your insertion point/flashing cursor on the blank line following Solar System.
Select Break from the Insert menu.
Select the Page Break option from the Break window, click OK.
A page break will now be inserted into you document. This type of page break is known as a
hard page break and can be inserted at any time in your document.
Insert page breaks at every blank line in you document so that each lineof text appears on a
separate page. Use the print preview option to check the number of pages you have. You can
do this by using the multiple pages option.
Print preview
multiple pages

46
The Internet
About the Internet
The term Internet literally refers to interconnected networks—a series of computer networks that
are connected to each other. The Internet is made up of millions of computers linked in such a
way as to enable them to communicate in a number of ways, which include:
• Sharing information (files)
• Sending and receiving messages (Email)
• Communicating via audio or video
• Transmitting and receiving software
No matter where you are when you connect to the Internet, you immediately have access to
computers throughout the entire world, including any part of U.S. other than where you are
connecting. This is made possible by a system of links, which carry information between the
different computers. Thus, in one sense, it could be said that the Internet is a network of
networks.
Internet Service Providers
The Internet Service Provider (ISP) provides you with the access to the Internet. By means of
a modem, your computer will be attached your service provider’s computer or network, and
through that computer or network you will have access to the World Wide Web. There is usually
a charge for this service.
Internet Addresses- URLs
The acronym URL stands for Universal Resource Locator. Put more simply, it is the address at
which a document is stored and from which it can be accessed. Here are some sample URLs
(or addresses):
www.yahoo.com
www.aol.com
www.anewamerica.org
www.sba.gov
www.economy.com
www.enterpreneur.com
The second part of the address will often include a three letter code indicating the nature of the
site.
.com commercial
.edu educational
.gov government
.mil military
.net networking
.org non-commercial organization
If the site is located outside the USA, you may see a two letter code in the second part of the
address. This code represents the country — .us for U.S., .uk for United Kingdom, .ru Russia
and so on.
Web Browsers
WWW stands for World Wide Web. It is usually referred to as ‘the Web’. The World Wide Web
consists of thousands of Web servers that are able to share their documents with the clients
who use browsers such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer to access them.
A Web browser is a software program designed to make it easier for you to browse the Web
and use the Internet.

47
Most browsers allow you to access a site by typing in the URL and striking the enter key. This
is the easiest way to access a site, provided you know the URL. If you do not know the URL
you may have to browse the site by firstly doing a search. To do this you will need to access a
search engine.
Using Search Engines
A search engine is literally a tool for searching web sites for particular key words. The number of
search engines that are available is growing, you will need to find the one which best suits you.
Search engines, now, have in most cases included a directory to assist with searches. They
group pages together in categories for easier access.
Most search engines offer tips for helping you search.
Putting it into Practice: Using a Search Engine
• From the Home Page, click on the search option.
• If there is no search facility on the home page, click on thesearch button on the toolbar.
• Click on one of the search engines such as Google, Hotbot, AltaVista U.S., Yahoo, etc.
• Read the tips to help you type in the keywords to maximize your results.
• Enter the key word Dinosaurs, click the Search button or strike the Enter key
• How many strikes did you get?
• Click the Home button, which takes you back.
• Click on the search option again.
• Choose another search engine.
• Enter the key word Dinosaurs, click the Search button or strike the Enter key
• How many strikes did you get?
• The number of strikes you get will depend on the search engine you use. You must try as
many as you can and then become familiar with the one you like the most
• Access one of the U.S. search engines.
• Enter the words “running a small business”
• Remember to type the “talking marks” around the words, this will then search on both
words. If not you may get a result of all the singles instances of terms.
• Repeat the preceding exercises to practice, searching on any topics that are of interest to
you.
Printing a Web page
• On the File menu, click Print.
• Set the printing options you want.
• Tips
• To print a frame or item in a Web page, right-click the frame or item, and then clickPrint.
Text/Image transferring
Saving pictures or text from a Web page
As you view pages on the Web, you’ll find information that you'd like to save for future reference
or share with other people. You can save the entire Web page or any part of it: text, graphics, or
links. You can print Web pages for people who don’t have access to theWeb or a computer.
To copy information from a Web page into a document
Select the information you want to copy, click the Edit menu, and then click Copy. Open the
document where you would like to insert this information and select Paste from the Edit menu.
To save a Web page on your computer
• On the File menu, click Save As.
• Double-click the folder you want to save the page in.
• In the File namebox, type a name for the page.
• In the Save as type box, select a file type.

