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COMPUTER NOTES

The document provides an overview of computers, defining key terms such as IT, data, and information, and explaining the basic components and functions of a computer. It details the parts of a computer, the keyboard layout, and how to operate Microsoft Word, including formatting, saving documents, and using important tools like mail merge. Additionally, it distinguishes between hardware and software, outlining their roles in computer functionality.

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3 views

COMPUTER NOTES

The document provides an overview of computers, defining key terms such as IT, data, and information, and explaining the basic components and functions of a computer. It details the parts of a computer, the keyboard layout, and how to operate Microsoft Word, including formatting, saving documents, and using important tools like mail merge. Additionally, it distinguishes between hardware and software, outlining their roles in computer functionality.

Uploaded by

fesfamcyber
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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COMPUTER NOTES

A computer is an electronic device that accepts user’s input, processes it under the influence of
a set of instructions to produce the desired output.
A computer is an electronic device that processes data into information. There are reasons why
it is referred to as an electronic device.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
1. IT-Information Technology
2. ICT- Information Communication Technology.
Refers to the sending and receiving of information from one place or device to another by
use of computers e.g. M-PESA money transfer, sending and receiving emails.
3. Data- refers to unprocessed information or raw facts that do not have much meaning to
the user and cannot form basis of decision making.
4. Information- refers to processed data that is meaningful to the user and can form basis of
decision making.
5. Communication- is the sharing of information from one place/device to another.
6. Technology- Refers to anything that affects our lives either positively or negatively.
Parts of a computer
Screen/Monitor- used to display what is going on in the computer
Keyboard- used to enter text data into the computer
Mouse- a pointing device that is used to select and perform several commands in a computer.
The selection is done on a screen through pointing and clicking.
System Unit- Houses the computer memory (Brain of the computer) that is called CPU (Central
Processing Unit). The computer brain is found in the computer’s hard disk.
Ports/Drives- these are used for inserting removable media into the computer. They include
USB ports, Network ports, CD drive among others.
Switching on/Starting a computer
Switching on a computer is called booting.
i. Connect all power cables of the computer to the main power supply
ii. Press the power button on the System Unit and on the screen
iii. Wait for the computer to fully start-may prompt for password or PIN
iv. It will display the progress on the screen and now ready for use to perform different
actions.
Switching off a computer
i. Click the start button
ii. Select power button
iii. From the menu that appears, click shutdown
iv. The computer closes all the running tasks and shuts down.
THE COMPUTER KEYBOARD
This is the main input device in a computer.
It contains keys divided into 5 major categories:
1) Alphanumeric Keys:0-9, A-Z
2) Numeric Keypad keys: 0-9
3) Function keys: F1-F12
4) Arrow keys
5) Special purpose keys: Ctrl, Home, End, Shift, Page Up and Page Down among
others.
Special Purpose Keys.
 Backspace- it moves the insertion point backwards deleting text/characters behind it
 Spacebar- it moves the insertion point ahead creating space. Used for spacing between
characters or words.
 Delete- it deletes text in front of insertion point.
 Home- it moves the insertion point to the beginning of a line or document
 End- it moves the insertion point to the end of a line or document
 Ctrl- used in combination with other keys to perform various commands on a computer.
 CAPSLOCK- switches small letters to capital letters and vice versa
 Shift- used in typing symbols and characters appearing on top of each other in a
keyboard
 Page Up and Page Down- Moves a page up or down by one step respectively.
DESKTOP
Is the area on the screen which contains icons. Icons are small images found on the desktop
There are 3 important icons on a computer desktop: The Recycle Bin, My Computer and
My Documents (File explorer).
i. Recycle Bin- stores deleted data and information from the computer
The beauty of the recycle bin is that once data has been deleted, it can be restored to
its original location.
ii. My Computer- helps the user to confirm computer specifications
e.g. processor type, memory and storage space.
iii. My Document- it’s the container for all data and information in a computer.
Data and information in a computer is stored in small units called files.
Files are usually stored in folders.
Folders are then stored in briefcase, which are then stored in My Document.

