WORD PROCESSING • Tabs Stops – tab stops are places where text can be made to

UNIT 1: INTRODUCTION TO WORD PROCESSING (THEORY) line up. You can set a tab stop by clicking on the ruler bar at the
• Word processing is the art of creating, saving, editing, formatting desired position.
and printing text and graphic documents using electronic word • Hard Copy – A copy of a document printed out on physical paper.
processors. • Soft Copy – A copy of a document that is stored on a disk or other
• Examples of word processors include: Microsoft Office Word, computer storage device.
Google Docs, Corel WordPerfect, , Apple iWork - Page, • Overtype Mode – Also called overwrite mode, causes any
OpenOffice Writer, WPS Office, etc. characters you type to replace ("overtype") the characters at the
• NB: Text editors are simple word processors that are generally cursor. You can switch between overtype mode and insert mode
used to type without any special formatting. by pressing the insert key.
• Text editors are mainly used to create small notes, memos and • Paragraph – The text between one paragraph break and the
programs. Examples of common text editors are: Notepad, next. A paragraph break is inserted by pressing Enter key.
Notepad++, Gedit etc.
• Save – To write the document's current state from RAM to a
Microsoft Office Word (our case study) is one of the most widely used
storage device.
word processing software. There are different versions of MS Office
• Proofreading is the process of reviewing a document to ensure
Word currently in use which include: MS Word 2003, 2007, 2010,
2013, 2016 and 2019. During our learning, we are going to use MS the accuracy of its content. Proof reading tools include spelling and
Word 2016 and 2019 versions. Note: The file extension for MS Word grammar check (F7), thesaurus, etc.
is .doc (ver. 2003 and lower) or .docx (ver. 2007 and later) COMMON FEATURES OF WORD PROCESSING APPLICATIONS
PURPOSE OF WORD PROCESSING 1. Word Wrap: this feature automatically sends a word that does
not fit within the margin settings onto the next line, without the
• Word processors are mostly used for writing letters, reports,
user pressing Enter key.
projects, books, essays, memos, resumes (CVs) etc.
2. Find: allows the user to locate all occurrences of a particular
BASIC TERMINOLOGY
character, word or phrase.
• Typeface A typeface is the shape of the characters. Some
3. Replace: allows the user to substitute existing characters, words
common typefaces are Times New Roman, Arial, and Tahoma. or phrases with the new ones.
• Line Spacing refers to the amount of vertical white space between 4. Spell checker: allows the user to check spellings of the whole
two lines of text, from baseline to baseline. Line spacing is document at one time or to check and even correct the spelling
measured in points. of individual words as they are typed (Autocorrect)
• Text Alignment refers to the way lines of text are arranged relative 5. Grammar checker: this reports grammatical errors, usually by a
to the edges of a block of text. There are four types of alignment: wavy green line, and suggests ways to correct them.
left, centre, right, and justify. Justification is the process of 6. Thesaurus: suggests alternative words with the same meaning
aligning text in a document to both the left and right margins at the (synonyms) for use in the document.
same time. Justified text may have extra spaces between letters 7. Mail Merge: This is feature used to create similar letters to be
within words, so that paragraphs appear as a block with an even sent to several people. The names and addresses of each
right-margin ending. person can be merged with one single main document.
• Indent: An indent is the amount of white space set in between 8. Automatic page numbering: numbers the pages automatically
the margin and the beginning of text. Examples of indents include in a document
the first line indent, hanging indent and right indent. 9. Tables: allow users to organise information into rows and
• Formatting Text Formatting text is the process of changing the columns.
appearance of text in a document. Formatting text involves using 10. Multi-columns: arranges text into two or more columns that
commands like bold, italics, underlining, changing font colour, etc. look similar to newspaper or magazine
• Editing text: This refers to the process of making changes to the 11. Drop cap – Formats the first letter in paragraph to be dropped
content of an existing document. Editing text involves commands across two or more lines.
like cut and paste, overtype, undo, insert, and delete. 12. Clip art: refers to pre-made images about various subjects used
• Copy – To place selected text on the clipboard, without removing it to illustrate concepts in documents.
from its current location. 13. Templates: establish the initial document layouts and formats
• Cut – To remove selected text from its current position and place it for various document types.
on the clipboard. 14. Printing: allows a user to obtain a hard copy of a document
• Copy and paste duplicated text, while Cut and paste moves text to from the printer.
a new location. 15. Word Count: Establishes the number of words, characters,
• The clipboard The Clipboard is an area of memory in which you paragraphs, etc. in a document.
can store copied or cut text, graphics or any other items 16. Headers and Footers: Used to insert text in the top and bottom
temporarily before being pasted into other locations. margin through the document.
