COMP 123

Computer Applications

Word-processing
 Word-processing
• Word processing is the art of text manipulation. It
involves creating & producing professional looking
documents such as letters, memos, reports, etc.
• A Word Processor is a computer program that enables
a person to create, save, retrieve, edit, format, and
print text based documents.
• A word processor enables you to create a document,
store it electronically on a disk, display it on a screen,
modify it by entering commands and characters from
the keyboard, and print it on a printer.
 Examples of Word processors
* Microsoft Word. * WordStar.
* Corel WordPerfect. * Wang writer.
* Lotus WordPro. * WordWrite.
 MSWORD
• MSWORD is a word processor from Microsoft.
• A computer program that enable us to create a
document, edit, format, print and also save it for future
use.
• A Word processor is a tool that can be used to prepare
& produce documents. It can be used in:
Writing Letters (i.e., Business & general mail).
Writing Memos.
Writing Books.
Writing Articles, Research letters such as Reports/thesis and
Term papers.
Writing Essays and Projects.
Writing Curriculum vitae and Resumes.
Writing weekly Newsletters on sports, entertainment, etc.
Writing Lease agreements and other legal documents.
Word Screen
 Features of word processing
Word processors vary considerably, but all word processors
support the following basic features:
•Insert text: Allows you to insert text anywhere in the
document.
•Delete text: Allows you to erase characters, words, lines,
or pages as easily as you can cross them out on paper.
•Cut and paste: Allows you to remove (cut) a section of
text from one place in a document and insert (paste) it
somewhere else.
•Copy: Allows you to duplicate a section of text.
•Undo: Allows actions that have been performed to be
reversed, such that if some text was accidentally deleted,
then the action can be undone.
•Page size and margins: Allows you to define various page
sizes and margins, and the word processor will automatically
readjust the text so that it fits.
 Features of word processing…
• Search and replace: Allows you to direct the word processor
to search for a particular word or phrase. You can also direct
the word processor to replace one group of characters with
another everywhere that the first group appears.
• Word wrap: The word processor automatically moves to the
next line when you have filled one line with text, and it will
readjust text if you change the margins.
• Print: Allows you to send a document to a printer to get
hardcopy. single or multiple copies, full or part of a document.
• File management: Many word processors contain file
management capabilities that allow you to create, delete,
move, and search for files.
• Font specifications: Allows you to change fonts within a
document. For example, you can specify bold, italics, and
underlining. Most word processors also let you change the font
size and even the typeface.
 Features of word processing…
• Footnotes and cross-references: Automates the
numbering and placement of footnotes and enables you
to easily cross-reference other sections of the document.
• Graphics: Allows you to embed illustrations and graphs
into a document. Some word processors let you create
the illustrations within the word processor; others let you
insert an illustration produced by a different program.
• Headers, footers, and page numbering: Allows you
to specify customized headers and footers that the word
processor will put at the top and bottom of every page.
The word processor automatically keeps track of page
numbers so that the correct number appears on each
page.
• Layout: Allows you to specify different margins within a
single document and to specify various methods for
indenting paragraphs.
 Features of word processing…
• Macros: A macro is a character or word that represents a
series of keystrokes. The keystrokes can represent text or
commands. The ability to define macros allows you to save
yourself a lot of time by replacing common combinations of
keystrokes.
• Merges: Allows you to merge text from one file into
another file. This is particularly useful for generating many
files that have the same format but different data.
Generating mailing labels is the classic example of using
merges.
• Spell checker: A utility that allows you to check the spelling
of words. It will highlight any words that it does not
recognize.
• Tables of contents and indexes: Allows you to
automatically create a table of contents and index based on
special codes that you insert in the document.
• Thesaurus: A built-in thesaurus that allows you to search
 Features of word processing…
• In Word, you can easily add citations when writing a
document where you need to cite your sources, such as
a research paper.
• Citations can be added in various formats,
including APA, Chicago-style, GOST, IEEE, ISO 690,
and MLA. Afterwards, you can create a bibliography of
the sources you used to write your paper.
• Enables creation of Tables, which can be used to
perform certain calculations & sorting on a given text.
 Advantages of Word processors.
• A document can be stored in the computer for future
reference in computer files. The files do not occupy physical
space like the one on paper; hence, this creates a paperless
document processing environment.
• Typing using a word processor is easier & more efficient
because some actions are automated. E.g
Word wrap feature automatically takes the cursor to the
beginning of the next line once you reach the end of the
current line.
Automatic insertion of a new page after reaching the end of
the current page.
Most word processors have special editing tools such
as Spelling and grammar checkers that help the user to easily
correct grammar and spelling mistakes. Thesaurus helps to
find a word with similar meanings.
Most word processors have Insert and Type over Therefore,
one can easily insert or replace a word or a phrase without
affecting the structure and neatness of the document.
 Advantages of Word
processors…
• Word processors have superior
document formatting features such as underlining,
boldfacing, italicization, applying different colours, etc.
• A Word processor enables one to produce many copies of a
document through printing; whereas, a typewriter may
require retying of the entire document when we want many
copies.
• Word processor has Cut, Copy and Paste commands that
enable the user to incorporate other text without having to
retype it.
• Provides secrecy in writing documents through Passwords.
• Allow simple arithmetic operations such as additions,
multiplications, etc.
• Allows Mail merging (combining of several documents).
Disadvantages of Word processors.
• They are Expensive.
