Word Processing


The Word Processing software includes Microsoft Word, Word Star, Word Perfect and Chiwriter. The Microsoft Word software uses Graphic User Interface (GUI); with this,  the use of computer is easier and user friendly.
The word processing software has a number of attributes in the preparation of a document, including:

  • Layout and arrange documents more attractively 
  • Search texts for editing 
  • Cut, copy and paste text 
  • A safer document saving system  
  • Making Header and Footer 
  • Making tables and Index 
  • Spelling and grammar check 
  • Using the thesaurus 
  • Merge image and text 
  • Insert graphic and objects 
  • Form letters that can be combined with list of addresses 
  • Format documents automatically from the format gallery 
  • Preview documents before printing

In this topic, you will be introduced to the Word Processing software. This refers to the software used in designing, processing, sorting and forming a text, saving and printing a document.

BASICS OF WORD PROCESSING

Microsoft Word is a complete word processing software package with facilities to produce quality text elements.
Microsoft word software can be started through the Start button at the bottom left corner of the screen i.e. Start>Program>Microsoft Word

Page Layout


Once the Microsoft Word software is opened, the screen will show the following display and a few main menus will guide and facilitate you in your word processing work.

The Microsoft Word software interface can be categorised into various main sections – Title bar, Menu bar, Status bar, Language bar, Toolbar, Task Pane and others

From the Menu Bar, there are nine instructional selections for Microsoft Word that is File, Edit, View, Insert, Format, Tools, Table, Window and Help. Each selection has a separate function.

(a) File Menu

This menu contains all the instructions pertaining to file management or document building as in opening of a new file, opening and closing a file, saving a new and old file, displaying and printing file contents or a document.

(b) Edit Menu

This menu contains all the instructions
Pertaining to file modifications such as copying, pasting text, searching for specific word in files and others.

(c) View Menu

This Menu contains all the instructions pertaining to the display of file or documents on the screen. In addition to that, it also displays Microsoft word interface display options.

(d) Insert Menu

This menu contains all the instructions pertaining to the process of adding elements into a file or document that is constructed. You can add fields, symbols, images to name a few. Various kinds of attractive documents can be produced.

(e) Format Menu

This menu contains all instructions in relation to the process of modifying a text which is typed in a file or document like the type and length of the text, line spacing and others. It also can modify the orientation and specifications of the text produced.

(f) Tools Menu

This menu contains all instructions regarding the checking process of texts typed as in the spell check, grammar and others.

(g) Table Menu

This menu contains all instructions pertaining to making and modifying tables in Microsoft
Word.

(h) Window Menu

This Menu contains all instructions relating to file or document display on the screen. It displays the list of files open or in set up and allows you to open these files.

(i) Help Menu

This menu contains all instructions relating to Help facilities available. You can obtain brief explanations quickly.

(j) Button Menu / Icons

Microsoft Word provides special buttons or icons to facilitate word processing work. All instructions on the menu bar can be carried out with only a click on the appropriate button. The following icons are available in Microsoft Word.

Creating a new Document in Microsoft Word

  1. Open Microsoft word software
  2. Select Blank Document in the instruction category New on the Task Pane window or click on the instruction File>New on the Menu Bar.
  3. Producing a new document can also be carried out through the icon New Blank Document on the Standard Toolbar.
  4. Now you can start typing your text in the space provided.

Opening an Existing Document

When you want to view or check an existing saved document, you have to first open the document.
  1. Click on the open button
  2. Click twice (double click) on file topic needed. The required file will then open.

    (a) Margins

    1. Margins in Microsoft Word can be modified according to the user's requirements. It can be adjusted according to the paper size and the user's requirements.
    2. You can modify by clicking on the instruction File >Page Setup on menu bar
    3. A sub menu will appear. Through this sub menu, you can modify the margins and the orientations of a file or document.
    4. Margins of a file are usually divided into four main parts that is Top, Bottom, Left and Right
    5. To increase the size of the margins, click on the arrow above a few times and alternatively to reduce the size of the margins, click on the arrows below until the required value is obtained.
    6. You can decide on the orientation of the document that is choose either Portrait or Landscape.
    7. Selecting the Portrait orientation would produce a vertical form of the document, whilst the Landscape orientation would produce a horizontal form of the document.
    8. Microsoft Word also allows the format of the paper to be altered through the instruction of Paper on the Page Setup Menu.
    9. Margin Modifications can be altered and reverted to the original value by clicking on the Default button. This will enable the original margin size and orientation that was set.