• The paste special feature helps to avoid pasting text with all its 17. Footnotes and Endnotes are used as references that provide
formatting. The paste special feature provides more control over additional information about a word or phrase within a document.
what to paste. 18. Insert and Delete allows a user to add and remove portions of
• Header - The header refers to text that appears in the top margin text while editing document
COMMON PARTS OF A WORD PROCESSOR
of all pages in a document.
a) Title bar—indicates the task currently running. On the right hand
• Footer - The footer refers to text that appears in the bottom margin
side of the title are the minimize, restore/minimize and close
of all pages in a document.
buttons
• Ruler - You can use the ruler to set the indent, margin and tab b) Menu bar—provides the user with a group of commands that
markers. Avoid using the space bar to align text! are used to manipulate the document

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c) Ribbon/Tool bars—consist of sets of command buttons for 12. With A word processor, you can use mail merge feature to
quick execution of frequently used groups of commands. create a set of documents, such as a letter that is sent to
d) Document window—this is the working area where the many customers, by only creating one main document and
document is created inserting different fields for the customers’ details whereas
e) Status bar—Displays information that the user may need to with a type writer, you have to type the each document
know such as the current position of the insertion point, separately.
progress, edit mode, etc. 13. A type writer makes a lot of noise during its operation as
ADVANTAGES OF USING ELECTRONIC WORD PROCESSORS compared to a word processor which is relatively quiet.
AS COMPARED TO MANUAL TYPE WRITERS 14. A word processor has a lot of symbols such as Greek,
Advantages: Arabic, Latin, and Hebrew alphabet character sets whereas
1. Word processors can save softcopies for future use while a type writer can only add the English alphabet and
with a type writer; a document has to be fully retyped if commonly used symbols that are currently calibrated on the
needed again. typewriter.
2. During typing with a word processor, it is possible to undo a 15. A Word processor can add preformatted elements
mistake, while any error made with a type writer is (templates) by selecting from a gallery of professional
immediately impacted on the printout. templates e.g. cover pages, resumes, etc. whereas with a
3. A type writer prints one character at a time while a word type writer it is up to the typist to know the layout and
processor prints many pages at a time. professional look of document types.
4. There is a variety of quick text formatting features such as
bold, italic, underline, colour, etc. in a word processor NB: MORE POINTS CAN STILL BE GENERATED BASING
whereas there are limited formatting options with a ON THE FEATURES AND OPERATION OF A WORD
typewriter. PROCESSOR IN COMPARISON TO A TYPE WRITER
5. A word processor provides grammar and spell check
options whereas a typewriter cannot help in spell checking. DISADVANTAGES OF USING ELECTRONIC WORD
6. It is easier to insert graphics and drawings in a word PROCESSORS
processor yet it is not easy to draw with a type writer. 1. Word processors cannot be used without Electricity.
7. A word processor allows the user to type continuously 2. Word processors Use is Expensive due to the cost of computers.
without pressing the enter key at the end of each line (word 3. They have led to Unemployment of typists because one person
wrap) whereas the user needs to advance the lever of a using a word processor can do a lot of work in a short time,
typewriter manually, at the end of every line. which would be done by many using type writers.
8. It is very simple to align text in a document to Left, Centre, 4. Many people are Computer illiterate, and cannot use the program.
