AS Level ICT Selection and use of appropriate software: Word-processing and spreadsheets

AS Level ICT

Selection and use of appropriate software: Word-processing and

spreadsheets

Word-processing

• Word-processing is the production of documents (e.g. letters, memos, reports)

• Text produced using a word-processing package can be exported into other applications (e.g. desktop publishing package, webpage)

• An important aspect of producing a document using word-processing is the page layout/format that is used, as this should always be appropriate to the document’s audience

Word-processing

• Examples of documents that can be produced using a word-processor package include:– Short formal documents – Memos, letters,

order forms, invoices, agendas, and minutes– Long or extended formal documents –

Articles and reports– Informal documents – Fiction

Word-processing – Short formal documents

Memos follow a particular structure:

Addressees

Originator

Copies (cc; bcc)

Date

Subject

Text of memo


Letters follow a particular structure:

Address of the originator

Name and address of the Addressees

Date

SalutationText of letter

Signature block

Copies (cc; bcc)


Order forms follow a particular structure:

Pre-printed address of the company the order is to go to

Address (and name) of the order’s originator

Information about the order (e.g. catalogue number, number of items ordered, price, total value of the order, VAT)


Order forms follow a particular structure:

Pre-printed address of the company the delivery is from

Address (and name) the delivery is to go to

Information about the delivery (e.g. catalogue number, number of items ordered, price, total value of the order, VAT)


Agendas follow a particular structure:

Date, time, and place of the meeting

Attendees

Agenda items (which always includes apologies, minutes of the last meeting, matters arising, AOB, and date of next meeting


Minutes follow a particular structure:

Date, time, and place of the meeting

Attendees

Apologies for those who could not attend

Minutes of the last meeting were read


Matters arising that were discussed

Items discussed

AOB that was discussed

Date of next meeting

Word-processing – Long formal documents

Articles follow a particular structure:

Headline

By-line

Text of the article





Word-processing – Long format documents

• Reports follow a particular structure:– Cover/Title page– Contents– Each section has a title or heading– Each subsection has a side heading– Bullet points and/or numbered paragraphs are

used to emphasise specific information

Word-processing – Informal documents

Word-processing – Informal documents

• Informal documents do not usually have a defined structure

• In the example of creative writing the structure used includes:– Short paragraphs– Descriptive text– Spoken word (either first person or reported

speech)

Word-processing – Page formatting

• When formatting a document, the following must be considered:– Paper size to be used (A4, A5, A3, Letter,

Foolscap)– Page orientation (Portrait, Landscape)– Margins (top, bottom, left, right)– Pagination (page numbers)– Headers and footers

Word-processing – Text formatting

• When formatting text, the following must be considered:– Font type to be used (e.g. Arial, Times New

Roman)– Font size to be used (e.g. 12pt, 24pt)– Font colour to be used– Font style to be used (e.g. bold, italic, underline)

– Font effects to be used (e.g. superscript, subscript,

shadowshadow)

Word-processing – Paragraph formatting

• When formatting paragraphs, the following must be considered:– Justification (e.g. left, right, centred, block)– Tabs and indents– Hyphenation– Line spacing (e.g. single, 1.5, double)– Bullet points– Numbering– Paragraph spacing (e.g. 6pt before and after

each paragraph)

Word-processing – Additional features

• Word-processing packages also include advanced features

• These include:– Templates – pre-existing basic layouts for

certain types of documents (e.g. memos, agendas, minutes) that can be used to create these documents

– Mail merge – allows data from databases to be integrated into documents (e.g. bulk letters being sent to customers)


– Indexing and referencing – allows long documents to be indexed and a contents section to be added

– Macros – these a short programs that can be setup by the user; they allow the user to perform repeated functions by using a single keystroke or mouse click

– Thesaurus – allows the user to choose to replace a word of text from a suitable list of synonyms


– Spellchecker – allows the user to check (and correct) the spelling of words automatically against a dictionary, and to add words that the dictionary does not recognise

– Grammar checker – allows the user to check the grammar in a document they have created, and to change it in line with suggested alternatives

Spreadsheets

• A spreadsheet is a sheet of paper that shows accounting or other data in rows and columns

• A spreadsheet is also a computer application program that simulates a physical spreadsheet by capturing, displaying, and manipulating data arranged in rows and columns

• Spreadsheet applications let the user to create and manipulate spreadsheets electronically

• In a spreadsheet application, each value sits in a cell

Spreadsheets

• The user can define what type of data is in each cell and how different cells depend on one another