48
• To save all of the files needed to display this page, including graphics, frames, and style
sheets, click Web Page, complete. This option saves each file in its original format
Favorites
If you wish to visit certain web pages often it is a good idea to mark them so that you can do so
quickly. Some browsers call this facility Favorites and others call it Bookmarks.
• Go to the page you want to add to your Favorites list.
• On the Favorites menu, click Add to Favorites.
• Type a new name for the page if you want to.
• To open one of your favorite pages, click the Favoritesmenu, and then click the page you
want to open.
• As your list of favorite pages grows, you can organize them into folders
E-Mail
Electronic mail, or Email, is a computerized form of communication. Sending Email is like
posting a letter, only the computer does it for you via phone lines. You type your letter, address
it and then via the internet post it. Your message gets put into the recipients mail box and next
time they check their mailbox they can recover the letter.
A letter can contain a few lines, be several pages or have video, audio or other graphic files
attached to them. The size of the Email does not really matter. Email messages can travel
around the world in seconds, unlike regular post which is also knownas “snail mail”.
You do not have to be at your computer to receive you own mail, this is stored for you, just like
the telephone answering machine stores your messages.
There are several programs which allow you to send email. They include Microsoft Outlook and
Netscape. They operate in slightly different ways but do the same thing.
Email Addresses
An Email address defines the location of the person’s mailbox. An Email address is in lower
case, cannot contain a space and looks like this jhatfield@anewamerica.org
• jennyb is the name of the person connected to the internet. You can use a real name or a
nickname. All email addresses are separated by the @ symbol.
• The section between the @ and the first dot (full stop) is usually the name of the internet
service provider.
• The part between the two dots usually indicates which type of organisation the person
belongs to such com, org, net etc.
• The final section indicates the country nothing or .us =U.S., jp=Japan.
Unfortunately there is no WhitePages listing for Email addresses, you need to ask people for
their address and then keep your own address book.
Sending an Email
When you are accessing Email either to receive or send messages there are some terms you
need to become familiar with.
Inbox Displays messages sent to you
Outbox Lists the messages that you have composed and not yet sent to others
Sent Lists the messages that you have been sent to others

49
Deleted Items Lists the messages that have been deleted. This is the recycle bin, the items
can be recovered or you may empty the trash.
Drafts This is handy if you want to take some time in composing your letter. You may store it
here until you decide to send it.
Composing a Message
To start a new message, you must first click on New Message or in some cases Compose. This
will depend on the type of Email software you are using. The new message or composition
window has some areas you need to be familiar with.
To this is the Email address of the person who will receive the message
CC stands for carbon copy. This lets you send the same message to several people
BCC this stands for blind carbon copy. This lets you send the same message to several
people without them knowing that others have received the message
Subject this allows you to put an informative title to your Email. Such as Holiday Details if you
want to send your holiday details. If you are sending Emails to someone in the workplace this is
recommended as it helps to prioritize the mail they receive. The subject line is usually
displayed when the Email is received.
Body This is where you type your message.
Setting Up An Email Account
There are a number of free Email centres. Hotmail is one of the frequently used ones along
with Yahoo. You do not need to have your own computer or Internet service provider to have a
free email address. You can use your email address to send and receive emails from any
computer which has access to the internet.
Putting it into Practice: Setting up your own email address
• We will now go through the steps to set up an Email account to use.
• Type in the address of Hotmail. http://www.hotmail.com
• We will now go through the steps, you will need to decide on an address and a password.
You will alsobe asked for a question to prompt you for forgotten passwords. If the
password you use is the street name of you house address, the question could be which
street do I live in?
• This will take us a little time to setup, but we can then use this address for the rest of the
session.
Attachments
When you are sending an Email you may wish to attach another file to the Email. It could be a
data file or a graphic file, in fact any type of file. The main consideration here is that the
computer at the other end is able to read that file. In other words it must have compatible
software.
The Email is commenced in the same way as for any other Email. The To box must be filled out
and the subject box also. The body of the email should contain only a brief message of
introduction and explanation. When this is done you can add an attachment. To add the
attachment click on the attachment button, which sometimes has a paper clip as its icon.
A window similar to Windows Explorer will open allowing you to find the file you wish to attach.
The file can be stored on any medium, hard drive, floppy drive or CD. Click on the file when you
have located it, open it and then OK your way back to the Email window. Simply click the send
button to send the email.

