Module Three: Applications - PBDD

Introduction to Computers Student Guide Module 3: Applications

Version 2.0 .1 ©1998-2012 Peoples Resource Center

All rights reserved.

Module Three: Applications You may have heard of applications or apps for smart phones (there’s an app for that!). Those apps are

the software that performs a task on the smart phone, for example email or mobile banking. This

module will look at computer applications.

Topics

Computer Applications

Microsoft Office

Word Processing

Text Formatting

Exercises

3A – Open Word

3B – Create a Document

3C – Format Text

Objectives

At the end of this module you will be able to:

1. Select the proper application for word processing and spreadsheet use

2. Use a word processing application to create a document

3. Format text on a Word document


Version 2.0 Page 1.2 ©1998-2012 Peoples Resource Center


Computer Applications

Computer applications are the software that allows you or the computer to perform tasks. In computers

applications are often called programs. An application or program that the computer uses to perform

functions is called the operating system. Examples of operating system software include Windows,

Linux and Mac. Operating system software is a topic covered in the PRC Windows Fundamentals

class.

There are thousands of applications to help you, the computer user, perform tasks. Often companies

group applications together and sell them as a software suite. Microsoft Office is a suite of useful

programs sold by Microsoft. In this module we will look at Microsoft Office because it is normally

installed on the computers the Peoples Resource Center (PRC) provides to its clients

Microsoft Office

For home and business users, Microsoft Office provides a grouping of most used programs. There are

many versions of Office available. They range from a basic offering of programs that a home user

would desire up to a version that includes all of the applications you would need in a business setting.

The Basic package installed on PRC computers includes applications for:

Word processing

Spreadsheets

Word Processing

Word processing applications allow you to create documents. These documents could be a letter, a

report for school or even a book. The handouts we are using in this class were created using word

processing software. Word processing software also allows you to edit the documents you have

created. The Microsoft Office word processing application is called Word. Below is an example of a

Word document. Later in this module we will use Word to create and edit documents.

Figure 1 Word Example




Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet applications provide users with a worksheet made up of cells arranged in rows and

columns. The worksheets look like paper accounting worksheets.

You could use a spreadsheet program to create a mailing list using the columns for name, address,

city, state and ZIP code. Or, you could use a spreadsheet to create a family budget. Your budget could

include formulas that would total the data entered for income and expense. The big benefit to

spreadsheet programs is that as data is changed the totals automatically update. The Microsoft Office

spreadsheet application is called Excel. Below is an example of an Excel spreadsheet. Excel is a topic

that is covered in an advanced PRC class.

Figure 2 Excel Example




Microsoft Word

Microsoft Word is a word processing application that is part of the Microsoft Office bundle of

applications.

Opening Word

We access Word from the Windows Start Menu. To do this:

1. Locate the Start Button on the left side of the Taskbar, found at the bottom of the screen.

Figure 4 Start Button

2. Click (single left click) on the Start Button to open the Start Menu.

Figure 5 Start Menu




3. Click on All Programs to open a list of all programs installed on the computer.

Figure 6 All Programs

4. Use the mouse to scroll down to find Microsoft Office.

Figure 7 Microsoft Office




5. Click on Microsoft Office to open the applications it contains.

Figure 8 Office Applications

6. Click on Microsoft Word to open it.

Figure 9 Open Microsoft Word




Your screen will now display a new session of Word.

Figure 10 Microsoft Word

Let’s explore the Word window. The large open space you see above is where you will be typing your

document. It is called the document pane. The vertical line on the document pane is called the insertion

point. It is where text will appear when you start typing.

This module will be looking at an overview of Word. Upon completion of this course you will have the

skills required to create a document with basic formatting.

Detailed information on Word is found in an advanced PRC Class.




Exercise 3A Open Word

This exercise gives you practice in opening Microsoft Word. Use the instructions listed above to open

Word. We will be exploring the parts of a Word window in the next segment of this module. It will be

helpful for you to have a window to look at.

Parts of the Word Window

Before we start to use Word to create a document, let’s look at what makes up a Word window. The

layout of this window is very similar to that of all Office applications.

We will address enough of the Word window so that you will be able to use it to type a document. Other

features of the Word window will be covered in an advances class.

Figure 11 Parts of the Word Window




Office Button

Clicking on the Office Button opens the menu shown below. Many of the common operations you will

perform on a Word document are found on the left side of the menu. We will discuss some of them and

reserve others for an advanced class.

New – Clicking on New opens a new session of Word.

Open – Click on Open to find and open a document created earlier.

Save – Click on Save to save a copy of the document as a file on the computer.

Save As – Save As is used the first time you save a new document. You will be asked to name

and indicate where the file is to be located on the computer.

Print – Clicking on Print opens a dialog screen where you indicate how many copies to print.

There is also a Print Preview option that lets you see what the document will look like when

printed.

Close – Click close to end the Word session. You may be prompted to save before closing.

On the right side of the menu is a listing of recently opened documents. A single click will open the

document.

Figure 12 Office Button




Quick Access Toolbar

To the right of the Office Button is the Quick Access Toolbar. It contains icons for some commonly used

Word functions.

The Rectangle is the icon for Save. Clicking on it does the same thing as clicking on the Office Button

Save.

The arrow looping to the left is the undo icon. Clicking on it will undo the last thing you did. This is an

easy and safe way to undo a mistake.

The arrow looping to the right is the redo icon. Clicking on it will redo the last thing you did.

