Module 2 - Comp 312 - Computer Fundamentals and Programming
Module 2 - Comp 312 - Computer Fundamentals and Programming
OVERVIEW:
Students are now becoming more conscious of the advantages of using computers in
creating documents. The ease and speed of doing reports on computers have also increased
the productivity of employees in the workplace. Before the advent of computers,
typewriters were the most important tools of writers. But a manual typewriter is
cumbersome to use. When a mistake is done, the writer has to retype the entire page.
However, many people have yet to learn how to use computers in creating documents
because they think that learning is difficult.
With our technology becoming more advanced, there will come a time when people
would do away with anything other than electronic gadgets and equipment to aid man’s
work. Thus, it is important for you to learn how to use the proper tools to aid you in the
course of your learning.
In this chapter, you will learn word processing as a tool in all your documenting
needs. The focus of the discussion will be on what and how word processing works as a
productivity tool. We will also learn about MS Word, the most popular word processing
program in the market today.
Below is a list of knowledge that maybe you have encountered in your previous
computer subjects. Check the appropriate box corresponding to your agreement to
the statement using the scale given below.
Statements 5 4 3 2 1
I can utilize the following file functions:
a. open
b. close
c. save
d. save as
e. page setup
f. print
I can utilize the following formatting functions:
a. variable top
b. variable bottom
c. variable left
d. right margins
e. font sizes and styles
f. line spacing
g. word wrap
h. bullets and outline features
i. justification
j. spell check
k. thesaurus
I can create tables
I can utilize the following report functions:
a. page numbering
b. page number suppress
c. widow/orphan protection
d. enumerated items
e. bibliography (references)
f. works cited
g. title pages
h. table of contents
Word Processing is using a computer to create, edit, format, store and print
documents using a word processor. This computer application tool enables the user to
create documents, display it on the computer screen, save it on a disk and print it using a
printer attached to the computer hardware. Modification on the saved document can be
done through editing and formatting commands using the keyboard and the mouse.
The major advantage of word processing over a manual typewriter or paper and pen
is that you don’t have to retype the entire document if you make a mistake. You may delete
the character, word, line or paragraph that you would like to erase. You may also replace,
interchange or move text anywhere within your document.
There are many kinds of word processing software in the market today. They vary
according to their functionality, feature and cost. The earliest form of word processor is
WordStar, which runs in the DOS environment. Word Perfect then took the lead in the word
processing software industry until the release of the Windows Operating System, which
included the Microsoft Office productivity tools with it, particularly MS Word. Sun
Microsystems came up with a cheaper alternative to MS Office and had the software
available for free downloads. However, it was MS Word which became more popular and
widely-used.
The following are the basic features of word processors, which also function as text
editors:
2. Delete text allows you to erase characters, words, lines or pages as easily as you
can cross them out on paper.
3. Cut and paste allows you to remove (cut) a section of text from one place in a
document and insert (paste) it somewhere else.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Word Wrap allows the word processor to automatically move to the next line
when you have filled one line with text and readjust text if you change the
margins.
Aside from the basic capabilities of word processors, most of them support
additional features that enable users to manipulate and format documents in more stylish
ways. These more advanced word processors which are sometimes called full-featured
word processors usually have the following features:
2. Font Specifications. Allows you to change fonts within a document. For example,
you can specify bold, italics and underlines. Most word processors also let you
change the font size and even the typeface.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Layout. Allows you to specify different margins within a single document and to
specify various methods for indenting paragraphs.
8. Merge. 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 merge.
9. Spell Checker. A utility that allows you to check the spelling of words. It will
highlight any word that it does not recognize.
10. 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.
11. Thesaurus. A built-in thesaurus that allows you to search synonyms without
leaving the word processor.
12. Windows. Allows you to edit two or more documents at the same time. Each
document appears in a separate window. This is particularly valuable when
working on a large project that consists of several different files.
13. WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get). With WYISWYG, the document
appears in the display screen exactly as it will look when printed.
Working with a word processor is just like directly typing text and numbers into a
paper on a typewriter. The difference is that you do not need to retype the entire selection
if you wish to change a part of your document. The page on the screen electronically
represents the paper you are going to write on, complete with the margins, ruler, the line of
text you are typing on and many other capabilities. However, the screen just shoes the
Setup of your document as you manipulate it. The actual processes take place inside the
CPU.
