Ready to Work

This training has been adapted from the Community Workshop Series www.lib.unc.edu/cws
READY TO WORK
COMPUTER BASICS
The Ready to Work program is a four-part series of basic computer classes that include: Computer
Fundamentals, Internet and Web Basics, Introduction to Web-based Email and Introduction to the
Microsoft Word Web App. After completing the program you will receive a certificate.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section One - Computer Fundamentals
GETTING STARTED
Prerequisites.............................................................................................................PAGE 7
What You Will Learn ...............................................................................................PAGE 7
BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS
Identifying Major Computer Components .............................................................. PAGE 8
How Computers Work ............................................................................................. PAGE 9
OPERATING SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE
Microsoft Windows Operating System .................................................................... PAGE 10
Turning on the Computer and Logging On .............................................................. PAGE 11
Desktop / Environment ........................................................................................... PAGE 12
THE KEYBOARD AND THE MOUSE
Using and Understanding the Keyboard..................................................................PAGE 13
Using and Understanding the Mouse ......................................................................PAGE 14
Left-Clicking, Double-Clicking and Right-Clicking ....................................................PAGE 14
THE DESKTOP
Managing Windows ................................................................................................ PAGE 17
The Taskbar.............................................................................................................. PAGE 17
SHUTTING DOWN THE COMPUTER
Logging Off vs. Turning off / Shutting Down ...........................................................PAGE 18
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Finding More Help....................................................................................................PAGE 18
Buying a Computer .................................................................................................. PAGE 19
Other Programs and Software................................................................................. PAGE 19
MOUSING EXERCISES ........................................................................................................... PAGE 20

Section Two – Internet and Web Basics
GETTING STARTED
Prerequisites ..........................................................................................................PAGE 31
What You Will Learn ............................................................................................ PAGE 31
BASIC WEB SKILLS/USING A WEB BROWSER
Locate and Open a Web Browser ..........................................................................PAGE 32
Using a Browser’s Menu Bar ............................................................................... PAGE 33
Using the Browser’s Toolbar................................................................................ PAGE 33
The Address Bar .................................................................................................... PAGE 34
Using Tabs ............................................................................................................ PAGE 34
Using the Browser’s Help Feature .........................................................................PAGE 34
WEBSITE ADDRESSES/URLs
Go to a Specific Web Address ............................................................................... PAGE 35
Identify and Follow Links on a Web Page ............................................................ PAGE 36
Manipulate a Web Page ........................................................................................PAGE 36
USING SEARCH ENGINES
Finding Information with a Search Engine ............................................................PAGE 37
Refining your Search ............................................................................................ PAGE 37
Understanding Error Messages ............................................................................ PAGE 38
COPYING INFORMATION FROM THE WEB
Saving Images, Documents and More .................................................................. PAGE 38
NAVIGATING THE WEB
Identifying Advertisements .................................................................................. PAGE 39
Viruses and Personal Safety ..................................................................................PAGE 40
INTERNET EXERCISE ........................................................................................................... PAGE 42

Section Three – Introduction to Web-Based Email
GETTING STARTED
Prerequisites .......................................................................................................... PAGE 44
What You Will Learn ............................................................................................. PAGE 44
INTRODUCTION
What is Email? ....................................................................................................... PAGE 44
SETTING UP YOUR WEB-BASED EMAIL - OUTLOOK
Creating a Web-based Email Account ................................................................... PAGE 46
MANAGING YOUR WEB-BASED EMAIL - OUTLOOK
Checking Your Web-based Email ........................................................................... PAGE 49
Composing and Sending Messages ....................................................................... PAGE 49
Attaching a File to your Message .......................................................................... PAGE 50
Receiving and Reading Messages ......................................................................... PAGE 52
Other Email Options .............................................................................................. PAGE 52
ADDITIONAL FEATURES....................................................................................................... PAGE 55
GETTING HELP
Where to Find Help ............................................................................................... PAGE 56
EMAIL EXERCISE ................................................................................................................. PAGE 57

Section Four – Introduction to Microsoft’s Word Web App
GETTING STARTED
Prerequisites .......................................................................................................... PAGE 59
What You Will Learn ............................................................................................. PAGE 59
USING MICROSOFT WORD WEB APP
Microsoft Word Web App Components ................................................................ PAGE 60
The Keyboard ........................................................................................................ PAGE 64
SIMPLE TASKS IN MICROSOFT WORD WEB APP
Typing Text ............................................................................................................ PAGE 64
Formatting Text ..................................................................................................... PAGE 65
Highlighting Text ................................................................................................... PAGE 65
Undoing and Redoing ........................................................................................... PAGE 66
Deleting Text ........................................................................................................ PAGE 66
Copying, Cutting and Pasting Text ....................................................................... PAGE 66
Inserting Images ................................................................................................... PAGE 67
Changing Views and Overall Look ......................................................................... PAGE 69
Spelling and Grammar Check ................................................................................ PAGE 70
Saving Documents ................................................................................................. PAGE 70
Printing Documents ............................................................................................... PAGE 71
Finding More Help ................................................................................................. PAGE 71
MICROSOFT WORD WEB APP EXERCISE - CREATING AN INVITATION................................ PAGE 72

COMPUTER FUNDAMENTALS
In this class you will learn about the parts of the computer and how to use them, including using the
mouse, the basics of the Windows operating system and other important computer functions.

R E A D Y T O W O R K : C O M P U T E R B A S I C S P A G E 7
GETTING STARTED
Prerequisites
It is not assumed that the user is familiar and/or comfortable with using a computer:
• This class is intended for new computer users.
• We will be using PC desktop computers running the Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System.
You might have heard some of these terms before, but it is definitely okay if you have not.
• Remember: Practice makes perfect. Using the keyboard and mouse may seem difficult at first,
but it will become easier over time. Note: the mouse is intended for you to use with your right
hand, regardless of whether or not you are right-handed. However, now that many mice are
wireless, this is less of an issue.
• Please let the instructor know if you have questions or concerns prior to starting class.
What You Will Learn:
Identifying major computer
components
Understanding the basics of how
computers work
The difference between
software and hardware
Turning a computer on Logging on to a computer
Identifying the computer
desktop
Changing the appearance of the
desktop
Using the keyboard
Using and understanding
the different functions
of the mouse
Introducing yourself to the
Microsoft Windows operating
system
Utilizing the Start Menu Logo in
Microsoft Windows
Utilizing the Taskbar in
Microsoft Windows
Buying a computer Other programs and software
Logging off vs. shutting
down
Turning off the computer Finding More Help

BASIC COMPUTER SKILLS
On any given day, most of what you do will involve computer systems. The television channels you
watch, the radio stations that you listen to, the car that you drive in and even the cash register at the
local grocery store are all controlled in some way by computer systems! They help us perform tasks,
keep track of a great deal of information and even control the airplanes that fly above us. During the
course of this class, you will learn about how they work, how to perform simple tasks and much, much
more.
Identifying Major Computer Components
As with most products, computers are designed in a variety of ways. There are, however, major
similarities regardless of the brand (e.g., Dell, HP, IBM) of the computer. All computers have the
following components*:
The Monitor:
The monitor looks like a television screen and is where you see
what is happening on your computer. By using shadows and
graphics with over a million different colors, much of what you see
will appear 3-dimensional. Think of this as the ‘face’ of the
computer.
The Tower/CPU (Central Processing Unit):
The tower houses the machinery that allows your computer to
work. Think of this as the ‘brains’ of the computer.
The Keyboard:
The keyboard is one of two ways to interact with your computer.
The keys should mostly mimic a traditional typewriter.
The Mouse:
This is another way to interact with your computer. Most mice have two buttons—a right and a left
button—and a scrolling wheel.
The following benchmarks are import to consider when appraising a computer system:
How fast can it perform tasks?
How much information (or data) can it store?
How many programs (i.e. software) can it run simultaneously?
*This applies to "desktop" computers, and not "laptop" computers. A laptop computer is simply a more
compact version of a desktop, designed to be able to be carried around from place to place (e.g., to class
or to a coffee shop). If you have questions about these different varieties of computers, please ask your
instructor.

How Computers Work
Hardware / Software
Computers use both hardware and software to perform their work. Think of hardware as the physical
pieces of a computer – the monitor, the tower, all the pieces and parts inside the tower, the mouse, the
keyboard, etc. Software, on the other hand, consists of programs that we use to interact with the
computer. You can’t physically touch software like you can the keyboard, but you can still interact with
it. A word processing program is an example of software that you might use to type a letter to a friend.
Games that you play on your computer are also considered software—it doesn’t have to be work-
related!
Information / Data
Computers are designed to work with a type of information commonly referred to as "data." Data
comes in a lot of forms, whether it is typed data (such as a letter to a friend), audio data (like a song),
video data (like a popular movie or DVD) and more. Certain types of software programs work with
different types of data. For example, the popular iPod device works primarily with audio data, and
Microsoft Word, a word processing program, works primarily with written data. The keyboard is just one
of the ways in which you can create, interact with and modify data. In addition, there are a number of
ways to get data off of the computer, such as printing it out on paper, copying it to a CD-ROM or flash
drive or publishing it to the Internet.
My Computer is Possessed!
It is a common misconception that computers have "a mind of their own." Although they can perform
tasks much more easily than humans can (like counting, performing mathematical calculations and
more), they always respond to what you ask them to do! In fact, it is safe to say that the computer
cannot do anything that you do not tell it to do. It is important to remember that you are in control of
the computer, in the same way that you are in control of, say, your car. Your car won't move until you
press your foot on the accelerator, and it will not stop until you press the brake. Computers work in the
same way
A Word of Caution
However, computers are machines just like any other mechanical object. Sometimes, although not
often, they may malfunction, become stuck (or “frozen”) or may have a part that breaks that must be
replaced. It is important to note that, just like your car or other machinery, computers also need to be
maintained. Keeping your virus software up to date, installing updates for your operating system
(Windows updates) and refraining from installing unnecessary programs, will allow your computer to
run smoothly and efficiently for a longer period of time.
Key Facts about Computers
• A computer does not need to access the Internet in order to run properly.