Figure 13 Quick Access Toolbar

Title Bar

Displayed on the Title Bar is the title of the document displayed on the Word window. In the example

below the document title is Quick Reference for Microsoft Word.

Figure 14 Title Bar

Minimize, Maximize and Close Buttons

Found at the far top right corner of the Word window are the Minimize, Maximize and Close buttons.

Clicking on the dash or Minimize button causes the Word window to disappear but not close. Clicking

on the Word Icon on the Task bar found at the bottom of the screen will reopen the document.

Clicking on the Maximize button will cause the screen to toggle between a full screen and partial screen

display of the Word window.

Clicking on the X or Close button does the same thing as the Office Button Close option. You may be

prompted to save before closing.

Figure 15 Min, Max, Close Buttons




Scroll Bar and Arrows

On the right side of the Word window is the Scroll Bar. On top of the scroll bar is an arrow point up; at

the bottom is an arrow pointing down. A document may contain more text than can be displayed on a

single screen. Click on the up or down arrow to move forward or back through the document. Click and

hold the down the left mouse button down on the scroll bar and move it up or down to quickly move

through the document.

If your mouse has a scroll wheel you can also use it to move up or down through a document. Rolling

the wheel towards you moves down in the document. Away from you moves up.

Figure 16 Scroll Bar and Arrows

Status Bar

The Status Bar gives information about the document you are looking at. In this example we are on

page 12 of 13 pages.

Figure 17 Status Bar




The Ribbon

Word is a very feature rich word processing application. Word’s features are accessed on the Ribbon.

The Ribbon has many tabs for different tasks. Later in this module we will look at the Home tab. The

other tabs will be covered in an advanced class.

Figure 18 Word Ribbon

Exercise 3B – Create a Document

In this exercise you will use Word to create a document. Later in this module we will make text

formatting changes to the document. If you need help with the keyboard, look over Module 1’s handout.

Help with the mouse can be found in Module 2’s handout.

1. Open Word.

2. Type the following document.

People's Resource Center community exists "to respond to basic human needs, promote dignity and

justice, and create a future of hope and opportunity for the residents of Du Page County, Illinois through

discovering and sharing personal and community resources."

The PRC Computer Programs, established in 1998, give low-income people marketable computer

skills, basic knowledge about the technology, and a computer for their home. The goals are to help

eliminate the "digital divide" by helping people achieve mainstream wages and a career path - long

term solutions to escaping poverty.

3. Do not close Word; we will be using this document later in this module.




The Ribbon Home Tab

The Left Side of the Home Tab

The left side of the Home tab is divided into three sections:

Clipboard

Font

Paragraph

The Clipboard and Paragraph sections will be covered in the next module of this class. The Font

section is used to make changes to the style of text found on a document.

Figure 19 Home Tab

Figure 20 Font Section

Font Style and Size

Found on the top row of the Font Section are features used to change font style and font size. In the

example above, Word is set to type using the 11 point Arial font style. Point size represents how large

or small the type will appear. The larger the number, the larger the type size will be. Use the dropdown

arrow to the right of the style or size boxes to see the options available.

Figure 21 Font Styles

The icons to the right of the font size are also used to change the size of text you have already typed.

To use these icons the text you wish to change must be selected.




Selecting Text

Selecting the text is a way to let the computer know what existing text you want to change. To select

text:

1. Position the mouse pointer to the left of the first character you want to select.

2. Click and hold down the left mouse button.

3. Drag the mouse to the right over the text you want to select.

4. Release the left mouse button.

The selected text is now highlighted.

Figure 22 Selecting Text

Bottom Row Options

The options found on the bottom row of the Font section of the Home tab are also used to make

changes to text format.

Clicking on the B will change selected text to bold.

Clicking on the I Italicizes selected text.

Clicking on the u causes selected text to be underlined.

Click on the abc to draw a line through selected text. This is called a strikethrough.

Click on the x2 to cause a subscript, a smaller character below the text baseline.




x2 creates a superscript.

Click here to change the CASE of selected text. Clicking the dropdown arrow displays the

following options:

Figure 23 Text Case

Click here to highlight selected text. The dropdown arrow displays the highlighting choices.

Click here to change text color. The dropdown arrow displays color choices.

Exercise 3C – Format Text

On your screen should be the document you created earlier. We will be making changes to the

document’s text. Your document should look like the one shown below.




Complete the following steps:

1. Change the Font Style and Size of words Peoples Resource Center to Calibri 18 point.

2. Find the words digital divide and make them bold.

3. Italicize Du Page County

4. Underline 1998.

5. Strike through the word eliminate.

6. Change the case of the words computer skills to uppercase.

7. Highlight in yellow The PRC Computer Programs.

8. Change to Illinois to blue.

Close Word. When asked if you want to save your work click No.

Module Review

In this module you learned to:

Select the proper application for word processing and spreadsheet use

Use a word processing application to create a document

Format text on a Word document

Homework

This homework is designed to help you practice your text formatting skills. We will discuss this

assignment at the beginning of our next session.

1. Find some text you can type into a document. This could be a few paragraphs from a book or

the newspaper.

2. Open Microsoft Word.

3. Type the text.

4. Use each of the Font tools we covered in this module to make text changes.

5. Think of ways the tools could be used to enhance the look of a document.

Module Three: Applications - PBDD

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Transcript of Module Three: Applications - PBDD