MS Word is an easy-to-use word processing program which has become widely used.
We will now learn how to use this tool for our word processing needs.
Starting and closing programs usually follows the same procedures for all programs
installed in your computer.
1. Move the mouse pointer over the MS Word shortcut on your desktop screen.
2. Double click the icon then wait for the program to load.
1. Move the mouse pointer over the Start icon on the taskbar.
3. Point to Programs. A menu containing all the programs in your computer will appear.
Depending on the Windows version that you are using, newer versions contain the
office application tools in a specific submenu (e.g., Microsoft Office tools).
1. Press in the keyboard. The Start menu will appear on your desktop screen.
3. Press the right arrow of the navigation keys to display the sub-menu containing all
the programs.
5. Press Enter.
When you open MS Word, a new document window will appear with a blinking cursor
on a blank page. You may now start working.
You are now ready to start working on a document, but it is wise to be familiarized
first with the MS Word screen. Basically, the MS Word screen has the following parts as
shown in the figure below.
Title bar – located at the topmost of your computer screen or the application window. It has
the Windows command controls, namely: (a) Control Menu at the far left side
symbolized by the application icon like for MS Word, (b) Minimize and Restore
buttons which resizes the window of the document that you are working on, and
(c) the Close button that closes the window of the document that you are working
on. The Title bar also displays the filename of the document that you are working
Menu bar – located directly below the title bar. Various menus provide access to different
available commands. Updated versions of Microsoft Office tolls only allow you to
view a shortcut of the recently-used pull down menus. You may, therefore, expand
a short menu by clicking the arrow pointing down.
File – creates new documents, opens, prints, closes, saves documents and exits an
application window. It also includes other miscellaneous commands like page
Setup, properties and others not mentioned. It also displays the four previous
documents of files that you have worked on.
Edit – this can undo and redo the last action that you have made. Also includes Cut, Copy,
Paste, Select All, Find, Replace and Go to commands.
View – presents various options to view your current application window, including normal
layout, print layout, and web layout and activates or deactivates the rules and the
various toolbars.
Insert – adds symbols, pictures, objects, page numbers, date, time and other features
available into your document.
Format – designs, setup and arranges fonts, paragraphs, borders and shading, bullets and
numbering, character case and suggest formatting styles.
Tools – contains commands pertaining to correct use of language and grammar, customizing
toolbars, activating and deactivating various commands in the options menu.
Table – contains commands in inserting tables into your documents and customizing the
tables.
Window – includes commands in arranging various document windows like Split, Arrange
and New Window. It also shows all the document windows that are open.
Help – contains the commands that provide assistance in the use of MS Word.
You may open the various menus to know what commands each menu contains. The
following are the steps in opening the various menus using the mouse:
1. Move the mouse pointer over the Menu name that you want to open. Let us say, you
want to access the Page Setup command.
3. Move the mouse pointer over the Page Setup command or any other command that
you would like to execute. The Page Setup command will then be highlighted.
4. Click the left button of the mouse once to confirm the action. The Page Setup dialog
box is then displayed your screen. A dialog box contains either command buttons or
dropdown list boxes that you can choose from before you can continue working on
your document. This always opens when you choose a command containing ellipsis
(Dyson, Peter).
You may cancel this action midway and continue working on your document by
positioning the mouse pointer anywhere in your text area and clicking the left button
once.
Dialog Box
You may open the various menus in the Menu bar by pressing Alt + the underlined
letter of the menu name. The following are the steps to open the Page Setup command
using the keyboard.
1. Press Alt together with F (the underlined letter in the File Menu) where the Page
Setup command is located. A Pull Down menu drops down displaying various
submenus to choose from.
3. Press Enter. The Page Setup dialog box is then displayed on your screen.
Button or Tool Bar – this is the horizontal bar directly below the Menu bar containing
various buttons or icons as shortcuts to different commands which ley you do common
tasks quickly using the mouse.
3. Position the mouse over the Toolbars command. This action displays the Pull Down
list of toolbars that may be activated or deactivated.
4. Move the mouse pointer over the toolbar that you want to activate or deactivate.
3. Press the arrow right navigation keys to display the list of toolbars to activate or
deactivate.
4. Go to the toolbar that you choose by using the arrow up or arrow down navigation
keys.