o The internet is a way of connecting to other computer users. You connect to the
internet using a phone line, a cable connection or by using a wireless connecting device.
For most home computer users, this is a paid service.
o A computer will be able to perform most common functions (play music, type
documents and edit pictures) and run programs without an internet connection.
However, to view a web page or send an email, you will need an internet connection.
• A computer needs an Operating System in order to work; any new computer that you purchase
will come with an operating system already installed. The most common operating systems are
Microsoft Windows and Macintosh OS X.
OPERATING SYSTEMS AND SOFTWARE
Microsoft Windows Operating System
Computers without operating systems are exactly like televisions without a signal. Yes,
it will turn on, but you will be looking at a blank screen with no hope of interacting with
it (the lights are on, but nobody’s home)! The most popular operating system is
“Microsoft Windows,” and is utilized by most personal computer (PC) users. It is a
program that acts as the brains of the computer, allowing you to run other programs,
work on projects and do basically everything that computers are capable of. There are
many different versions of Microsoft Windows, and a new version is released every
couple of years (just like car models).
There are other operating systems as well. Apple Computer Company manufactures a
computer called a Macintosh, or Mac. Macs use an operating system called “Mac OS X”
which, while it may look very different from Microsoft Windows, runs under the same
basic principles. While fewer people use Macs than PCs, schools often use Macs, as
well as people who work with graphic design and video and image editing. As a general
rule, Macs tend to be more expensive than PCs.
You shouldn’t ever need to mess with the operating system. It should run correctly and without error for
as long as you have your computer. In fact, if you ever take your computer in for a repair, you can bet
that the technician will be looking primarily at your operating system (not your programs) in the same
way that a mechanic will look at your car’s engine.
Dell, Lenovo, HP, etc
Computer is called: PC
Operating System: Windows
Types: Desktop & Laptop
.
Apple
Computer is called: MAC
Operating System: OS X
Types: Desktop & Laptop

Turning On and Logging On the Computer
Turning the Computer On
Let's get started! As you sit down at your desk, you can assume that your computer system is one of
three states:
• Off: This is exactly what it sounds like: The computer is off, and no parts are running or working.
The monitor is black (no images), there is no "whirring" sound from the tower and the computer
is unresponsive to mouse movements or pressing keys on the keyboard. The power button (if it
lights up), should not be lit up.
• On: When a computer is on, you should see images on the monitor, you will most likely hear a
“whirring” noise coming from the tower (hopefully not too loud!) and the pointer on the screen
(the small white arrow) should respond when you move the mouse.
• Sleep Mode: Most computers have a mode called "Sleep," in which the computer is on, but it
has assumed an energy-efficient, minimal power mode. To "wake" it up, simply move the mouse
around or press the space bar on the keyboard, and it will “wake up” and return to the exact
same place that it was when it went to sleep (in other words, if you were using a word
processing program and put it to sleep, it would return to exactly what you were working on
upon waking up!).
To turn a computer on if it is off, simply press the power button once (no need to hold the button – just
press and release). We will go over how to turn a computer off later in this handout.
Logging On
Once you turn the computer on, the monitor will go through a
series of tasks before it is ready for you to interact with it (this
process is called ‘startup’). This will last about one to two minutes.
If the computer is not working correctly, you may see an error
message during startup. If the computer is performing as it should,
however, you will probably see a screen similar to the one on the
right.
This is called a "Log On" window, and it means that the computer is
password protected. If you do not see this window upon starting the computer, you can assume that
your computer is NOT password-protected and may be used by anyone. To log on, you would simply
enter your user name and password. If you are using a Durham County Library computer, this will be
your library card number.
Since you are sitting in front of a public computer for this class, someone has already "logged on" for
you.

Desktop / Environment
The Desktop
After you log on, the computer will display what is known as your desktop within a few seconds to a few
minutes (if your computer is newer, this will probably go faster). Here you will see a digital
representation similar to a real-life desktop, complete with a workspace, files and file folders and even a
recycling bin!
One of the neatest features
about Microsoft Windows is
that your desktop may not
look anything like this one!
While this may sound
confusing, it means that you
are able to manipulate, alter
and change almost everything
about your desktop
environment. If you do not like
the color blue as your
background, where the icons
are, or even what language it is
in, you can change it!

THE KEYBOARD AND THE MOUSE
Using and Understanding the Keyboard
The Keyboard
In order to use your computer effectively, you must interact with it using both the mouse and the
keyboard. The above image of a keyboard may closely resemble (if it is not identical to) the keyboard in
front of you; learning the function of just a few keys will help you to interact better with your computer
and individual programs. The following is a list of commonly used keys that have special functions (keep
in mind that key functions can change depending on which program you are using):
1. Backspace: This key deletes letters backward.
2. Delete: This key deletes letters forward.
3. Shift: This key, when pressed WITH another key, will perform a secondary function.
4. Spacebar: This key enters a space between words or letters.
5. Tab: This key will indent what you type, or move the text to the right. The default indent
distance is usually ½ inch.
6. Caps Lock: Pressing this key will make every letter you type capitalized.
7. Control (Ctrl): This key, when pressed WITH another key, performs a shortcut.
8. Enter: This key either gives you a new line, or executes a command (pressed in a word
processing program, it begins a new line).
9. Number Keypad: These are exactly the same as the numbers at the top of the keyboard; some
people just find them easier to use in this position.
10. Arrow keys: Like the mouse, these keys are used to navigate through a document or page.

Using and Understanding the Mouse
The Mouse
While the keyboard is primarily used to insert/input and manipulate text and numbers on a computer,
the mouse is used mostly for navigating around the screen. Mice come in a variety of shapes and sizes.
Some of the strangest looking mice often look that way because they are designed to be more
ergonomic than traditional mice.
Each mouse, however different it may be, has similar functions. As you can see on the "simple" model
above, a traditional mouse has two buttons with a wheel between them (gray) that spins, called a "scroll
wheel." Both buttons can perform separate functions, and are referred to by which side of the mouse
they are located on.
Pressing the LEFT mouse button is called "left-clicking,” while pressing the RIGHT mouse button is called
"right-clicking."
Left-clicking is used far more often than right clicking. For now, know that left-clicking is used to select
or click on something, while right-clicking presents additional menu options.
Left-Clicking, Double-Clicking and Right-Clicking
Clicking
One of the most difficult things to learn when first beginning to use a computer, is how to use the
mouse. It takes coordination, precision and patience. Fortunately, the more you practice, the easier it
will become!

The mouse symbol, or pointer, that appears on the computer screen will change its look and function
depending on what it is near or hovering over.
Your mouse pointer will most often look like an arrow
When your mouse pointer is over an internet link, it will look like a pointing hand
When your mouse pointer is over a place where you can type, it will look like an I-beam
When your computer is busy or ‘working,’ your mouse pointer may look like an hourglass
or an arrow with an hourglass
There are actually many different pointers (though these are the most common), and they will change
automatically depending on what task you are trying to perform.
The buttons on the mouse may also have different functions,
depending on which program you are using. If you are working in
Microsoft Word, for example, the mouse will offer options related
to Microsoft Word. Conversely, if you are working in Microsoft
Excel, the mouse will offer options related to Microsoft Excel, and
so on.
For now, remember these rules:
1. The LEFT mouse button SELECTS items.
2. The RIGHT mouse button GIVES YOU MORE OPTIONS.
3. Double-clicking the LEFT mouse button EXECUTES options (for example, opening a program by
double-clicking an icon on the desktop).
4. Double-clicking the RIGHT mouse button does not do anything
For More Practice
Go to this website – http://www.pbclibrary.org/mousing/default.htm and click “Mousing Around
Tutorial”) in order to learn more about how the mouse works.
Go to this website – http://www.pbclibrary.org/mousing/mousercise.htm

THE DESKTOP
In previous versions of Windows, the Start button actually said START; it is now a logo as shown
on the right. The Start Menu Logo is a good place to, well, start! The Start Menu Logo (which
opens the menu) is located in the lower left corner of your screen. LEFT-CLICK once on the
button to open the menu.
Notice the options that are available in this menu. Popular programs that
you use regularly are on the left, while Documents, Pictures, Music, Games,
the Control Panel and help features are on the right.
Also note the "Shut down" button at the bottom of the menu. This button
is very important and functions kind of like a car. Logging off a computer is
like locking a car (the computer is in a stationary mode and you can’t do
anything). Clicking the Shut down Computer button is like turning off the
engine. When you click Shut down Computer, the computer has an
opportunity to properly shut down before the power is turned off. We will
cover how to log off and turn the computer off in more depth later in this
class.
By LEFT-CLICKING once on "All Programs," another menu will spring to life.
This is a list of all of the programs that you have installed on your
computer.
Nearly everything that you can do with your computer can be found in the
Start menu. This includes finding help, using programs, getting on the
Internet, emailing, printing, playing videogames, customizing your desktop
and much more!
You should feel free to experiment with the Start Menu. Go ahead and left-
click on something, and watch what happens!
Microsoft Windows has undergone many changes over the past couple of
decades. New versions of this operating system are released every couple
of years. It is currently being released in a version called “Microsoft
Windows 7.” Past versions include: “Windows 95,” Windows 98,”
“Windows ME,” “Windows XP” and “Windows Vista.” Many people
continue to use Windows XP, even though newer versions have been
released. It is important to know that there are different versions of
Windows, because different features (such as the Start Menu discussed
above) may look different in different versions.

