Word Processing Basics

The Keyboard
Moving the Cursor
Highlighting or Selecting Text
Un-highlighting or Deselecting Text
Cut, Copy, and Paste
Opening a File from a Floppy Disk
Saving a File to a Floppy Disk

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The Keyboard

Backspace
Removes text to the left of the cursor

Delete
Removes text to the right of the cursor

Shift

Hold down at the same time as a letter to get a CAPITAL letter

If a key has two characters (like the number keys) hold down at the same time as one of those keys to get the upper character

Caps Lock

Press once to type in ALL CAPITALS

Press again to return to lower case letters

Enter

Sends a command to the computer

Moves the cursor down to the next line

Space Bar
Adds spaces between letters, words, or numbers

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Moving the Cursor

There are two ways to move the cursor or the insertion point around the screen:

• Use the arrow keys on the keyboard
• Use the mouse
  1. Place the mouse pointer (which will look like an "I") where you want the cursor.
  2. Left click once with the mouse.

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Highlighting or Selecting Text

To make changes to text it must first be highlighted. There are several ways to do this.

Click and Drag

1. Place the mouse pointer (which will look like an "I") in front of the section you wish to highlight.
2. Click the left mouse button and hold it down as you move the mouse across the text you want highlighted.
3. Let go of the left mouse button when you have made your selection.

Shift + Arrow Keys

1. Put the cursor in front of the section you wish to highlight
2. Press the shift key and the appropriate arrow key (at the same time) until you have made your selection

Mouse Pointer

1. Place the mouse pointer in the right margin.
2. When the pointer changes from the "I" to an arrow pointing to the right click once to highlight the entire line, twice to highlight the entire section, or three times to highlight the entire document.

Select All (used to select all the text in a document)

1. Click on the "Edit" menu
2. Click "Select All"

Once Text is selected you can:

• Change the font style or size
• Make the text bold, italicized, or underlined
• Change the alignment of the text (which margin the text lines up against) to left, centered, right, or justified (aligned against both margins)
• Delete it

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Un-highlighting or Deselecting Text

To deselect text click anywhere on the "paper" and the highlight will disappear.

WARNING: If a section of text is highlighting and you hit a key on the keyboard the highlighted section will be DELETED. Use the Undo button to bring back the section.

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Cut, Copy, and Paste

1. Highlight a section of text
2. Click on cut or copy
   • Cut will remove the selection and store it on the clipboard
   • Copy will make a copy of the selection and store it on the clipboard
3. Move the cursor to where you want the selection inserted
4. Click Paste

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Opening a file from a Floppy Disk

1. Click on the Open Button
2. In the "Look In:" box use the down arrow to bring up a menu.
3. Select "3 ½ Floppy A:/"
4. Click on the name of the file you wish to open
5. Click on the "Open" button or hit the ENTER key

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Saving a file to a Floppy Disk

1. Click on the Save Button
2. In the "Save In:" box use the down arrow to bring up a menu.
3. Select "3 ½ Floppy A:/"
4. Click in the "File Name:" box
5. This will highlight the current name (many times Word will automatically name the document).
   • If you want to keep the name do nothing and click the "Save" button.
   • If you want to change the name, hit delete and type in an appropriate name and then click the "Save" Button

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