You may activate or deactivate more than one toolbar by performing the same
process each time you activate or deactivate any toolbar.
Ruler – If it is being displayed, the ruler is located horizontally directly below the menu bar
and the toolbars and vertically on the far left side of the screen. It covers only the whole
length of the page whatever size it may be. The ruler lets you set tabs, indentions or margins
directly into the ruler itself by clicking and/or dragging the mouse on any point of the ruler
that you want to set a tab, margin or indention. It also serves as a guide to writers as to the
alignment, spacing, columns and format of your paragraphs.
4. Click the left button of the mouse once. This action activates or deactivates the ruler.
1. Open the View menu by pressing Alt + V (the underlined letter in the View menu).
2. Go to the Ruler command by using the arrow down in the navigation keys.
Scroll Bar – is the vertical line at the right that is parallel to the vertical ruler on the left. The
scroll bar is used to scroll within the pages of the document with more than one page or
scroll within the page if there is only one page. You may also press Page Up or Page Down in
your keyboard to scroll. You will notice that the Scroll bar also moves either up or down as
you Press Page Up or Page Down. The mouse may also be used in scrolling among pages.
4. Release the mouse button when you are in your desired page.
Newer versions of mouse have scroll capabilities either horizontal or vertical on the
mouse itself.
Text Area – is the area used for typing text or numbers. It is the largest area in your screen,
the size of which depends on the number of toolbars that you have displayed in the screen.
Many toolbars take up so much typing space, thus it is unwise to display unnecessary
toolbars. The typing area or region is like a blank piece of paper that is inserted in the
typewriter for typing. It is in this area where you type, edit, modify or format your text. The
margins of you page are preset once you start MS Word. However, you may change the
Setup of your page as you like with the use of various commands intended for this purpose.
The blinking vertical line is a cursor or the insertion point. You may move the cursor
Status bar – this is located at the bottom of your MS Word screen, which is parallel to the
horizontal ruler. As to its name, the Status bar displays the status of your document by
indicating various points. These indicators include the current page, section, current page
over the total number of pages, the distance from the top of the paper to the current line of
type, the number of lines currently typed and the column number. The Status bay may also
indicate whether some of the features of the documents are activated like the insert key,
extended selection, track changes and other keys.
In MS Word, it is very important that you are proficient in the use of the keyboard
because you will be using this device most of the time. As you have learned, a keyboard is
an input device made up of a group of keys that performs functions. You should be familiar
with these functions so you can work in MS Word with ease. Most importantly, you should
be able to master the basic of keyboarding skills. Some students are not very keen on
learning the proper keystrokes. What they do not realize is that this very necessary skill is
the foundation for speed and accuracy. It would be very wasteful for you to rent a computer
in a computer center and stay for an hour only to finish a short doubled-spaced page
because you type very slowly or inaccurately.
Keyboard
Function Keys – provide easy and fast access to come commands depending on the
software or application tool that you are using. For example, pressing F7 will enable the
spell checker, or F10 will activate the Menu bar.
Numeric Keys – this pad can be used in two ways depending on whether the Num Lock light
is on or off as indicated in the status lights. The numpad is locked when the status light is off
and keys can be used when it is on. If the status light is off, it means that the numeric keys
can be used for other commands like scrolling, deleting or enabling shortcuts.
Navigation Keys – consist of keys with arrows pointing up, down and sideways. These keys
are used to navigate within your document or your screen depending on the software that
you are using.
Additional Keys – some keys duplicate the function of the navigation keys like scrolling
among the pages of your document or insert or delete. The topmost keys aligned with the
function keys have their specific functions.
Print Screen – can be used to print the current screen display when pressed with
the Shift key.
Scroll Lock – these keys cause lines of text to move when the cursor keys are used.
Main Keyboard – consists of the common keys that are used to enter text and numbers like
in the typewriter. It includes the different function keys described below.
Esc – most often allows you to “escape” or return to the previous screen of the
program that you are currently working on.
Caps Lock – when previously pressed, allows you to type letters in uppercase
except, of course, numbers or symbols. The Caps Lock status light turns on when
the key is pressed.
Shift – allows you to type letters in uppercase or use upper symbols shown in some
keys when pressed with the letter or symbol to be used.
Ctrl (control key) – may execute commands when pressed in combination with
some keys as specified in the software that you are using.