• The use of Word processors creates unemployment.
• The use of the Word processors is limited only to those
areas with power supply.
• There is need of a literate person to operate it.
 Factors to consider when choosing a
Word processor.
• The type of operating system.
E.g., most microcomputers are currently running on
Windows based operating systems. This means that
you should consider acquiring a Word processor based
on graphical user interface.
• Its user-friendliness (ease to use).
• Its formatting and editing features. They should be good
and in variety.
 Steps to create a new word
processing document
• Start Microsoft Word.
• Click the File tab.
• Click the New tab.
• Click Blank document. (A new blank document
appears.)
• Type your text. The text you type will be inserted into
the document.
 Edit a Document
• Editing a document – making revisions to a document,
focusing on correcting errors, improving the accuracy of
language, rearranging, making words and sentences
clearer and more effective, etc.
• Editing in word processing may include the following
tasks:
Adding text (terms, phrases, paragraphs, etc.)
Deleting a part of a text
Copying text
Moving text
Pasting text
Checking for grammar and spelling
Formatting text
 Select Text
• Before editing text, you’ll need to select it. This is also
sometimes called “highlighting text.”
• Move the I-beam pointer to where you wish to select text.
To select a word: double-click the word.
To select an entire line of text: move the I-beam to the
left of the line until it turns into a right-pointing arrow,
then click.
To select a paragraph: triple-click the paragraph.
To select any amount of text: click and drag the I-
beam over the text to highlight it.
To select an entire document: move the I-beam to the
left of any text until it turns into a right-pointing
arrow , then triple-click. Or click the Home tab,
under Editing, click Select, and then click Select All.
 Delete (or remove) text
Method 1
•Select the text you wish to delete.
•Press the Delete key (on the keyboard).
Method 2
•Move the I-beam pointer to the text you want to delete.
Click to set the insertion point there (a blinking vertical
line).
•To delete text to the left of the insertion point, press
the Backspace key on the keyboard.
•To delete text to the right of the insertion point, press
the Delete key on the keyboard.
 Copy and Paste
Copy vs. cut
•Copy – duplicates the selected item (text, symbol, table,
image, etc.).
•Cut – removes the selected item from its original
position.
Copy and paste vs. cut and paste
•Copy and paste – duplicates the selected item. The
selected item can be found in both original and the new,
pasted location(s).
•Cut and paste – duplicates the selected item then
deletes the original. The selected data can be found only
at the new, pasted location (the item has moved from
one location to another).
 Steps to copy / cut and paste
Method 1
•Open the document you wish to edit.
•Select the item you wish to Copy or Cut.
•Right-click the highlighted item and click Copy or Cut.
You can also use your keyboard:
Copy: Cntr + c
Cut: Cntr + x
•Position the insertion point where you wish to insert the
item.
•Right-click and click the Paste icon. You can also use
your keyboard by pressing Cntr + v
 Steps to copy / cut and paste…
• Method 2
• Open the document you wish to edit.
• Select the item you wish to copy or cut.
• Click the Home tab at the top (on the ribbon). Click
the Copy button.
• Position the insertion point where you wish to insert the
item.
• Under the Home tab at the top, click the Paste button.
 Review a Document
• Check Spelling and Grammar
Method 1
• Open the document you wish to edit.
• Right-click a word that is underlined with a wavy line
(that indicates a misspelled word).
• Select the correct spelling from the suggestion list to
correct the spelling error. For each error, Word will offer
one or more suggestions.
 Review a Document
Method 2
•Open the document you wish to edit.
•Click the Review tab.
•Click the Editor button (it may also say, “Spelling and
Grammar”). If the program finds spelling errors, the
Spelling & Grammar pane will appear.
•Click one of the options from the suggestion list to
change the spelling error. The program will move to the
next misspelled word.
 Find Synonyms
• Find Synonyms
Method 1
• Open the document you wish to edit.
• Right-click a word for which you wish to find a synonym
for.
• Click the Synonyms command from the pop-out menu.
• Find a desired word in the list and click it to replace the
original word.
• If none of the synonyms are desired, click
the Thesaurus command to open the full thesaurus.
(The Thesaurus pane will appear.)
• Find a desired word in the Thesaurus pane list and right-
click it and then click Insert.
• Close the Thesaurus pane.
 Find Synonyms…
Method 2
•Open the document you wish to edit.
•Select a word for which you wish to use the thesaurus.
•Click the Review tab.
•Click the Thesaurus button.
•Find a desired word in the “Thesaurus” pane and right-
click it and then click Insert.
•Close the Thesaurus pane
 To add a citation to your
document
• On the References tab, in the Citations &
Bibliography group, click the arrow next to Style and
click the style that you want to use for the citation and
source. For example, social sciences documents usually
use the MLA or APA styles for citations and sources.
• Click at the end of the sentence or phrase that you want
to cite.
• On the Reference tab, click Insert Citation and then
do one of the following:
 To add the source information, click Add New Source, and then,
in the Create Source dialog box, click the arrow next to Type of
Source, and select the type of source you want to use (for
example, a book section or a website).
To add a placeholder, so that you can create a citation and fill in
the source information later, click Add New Placeholder. A
question mark appears next to placeholder sources in Source
Manager.
• If you chose to add a source, enter the details for the source. To add
more information about a source, click the Show All Bibliography
Fields check box.
• Click OK when finished. The source is added as a citation at the place
you selected in your document.