KEYBOARDING

Keyboarding skills – the ability to input information at a keyboard smoothly while typing.

Touch typing – a method of typing (with all the available fingers) without looking at the keyboard.

• Touch typing can increase typing accuracy and speed.

• Touch typing includes understanding keyboard layout and its functions.

Benefits of touch typing

• Speed (efficient): type faster - Hands typing at a computer keyboard.
• Accuracy (focus): make fewer mistakes
• Productivity: type longer without getting tired
• Health: less likely have health problems (hands, wrists, neck, etc.)

Typing tips
• Maintain a healthy posture.
• Familiarize yourself with the keyboard layout.
• Start typing with touch typing.
• Press each key with the proper finger.
• Each key has to press by the same finger all the time.
• Take a typing speed test to keep track of your progress.

THE HOME ROW

The home row is the set of keys that are the base position for fingers. These are the keys located on the
middle row of the keyboard.
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• Always try to return your fingers to the base position when you are not typing.
• Keyboards usually have small bumps on the F and J keys. They help the users locate the base position
without having to look.
• Place the index fingers over the “F” and “J” key.

Computer Keyboard - the keyboard is one of the important part of a computer. It is an input device
which is used for typing in a computer. It contains many buttons on it which are called keys.

There are 104 keys on a standard keyboard. It contains 26 alphabet keys from A to Z. and the
number keys or the numeric keys which consist of numbers from 0 to 9 which are the basic numbers.

Keyboarding

You should know and memorize the location of keys and position your fingers in the keyboard
properly in order to increase your keyboarding speed and control. You should practice typing the
letters without looking at your fingers to be able to memorize the keys of the keyboard. Your fingers
should always rest on the home keys. If you reach up or reach down to the other letters, your fingers
should always return to the home keys. The home keys are A S D F ( for left hand ) and J K L ; (
for right hand ).

KEYS ASSIGNED FOR EACH FINGER

FINGER KEYS FINGER KEYS
4 Left pinky finger Q A Z 1 Right pinky finger P ; /
3 Left ring finger W S X 2 Right ring finger O L .
2 Left middle finger E D C 3 Right middle finger I K ,
1 Left pointer finger R F V 4 Right pointer finger U J M
T G B Y H N
Thumb Spacebar Thumb Spacebar

PARTS OF THE KEYBOARD

The QWERTY keyboard, or Universal Keyboard is named for the first six letters on
the second row. It is the standard keyboard format for most computers.

Character Keys
The character keys are the standard keys that were found on a typewriter --mostly
numbers and letters.

A lowercase letter is typed when one of the letter keys is pressed. The lower number or
symbol on the key is typed when a number or symbol key is pressed.
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Space Bar
The Space Bar inserts a space. It is used to separate words. It is the longest key on the
keyboard.

Shift Key
A capital letter is typed when you hold down the Shift key and press a letter key.

The top symbol is typed when you hold down the Shift key and press a number or symbol key.

Caps Lock Key

The Caps Lock key is used to type in ALL CAPITALS.

Notice the Caps Lock light on the keyboard. It indicates that Caps Lock mode is on or off.
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Backspace
The Backspace key is an editing key. It erases the character to the LEFT of the cursor, one at a time.
Note the arrow on the key.

Enter
The Enter key enters information or moves the cursor to the next line. Notice that there are two
Enter keys on a standard keyboard.

Tab
The Tab key moves the flashing cursor to the next tab stop.

When filling in a form, the Tab key will often move your cursor to the next box.
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Navigation Keys
Navigation keys help you move the flashing cursor.

Arrow Keys
The arrow keys move the flashing cursor in the direction of the arrow. Text is not erased or changed
when you use the arrow keys.

Delete
The Delete key is an editing key. It erases the character to the RIGHT of the cursor, one at a time.
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Page Up and Page Down

Page Up - moves the flashing cursor UP one page length. Can also be used to scroll in web browsers.

Page Down - moves the flashing cursor DOWN one page length. Can also be used to scroll in web
browsers.

Home and End

Home - moves the flashing cursor to the beginning of the current line.

End - moves the flashing cursor to the end of the current line.
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Insert
Insert - an editing key used to switch between two text-entering modes, Insert and Overstrike.