Alt (alternative key) – may also initiate commands when pressed with other keys.
Backspace – used to delete one character to the left of the cursor or the insertion
point.
Enter – moves the cursor to the beginning of the next line or may also add line
space in between lines of text or paragraphs.
Other keys beyond the ones shown above should be pressed using the finger
nearest to the key. The Numeric keys, Navigation keys or Arrow keys and other keys on the
right are pressed by the right hand finger.
Another important tool in word processing is the mouse. Aside from being an all-
purpose browsing and accessing tool, the mouse can also be used to display shortcuts to
common tasks that you may need.
Clicking the right button of the mouse displays a lot of shortcuts to commands
depending on where you place the mouse pointer before you right click. To right click the
mouse on a misspelled word would display alternative words to be misspelled word. To
right click the mouse anywhere within the blank spaces of the document would display
common edit and format commands.
The new document window appears. You may now start working in your new
document.
If you have created a long document, your computer screen only displays the part of
your document that fits the screen. To view other areas of the text, you must move through
the document.
You may also opt to use the mouse in another way to highlight all text. Position the
mouse pointer at the beginning of the paragraph. Click the left button of the mouse and
hold while dragging down until the end of the text in your document. Release the left
button.
Always remember that even though MS Word automatically saves your document as
you work, it is important for you to save your changes while you are working to ensure that
changes are properly saved particularly during power surges.
If you want, you can save a copy of your document with the same filename or on a
different filename in a different directory.
You may want to close your document when you are done. To do so, you must first
be sure to save your file. If you have not previously saved your file, a dialog box asking you
to save your file pops up when you close your document. You may opt to save it or not, just
follow the instructions in the dialog box.
To close a document
To exit MS Word
Follow the steps below if you are done working with your file and you want to exit
MS Word.
You may open your file/s when you want to work again so you can make changes in
your file after you have closed it.
Note: You do not need to start MS Word again if the program window is still displayed on
your screen. Just open your file through the File menu with your mouse or keyboard.
There are times when you might forget how to execute a command and you do not
have a ready reference or your reference does not include how to execute certain
commands that you need. In this case, the MS Word Help feature becomes very handy.
Editing commands are used to transfer text to anywhere within the document to
other documents or to other Microsoft Office applications. Featured here are only the
commands that are commonly used.
Cut is used to remove either unwanted text from the document or to transfer text or
pictures from one part of the document to another.
Copy is used to duplicate text or pictures and place it in another part of the
document.
Paste is used to insert or add a part of text or picture that was previously cut or
copied.
The Undo key is used to reverse the last task that you just did. If you return to the
previous position or setting of your document, you cannot undo any action which did not
Redo key, on the other hand, is used to repeat the last action that you did. For
example, you chose to delete a text, then you decided that you want it back so you undo
your action, but, then again you realized that you really need to delete the text so you redo
your last action which was to delete. Redo can be done by clicking in the Standard
toolbar using your mouse or pressing Ctrl + Y using your keyboard.
You may view your document in any way you want by accessing the various view
types. Try each type of view and choose one that best suits your needs. The type of view
that you will choose will be the default view of MS Word each time you start the program.
You can also zoom in and out of the displayed page by accessing the zoom command in the
View menu.
You may add symbols and pictures to your document to enhance it or you may add
page numbers.
For example, to add a picture to your document, click Finish and then select picture.
You will be given a set of choices:
You may click Clip Art and a number of images appear on the screen. Right-click on
the image you want, then choose Inset. The image is now on the document you are working
on.
4.1 Fonts
The Font menu covers a variety of font style preferences and settings like the font
color, style, size and many others. Formal documents commonly use fonts that are less
stylish and stick to a more or less uniform font size while documents that require styles like
invitations cards or flyers may contain varied styles.
1. Go to Format
2. Select paragraph and click. The Paragraph dialog box will appear (see figure below).
3. Choose the options and settings you want.
You can easily switch to and from Line and Page Breaks to Indents and Spacing by
clicking on the appropriate field using your mouse.
1. Go to Format
2. Select Bullets and Numbering. The Bullets and Numbering dialog box will appear.
3. You may choose the settings/options you want.
1. Go to Format
2. Select Borders and Shadings. The Borders and Shadings dialog box will appear.
You may also divide your page into columns if you need to do so or you may
insert Text boxes or Quote pullouts, Sidebars or Special text. Text boxes may be enclosed in
a box or may also be without boxed lines. The columns command may be accessed by
This command is used to change the case of text; the dialog box includes five
choices of formulas for the change case command.
