Let’s Get To That Paper… Using MS Word

Note:   When the word Click is used below, it means for you to depress the left button on your mouse.

Opening Microsoft Word

1.      Click on “Start” button (Located at lower left corner of screen)

2.      Drag the Mouse pointer up to “Programs” (on the pop-up menu)

3.      Continue dragging the pointer over to “Microsoft Office 97” (next pop-up menu)

4.      Continue dragging the pointer over to next pop-up menu and down to “Microsoft Word,” then “Click”
       (You now have a new   document screen and can begin typing your new document.)

Opening An Existing File

1.      Click the Open Button on the Standard Toolbar

2.      Select the appropriate drive by clicking on the down arrow at the right of the Look In List Box.
       For example: Click on 3 ½ Floppy (A:)

3.      Click on file name.

4.      Click on Open.

Setting Justification

1.      Align text at left margin – Click on the Left Align Button 

2.      Align text at right margin – Click on the Right Align Button

3.      To center text – Click on the Center Align Button

Setting Line Spacing

1.      Click on Format on Menu Bar (Top of screen)

2.      Click on Paragraph

3.      Click on Down Arrow to the right of Line Spacing Text Box

4.      From drop down menu, click on desired line spacing.

5.      Click on OK

Word Wrap

When you reach the end of a line, Word will automatically drop you down to the next line. This is called “Word Wrap.”
Do not press the Enter key at the end of each line. Press the Enter key only to create a blank line or to end a paragraph. The lines will also automatically adjust when you add or erase text.

Editing Your Document

            1.   Inserting cursor

a.      Using the mouse move I-beam of your cursor to where you want to insert the cursor and click.

b.      Keyboard arrows – all four arrows will move your cursor in the direction they are pointing one space or line.
       If you hold them down, they will continue to move.    

2.      Adding Text – place the cursor where you want to add text, click, and start typing.

3.      Selecting Text – If you want to do something with existing text, you must first select (Highlight) it.
                                  When text is selected, the letters turn white and the background is black.

a.      Select All – If you wish to select all of your text, hold down the Ctrl key and press at the same time,
        the “A” key. You can also click on Edit on the Menu Bar and the click on “Select All.”

b.      Select Text – Either double click on the word with your cursor or place your cursor to the left or right
       of the word(s), hold down your left mouse button, and drag across the word(s).

4.       Deleting Text – Select the text you wish deleted, then press the Delete key.

5.       Changing or Setting Font 

a.      Select the text you want changed, both as to font style and/or size.

b.         Setting Size of font – Click on down arrow to the right of the Size Box.

c.         Scroll down and click on desired size. Standard size for most English papers is 12

d.         Setting font Style – Click on down arrow to the right of the Font Box.

e.         Scroll to desired font and click on the font name

6.       Bold, Italicize, and Underline Text –

a.      For existing text, select text, and then click on Bold Button to Bold text, click on Italic Button to Italicize text, and click on Underline Button to Underline text.

Saving Your Document – (Warning, save your work frequently.)

1.      Click the Save Button. If this is the first time you have saved this document, the Save As Dialogue Box will appear.
       At the Save As dialogue box, type file name in the File name: text box

2.      If the Save In list box doesn’t read  “3 ½ Floppy (A:)”, click on the down arrow to the right of this box and then click
       on “3 ½ Floppy (A:)”

3.      Click on the Save button.

4.      Note – If you want to work at home and school it is recommended you save the file as a Rich Text File (RTF).

Spelling & Grammar Check

1.         Click on the F7 key on the keyboard. This will activate the Spelling and Grammar Dialogue Box. The Dialogue Box is divided into two text boxes. The upper box highlights a potential problem and the lower box offers suggested corrections. If you wish to ignore the suggestion, click “Ignore.” If you wish to use the suggestion, click “Change.”

2.         OR, If you see red or green wavy lines under text, place your cursor on top of the wavy line and right click with your mouse. This will tell you what the computer perceives to be a problem. If you wish to adopt the suggested change, left click.

Header & Footer

1.      Click on View on the Menu Bar.

2.      Scroll down to and click on Header and Footer.

3.      The Header and Footer Toolbar appears along with a dashed rectangular line indicating the area of the Header.

4.      If you want to switch to Footer, click on the 4^th button from the right on the Header and Footer Toolbar

5.      Justification works the same in the Header and Footer text areas as was explained under Justification on Page 1.

6.      Page numbers can be added to headers or footers by clicking the Page Numbering Button on the
       Header/Footer Toolbar.

7.      Enter text and then to quit Header and Footer and return to the main document, click on the Close Button on the Header and Footer Toolbar.

Print Preview

1.      To view how your printed document will look, click on the Print Preview Button.

2.       To return to normal screen, click on the Close Button in the Print Preview Toolbar.

Print

            Print one copy

1.      Click on the Print Button 

Print more than one copy

1.      Click on “File” on the Menu Bar.

2.      Type number of copies desired in the Number of copies text box.

3.      Click “OK” or press the Enter key on the Keyboard.

Closing a File

1.      Click on the Document Close Button (The lower of the two Close buttons located at the top right-hand corner of the screen with an “X” on them.) You can also click on “File” on the Menu Bar and then click on “Close.”

Exiting Word

1.      Click on the Application Close Button (The upper of the two Close Buttons located at the top right-hand corner of the screen with an “X” on them.) You can also click on “File” on the Menu Bar and then click on “Exit.”