Managing your “Windows”
Microsoft Windows is called "Windows"
for a reason. Programs appear on your
screen as "Windows” (rectangular
shapes) and are laid 3-dimensionally on
top of one another (see image at right),
just like on a real desktop. The desktop
is your work surface, and all of your
open windows appear on top of it.
If you can see a window, that means it is
open and the program is running. It is
possible to make the window bigger,
smaller, or close it using the buttons in
the top right corner of any window
Minimize: Left-click this button to shrink the window down to a
small button that will appear in the task bar (see below).
Restore/Maximize: Left-click this button to make the window as
large as it can be—it should take up your entire screen.
Close: Left-click this button to close the window. The program will close and stop running. Make sure
you save your work first if you are typing a document!
Restore Down: Left-click this button to make the window smaller without minimizing it.
The Taskbar
Microsoft Windows is capable of running more than one program at once. In other words, you can write
a letter in Microsoft Word, while surfing the Internet while using Microsoft Excel while checking your
email and so on! This is called "multi-tasking" and is a feature of all computers. However, with all of
these things going on at once, how do you keep track of them all? The Taskbar, which is the bar that
spans across the bottom of your screen next to the Start Menu Logo, is designed to help you keep track
of all of your programs. It looks like this:

In the illustration above, there are several programs running. The far-left button is the Start Logo, next is
Internet Explorer, next to that is the File Manager button, next is the Restore Desktop button, next the
calculator, lastly Notepad. To use one of the programs that is "open," simply left-click on it once to bring
it up to the top of the screen. The taskbar is modeled after what might happen in real life: you are
reading the newspaper, and you set it aside to pick up your favorite book. You didn't throw it out or
destroy it, you simply set it aside. This way, you can pick up right where you left off once you are done
reading your book. The taskbar works the same way, but with software programs, not newspapers and
books.
SHUTTING DOWN THE COMPUTER
Logging Off vs. Turning Off / Shutting Down
To log off or shut down the computer, click the Start logo button:
As mentioned earlier, logging off your computer and shutting down
your computer are two different things. Remember the analogy of the
car: Logging off a computer is like locking the car (the computer is in a
stationary mode and you can’t do anything). When you first log in to a
computer, it’s like using a key (password) to get in, and when you are
done using the computer, you need to log off (the computer will remain
on) to make sure no one else can make changes while you are away.
By contrast, when you click the Shut Down option, it is like turning a
car’s ignition off. You need to make sure that processes and programs
are properly ended and shut down before pushing the computer’s power button, just as with a car you
have to turn off the ignition before trying to pull out the key. Click the Start logo button, then click Shut
Down. Do not just press the power button to turn off your computer!
After you have clicked “Shut Down,” your computer will begin a shut-down process in which it saves
things you have been working on, and ends all programs that are running. You may see a window that
says “Windows is shutting down.” When the computer is done shutting down, the screen will go black,
and the computer tower will stop making any noise. It is now shut down. Unless you have an older
computer that says “It is now safe to turn off your computer” at the end of this process, it is not
necessary to press the power button—your computer will turn off automatically.
Finding More Help
If you ever find that you need help while using your computer, you can simply left-click
the Start logo button, and then click “Help and Support” in the Start Menu. In addition,
most programs on your computer will also have an individual help feature. The Help
function may be available from a Help menu at the top of the window, or by clicking a
button. Help buttons are usually located in the top-right corner of the window, and

may look like a question mark. Help menus are often very user-friendly, and often have
a search function or pre-prepared FAQs. In addition to this, most programs come ready
with a 1-800 numbers to connect with a technician who is available to help you.
Buying a Computer
Buying a computer is a big decision, and can be quite expensive! It is a good idea to do some research
before buying a computer to find out what would work best for your needs, what computers have
performed well for others, and what models are within your price range. Asking for help finding this
information at the Information Desk of the library is a good place to start. In addition, here are some
websites you might want to check out:
• http://www.consumerreports.org/ (under electronics, select “Computers”)
• http://www.ehow.com/how_3038_buy-computer.html
• http://www.pcworld.com/article/125649/how_to_buy_a_desktop_pc.html
• Personal computer companies:
o http://www.dell.com/
o http://www.lenovo.com/
o http://www.hp.com/
Other Programs and Software
Although there may be lots of software that comes pre-installed on your computer when you buy it,
there are many more programs available for you to download or buy, from educational games for
children, to photo editing software, to professional programming software. If you are interested in a
particular type of software, here are some suggested websites to check out:
• http://www.pcmag.com/
• http://www.compusa.com/
• http://www.amazon.com/
• http://www.microsoft.com/
Keep in mind that software is often designed for either a PC or a Mac, so make sure
whatever program or game you purchase is compatible with your particular
computer. If software is compatible with types of computers, it will often have a
symbol like this:

MOUSING EXERCISES
Using a mouse is one of the most fundamental skills you will need when working on a computer. Being
comfortable using a mouse takes a little practice. Practice is time well spent because using a computer
will become much easier once you can easily manipulate the mouse. Look at the following table to
familiarize yourself with the terminology we use when referring to different types of mouse clicks.
Mouse Action How to Perform Action When to Use Action
Click One click of the left mouse button To select an image or icon
To move items around your
computer’s desktop
To move the cursor through a word
processing program
Double-click Two clicks of the left mouse button To execute an action such as
opening a program
Right-click One click of the right mouse
button
To display shortcuts in a variety of
programs
Click and drag Click and hold down the left
mouse button and move the
mouse on the pad. Release the left
button
To select a section of text in a
document or frame. Text appear
highlighted after it has been
selected.
Drag and Drop Click an item that has been
selected, hold down the left
mouse button and drag the item to
a new location.
When moving sections of text or
graphic images or tables.
The drawing exercise that follows was designed to help you practice mouse basics while creating simple
drawings. You will be using the Microsoft Paint graphics program to create your drawings. This program
is available on all computers that have Microsoft Windows.
On the next page, you will see a brief explanation of the Microsoft Paint screen toolbars. Refer to this if
you have any questions during your exercise.
Following the Paint explanation are the instructions for creating several drawings: a rectangle, an oval, a
happy face, and a text box. Remember that the objective of this exercise is to become more comfortable
using the mouse in a variety of ways. You do not need to do all of the drawings in one sitting. Your
drawings do not have to be perfect!

The Microsoft Paint Window

Start Paint
Action: Click
1. Move the mouse so that the mouse pointer is over the
Start button logo in the lower left corner of the screen.
2. Click the Start button logo.
3. Move the mouse pointer up to All Programs.
4. Move the mouse pointer over the word Accessories.
5. Move the mouse pointer over the word Paint and click.
6. This starts the Paint program. You should see a screen
like the illustration on the previous page.
7. Click the Resize button in the upper right hand corner of
the window so that the Paint program fills the whole
screen.

Exercise One - Draw a Rectangle
Actions: Click, click and drag
1. Move the mouse pointer over the rectangle tool in the shapes menu.
2. Click the rectangle tool. (It will appear “pressed in.”) The mouse pointer should appear as a plus sign
with a small circle in the middle.
3. Click in the area where you want the rectangle to be, hold down the left mouse button, and drag the
mouse diagonally down and to the right.
4. Release the mouse button. A rectangle should appear on the white space.
5. Repeat the process, but try to make a square instead of a rectangle, and drag the mouse diagonally
up and to the left.

Exercise Two - Draw a Green Oval
1. Move the mouse pointer over the oval (ellipse) tool on the shapes menu.
2. Click the oval tool so that it appears “pressed in.”
3. Move the mouse pointer over to the color palette, and click the green square.
4. Move the mouse pointer into the white space.
5. Click and hold down the left mouse button where you want the lower right section of the oval to be.
Drag the mouse diagonally up and to the left.
6. Release the mouse button. A green oval should appear on the white space.
7. Repeat the process, but click a different color, and try to make a circle instead of an oval.
8. Repeat the process, but click a different color, and drag down and to the left.
9. Repeat the process, but drag up and to the right.

Clear the Screen
Action: Click
1. Move the mouse pointer to the menu drop-down arrow and click once.
2. Move the mouse over the word New.
3. Click. A message asks you if you want to save the changes.
4. Click No. A fresh “sheet of paper” appears on the screen.

Exercise Three - Draw a Face
1. Click on the brushes menu and select the airbrush tool on the toolbar so that it now appears in the
brushes menu.
2. Click a color square on the color palette for the color of face you want to make.
3. Move the mouse pointer over the white area. Click and drag the mouse in a circle to create a head.
4. Move the mouse pointer inside your circle and click where you want an eye.
5. Move the mouse pointer again and click to make another eye.
6. Do the same for a nose.
7. Click and drag below the nose to create a mouth.

Move the Face
Actions: Click, click and drag, drag and drop
1. Click the select tool from the menu and click "Rectangular Selection."
2. Click a point on the white space surrounding your face above and to the left of the picture.
3. Hold down the left mouse button and drag down and to the right so that a dotted rectangle is
created around the face.
4. Release the mouse button. (If you make a mistake, press the CTRL and the Z buttons on your
keyboard at the same time - this will undo the last action you did.)
5. Once you have selected the face to your satisfaction, move the mouse pointer into the middle of the
rectangle. The pointer will appear as two crossed arrows.
6. Click and hold down the left mouse button and drag the image to the right.
7. Release the mouse button. Your image has moved! This is called “drag and drop.”
8. Click and hold down the mouse button and drag the image to a different location on the page.

Erase the Face
1. Click the eraser tool on the toolbar so that it appears “pressed in.”
2. Move the mouse pointer, which will appear as a small square, over one of the eyes of your face.
3. Click and drag, “erasing” the eye.
4. Release the mouse button.
5. Move the mouse pointer over the other eye, and click and drag to erase it.
6. Move the mouse pointer over the nose, and click and drag to erase it.
7. Move the mouse pointer over the mouth, and click and drag to erase it.
8. Move the mouse pointer over the circle that was the head, and click and drag to erase it.

Exercise Four - Make a Text Frame
Actions: Click, click and drag, double-click, right-click
1. Click the text frame tool on the toolbar (the letter A) so that it appears “pressed in.”
2. Move the mouse pointer over the white area of the screen.
3. Click and drag down and to the right to create the text frame. It will have a dotted line border and
your toolbar will change.
4. Type the words, “cat, dog, horse” in the text frame, hit the enter key twice after each word.
5. Move the mouse cursor over the word cat and double-click. The word will appear “highlighted,”
selected in blue.
6. Type the word “frog.” Notice that the selected text is replaced by the newly typed text.
7. Repeat this process with the other words so that you can practice double-clicking.
END OF EXERCISE

INTERNET AND WEB BASICS
Learn the basics of navigating the web, including some basic search and safety information.