    (b) Justification

    1. Microsoft Word allows changes and modifications on text specifications produced through a variety of justifications such as centralised, Aligned to the right, aligned to the left or Justified.
    2. This can be done through the instruction of Alignment.
    3. Align Left makes all typed words aligned parallel to the left.
    4. Align Centre makes the typed text centralised.
    5. Align Right makes the text aligned parallel to the right.
    6. The Justify command makes the typed text parallel on both sides.

    Editing the Document

    Producing a document is only the first stage of Word Processing. After producing the document, there will obviously be a few checks. During these checks, you might change text layout, delete information, rearrange information, copy or edit. When a portion of the text is used frequently, you can instruct Microsoft Word to do your job by adding AutoCorrect on the menu.

    (a) Transferring the Text

    Select the text, "Dibawa orang mudik ke hulu".
    1. Click on the button Cut
    2. Click the cursor on the line after "Agar tidak mendapat malu."
    3. Click the button Paste.
    4. To revert to the earlier process of cut and paste, you only need to go to the menu Edit>Undo twice or click on the undo button.
    Clicking the Cut button will delete the text and save it in the memory called Clipboard. Once you delete the text by clicking the delete button, the text is not saved any more in Clipboard and you cannot paste it on another part.

    (b) Copying a text


    1. Select the text "Indah bersinar intan permata"
    2. Click on the copy button . The text will be copied on to the Clipboard.
    3. Place the cursor after the line "Itulah tanda orang mulia".
    4. Click on the paste button.

    (c) Deleting a text


    1. Select the text "Indah bersinar intan permata" on line five of the second verse.
    2. Press Delete and the text will be deleted.

    (d) Saving Documents


    You can save documents for a specific length of time by saving it in a diskette. When saving documents, specify the name and location where the document is saved.

    (i) Saving a New File

    1. When saving a document that has just been typed, use the instruction File>Save or just click on the icon Save. Type the name of the file and the location you wish to save the file.
    2. Click on the Save icon and the dialogue box Save As  will appear.
    3. Type "Pantun Nasihat" in the text box File Name.
    4. Click on the arrow below in the Save In box and select drive A (or in the drive and folder you wish to save the document)

    (ii) Saving an Existing File

    1. Press enter twice and type your name in brief to identify yourself as the owner of the document.
    2. Click Save . The Dialogue box Save As will not appear. The file is saved in the same name and location.

    READING SUPPORT

    Modifying Texts Specifications

    (a) Type Face, Font and Group Font

    • Apart from producing a text, Microsoft Word allows you to change or modify text specification in respect to font size, type of font, colour, style and others.
    • This modification is easily done on the menu bar Format. The instructions on the bar is Menu>Format>Font.
    • You can also do the necessary modifications using the icon that is provided.

    (b) Selecting Texts to Change Form

    1. Select the text first before making any corrections such as copying the text or changing the text size.
    2. The selected text has to be highlighted. The usual method would be to drag the cursor of the mouse on the text.

    (c) Changing the Form of the Text

    1. Select and highlight the word "PANTUN NASIHAT".
    2. Click on button Bold and right click to delete the selected text.
    3. Select the word "PANTUN NASIHAT" again and click on the button underline. The word "PANTUN NASIHAT"will be bolded and underlined.
    4. On clicking the button Underline again, the line under the word will disappear.
    5. Click the italic button and press right click to delete the text option.
    6. The words „PANTUN NASIHAT „ is bolded and in italics.
    7. Select the words „PANTUN NASIHAT „ press the Ctrl + B button. The word will only be bolded.

    (d) Letter Size

    1. Highlight the whole document.
    2. Click the arrow below on the font size.
    3. Select 12.
    4. Click on the arrow below on Font. You can select the type of font you need.
    5. The Header that is typed can also be adjusted in size, font and document arrangement.
    6. To exit from the Header and Footer space click on the button Close..
    7. To view the whole file with the Header and Footer, go to File > Print Preview on the menu bar.