• The relationships between cells are called formulas, and the names of the cells are called labels

• Once the user has defined the cells and the formulas for linking them together, they can enter their data

• The user can then modify selected values to see how all the other values change accordingly

Spreadsheets

• This enables the user to study various ‘what-if?’ scenarios

• Spreadsheets are useful for:– Budgeting– Cash flow forecasts– Accounting– Computer modelling– Statistical analysis– Producing graphs and charts

Common features of spreadsheets

• The spreadsheets are divided into columns and rows

• These columns and rows form cells• Each cell has a label which is formed by its column

letter and row number (e.g. G11)

Common features of spreadsheets

ColumnsRows

Cell G11

Entering formulas

Once the spreadsheet has been created, the formulae have to be added to make it work

Entering formulas

The cell that the user wants to add the formula to is selected

Entering formulas

The formula is typed into the cell

It will appear in the cell and on the line beneath the toolbar

Entering formulas

When all the formulas have been entered, and before the numerical data has been added, ‘0’ will appear in ever cell that contains a formula

Spreadsheet functions

• Spreadsheets have the following basic functions built into them:– The ability to use mathematical and statistical

functions (e.g. IF, AVERAGE, MODE, MEDIAN, and COUNT)

– The ability to replicate formula across rows and down columns using ‘click and drag’

– The ability to automatically add data using Autofill (e.g. days of the week, months of the year)

Spreadsheet functions

– The user can apply validation checks to cells to ensure that only valid data can be entered on the spreadsheet

Spreadsheet advanced functions

• Spreadsheets may also have the following advanced functions built into them:– The ability to link worksheets together so that

data can be transferred automatically from one worksheet to another

– The ability to use macros– The ability to use pivot tables– The ability to add lookup tables– The ability to protect cells

Spreadsheet advanced functions

– The ability to automatically update worksheets using data from a website

– The ability to use logical operators (e.g. AND, OR, and NOT)

Databases

• A database is any collection of data organised for storage in a computer memory and designed for easy access by authorised users

• The data may be in the form of text, numbers, or encoded graphics

• Since their first appearance in the 1950s, databases have become so important in industrial societies that they can be found in almost every field of information

Databases

• In recent years it has become possible for any personal computer to be used to set up database using a commercial program

• The simplest form of databases have a single data table and are referred to as flat databases

• More complex databases have multiple data tables, which are liked together by relationships; they are referred to a relational databases

Databases

In this example the three data tables are linked together by ‘One-to-Many’ relationships

Databases – Data tables, files, and record

Each file can contain several data tables, each of which is is made up of numerous records

Each record contains data about an individual entity

Databases – Data tables, files, and record

Each record is made up of several fields

Each Field will have a field name and data type

Databases – Data types

The default data type is Text

The default data type Text has default settings


• The default settings in Text can be changed to suit the requirements of the database design

• For example the field size can be changed, the caption can be altered, and validation rules and validation text can be added


Field Size

Caption

Validation Rule

Validation Text


• The default settings in Text can be changed to suit the requirements of the database design

• There are also other data types that can be selected


• These include Memo, Number, Date/Time, Currency, AutoNumber, Yes/No, OLE Object, Hyperlink, and Lookup Wizard

• Each of these has a specific use and preset defaults that can be changed

Presentation software

• Basic presentation software allows the user to prepare a series of slides which they can show to an audience

• More advanced presentation software will have the ability to include a variety of multimedia and interactive features (e.g. sounds, film clips, animation, hyperlinks)

Presentation software functions

• Basic presentation software includes the following functions:– Selecting pre-set design templates, including

layouts and colour schemes– Applying consistent colour schemes to slides– Adding background graphics to individual or

groups of slides– Producing notes and handouts– Adding headers and footers to each slide


– Adding slide transitions between slides (eg. fade-out effect, checkerboard across effect)

– Adding images to slides– Changing the order of the slides– Adding animation effects to elements on a slide

(e.g. paragraphs appearing in a particular order, images appearing before, with, or after text)


• Advanced presentation software can include the following functions:– Action buttons that allow the order of the slides

to be controlled by the viewer– Timing features that ensure that the viewer has

sufficient time to view each slide– The ability to record a narration for self-running

presentations– Hyperlinks to other slides, web pages, or files


– Animation effects for objects on slides (e.g. motion paths)

– Adding moving images and/or sound

AS Level ICT

Selection and use of appropriate software: Word-processing and

spreadsheets

Documents

AS Level ICT Selection and use of appropriate software: Word-processing and spreadsheets