Categories of Computer Parts


1. Hardware
2. Software
Hardware
Are the physical and tangible parts of a computer
e.g. system Unit, keyboard, Mouse, screen/ monitor among others.
Software
Are the intangible parts of a computer that we cannot touch but can see. Are sets of instructions
that are used to control how a computer works.
There are two types of computer software:
i. System Software- are commonly known as Operating Systems (OS). This software
controls all the performances of a computer.
They include Windows 7,10, 13, Linux and Android.
ii. Application Software- are designed to help the user perform a specific function.
These are
Microsoft Office Word
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Access
Microsoft Publisher
Microsoft PowerPoint
Email and Internet Communication
Microsoft office word
This is an application software used for typesetting documents such as notes, letters, event
programmes, academic writings, magazines, newspapers among many others.
Opening Microsoft Word
 Click start
 From the program list, select MS Word to open
Or;
 Click start
 Type using the keyboard ‘Word’
 Click to open when it appears on the screen
Parts of a Microsoft Office Word Window
1. Title bar- contains the name of your document
Has 3 buttons-close button(X), restore down button and minimize button (-).
2. Menu bar- (File, Home, Insert…)
3. Working area/typing area.
4. Scroll button/bar
5. The status bar- shows the number of pages of your document as well as the number of
words.
How to save a document
i. From the menu bar, click file
ii. Select ‘Save As’
iii. Give your document an appropriate name (file Name0
iv. Click Save.
Formatting a document
Formatting involves changing the appearance of a document to make it more appealing.
Font style Bolding (B) Change case (upper, lower, toggle, sentence, capitalize)
Font colour Italics (I) Watermark, page border, page border, page layout
Font size Underline (U)
Paper setup- includes page size, layout and page margins
Different page sizes are A3, A4, A5, A6…
Paper margins are empty spaces left around a document which no data can be typed there.
Margins can be top, bottom, right or left of a document.
The Gutter is used for binding in a document.
A page layout can be either landscape or portrait. In landscape, the longest side of a page appears
horizontally while in portrait, the longest side of a document appears vertically.
Superscript 22 and subscript H2O.
Bullets and numbering.
There are four different paragraphing styles;
 Left Alignment- text is inserted from the left of the working area
 Right Alignment- text is inserted from the right of the working area
 Centre Alignment- text is inserted from the Centre of the working area.
 Justify- text is distributed evenly between the page margin/ working area.
Tables
A table is a collection of rows and columns that intersect to make cells. Tables are used to make
calendars, lists, timetable and can either be drawn or inserted.
Procedure for creating a table
i. From the menu bar, click insert
ii. Select tables
iii. Select either draw or insert table, then specify the number of rows and columns you want.
Important actions in Microsoft Word/ in a computer
1. Cut – this removes the highlighted text from its location. Ctrl+X
2. Copy- creates a duplicate of the highlighted text without removing it from its location.
Ctrl+C
3. Paste- this inserts cut or copied text to the new location. Ctrl+V
4. Find- helps the user to locate a particular text within a document. Ctrl+F
5. Replace- replaces a certain text in a document with a new text. Ctrl+H
Important tools
1. Header and footer
This is a text that appears at the top and bottom of every page in a document respectively.
From the menu bar, click Insert
Select header or footer then input your preferred text.

2. Tracking changes
This is a tool that captures changes made in a document. The original text and the
changed text is usually displayed. the user can accept or reject changes made.
From the menu bar, click Review
Select Track Changes and follow prompts.

3. Security and Protection


Protection makes things safe and secure. Security prevents unauthorized access. They all
make use of passwords.
Protection ensures that the document cannot be edited without owner’s permission.
From the menu bar, click Review
Select protect document and follow prompts including (restrict editing).
Security- documents are secured to ensure that they are not accessible to unauthorized users.
Saving a document with a password
i. From the menu bar, click File
ii. Select ‘Save As’
iii. Select ‘Tools’ then ‘General options’
iv. Enter password for opening and modifying the document.
v. Click Ok

Mail Merging/ Mail Merge


This is the process of sending one letter to many/ multiple recipients.
Procedure
i. From the menu bar, click Mailings
ii. Select ‘Start Mail Merge’
iii. Then select ‘Step by Step mail merge wizard’.
iv. Select letters, then click next to move to step II
v. Select ‘Use current document’ then click next to move to step III.
vi. Click ‘Type a new list’. Then click ‘Create’.
vii. Customize columns by deleting existing field names and adding the new field names.
Then click OK.
Under the table that appears, enter the required data then click Ok. Click next to move to
step IV.
viii. Write your letter by adding the field names from “More Items”. Then click next to move
to step V.
ix. Make corrections where necessary. Click next to move to step VI.
x. Edit individual letters.

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