GETTING STARTED
Prerequisites
It is assumed that the user is familiar and/or comfortable with computer hardware, software and the
operating system Microsoft Windows.
We will be using PC desktop computers running the Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System. Our web
browsers will be Microsoft Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox.
It is important to note that the "Internet," the "Net" and the "Web" are all, for our intents and purposes,
the exact same thing. These terms are used interchangeably in popular culture.
Please let the instructor know if you have questions or concerns prior to starting class.
What You Will Learn
Locate and open a
web browser
Use the browser’s menu
and toolbar
Use the browser's
help feature
Recognize and navigate to a web
address (URL)
Identify and follow links on a web
page
Change the size of text on a
web page
Use a search engine and refine
your search
Understand error messages Copy text from a web page
Navigate a variety of
web pages
Preview and print a
web page
Manipulate and alter
multiple windows and tabs
Identify advertisements on a web
page
Understand virus safety and protect
personal info

BASIC WEB SKILLS/USING A WEB BROWSER
The Web, also known as the World Wide Web (WWW), is essentially a collection of an uncountable
number of pages of information displayed on the Internet. It is an information-sharing tool that is
growing at an unbelievable rate. You can view this information with the help of a “web browser”—a
window that allows you to view web content (an example is Internet Explorer). Because there is so much
information on the Internet, and so many individual sites and pages, it would be nearly impossible to
find what you were looking for by just “browsing” or flipping through sites, not only because of the
sheer size of the collection, but also because you wouldn’t know what address to go to! To deal with
this, we use a web browser to access a search engine, such as Google, which allows us to search for a
particular topic, word or phrase.
Think of the Internet like a very large library. It would be nearly impossible to find what you’re looking
for by just walking through the book shelves (though you might find some interesting things by chance!).
And so, you use the library catalog (search engine) to search for a given topic, which gives you a call
number (web address) for the book so that you can find it. You can find information on the web about
virtually anything, and from almost anyone – including companies, organizations, branches of
government, schools and colleges as well as individual people just like you!
Locate and Open a Web Browser
A web browser is a program that lets you see information and images on web sites. A browser reads the
information on a web page and displays it on your computer screen. There are several popular web
browsers such as “Microsoft Internet Explorer,” “Google Chrome” and “Mozilla Firefox” You can use any
of these browsers at the Durham County Library.
To open one of these browsers
Point to the browser's icon on the desktop (see images
below) with your mouse and double-click on it with the left
mouse button (alternatively, left-click once, and then press
the “Enter” key). A window like the one pictured to the right
should come up on the screen.
Using the Browser's Menu Bar
The Menu bar is directly below the Title bar and it displays the menu. For the purpose of this workshop,
we will use the Internet Explorer browser, but once you know how to use one browser, it is easy to learn
how to use another—they all function in a similar way.

The Menu Bar
You can click on each of the words to see a menu of the tasks you can perform.
To see a menu:
1. Point with your mouse to a menu option (e.g., File).
2. Click the left mouse button once to open a drop-down menu.
3. Point with your mouse to a particular item.
4. Click once with the left mouse button to select the item.
Using the Browser's Toolbar
The toolbar buttons provide shortcuts to frequently used navigation and menu
options, such as forward, back, stop, refresh, and home (we will cover what each
of these terms mean later). The toolbar is located just below the menu bar. Below
are some examples of what the different icons mean. If you hover your mouse
over the icons (tiny images), you will see a description (in a tiny pop-up window)
of the tasks that they perform.
The Toolbar
1 2 3 4
The Internet Explorer Toolbar
1 2 3 4
The Mozilla Firefox Toolbar
The following is a description of the most frequently used toolbar buttons:
1. The Back button takes you back to the previous web page that you viewed.
2. The Forward button takes you forward to the web page that you viewed before you clicked “Back.”
(The Back and Forward buttons are like miniature time machine controls! Think of them as going
backward and forward in time.)

3. The Refresh button will reload the web page that you are currently viewing. Web pages (especially
news sites) will change throughout the day, so it is important to refresh them periodically to see the
most recent changes.
4. The Home button will take you to the webpage that opened when you first opened your browser
window. If you are at a library, this is the library’s home page. It is possible to change your web
browser’s settings to open a different Home site.
The Address Bar
The address bar will appear either below or above the toolbar. This is a long, white box where you will
type the address of the site you wish to go to. We will learn more about web addresses and the address
bar in a little bit. In the images above it is where it says "http://www.durhamcountylibrary.org" or
"www.durhamcountylibrary.org."
Using Tabs
Tabs work just like tabbed dividers in a filing
cabinet or a binder—they allow you to
organize different pages while keeping them
all accessible. You can open a new tab by
going to File, New Tab, or by clicking the small button with the plus sign (+) to the right of the last tab, or
by holding down the control key and typing the letter ‘T.’
The benefit of using tabs, instead of new windows, is that you can view multiple tabs within one
window, and can switch between tabs very quickly by simply clicking on the tabs. In the example above,
if I wanted to view the Google page, You would simply click the tab that says “Google.” To switch back to
the Durham County Library page, you would click the tab that says “Durham County Library.” It is
possible to have multiple windows open, and for each window to have more than one tab open.
Using the Browser's Help Feature
As with many other programs, web browsers have Help features that you
can use if you ever need a hand. The help feature can be found in the
browser's Menu bar.
1. Point with your mouse to the "Help" option on the browser's menu bar
2. Click once with the left mouse button
3. Slide the mouse down to "Firefox Help" or "Internet Explorer Help"
4. The words will become highlighted
5. Click once with the left mouse button
*It is important to note that all web browsers are not the same. Like television sets, they all browse the
same Internet, but can be designed differently. The "Help" feature on many web browsers may not be
found the way it is shown here, but there is very often a “Help” menu option, or a “Help” button at the
top of the browser window.

WEB ADDRESSES/URLS
Go to a Specific Web Address
Web site addresses are everywhere! Just about every company and organization now has a website. You
can recognize website addresses because they will start with “www” or “http,” and/or will end with
“.com” or “.org” (this ending part is called an “extension”—we will learn about other extensions later). A
website address is also sometimes (though less frequently) referred to as a URL (Uniform Resource
Locator).
An example of a typical web site address: www.google.com. This is what you would type into the
address bar in your web browser in order to navigate to Google’s site.
This is how a web site address is formed:
A web address generally starts with "www" or “http://www,” which means World Wide Web. This is
usually followed by the name of the web site, which in this example, is Google. Notice that a period or
“dot” separates these two parts.
At the end of this address, you will notice ".com." This is called an extension. It tells us where the web
site has been registered (“com” stands for commercial). Other common extensions include: .net, .org,
.edu, .gov, and .mil.
If you see a forward slash or bar like this one / after the domain name, it means that it is taking you to a
specific area and web page on that web site. In the case of http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/, it is taking
you to the web site's "WORLD" news page.
Now that you know what a web site address looks like, you can go to a specific site by typing it in the
browser's address bar, which is located just below the toolbar. Other popular websites include
www.amazon.com, www.wikipedia.org and www.youtube.com.
In Firefox, the address bar looks like this:
If you want to go to a specific web site, perform the
following tasks:
1. In a web browser, click once with the left mouse button in the white area of the address bar – this
will highlight any text in the address bar (if you accidentally click more than once, you will need to either
click three times quickly to re-highlight the address, or manually highlight the very right side).
2. Press the delete key on your keyboard once to delete the current address (you can also simply start
typing the address to delete the current address if it is highlighted).
3. Type the address www.wikipedia.org in the address bar (or anywhere else you want to go).
4. Press Enter on the keyboard. (With some browsers there may be
a “Go” button, you can click on instead of pressing the Enter key.)
This will bring you to Wikipedia’s website:
Note: This is not part of the web address.
This is a small icon, called a favicon.

Identify and Follow Links on a Web Page
A link (also called a hyperlink) is an underlined word or phrase or an image on a web page that links to
either another place on the same page, or to an entirely different web page.
You can tell that you are on a link when you slide the mouse over some text or an image and your
mouse pointer becomes a hand with a pointing finger.
Go ahead and type a topic into the search box on the Wikipedia site (for example, search for “North
Carolina”), and then press Enter on your keyboard.
Run your mouse over the Wikipedia page that comes up. You'll notice that as you hover your mouse
over any of the blue words, the words become underlined, your mouse arrow changes to a pointing
hand, and (if you allow it to hover for a few seconds) a small description will appear below the link. This
should also happen if you hover over any of the images on the page.
Let's follow a link! Try clicking one of the blue words that appears on the Wikipedia page that you are
looking at—your instructor can assist you if you need help.
Here is how to do it:
1. Slide the mouse down to a word that is blue, or an image that causes your mouse pointer to turn
into a hand.
2. When the pointer turns into a hand, click once with the left mouse button.
You should now see a new page with text and other links. You can go back to the previous page by
clicking on the "Back" button on the browser's toolbar.
Practice going to different links! Remember that you can use the "Back" button to go back to the
previous page or use the "Forward" button to return to the page you were looking at before you clicked
“Back.”
Manipulate a Web Page
If you are not comfortable with the text size on a web page, you can choose to change the size that the
text is displayed in.
To change text size:
1. Move your mouse pointer over the word "View" in the browser's menu bar.
2. Click once with the left mouse button.
3. Slide your mouse down to "Zoom.”
4. You will see another little menu pop up on the right hand side of "Zoom."
5. Slide the mouse to the right and left-click once on “Zoom In” or “Zoom Out.”
6. You can repeat these steps to continue to make the text incrementally larger or smaller.

7. The text on the web page you are currently looking at should change according to what you have
chosen. To change the text size back, just repeat the previous steps, but this time select “Reset.”
This tool can be very useful, considering that web pages come in all shapes and sizes—it essentially
magnifies or “zooms in” on the text so that it becomes easier to read!
USING SEARCH ENGINES
Finding Information with a Search Engine
To find information on the web, you will need to use a search engine. A search engine goes out and finds
information for you on the World Wide Web. There are many search engines out there. Google is
currently the most popular search engine, but there are many others, such as Yahoo.com, Bing.com, and
Ask.com. Let's go to Google.
To open the Google search engine:
1. Go to your web browser’s address bar and type the
address: www.google.com
2. Click the "Go" button or press the Enter key on your
keyboard. (Google is now open and should look like
the picture to the right.)
3. Click once with the left mouse button in the search
box.
4. Type a word or a phrase that describes the
information that you are looking for (the fewer
words, the better—no need to use complete sentences!).
5. For example, type the word "Spain" to see what Google will find on this topic. (NOTE: Google will
now suggest words or phrases to you to aid you in coming up with search terms).
6. Click once with the left mouse button on the Google Search button, or press Enter on your
keyboard.
7. Google immediately provides you with many websites that have to do with "Spain."
Refining Your Search
Try the following steps in order to refine your search:
• If you get too many "hits" (listed websites), try adding extra words that describe what you want
– if that gives more instead of fewer results, put "and" between each word. For example, "spain
AND vacation" will find only pages where both of those words are included.
• Put phrases in quotation marks, e.g. "historical sites in spain," "John Smith" or "american
association of social workers." This will find only those pages that contain these exact phrases.
• If you're looking for a company like Microsoft or Lexus or Coke, try typing the name in the
address box at the top of your browser - it might take you directly there!

