1. WORD PROCESSING

2. What is it Used For Typing up coursework; Reports; Letters;
Leaflets containing graphics;
Questionnaires;
Newsletters;
CV’s (Curriculum Vitae);
Mail Merge – for personalised letters, etc.
Professional looking documents can be created by just about anyone.

3. Components of a Word Processing System
CPU (Central Processing Unit) – Work is saved in Memory
Monitor or VDU (Visual Display Unit)
Floppy Drive
Keyboard
Mouse
Printer
Word Processing Software (Application Software)

4. What is a Word Processing Package
It is “application software” or a “program” which allows you to:-
Enter
Edit
and Format text.

5. Text Formatting
The appearance of a document can be processed or changed easily. This is known as text formatting, e.g.
Changing font character style;
Changing font size;
Highlighting text
in bold, italics and underlining,
or changing the colour of text.
Demo

6. Text Editing
The content of a document can also be changed easily. This is known as text editing.
Examples are:-
Inserting text;
Deleting text;
Moving text to another position, e.g. block move;
Copy and paste so that text appears more than once Demo

7. The Big Problem
Because there are so many different ways to edit and format information, it is easy to get carried away.
You can be so carried away with technology that it is difficult to get your message across.
Remember the golden rule – keep the layout simple.
Always consider the needs of your intended audience.

8. Additional Features
Text alignment and justification can also improve the appearance of a document.
Microsoft Word uses left aligned text by default and also provides a wordwrap feature.
Demo

9. Additional Features cont’d
If you want a better word to describe something and can’t think of one, the Thesaurus can provide a list of similar words.
e.g The sea was very quiet.
The sea was very calm.
Find & Replace can help you search for a specific word that you might want to change - useful in very long documents.
Demo

10. Additional Features cont’d
Spellchecker - Spelling and grammar are checked automatically as you type.
However, mistyped words will not be flagged by the spellchecker as wrong.
e.g. “our" instead of “or"
"their" instead of "there”.
To catch these types of grammar mistakes you must proof read the document.
Demo

11. What have you learnt
You should know what a word processing package enables you to do.
The advantages of using a word processing package.
Be able to list the main components of a word processing system.