Numeric Keypad
The numeric keypad makes it easy to type numbers quickly and with only one hand.

The Num Lock key activates the numbers. When Num Lock is off (look at the "1" light), the keys
perform the functions on the lower half of the keys.

Function Keys
The Function keys provide special functions depending on the program in use.
F1 - almost always displays Help.
F5 - in web browsers, F5 will refresh, or reload, the web page.
F6 - in web browsers, will move the cursor to the address bar.
F7 - starts spell checker.
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Modifier Keys and Other, Less Used Keys

The next group of keys are used along with other keys.
We will also discuss some keys that are very rarely used.

Ctrl, Alt, and Windows Keys

Ctrl - the Control key perfroms a function when pressed in combination with another key.
Ctrl + P - Print
Ctrl + Z - Undo
more examples

Alt - the Alt key performs a function when pressed in combination with another key.
Ctrl + Alt + Delete - used when logging on to a network, also brings up the Task Manager
Alt + F4 - to close a program
Alt + Tab - to switch between open windows.

Windows key - brings up the Start menu when pressed alone. Can also be used in combination with
other keys for a variety of shortcuts.
Windows key + D - shows the desktop, restores hidden programs when pressed again.
Windows key + Down Arrow - restores the window size, or minimizes the window size.
Windows key + Up Arrow - maximizes the window size
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Print Screen, Scroll Lock, Pause/Break

Print Screen - copies an image of the screen to the clip board. The image can then be pasted into a
document.

SysRq, Scroll Lock, Pause/Break - antiquated keys that are no longer used.

Escape
The Escape key cancels the current command.

Sometimes it is a shortcut to answer No, Quit, Cancel, Exit or Abort.

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Keyboarding Technique

Proper posture
• Body: center body in front of keyboard and sit up straight.
• Arm position: arms relaxed and bent to about 90 degrees;
elbows naturally close to body. The mouse and keyboard
should be set to the height of elbow height.
• Hand position: hands should be flat, but palms of hands not
resting on the keyboard. Keep wrists off the keyboard.
• Feet position: feet should be flat on the ground, slightly apart
(don’t cross).
• Eyes: keep eyes on the screen rather than the keyboard or
hands. Shape.com

Typing Speed

Ways to improve typing speed

• Familiarizing yourself with the keyboard layout can improve your typing speed.
• Develop good typing habits; focus on hitting the right keys.
• Take your time when you have just started learning; slowdown to be accurate.
• Learn to be accurate first, then improve speed.
• Not only practice often, but practice correctly.
• Speed will come naturally through practice, repetition, and time.

How to Type:

https://youtu.be/vXsutlz0GIQ

For typing tutorial visit:

https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/typing/typing/1/

Take online typing tests

• Some online typing speed test tools can determine how many words per minute (wpm) you type and
how accurate your typing is.

• There are many free typing tests available online, such as:

◦ TestMyTypingSpeed (https://testmytypingspeed.in/)

◦ 10fastfingers (https://10fastfingers.com/typing-test/english)

◦ Key Hero (https://www.keyhero.com/free-typing-test/)

◦ The Typing Cat (http://thetypingcat.com/typing-speed-test/1m)

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References:

Aurora, A. (2015). Computer Fundamentals and Applications, VIKAS Publishing House PVT LTD. Jangpura
New Delhi. Retrieved from http//Google book.com.

Shelly, Gary B. and Vermaat, Misty E. Discovering Computers – Fundamentals. Your Interactive Guide
to the Digital World, 2012.

Vermaat, Misty E, Sebok, Susan L., Freund, Steven M., Campbell, Jennifer T., Frydenberg, Mark (2018).
Discovering Computers 2018, Digital Technology, Data and Devices.

Wang, M. (2020). Key Concepts of Computer Studies. BCcampus. https://opentextbc.ca/computerstudies/

www.tutorialsmate.com
ComputerHope.com
https://testmytypingspeed.in/
https://10fastfingers.com/typing-test/english
https://www.keyhero.com/free-typing-test/
http://thetypingcat.com/typing-speed-test/1m
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/using-your-keyboard-18b2efc1-9e32-ba5a-0896-
676f9f3b994f
https://sites.google.com/site/introductiontokeyboardingcmpld/home/parts-of-the-keyboard