Understanding Error Messages
Sometimes you will type a web site address but an error page comes up instead of the website. This
happens from time to time. The most common cause for this is that you have typed the web address
incorrectly. You can also sometimes get an error message when you click on a link on a web page. This
often means that either the link is “broken,” or the page no longer exists. An error page can mean a
variety of things, including any of the following:
• The web site is temporarily down
• The web site does not exist anymore
• The link you clicked is broken (the link was created incorrectly)
• Your program can't open the web site because of some restrictions
• There may be too many people trying to access the site at the same time
There may be nothing you can do to rectify the situation. In this case, you might just have to move on
and go to another website or choose another link. In this day and age, major websites are usually never
down for a very long period of time. It is the equivalent of a major television network going down – you
can rest assured that many, many people are working very hard in order to bring it back up as soon as
possible!
The following are screenshots of "down" websites:
COPYING INFORMATION FROM THE WEB
Saving Images, Documents and More
You may want to keep information you find on a web site but you don't necessarily need to print a
whole page. You can accomplish this by copying and pasting information from the web site to a word
processing program. There are four steps: Highlight, Copy, Open the
word processing program, Paste.
Here is how you highlight the text:
1. Let's go to the web browser’s “Home” site. Click the house icon to
navigate to the page you first saw when you opened the browser.

2. Place the cursor before some text you wish to highlight. Try to highlight a whole paragraph if
possible (your instructor may need to help you navigate to a page with more text if there isn’t much
text on this site).
3. Hold down the left mouse button.
4. Move the mouse down and to the right until all of the text you wish to copy is highlighted, then let
go of the mouse button.
To copy the text:
1. Click on the word Edit in the browser's menu bar.
2. Slide the mouse down to Copy.
3. Left-click once. This has copied the text you have highlighted onto the
“Clipboard,” which stores it for you to paste somewhere else.
Now open Microsoft Word:
1. Double-click on the Microsoft Word icon on the desktop.
You can now paste:
1. Click on the Edit option of Word's menu bar.
2. Slide the mouse down to Paste.
3. Left-click once. The text should now be pasted into the blank Word document!
*Note: You can also use "Ctrl-C" to COPY and "Ctrl-V" to PASTE instead of accessing these options from
the menu bars in your browser and Microsoft Word. Ask your instructor if you have questions about
this.

NAVIGATING THE WEB
Identifying Advertisements
It is common to find advertisements on web sites. A lot of these advertisements are traps. They get you
to enter your personal information and tell you that this is for a chance to win money or prizes, but most
of the time it’s just to get your email address so they can send you junk mail. In extreme cases, malicious
websites may try to steal personal information such as your social security number or your credit card
number in order to steal money from you or even your identity.
Some other advertisements will pop up and tell you that you need to “Click Here” because you have a
virus and you need to clean up your computer or something similar. Again, these are just ways the
company tries to access your personal information or sell you something. Please consult your instructor
if you have specific questions.
REMEMBER: You can always ignore advertisements, just like you can change the television channel at
home. You are not forced to do anything on the Internet!
Viruses and Personal Safety
For your own safety, NEVER give out your personal information over the web to unsolicited
advertisements or unknown websites. These are most likely not secure. If you are applying for or buying
something from a legitimate organization or company, it will be done on a secure site. You can tell if it is
a secure site because the web address should begin with https://. The addition of the s means that this
site is secure. It is a good idea to only make purchases on widely-known, well-regarded sites (e.g.,
Target.com or Amazon.com). Regardless of the site on which you are making a purchase, you should
always check out their privacy policy. [If you are interested in learning more about making purchases
online, you can sign up to take our online shopping class.]
Internet Explorer has a gold padlock in the locked position when a site has been verified as safe
When using Firefox, mouse over the icon on the left of the address bar
Viruses are malicious programs that are loaded onto your computer without your knowledge. They can
destroy or delete everything on your hard drive, such as your file and folders, or extract personal

information. Your computer can become infected when you download pictures and files from the web
or email messages, so avoid downloading files from the Internet unless you are sure it is safe. If you
receive an email from a friend with an attachment, always verify that they intended to send you the
attachment before you open it, since viruses can cause their accounts to send emails without their
knowledge.
If you have a home computer it should be protected against viruses. You can equip it with virus
protection software that stops viruses from attacking the computer’s hard drive and your files. When
you try to download something from the web, the virus protection software will scan the downloaded
file or image to make sure that it does not contain any viruses.

INTERNET EXERCISES
Open the Firefox Browser:
Go to www.google.com and try to find the answers to the following questions:
• Who played in the 1979 World Series?
• What is the address of the Empire State Building?
• What is Florida's state bird?
• Who invented the paper clip?
• What was First Lady Michelle Obama's maiden name?
Open a New Tab:
Search for travel information:
• Go to www.google.com and look for information on a place you’d like to travel
• Go to www.about.com. Select the Browse Categories Tab. Select the Travel button. Pick a
location from the top menu bar and make a selection from the drop down menus.
o Can you recognize what is an ad vs. what is the content of the web site?
Open a New Tab:
Search for health information
• Go to www.google.com and look for information on a medical condition (e.g. Diabetes, Cancer)
• Research the same condition using the Durham County Library's website:
o Go to www.durhamcountylibrary.org
o Click on the ONLINE RESOURCES button on the home page
o Scroll through the list of resources to find one that looks like it will give medical
information. Double click on the name of the resource
o Search for a medical condition
Move back to the tab where you were searching for travel. Delete the tab.
Delete the tab where you were searching for a medical condition.
Close the browser.
END OF EXERCISE

INTRODUCTION TO WEB-
BASED EMAIL
In this class you will create an email account, compose, receive and send email messages and learn to
use other important email functions.

GETTING STARTED
Prerequisites
It is assumed for this class that the user is comfortable with basic computer operations. In addition,
very basic Internet experience is recommended.
This workshop is intended for new email users.
We will be using PC desktop computers running the Microsoft Windows 7 Operating System in
addition to Gmail and Yahoo! Mail email services.
Please let the instructor know if you have any questions or concerns prior to starting class.
What You Will Learn
Understand the pros and cons of
email use
Create and access an email account Open and read received
email
Compose and send email Attach a document or picture to an
email
Open an attachment
Organize your emails Retrieve a document or picture from
a received email
Utilize the People/Address
Book feature
INTRODUCTION
What is Email?
Email, short for Electronic Mail, consists of messages which are sent and received using the Internet.
While there are many different email services available that allow you to create an email account and
send and receive email and attachments, we have chosen to focus this class on the services available
through Gmail and Yahoo! Mail because they are free and are two of the more popular email services
available.
The Pros
• It's fast. Most messages are delivered within minutes – sometimes seconds – around the world
without the inconvenience and cost of using a postal service. In fact, postal service is often referred
to as "snail mail" by email users.
• It's personal. While the nature of email is informal, its efficiency is an excellent substitute for
telephone conversations.
• You can think through your response. Like a letter, you can type your reply and make changes
before sending.

• The sender and the receiver don't have to be working at the same time. Email avoids problems such
as telephone tag or tying to contact someone in a different time zone.
• Email makes it easy to keep a record of your communication. You can save copies of the emails you
send as well as those you receive and refer to them later.
• You can reach a lot of people at once. It is possible to send one message to hundreds of recipients at
once, or you can send a private message to one individual.
The Cons
• Junk Mail (also referred to as spam). This is as annoying in email as it is with traditional mail. Most
email services now filter incoming mail and sort email messages that are most likely advertisements
or scams into a folder called “spam.”
• Friendly spam. Try not to forward unnecessary messages to friends who may not appreciate hearing
the latest list of “Top Ten Things…”
• Ads. The reason you can get free email services like Gmail and Yahoo! Mail is because of
advertisements. You pay the price of having to click around them to read your mail.
• Misinterpretation. Email arrives without tone or facial expressions, which can lead to
misunderstanding.
• Email messages can be passed on to others. You should always count on the possibility of your
message ending up in the inbox of someone it wasn't intended for.
• You can hide behind email. It's tempting to use email instead of facing a person when you have to
deal with an unpleasant situation. It's best to talk to a person face-to-face under these
circumstances.
Don’t use email for:
• Long or complicated messages: Sometimes it's more effective to speak to someone in person or
on the phone. It can be difficult to effectively write down a complicated message in email
format.
• Questions that require a lot of clarification: If a message is going to require several exchanges
back and forth to make sure it is understood, more direct communication is best.
• Delivering indiscreet, sensitive, or private information: While your email account is personal,
keep in mind that, while rare, passwords have been stolen and there are ways for interested
parties to intercept information. Do not send your social security number, credit card number,
or bank account information in an email if it can be avoided.
• Angry exchanges: Things you should say in person.

SETTING UP YOUR EMAIL – OUTLOOK.COM
Creating an Email Account
1. Connect to the Internet by double-clicking the Internet Explorer or Firefox desktop icon.
2. Go to the Outlook site by typing outlook.com into the address bar at the top of the screen, and press
the Enter key on your keyboard.
3. You should see a screen that looks like the image below:
4. Make sure “Stay Signed In” is UNchecked whenever you log in on a public computer or one that
you share
5. Click on SIGN UP NOW where it asks if you “Don’t have a Microsoft account?”
6. Complete all the information in the form starting with Who are you?

