Word processing/Key concepts/WP principles
Word processing
Learn to use a word processor to produce documents for a business or organisation.
An OP Online course from the National Certificate in Computing (Level 2) programme.
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| Key concepts | Introduction | WP principles | WP terminology | WP functions | Key points | Assessment |
The Principles of Word Processing
A word processing program allows you to create, edit, format and print many types of documents such as letters, memos, CVs, etc. You can also create World Wide Web pages with some word processing programs. The program used in this book is called Microsoft Word 2007 (often called simply Word). However, you can also use free software such as Open Office.
Looking at Word Documents
All items created in Word are known as documents. There are many types of documents you can create, such as:
- Letters
- Memorandums
- Fax Forms
- Curriculum Vitaes
- Reports
- Essays
- Assignments
- Flyers
- Posters
- Web pages
- Adverts
- Labels
- Contracts
- Forms
- Envelope Labels
- Invoices
- Minutes
- Newsletters
Word Features
Microsoft has created features which you can use in your word processing; the idea of these features is to allow you to do more than just creating and editing documents.
Microsoft Word has a wide range of other tools and functions, which are used in formatting the documents. The following are the main features of a Word Processor:
Ability to enter text into the computer, which allows alterations to be made easily.
Words and sentences can be inserted, amended or deleted.
Paragraphs or text can be copied /moved throughout the document.
Margins and page length can be adjusted as desired.
Spelling can be checked and modified through the spell check facility.
Multiple document/files can be merged.
Multiple copies of letters can be generated with different addresses through the mail-merge facility.
Using word you can create the document and edit them later, as and when required, by adding more text, modifying the existing text, deleting/moving some part of it.
Changing the size of the margins can reformat complete document or part of text.
Font size and type of fonts can also be changed. Page numbers and Header and Footer can be included.
Spelling can be checked and correction can be made automatically in the entire document. Word count and other statistics can be generated.
Text can be formatted in columnar style as we see in the newspaper.
Text boxes can be inserted.
Tables can be made and included in the text.
Word also allows the user to mix the graphical pictures with the text. Graphical pictures can either be created in word itself or can be imported from outside like from Clip Art Gallery.
Word also provides the mail-merge facility.
Word also has the facility of macros. Macros can be either attached to some function/special keys or to a tool bar or to a menu.
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