    TYPES OF FORMATS AND GRAPHICS

    Tables

    Tables are very versatile in presenting data in simple formats to be read. Usually tables are used to replace the tab in presenting information in column form.
    Microsoft Word allows you to form tables in documents via the facility of Table>Insert>Table on the menu bar. You only have to specifiy the number of columns and rows required. The point where column and row overlap is called a cell.
    1. Type the number of columns and rows and you can modify the selection in the dialogue box provided.
    2. On securing your selection, click on the OK box in the window and a table with the specified number of columns and rows selected will appear on the screen.
    3. Then you can type the required text into the given table.
    4. The formation of a table can also be done by using the icon Insert Table in the Standard Toolbar .
    5. Click on the said icon, drag the mouse to the box displayed and click on the last box selected.

    (a) Entering Data

    1. Click on the first cell on the blank table. The cursor will be flashing on the first cell.
    2. Type "No."and press on the tab. The typed text will appear in the cell and the cursor will shift to the next cell.
    3. Type "Name" and press Tab. The typed text will appear in the cell and the cursor will shift to the next cell.
    4. Type "Matric No." and press Tab. The typed text will appear in the cell and the cursor will shift to the next cell.
    5. Type "State of origin" and press Tab. The typed text will appear in the cell and the cursor will shift to the next cell and press tab.
    6. Enter the data of your friends into the table that has been inserted.

    (b) Inserting and Deleting Columns and Rows in Tables

    1. After completing the table, you might want to increase the columns and rows to add additional data. You might want to delete some rows and columns which are not needed. When you delete the rows and tables, all data in these cells are also deleted.
    2. To delete or add the rows and columns, you have to select the required rows or columns.
    3. Rows that need to be added will appear above the selected row.
    4. Columns that are added will appear on the left of the column selected.

    (c) Inserting and Deleting Rows or Columns

    1. Click on any of the cells below the topic in the Table of Student Information. The cursor will flash in that cell.
    2. Select Table, Insert Row. The new row will appear.
    3. Click in the last cell of the last row of the table. The cursor will flash in the cell.
    4. Press the Tab key. A new row will be added to the end of the table.
    5. Select the second column on the table of Information of Students.
    6. Select Table, Insert Columns. A new column will appear on the left column selected. A new column will appear on the left column selected.
    7. Enter the title "Jantina" on the new column.
    8. Select a new row at the end of the table Information of Students.
    9. Select Table, Delete Row. The row will be deleted.
    10. Select the second column on the table of Information of students.
    11. Select Table, Delete Columns. The second column will be deleted.

    Formatting a Paragraph, Indent

    All rows are arranged on the left margin, with single space and no spacing before and after.
    By formatting the paragraph, you can indent the first row, indent all rows in the paragraph on the left or right, change the line spacing and increase the line spacing before or after the paragraph.

    (a) Indent the first row in the Paragraph and increase the Spacing

    1. Click at any of the parts of the paragraphs.
    2. Select Format.
    3. Select the paragraph and click on the Indent and Spacing Tab if necessary.
    4. Click on OK . The dialogue box will be closed.

    Producing and Importing Graphics

    Microsoft Word provides a variety of facilities that allows the use of graphics elements and images to be added to your document either from clip art or imported from an external file.

    (a) Inserting and Manipulating Graphics

    Word software will be more attractive with graphics. Word has graphics in the Clip Gallery called Clip Art.
    1. Select Insert, Picture
    2. Select Clip Art, select OK . If there are additional Clips in the CD-ROM, a message will appear and then click on Tab on the Clip Art if necessary.
    3. Click Academic, to select the required category.
    4. Select the graphic related to the topic that the teacher is teaching and click on Insert.

    Printing a Document

    • You can print the document from the window of Print Preview or windows Document.
    • Press the print button, and you can print a copy of the document.
    If you wish to print only part of the document or more than one copy of the document, you can use the command Print from file Menu.

    (a) Printing the document

    1. Select File from the bar menu.
    2. Select Print,
    3. Click on OK

    Exiting from Microsoft Word

    1. To exit from the Microsoft Word software, use the command File>Exit.
    2. Make sure you save any alterations to the document. The following menu would appear to allow you to save the document.
    3. Click Yes to save any corrections to the document or No not to save before exiting from Microsfot Word Software.

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