7. How would you like to sign in?: Keep in mind that your
Microsoft account name will become your Microsoft
PROFILE and EMAIL ADDRESS so choose carefully! The
username you choose may already be in use. Because
there are so many people who use email, sometimes
you might have to try a few before finding one that is
available. Common email addresses are:
firstname.lastname OR firstinitial.lastname. People
often choose to use their name if they will be using this
email address for professional purposes. Tip: Your Login
Name/email address doesn't have to be your given
name. With email, you can, for example, choose
something that is related to your occupation or
interests. For example, you might want to be
bluebird@outlook.com. If you find that name is already
taken, you could always add some numbers after it to
make it more unique. If you were born in 1960, you
could be bluebird1960@outlook.com. Don’t use the
same words/numbers you plan to use in your
password though!
8. Create a Password: You will also need to select your password. Make sure your password is
something that you can remember, but no one else can easily figure out! Don’t ever share your
password with anyone else. To protect your password, it's a good idea to change it periodically.
Below are some tips for creating a strong password, courtesy of Google
(https://www.google.com/accounts/PasswordHelp):
Tips for creating a secure password:
o Include punctuation marks and/or numbers.
o Mix capital and lowercase letters.
o Include similar looking substitutions, such as the number zero for the letter 'O' or '$' for
the letter 'S'.
o Create a unique acronym.
o Include phonetic replacements, such as 'Luv2Laf' for 'Love to Laugh'.
Things to avoid:
o Don't use a password that is listed as an example of how to pick a good password.

o Don't use a password that contains personal information (name, birth date, etc.)
o Don't use words or acronyms that can be found in a dictionary.
o Don't use keyboard patterns (asdf) or sequential numbers (1234).
o Don't make your password all numbers, uppercase letters or lowercase letters.
o Don't use repeating characters (aa11).
Tips for keeping your password secure:
o Never tell your password to anyone (this includes significant others, roommates,
parrots).
o Avoid writing your password down (unless you have problems remembering, then keep
it in a safe place!).
o Never send your password by email.
o Periodically change your password (e.g., every six months).
o Do not save your password in your internet browser (your browser will likely ask if you
wish to save the password) – other people who use your computer will be able to log in!
9. For now, write down your Microsoft Login Name and password. This is crucial because you will
NOT be able to access your email without them, but keep this piece of paper in a safe place!
Microsoft Login Name: ______________________________
Password: ______________________________________
10. Help us make sure you’re not a robot: The next
portion of the form is simply a security measure. Type
the code into the box as you see it on your screen.
11. After completing the information click on > I Accept.
12. Congratulations - You now have an email account! Remember that your email address is your
Microsoft Login Name directly followed by “@outlook.com”

MANAGING YOUR EMAIL - OUTLOOK
Checking Your Email
Once you have set up your email account, you can check your mail anywhere that you can access the
Internet. This is how it is done:
1. Connect to the Internet by double-clicking the Internet Explorer or Firefox desktop icon.
2. Go to the Outlook site by typing outlook.com into the address bar at the top of the screen.
3. Type your Microsoft Login Name and Password into the box on the right.
4. The next page will show you the number of new messages in your Inbox.
5. The inbox is where all of your incoming messages are stored. Click anywhere in the row of the email
you want to read. We will go into more detail regarding Receiving and Reading messages in a later
section.
Composing and Sending Messages
1. To create a new message, click the New button in
the blue bar at the top left of your screen.
2. The compose screen is a blank message form featuring the following at the top:
To: is where you type the email address of the person(s) to whom you wish to send the email.
Cc & Bcc: To add secondary addresses to your email, click on these links and additional boxes will
appear.
CC: “CC” stands for "carbon copy." This box allows you to "copy" a person on an email that you are
sending to someone else. The person who’s email address is in the “To:” box will be able to see the
email address of anyone who is CC’d.
BCC: This is for "blind carbon copies." If you send a copy of an email to someone by putting their
address here, the recipients in the To: and CC: boxes will not be able to see that person's address.
Add a Subject: is a brief summary of the subject of your message. It is important to include a subject
line because it will benefit the recipient by allowing them to see what your email is about before
they open it. It is especially helpful if you are sending email to someone who might not recognize
your email address. This will help indicate to them that the email is not spam or junk email.

3. You can enter multiple recipients in all three address boxes. Separate the addresses with a comma
and a space. Example: bluecat461@outlook.com, ggsmith18@gmail.com
4. The box where you actually type your message is easy to spot because it's the largest one in the
window and it says TYPE YOUR MESSAGE HERE. Click inside to start typing. If you want to change the
appearance of your text, you can use the formatting toolbar at the top of the box. The formatting
options are similar to those used in Microsoft Word.
5. Once you have completed your message, send it by clicking on the Send button at the top of the
window.
6. IMPORTANT: You cannot cancel a message once you have sent it, so make sure you want to send
the message before you click Send.
7. By default, Outlook saves the messages you send in your Sent folder so you have a record of what
you sent and when. You can find your Sent folder in the sidebar on the left side of the page.
Attaching a file to your message
You can attach files to your email messages. This feature allows you to send pictures, documents and
even sounds.
To attach a file, first you need to do the same things you do to compose a message.

1. Click on New
2. Type the address
3. Type the subject
4. Type the message
5. When you finish typing your message, click on the Attach files link directly below the Formatting
toolbar.
6. This opens the File Upload window:
7. Scroll through your computer to find the file. Click on the file you wish to attach and click Open. If
you have more files to attach, repeat these steps
before moving on.
8. Outlook will automatically attach the files to your
message. This may take a little time, depending on the
size of your file. Once the file is attached, you'll see a
thumbnail of your attachment and the name
displayed underneath the Formatting toolbar.
9. Click Send to send the message.

Receiving and Reading Messages
As we went over earlier, when you log into Outlook, the number of new or unread
messages is indicated by a number next to the word “Inbox” in the left-hand
navigation column.
Reading Messages
1. By default, email messages are viewed in the Inbox. New messages are in bold
font.
2. To view your message, click anywhere in the row of the email you wish to read.
3. Once you have read your message, you have several options.
Replying to the message
Selecting this option will include the original message at the bottom of the email and automatically
address the message to the person who sent it to you. You can then add text to the existing message
and delete portions of the original text if you wish before sending your reply to the original sender (kind
of like replying to a letter and including the original letter in your new envelope). Click on the Reply
button to reply only to the sender. Or click on the arrow next to the Reply button and select Reply all if
you prefer to send the message to all recipients of the original message.
Forwarding the Message
This feature copies the message you are viewing for delivery to another email address.
You can add text and edit the message before sending it. To forward the message, click
on the arrow next to the Reply button and select Forward.
Other Email Options
When viewing your inbox there is a checkbox to the left of each message. Selecting a message by
checking a message reveals a toolbar offering other options. We have already covered New and Reply,
We will now look at the other options.
Delete
The Delete option allows you delete email messages. Select a message by clicking on the checkbox next
to the sender’s name. Click on the Delete option in the toolbar. Your message will be moved to the
Deleted folder.

Junk
If you receive unwanted messages in your inbox you can use the Junk option. Select a message by
clicking on the sender’s name. Click on the Junk option in the toolbar. This will send the message to the
Deleted folder and it will mark the sender as unsafe. Another option under the Junk selection on the
toolbar is the Phishing scam option. By selecting a message and clicking on Phishing scam the message
will be sent to the Deleted folder and you will see the message shown below:
Sweep
This feature allows you to delete or move emails in bulk from a specific sender when you need to. Select
the check box next to the message from the sender you want to sweep. Click the down arrow next to
the Sweep option on the toolbar. From here you can select to move all the messages from this sender to
a specific folder, or delete all the messages from this sender. Another option under Sweep is the
Schedule cleanup option. This will allow you to set up a rule to Sweep your inbox on a regular basis. The
final option under Sweep is Manage rules. Do use this option you must first verify your account with a
cell phone number with text capabilities. Once you have verified your account you can set rules for all
kinds of organizational tasks in Outlook. Please see the Help option for more information.
Move To
The Move to options on the Outlook toolbar allows you to move selected messages to the different
folders in the left side navigation. You can also use the New folder option to create your own folders.

Organizing your Email Using Categories
Outlook gives you the ability to organize your email into Categories. Several of these
have already been created for you as you can see from the selecting the drop down
arrow next to Categories on the toolbar. To move a message to a category, first select
the message by clicking in the checkbox. Next click on the Categories option and click in
the checkbox next to the category. If you select Manage categories you have the option
of showing your categories in the left navigation bar under Quick Views.
… Option
The last option on the toolbar is the “…” option. This option allows you to mark message
as “read” or “unread.” It also allows you to “flag” or “unflag” messages. This is also
where you go to Print a message.
Receiving an attachment
When you receive a message with an attachment, a paper clip appears next to the date of the message
in your inbox.
Click on the message to open the email.
At the top of the message, you will see any
attachments.
This email has a Word document attached called citing_classes_resume.doc
There are three ways to view this document. You can 1) click
on the attachment and it will download to your computer;
2) you can click on View online at the bottom of the
attachment and the Word Web App will open with your
document; or 3) you can download the attachment as a .zip
file. If you click on the attachment, Outlook will download
the attachment to your computer. (How this happens
depends on the internet browser you are using.) Firefox
opens a window as shown to the right:
To open the file, select Open With, and then click the OK
button, and the program that runs this type of file (such as
Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat) will open the attached
file.

To save the file to your computer, select Save File. If you choose this option, you won't get to see the
contents of the file first.
IMPORTANT: Never open an attachment if you don't know the person who sent it. This is the most
common way computer viruses are sent. Do not open a file that ends in .exe unless you already know
what it is and why you're receiving it. If you think any attachment – even from someone you know –
looks suspicious, do not open it. If you would like to learn more about computer viruses, how they are
transmitted, and what damage they can do to your computer, go to this web address:
http://computer.howstuffworks.com/virus.htm
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
OUTLOOK
Additional features in Outlook mail can be found by clicking on the down arrow next to the word
Outlook on the toolbar.
People
The People feature allows you to keep track of email addresses, which can sometimes be hard to
remember. To access your People List click on the People icon.
Adding a Contact
To add a contact and their email address, click on the New button. You can add as little or as much
additional information about each email address as you prefer. Keep in mind, however, that if you add
the name of the person associated with the email address, it will be easier to look up later since email
addresses don’t always contain the person’s name.
Looking up addresses
Once an email address is saved in your address book, you can look it up when sending an email. If you
can't remember the email address off hand, just click on the To button on the left side of the page to
access your contacts. Otherwise, just start typing the first letter or two of the person’s email address or
name, and Outlook will suggest email addresses for you.