50
Puttingit into Practice: Sending and receiving an email
Swap email addresses with someone else in the group.
Send them an email with one of the files you saved in the Word-processing lessons as an
attachment.
Go to www.hotmail.com to check if you have received any from another student.
Printing an Email
Open the email which you would like to print. Select Print from the File Menu or click on the
Print icon on the toolbar if it is visible.
Other Services
There are many other services available on the Internet. Newsgroups, chat rooms, online
shopping and online conferencing are just a few. As you become more familiar with the use of
the Internet, explore these options yourself. As with most areas of the net there is ample online
Help to assist you through these services.

51
Glossary
Attachment a file linked to an Email message so that it can be opened by the recipient of the
email.
Bookmark a way of saving a location/URL so that you can easily return to that site.
Browse toscan through/search for information on Web sites
Client software which relies on another computer, the server, to provide information
which it displays.
Default site the web site at which your computer will automatically start
Download to move files from another computer to the one you are working on
Email electronic mail; also written as e-mail, Email and E-mail
FAQ Frequently Asked Questions. A file that is a compilation of questions frequently
asked by new users along with the answers.
Firewall a system that screens incoming traffic from the Internet to your network, filtering
out specific information.
FTP File Transfer Protocol. The standard the dictates the manner in which files are
copied from computer to computer.
Home page the first page of a Web site, which may be one page or many. It frequently has
an index, an introduction to the site, and links to other areas within the site.
HTML HyperText Markup Language. A computer language used to give the computer
information and instructions to create a web site. It is the language used by
programmers to create hypertext pages.
ISDN Integrated Services Digital Network. High quality telephone lines that are often
used to carry electronic data such as that sent between computers.
Internet a contraction of international network. Global network of interlinked computers
through which electronic mail and other data can be exchanged; usually
accessed through a telephone line. Also referred to as the “net”.
ISP Internet Service Provider. The company (thereare many) you choose to
provide you with the telecommunications links to the internet. Fees vary from
company to company, but usually relate to the number of hours you spend
connected to the Internet.
Java a hypertext language used to create hypertext pages.
Mail list a list of addresses to which you have programmed the computer to send mail.
Mail server a computer that is connected to a network and enables access to email to
computers on the network.
Modem the word is devized from modulator/demodulator. A modem is a device that
connects one computer to another modem -equipped computer through the
telephone network. A modem can be installed inside you computer, or be

52
separate from it, in which case it will attached to the telephone line and your
computer cable.
Netiquette polite and proper behaviour on the Net
Newsgroup a series of mail messages on a specific topic available for anyone on the
Internet to access, read and comment upon.
Protocol a set of rules for establishing connections between computers,or different
programs on the computer.
Router a device that collects network traffic that has stalled in one location and moves
it closer to its destination.
Search engine software that is used to carry out a search of Web sites for specific information.
Server a computer connected to a network that performs specific tasks for the network.
Software the programs, application and system software used to run your computer.
Surf exploring casually in the Net
Traffic in Internet terms, traffic means any incoming or outgoing signals, messages or
information.
URL Universal Resource Locator. Also known as the address. The code by which a
Web site is identified.
Web browser the generic term for any software that allows the Internet user to visit Web sites.
It display a copy of the site on your computer screen.
Web server a computer which is connected to a network and facilitates access to the World
Wide Web for the computers on the network.
Web site a location on the World Wide Web, set up by an individual or an organisation. A
Web site may be a single page or multiple pages of information. Many Web
sites have links to other sites.
World Wide Web WWW. A hypertext-based system linking information and files on different
computers around the Internet. Also referred to as the Web

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