1. Go to Format
2. Select Change Case. The Change Case dialog box will appear (see figure below).
3. You may select from the files options.
Figure 4.6 Text Cases and the Change Case Dialog Box
There are some tools in MS Word that are often used to assist you in checking your
document like Spelling and Grammar, Envelopes and Mailings, Customizing command
toolbars, Option menu and so on. To access submenus and various tools commands, follow
the procedure in accessing a command in the menu bar. Shown here is the preview of the
Tools menu.
When you open MS Word the first time, it is most likely that the Spelling and
Grammar Checker of the program is activated. You can confirm this when some words in
your document shows wavy underlines of greens and reds. These underlines though do not
show in your printed document. A green underline indicates that the program cannot
recognize the sentence that you have typed and thus labels it accordingly.
A red underline indicates a wrong spelling. However, there are certain terms that
the MS Word program could not recognize, particularly words that are not in its vocabulary.
Certainly non-English words would be underlined in red unless you include them in the
program’s dictionary or you set the Language in the Tools menu.
5.3 Customize
This command allows you to activate and arrange the toolbars that you prefer to
be displayed and used on your screen.
To access this command
1. Go to Tools menu.
2. Select Customize. The Customize dialog box will appear (see figure below).
3. You may choose which Toolbars will be shown and how they will look on screen.
The Options menu gives you selections on how the MS Word program would
display, save, track changes, check your documents and so forth. Some of the commands in
the Options menu may be activated or deactivated depending on your choice.
To go to options
1. Go to Tools.
2. Select Options. The Options dialog box will appear (see figure below).
3. You may make changes to the different option available.
Tables may be inserted or added to your document. You may choose the styles of
different tables in the template or you may create your own style. Auto formats of the
tables may be accessed in the Tables menu. You also opt to draw the table yourself. In this
case, you may activate the Draw table toolbar by opening the Table menu. Basically, it is
important that you plan first the format of your table because the orientation of the page
(portrait or landscape) would depend on the total number of rows and columns that you
would like to have.
To insert a table
1. Go to Table.
2. Select Insert, then Table. The Insert Table dialog box will appear (see figure below).
3. You may choose the number of rows and columns, and the column width. Click OK.
The table will now appear on your screen.
MS Word offers various document templates to aid you in presenting your ideas
better. There are resumé and letter wizards that lets you just change the entries of the
different fields and headings to personalize your document.
The different templates are presented and each template has instructions on how to
write or type over the different fields of the template.
You might wish to keep a hard copy of your file or need to submit your document.
Thus, you need to print your file in a paper size you specified in the page setup. You may use
any kind of paper as long as the size, texture and thickness are compatible with your printer.
The page is setup in your document through the Page Setup dialog box in the File
menu. The MS Word program supports different kinds of printer models but you need to
install your printer’s program in the computer’s memory for you to be able to use it. A
printer is easy to set up as long as you have a complete set including cables, wires and
installers. It is important for you to read carefully the setup instructions.
To print a document
There are other commands in the printing menu that could help you decide on
the manner or style of printing that you may wish to have. For instance, you may print your
document in draft mode, grayscale or full color.
You connect . . .
Albano, Gisela May A., Atole, Ronnel R., Ariola, Rose Joy Y. (2003).
Introduction to Information Technology. Philippines: Trinitas Publishing, Inc.
www.google.com
Main Task
Instructions:
1. You are given one week for the preparation of your video presentation.
4. You can use any video editor application (Power Director, Video Maker, etc.)
Main Task
Do the following:
1. a. Start MS Word
b. Open a new file.
c. Type the first three paragraphs of this chapter.
d. Save your file and name it WordPro.
e. Exit MS Word.
2. a. Start MS Word
b. Open a new file.
c. Type the last paragraph of this chapter.
d. Save your file and name it Last Pro.
e. Exit MS Word.
3. a. Start MS Word
b. Open your file named WordPro.
c. Italize the last words in each sentence.
d. Boldface the first word in each sentence.
e. Save your file.
5. a. Start MS Word
b. Open a new file.
c. Create the following table.