Basic Word Processing Tutorial

Starting a New Document

1. Double-click the Word icon on the desktop.

A new document can be started from a template or by clicking the Blank document. The default settings of the Blank document can be changed to BCPS standards.

Also available from this window are recently opened documents.

2. When a recently opened document is selected, a Resume reading window appears making it easy to continue working.

Click the window to pick up where it was left off.

Identifying Parts of the Word Window

1. The Quick Access Toolbar can be customized to include frequently used tools. The tools in the Quick Access Toolbar are always available.

2. There are Tabs across the top and below it is the Ribbon. When a tab is selected, the ribbon changes to show the tools associated with the tab.

Customizing the Quick Access Toolbar

The simplest way to customize the Quick Access Toolbar is to:

1. Click the dropdown button in the toolbar.

2. Select the command (tool) from the list. It appears in the toolbar.

3. If the tool isnt in the list, select More Commands. The Word Options window appears with a complete listing of commands.

4. Select the command from the left column.

5. Click the Add button. The command appears in the column on the right.

6. Click OK when finished.

Changing the Default Settings

In the Home ribbon, the Font group and the Paragraph group have dialog boxes. The arrow icon at the bottom of each group is the Dialog Box Launcher. Clicking it opens the dialog box.

1. Click the Font Dialog Box Launcher button

2. In the Font dialog box, change the font to Times New Roman.

3. Change the size of the font to 12.

4. Click the Set As Default button.

5. Select All documents based on the Normal.dotm template?

6. Click OK.

7. From the Home tab select the Paragraph Dialog Box Launcher.

8. Change the Line spacing to single and click Set As Default.

9. Confirm the change for the Normal.dotm template.

10. From the Page Layout tab, open the Page Setup Dialog box.

11. Change the left and right margins to 1 inch.

12. Click the Set As Default button.

13. Confirm the change for Normal.dotm template.

The next time Word is opened, the Blank document will have the new default settings. Clicking OK instead of Set As Default sets the changes for the current document only.

Selecting Text for Formatting

Text must be selected before making changes to the format. Text is selected in several ways: use of the Selection Arrow; double or triple clicking; or clicking and dragging.

Use of the Selection Arrow

The flashing cursor is the Insertion Point. It marks where new text will begin. The area to the outside of the left margin is the Selection Bar. It is shaded in the picture below, but actually it is indistinguishable from the rest of the document window. When the Insertion Point is placed in the Selection Bar, it changes to a Selection Arrow.

1. Hovering in the Selection Bar, the Selection Arrow appears. Clicking will select an entire line of text.

2. Clicking and dragging the Selection Arrow will select multiple lines of text.

Double or Triple-Clicking

1. Double-click a single word to select the word.

2. Triple-click in a paragraph to select the entire paragraph.

Clicking and Dragging Across the Text

Click and drag the insertion point across the text to select it. Do this to select text that does not complete an entire line.

Changing the Font

1. Select the text.

2. Click the Home tab. Change the text using the commands (tools) in the Font group. The more frequently used ones are identified below.

Changing the Paragraph Formatting

1. Select the text.

2. Click the Home tab. Change the text using the commands (tools) in the Paragraph group. The more frequently used ones are identified below.

Creating Bulleted and Numbered Lists

1. To create a bulleted list, click the Bullets button in the Paragraph tool box. A bullet will appear. Type the text. At the end of the line, use the Enter key to move to the next line. Another bullet appears automatically. To turn the bullet off, click the bullet button a second time.

2. To bullet an existing list (each line is separated by an Enter key stroke), use the Select Arrow in the selection bar and select the entire list. Click the Bullets button.

3. Use the Tab key to indent a line in the list to create a subtopic.

4. A numbered list works the same way. Using the Tab key to indent creates a subtopic.

5. A numbered list can be restarted by right-clicking to the right of the number and selecting Restart at 1.

6. A numbered list can be continued by right-clicking near the number and selecting Continue Numbering.

Inserting and Manipulating Online Pictures (formerly Clip Art)

1. Place the Insertion Point in the area of the document for the picture. Go to the Insert tab and click the Online Pictures button in the Illustrations group.

2. The Insert Picture window appears. Do a key word search in either box.

3. Respond No to the security warning.

4. Select the picture and click the Insert button. When the picture appears, click the Layout Options button.

Select the type of text wrapping.

Position the picture to either Move with text or to Fix positioning on page.

5. Drag the picture into position. Alignment Guides (green lines) help with centering, left and right alignment, and aligning with text. Use the sizing handles to make the picture larger or smaller.

6. Double-click the picture to reveal the Picture Tools Format ribbon with other commands and tools.

The left side of the ribbon contains the Adjust group of tools and the Picture Styles group of tools.

The Adjust group is used to change or correct for color, remove background, and apply artistic effects.

The Picture Styles group is used to change the picture border, effects, and layout.

The right side of the Picture Tools Format ribbon contains the Arrange group and the Size group of tools and commands. The Crop tool is in the Size group. Use the Crop tool to alter the outer parts of the graphic. Click the Crop tool and use the sizing handles to reduce the outer edges of the graphic.

Baltimore County Public SchoolsDepartment of Digital Learning: Basic Word Processing TutorialMarch 201415