Calendar
Outlook also has a calendar that you can use to keep track of your schedule. To access it, click Calendar
and then simply click anywhere in the calendar to create and edit an event. You can create multiple
calendars, and can even color code them. For more information, click the Help link in the top right
corner of the screen.
GETTING HELP
Where to find help
At the Library
You can access your Outlook account from anywhere there is an internet connection or wireless
internet, including the Durham County Library. However, the library has no control over your free email
account. While library staff might be able to help you with the features of your account, remember that
they cannot look up your username and password for you.
What if I forget my password?
If you can't remember your ID or Password, Outlook can help you remember it.
Remember when you were signing up Outlook asked for a Phone Number, Alternate email address and
/ or a Security Question Click on the "Can’t access your account?" link located beneath the Sign in box
on Outlook’s home page. This will take you to a page where you can retrieve your password by
answering questions.
Note: This feature only works if you can remember either your ID or
password. If you have forgotten both, you may need to create a new
account.
Outlook Help
If you have questions while working in your email you can always go to the help
option. Go to the Gear icon on the right side of the toolbar and select Help.

EMAIL EXERCISE
Now that you have a working email address let’s send some emails.
1. Compose an email
a. Compose an email message to a friend telling them about your new email address. BCC
yourself. (If you do not know anyone’s email address you can send one to
dclcomputertraining@outlook.com ).
b. Go to your SENT folder and look for the message you just sent.
2. Create a category
a. In Outlook open an email message in your inbox.
b. Click on the Categories drop down arrow.
c. Click on New category. Call the category Job Hunting.
d. Move one of your email messages to the new location.
3. Create a folder
a. In Outlook open an email message in your inbox.
b. Click on the Move to drop down arrow.
c. Click on New Folder. Call the folder Resumes.
d. Move one of your email messages to the new location.
4. Sending an Attachment
a. Compose an email message to yourself at your new email address.
b. Subject: Email Attachment
c. Click on Attach files
d. Go to the folder: Libraries / Pictures / Sample Pictures.
e. Select a picture to attach.
f. In the body of the message type: Here is an email attachment I am sending myself.
g. Send the message.
h. Open the email you just sent to yourself and select View slide show.
5. Add a new contact
a. Name: Durham County Library
b. Email: dclcomputertraining@outlook.com
c. Address: 300 N. Roxboro Street
d. URL: durhamcountylibrary.org

INTRODUCTION TO
MICROSOFT’S WORD WEB APP
In this class you will learn the basics of a word processing software program, Microsoft Word using
SkyDrive’s Word Web App.

GETTING STARTED
Prerequisites
It is assumed that user is both familiar and comfortable with the following prior to working with the
Microsoft Word Web App:
Using the mouse and the left-click feature
Basic navigation through Microsoft Windows
Basic typing and keyboard commands
Accessing the World Wide Web
Have an outlook.com email address
Please let the instructor know if you do not meet these prerequisites.
What You Will Learn
Starting and opening the online
software application
Microsoft Word Web App
components and features
Keyboard functions
Simple tasks in Microsoft Word Typing text Formatting text
Undoing and Redoing Copying, pasting, cutting and
deleting text
Inserting images and clipart
Changing views and setup Automatic completions and
functions
Spelling and Grammar check
Microsoft Word Help Ending and closing the online
software application
Printing documents
Saving documents Miscellaneous features

USING MICROSOFT WORD WEB APP
A word processor is a computer program used to create and print text documents that might otherwise
be prepared on a typewriter. The key advantage of a word processor is its ability to make changes easily,
such as correcting spelling, adding, deleting, formatting and relocating text. Once created, the document
can be printed quickly and accurately saved for later modifications. In fact, the document that you are
reading now was created using only a small amount of the many features available in Microsoft Word!
All of the computers at the library have Microsoft Word loaded as a full software program. For the
purposes of this class we will be using the Word Web App. By using the Word Web App in Microsoft’s
SkyDrive you will be able to access your documents anywhere you have access to a computer with an
Internet connection. The Word Web App has some limits, but for the basics you will be learning in this
class, it will be sufficient for everything we do.
Microsoft Word Components
Before you get started with the Word Web App you will need to go to Microsoft SkyDrive and log in with
your Outlook/Hotmail email address and password. [https://skydrive.live.com] Your screen should look
like the image below.

To open a blank document, click on CREATE and WORD DOCUMENT.
Name your document and click on CREATE.
The Word Web App will automatically save your document with the suffix ".docx" – this is simply a tag
that lets Word know that your work is specific to this program and version of the software. By using the
.docx suffix, you will be able to download your SkyDrive documents to a local computer and open them
in the full version of Microsoft Word.
You are now in the Word Web App.
The Title Bar
This is a close-up view of the Title Bar, where file information is located.

The Ribbon Menu System
The tabbed Ribbon menu system is how you navigate through Word and access the various Word
commands. If you have used previous versions of Word, the ribbon system replaces the traditional
menus. The Word Web App has a limited numbers of features. For all of the features available in Word,
you will need to use the Microsoft Word program.
File Tab
The File Tab is the first option on the ribbon menu. When you click on File a menu appears. From this
menu you can Save, Save As, Print and most importantly access Help. If you are on a computer with a
full version of Microsoft Word, you can switch from the Word Web App to Word. For the purposes of
our class we will stay in the Word Web App.

Home Tab
The Home Tab provides "shortcuts" to the most used commands in Word. Some of these commands
are:
Paste | Cut | Copy | Font | Font Style | Font Size | Font Color | Text Alignment
The Home Tab offers options that can change the font, size, color, alignment, organization and
style of the text in the document. For example, (starting from the left side of the Toolbar) the
"Calibri" indicates the FONT of your text, the "11" indicates the SIZE of your text; and so on.
This is a sentence that features many different FONTS.
This is a sentencethatfeaturesmanydifferentSIZES
The "B" will make your text BOLD, the "I" will put it in italics, and the "U" will add an underline to your
text.
Finally, the alignment of the text can be altered using the buttons with the horizontal lines on them. You
can align text to the left, the center, the right or justified on both sides
To the LEFT,
In the CENTER,
And to the RIGHT.

The Keyboard
In order to use a word processor effectively, you must input commands using both the mouse and the
keyboard. The above image of a keyboard may closely resemble (if it is not identical to) the keyboard in
front of you; learning just a few certain keys will help to improve your efficiency in typing as well as
present you with more options within the program. The following is a list of commonly used keys that
have special functions (key functions can change depending on which program you are using):
1. Backspace: This key deletes backwards as you type.
2. Delete: This key deletes forwards as you type.
3. Shift: This key, when pressed WITH another key, will perform a secondary function.
4. Spacebar: This key enters a space between words as you type.
5. Tab: This key will force the cursor to indent, or jump forward 10 spaces.
6. Caps Lock: This key will present the capitalized version of each letter key.
7. Control (Ctrl): This key, when pressed WITH another key, performs as shortcut.
8. Enter: This key executes a command (pressed in MS Word, it begins a new line).
9. Number keypad: This is a redundant keypad existing only for user preference.
10. Arrow keys: Like the mouse, these keys are used to navigate through the document
SIMPLE TASKS IN MICROSOFT WORD
Typing Text
To enter text, type just as you would if you were using a typewriter.
To capitalize a letter, hold down the SHIFT key while typing the letter.
Or, press the CAPS LOCK key on the left hand side of your keyboard. You will have to press the CAPS
LOCK key again – once you are done capitalizing – to remove the lock.
You do not need to press ENTER to start a new line – Microsoft Word will automatically wrap your
sentence at the end of the line.

To move the cursor from its position at the end of the your sentence to anywhere else on the page, use
the mouse or the arrow keys to move the cursor where you want the letters or spaces to be (left-click
the mouse to place the cursor) and then type what you want to add – the text will adjust to include it.
Press ENTER to start a new paragraph (this is sometimes called a "carriage return").
Formatting Text
Changing the look of what you've written is called "formatting." This can include changing the text style,
size, color and more.
You can also make text bold, underlined, or italicized when using a word processor. These features do
not have to be used independently of each other either – in other words, you make bold, underline, and
italicize a single piece of text.
To make text really stand out, you can also combine this with alignment and size to produce a heading in
bold, italics, underlined, sized and centered:
Sale at Bob's Paint Supplies!
Highlighting Text
In order to apply certain stylistic or other changes to text, you must first HIGHLIGHT the text. This is a
common procedure in Microsoft Windows applications, and like being able to successfully navigate the
mouse around your screen, the ability to highlight well is one that you want to master.
Just as the image above suggests, you can highlight text by placing your cursor (by moving the mouse)
directly to one side of the selection that you are working with.
In the case to the right, the user wants to highlight the phrase "This is a test" but NOT
"to show." In this example, the user should place the cursor directly to the left of the
word "This" and hold down the left-click button on the mouse.
Then, drag the mouse across the sentence, and a black or blue highlight will follow. The computer now
understands that any and all formatting that you command will ONLY apply to the part of the sentence
that you highlighted (and not "to show," since it is not highlighted).
Suppose we wanted to make the words "This is a test" bold, and leave the rest of the sentence
unformatted. The end result (once you click elsewhere on the screen to remove the highlight would be
this: This is a test
Experimenting with formatting can be fun, and it is an essential tool to master in all computer work. You
can also change the font color by clicking on the appropriate buttons in the Formatting Toolbar.
Experiment and remember – you can always start over with a fresh, new document, so don't worry
about making mistakes! If you do, however, there is always the incredible "UNDO" tool that is covered in
the next section.

Undoing and Redoing
The Undo and Redo features of Microsoft Windows applications are great tools to rely on (especially in
word processing). The program will keep a list of the last 25 commands that you have performed, and it
allow for taking "one step" backwards in order to erase what you have just done.
Click on the Undo button from the Menu Bar to go back one step (up to 25)
Click on the Redo button from the Menu Bar to go forward on step (up to 25)
Deleting Text
While typing a document, you make a mistake. Unlike a typewriter, a word processor can delete text on
the screen that leaves no residue – it is as if you never typed on the page in the first place.
A common source of confusion for users is understanding the difference between the "Delete" key and
the "Backspace" key (#1 and #2 on the keyboard map on page 64). Put simply, the "Backspace" key
deletes words to the LEFT of the cursor, and the "Delete" key deletes words to the RIGHT of the cursor.
This is my awe | some sentence.
BACKSPACE ↔ DELETE
Let's assume that the vertical line dissecting the word "awesome" in the example above is our cursor.
Pressing the "Backspace" key will erase "e," "w," "a" and so on, moving LEFT. The "Delete" key will erase
"s," "o," "m," and so on, moving RIGHT.
Copying, Cutting and Pasting Text
In word processing programs, you can Cut or Copy text from one place in a document and it can be
Pasted elsewhere in the document. You can also Cut, Copy and Paste between documents and different
software application.
When you Cut text, you actually delete it from where you took it, as
opposed to COPYING it, which makes, naturally, a carbon copy of you
selection.
When you Cut or Copy text, it is stored on what is known as the Clipboard.
The Clipboard is a tool in a word processor that you can use to stash away
cuts and copies of your work, to be pasted in other places in the document. Once your selection is on
the Clipboard, you can Paste it as many times as you want!