Right or Justified whereas with a type writer, one has to 5. Computers have Viruses, which lead to loss of data in soft copies.
manually align the text, which is very difficult. 6. Using word processors on light emitting computer monitors for
9. A word processor has edit features such as Copy and long leads to eye disorders, which isn’t the case with type writers
Paste in which repeatedly occurring text in a document can 7. Word processors require purchase of hard ware like printers in
be copied to and pasted from the clipboard whereas a type order to obtain hard copies yet with typewriters, whatever is
writer has no clipboard. typed is permanent and instantly available as a hard copy: there
10. A word processor can work on many pages at a go by is no delay for printing or risk of unintended file deletion.
inserting pages numbers, footers, headers, watermarks, NB: It is this tangible writing experience free from computer
etc. whereas a type writer works on one page at a time. meltdowns or deletions that is saving the typewriter from
11. A word processor can insert drawings word arts and extinction.
pictures whereas with a type writer, drawings and pictures
can only be drawn by a hand on the stencil.
COMMONLY USED WORD PROCESSING KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS
Ctrl- ] or [ Increase/ Reduce Ctrl-Alt-S Split a window Ctrl-G GoTo Ctrl-Shift-F Font Face Ctrl-V Paste
Font Ctrl-Alt-T ™ Ctrl-H Replace Ctrl-Shift-K Small Caps Ctrl-W Close
Ctrl = Subscript Ctrl-Alt-U Table—remove Ctrl-I Italics Ctrl-Shift-L List Bullet Style Ctrl-X Cut
Ctrl-0 Paragraph Space border lines Ctrl-J Justify—Full Ctrl-Shift-M Indent decrease Ctrl-Y Repeat/Redo
Above (add/delete Ctrl-Alt-Y Repeat Find Ctrl-K Hyperlink Ctrl-Shift-N Normal Style Ctrl-Z Undo
12 pt.) Ctrl-Alt-Z Go Back (3 max) Ctrl-L Align—Left Ctrl-Shift-T Hanging indent F1 Help
Ctrl-1 Line-spacing 1 Ctrl-B Bold Ctrl-M Indent—increase decrease F10 Menu Bar
Ctrl-2 Line-spacing 2 Ctrl-C Copy Ctrl-N New document Ctrl-Shift-Tab Dialog box F12 Save As
Ctrl-5 Line-spacing 1.5 Ctrl-click Select Sentence Ctrl-O Open a document previous tabbed section F7 Spelling and Grammar
Ctrl-A Select All Ctrl-D Font Dialog Ctrl-P Print Ctrl-Shift-V Paste formatting check
Ctrl-Alt-1 Heading Level 1 Ctrl-drag Drawing—draw from Ctrl-Q Remove Paragraph Ctrl-Shift-W Underline words F8 Selection extended
Ctrl-Alt-2 Heading Level 2 center formats only F9 Update selected field
Ctrl-Alt-3 Heading Level 3 Ctrl-E Align—Center Ctrl-R Align—Right Ctrl-spacebar Shift-drag Drawing—
Ctrl-Alt-C © Ctrl-Enter Break—page Ctrl-S Save Remove Character constrain shape to
Ctrl-Alt-E Endnote Ctrl-F Find Ctrl-Shift -Hard hyphen formats symmetrical
Ctrl-Alt-F Footnote Ctrl-F10 Maximize window Ctrl-Shift = Superscript Ctrl-T Hanging Indent— Shift-drag Graphic—crop
Ctrl-Alt-I Print Preview Ctrl-F4 Close Ctrl-Shift-8 Nonprinting increase Shift-Enter Line break
Ctrl-Alt-K AutoFormat Ctrl-F5 Document characters on/off Ctrl-Tab Dialog box next Alt Drag Vertical Selection
Ctrl-Alt-M Insert Comment window—restore Ctrl-Shift-A All Caps tabbed section Shift-F10 Shortcut Menu
Ctrl-Alt-N View—Normal Ctrl-F7 Document Ctrl-Shift-C Copy formatting Ctrl-U Underline Shift-F3 Case change
Ctrl-Alt-O View—Outline window—move Ctrl-Shift-D Double Underline Ctrl-Up/Down GoTo (capitalization)
Ctrl-Alt-P View—Page Ctrl-F8 Document Ctrl-Shift-Enter Break Next/Previous Shift-F7 Thesaurus
Ctrl-Alt-R ® window—size column Paragraph
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