Cutting a selection will also make a copy of it, just in case you want to Paste it elsewhere.
To Cut a selection, first highlight it. Then, click on the Cut icon from the Home Tab toolbar.
The highlighted text will disappear, as you have just cut it out (but a copy is now on your clipboard) and
the computer is waiting for you to paste it somewhere else.
To Paste this cut selection somewhere else on the page, place your cursor where you want the selection
to go. Click on the Paste icon from the Home Tab toolbar, and it will pop into the place, right where your
cursor is.
To Copy, simply follow those same steps, replacing the Cut command with Copy.
You will notice immediately that the Copy command will not alter your original selection at all, as it is
simply making a copy.
***Always remember to highlight the selection! MS Word will not allow you to CUT, COPY or PASTE
unless you have highlighted something first!***
Inserting Images
With the Word Web App, you can insert pictures in your document using the Insert Tab toolbar. You can
insert pictures from the "Clip Art" from the Microsoft Clip Art Collection. You can also insert your own
saved Pictures by selecting the Picture option from the Insert tab toolbar.
Clip Art is a collection of cartoon images, photographs and computer-generated images that cover a
broad array of commonly needed icons and pictures. These include business, holiday, nature,
entertainment, academic and other themes, along with standard
bullets and symbols.
To insert a Clip Art picture in Word Web App
Place the cursor (left-click) where you wish to insert you picture in
your document.
On the Insert Tab toolbar, click on Clip Art.
An Insert Clip Art Window will appear.
Type in a search word to find the clip art you are interested in. Select the image and click on Insert.

When using the Word Web App you cannot move an image or wrap text around it
like what is shown in this document. When inserted, the image stays where it is. You
can resize the image by selecting the Format tab and selecting Grow or Shrink
When using the full version of Microsoft Word you can move the image to another
place in the document by left-clicking and holding on the center of it; drag it to its
desired location.
More options in the full version of Microsoft Word, such as aligning the image with text (or special
effects like wrapping text around or through an image) can be found by right-clicking the center, and
choosing the Format Picture option from the menu.
Occasionally, images are not as they seem. In other words, it may look one way in the preview, but
come out far different in the document.
The cursor will change from a typing icon to a double-arrow when it can be used to resize the image.
From this point, drag the corner to the upper-left corner of the screen, and the image will grow (note
the immediate decrease in quality – images have a very specific size that corresponds with quality).
You can also insert a photograph or other multimedia from your own files using this same process. On
the Insert Tab, click on Picture and locate the files that you want to include. Word processors support
many image types, along with movies and other multimedia. Images can also come directly from a
scanner.

Changing Views and Overall Look
There will be times in which you create documents that don't fit on a standard piece of paper in its
normal dimensions (8.5" by 11").
Click on the Page Layout Tab.
From this menu, you can alter the margins, the width, height, orientation
(portrait = 11" long; landscape = 11" wide), indentation and line spacing.
To change orientation: On the Page Layout tab, click on Orientation.
Click on Landscape from the drop-down box that appears.
Your document should now be in a landscape position. If you wish to place it
back in a portrait position, go through the same steps but instead of clicking on the Landscape option,
click on the Portrait option.
To change Line Spacing from single to space and a half or double spacing select the line spacing drop
down arrow on the Home Tab.

Spelling and Grammar Check
One of the benefits of using a computerized word processor is its ability to recognize, change and give
advice about what you are writing. The full version of MS Word has utilities that can check your spelling
and grammar against a master database, and can offer advice on a variety of different grammatical
styles. With the Word Web App, spelling check is an option; however, grammar check is not.
The Word Web App automatically underlines any words that it does not recognize in red,
assuming that they are not spelled right. If you are using the full version of Microsoft Word a
green underline appears if it does not recognize the grammar, assuming that the sentence does
not make logical sense. For example:
In this case, "quickly brown fox" should read "quick brown fox" and "laziy" should be "lazy." If you right-
click on the word, a menu with pop up with options and spelling suggestions.
In the full version of Microsoft Word you can also choose to add words to the MS Word database, if you
are going to be typing them consistently and do not want to flag each one – this is especially useful for
names of people as MS Word will interpret these as misspellings.
The spelling tools can be found on the Home Tab.
Saving Documents
When you finish typing and want to leave the computer, it is important to save your work (even if you
are printing a hard copy – saving should be a reflex). To save you work in the Word Web App you simply
click on the File tab and select Save.
When you are working with the full version of Microsoft Word it is essential to know What you are
trying to save as well as Where you are trying to save it. The Libraries folders on your computer’s hard
drive are a good place to store your documents. A blank CD (compact disc) is a great portable storage
device as is a flash drive.
It is important to note that every consequent command of SAVE will overwrite your original file, creating
the most up-to-date version.

Printing Documents
The Microsoft Word Web App does not allow you to print the same way the full version of Microsoft
Word does. In the Word Web App your document will Print to PDF. This will create a pdf version of your
document and you can print it from there. In the full version of Microsoft Word you can print at any
time to any printer your computer is connected to.
Finding More Help
You can get help with the Word Web App by clicking the File tab and select Help from the menu.
Tutorials are also available on the Internet. Your instructor can help you with locating some of the
resources.

MICROSOFT WORD EXERCISE
CREATING AN INVITATION
Follow the directions below to create an invitation. It is recommended that you read through each
individual direction before performing it.
Remember that text is entered (typed in) or pasted wherever the insertion point is blinking. Always
make sure the insertion point is where you want the text to be entered. To move the location of the
insertion point, move the mouse and click.
Remember, too, that there is usually more than one way to accomplish tasks. If a different way to do
something occurs to you, go ahead and try it! If it doesn’t work, you can always click the Undo button.
If you can’t remember what a button does, move the mouse cursor over it and pause. A ToolTip will
appear describing the button’s function.
In the instructions, the following terms will be used:
Click – single left mouse click
Button – on screen in the toolbar
Key – on the keyboard
Text Entry
1. With SkyDrive open select Create Word Document. Name the document Invitation and click on
Create.
2. From the Home ribbon, change the font size to 18. (Click the downward-pointing arrow to the right
of the 11, and select 18 from the drop-down menu.)
3. Type the word Invitation
4. Press the ENTER key five times.
5. Type the words Please come to our Open House!
6. Press the ENTER key once.
7. Type the words Steve and Jane Mann
8. Press the ENTER key four times.
9. Type the words We’ve moved into our new home and we are having a party to
celebrate.
11. Type the words Saturday, March 9, 2013

13. Type the words 5:00 – 9:00 PM
15. Type the word Address:
16. Press the SPACE bar two times.
Copy and Paste
1. If you need to, scroll up the screen by clicking the vertical scroll bar at the right of the screen until
you can see Steve and Jane Mann.
2. Select Steve and Jane Mann by clicking, holding, and dragging the mouse over that phrase.
3. Hold down the CTRLKEY on your keyboard and the C key at the same time. This will copy the text.
4. Scroll back down to the word Address: and click so the insertion point appears to the right of the
word.
5. Hold down the CTRL KEY on your keyboard and the V key at the same time. This will paste the text.
7. Press the SPACE bar until the blinking cursor is under the S for Steve.
Text Entry
1. Type the words 1596 Howard St.
3. Press the SPACE bar until the blinking cursor is under the 1 for 1596.
4. Type the words Durham, North Carolina 27701
5. Press the ENTER key twice.
6. Type the word Telephone:
7. Press the SPACE key twice.
8. Type the words (919) 555-9999 (Regrets Only)
Formatting
1. If you need to, scroll to the top of the document, and select the word Invitation. (You can select it
either by double-clicking the word or by clicking, holding, and dragging the mouse to select the
word.)
2. On the Font drop-down list, select Century Gothic. On the Font Size drop-down list, select 36.
3. Select underline (click U button).

4. Click away from the word Invitation to deselect it.
5. Select the first mention of Steve and Jane Mann (remember to click, hold, and drag to select.)
6. Select font style Century Gothic.
7. Click away from the phrase Steve and Jane Mann to deselect it.
8. Scroll down to 5:00 – 9:00 PM. Click to the right of PM, using click/hold/drag method, drag up to the
top of the document, selecting everything from 5:00 – 9:00 PM all the way up to the word
Invitation.
9. On the Formatting toolbar, click the Center Alignment button.
10. Click away from the selected text to deselect it.
11. Select everything from Address: through (Regrets Only) by using the click/hold/drag method.
Choose font size 14.
12. Click away from the selected text to deselect it.
13. Scroll to the middle section of the document. Move the mouse pointer to just before the word and
in the phrase and we are having a party to celebrate. Click so the insertion point appears there.
Press the ENTER key.
14. Scroll down to the Address section of the document. Click in the space between Address: and Steve.
Press the space bar until the S in Steve lines up with the ( in the Telephone line. Repeat this for the
street address and the city, state, zip code lines of text.
15. Scroll to the top of the document and click your mouse under the word Invitation.
16. Click on the Insert tab. Click on the Clip Art tab. Type the word party into the search box and press
the Enter Key. Select one of the party hat images by clicking on it. Click on Insert.
17. Click on the Format tab. Click on the Shrink button until the image is under 20% scale.
Finalizing and Saving
1. Scroll down through your document to make sure everything looks good.
2. Click the Save button.
3. Congratulations, your work is now saved and you can come back to it at any time by logging into
your SkyDrive.
4. Close the Word Web App by closing your browser with the Close (X) button in the upper right corner
of the screen.
END OF EXERCISE

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