AN-NUR MEDICAL SPECIALIST & TRAINING CENTRE

PRACTICAL MANUAL
COSC101: INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTING

BY

MAL. MUHAMMAD ADAM

NOVEMBER, 2024.
 COSC 101 PRACTICAL

Microsoft Word Exercise

The object of this exercise is to familiarize you with some of the important
commands associated with using Microsoft Word to produce academic papers.

This exercise will cover how to centre a line of text, how to insert today’s date,
and the difference between “soft” and “hard” returns. You’ll practice using
bold, italic, and underline features. You’ll change the line spacing from single
to double spaced. You’ll change the margins and add page numbers, headers and footers, and footnotes
and endnotes.

If you’d like some extra help while doing this exercise (or using Word at any time), select Help from the
menu bar and click Microsoft Office Word Help from the pull down menu. A column of advice will appear
on the right-hand side of the screen. You can also access help hints from pressing the F1 key.
Background Note on Microsoft Office Packages
Microsoft Office is a suite of productivity software widely used in academic, professional, and personal
settings. Its primary tools—Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint—are essential for creating documents,
managing data, and designing presentations. Mastering these applications is crucial for students as they
transition to tertiary education and beyond. Below is an overview of these tools and their applications.

Microsoft Word is a word-processing application used to create, edit, and format text-based documents. It
is ideal for assignments, reports, and letters. Key features include:

Document Formatting: Adjust fonts, colors, and spacing to create professional-looking documents.
Templates: Pre-designed templates help users create resumes, reports, and letters efficiently.
Inserting Objects: Add images, charts, and tables to enhance the content.
Collaboration: Features like “Track Changes” and “Comments” allow multiple users to review and edit
documents simultaneously.
Practical Relevance: Students can use Word to prepare assignments, research papers, and cover letters,
ensuring they meet academic and professional standards.

SOME KEYBORD SHORTCUTS

Text Editing/Graphics editing Operations
Ctrl+R Right Align selected text
Ctrl+L Left Align selected text
Ctrl+A Select All
Ctrl+C/Ctrl+Ins Copy text/image
Ctrl+V Paste text/image/text
Ctrl+X Cut text/image
Ctrl+B Bold text
Ctrl+U Underline Text
Ctrl+I Italic text
Del Remove selected image/Remove one
character from right side
F2 Rename the file
Ctrl+P Print presentation
F5 Slideshow of presentation
Ctrl+E Align Center Selected Phrase
Alt+W Zoom Selected
Ctrl+J Justify Selected Phrase
Ctrl+K Insert Hyperlink
Ctrl+F Find particular text
Ctrl+H Replace particular text
Ctrl+Z Undo changes in presentation
Ctrl+Y Redo operation
Ctrl+Shift+Z Normal/Plain Text
Shift+F3 Change cases(UppseCase/LowerCase)
F7 Spelling Checker
Ctrl+Shift+F Change Font Style
Ctrl+Shift+> Increase font size
Ctrl+Shift+<</sc> Decrease font size
Alt+Ctrl+Shift+> Superscript
Alt+Ctrl+Shift+<</sSubscript
C>
Ctrl+Drag Create a copy of selected text
Ctrl+Bkspace Delete word from left
Ctrl+Del Delete word from right
F8 Turn extend mode on
Esc Turn extend mode off
Alt+H+4 Apply strikethrough formatting
General Operation
Ctrl+S/F12 Save Document
Ctrl+O Open existing document
Ctrl+N New Document
Ctrl+P Print Document
Alt+F4 Exit
Ctrl+W Close
Navigation Operation
Arrow Keys Move operations
End End of line
Home Starting of line
Ctrl+Up Arrow Phrase or paragraph Up
Ctrl+Down Arrow Phrase or paragraph down
Ctrl+End End of text block
Ctrl+Home Beginning of text block
Shift+Tab To next object
Tab To previous object

SOME MICROSOFT WORD ACTIVITY

1. Select the Comic Sans MS font - Select Format from the menu bar.
- Click Font from the pull down menu.
- Select the Comic Sans MS font face.
 - Select an 11 point font size.
- Click the OK button

2. Center the top line.

- Select Format from the menu bar.
- Click Paragraph from the pull down menu.
- Select the Indents and Spacing tab.
- Select Center from the Alignment option
- Click OK
-Type: Microsoft Word Training Session -
Press the Enter key.

3. Center today’s date

- Select Format from the menu bar.
- Click Paragraph from the pull down menu.
- Select the Indents and Spacing tab.
- Select Center from the Alignment option
- Click OK
- Select Insert from the menu bar.
- Click Date and Time from the pull down menu.
- Select a Date/Time format of your choice.
- Click OK

4. Press the Enter key four times.

5. Type a short paragraph.

(This text will be centered due to the last command performed.)
- Type: I am learning Microsoft Word. I hope to learn at least one new thing in this training
session. If I have any questions (and I know I will), I will ask the teacher to answer them so I
will not get stuck.

6. Bold a phrase
- Highlight the phrase “Microsoft Word”
- Click the left mouse button and drag it across the words “Microsoft Word” to highlight
the words in black.)
- Click the B button in the toolbar at the top of the screen. If the B button is not in view use the
keyboard by holding down the CTRL key and pressing the B key.

7. Italicize a word.
- Double click the word “least” and the word will highlight in black.
- Click the I button in the toolbar at the top of the screen. If the I button is not in view use the
keyboard by holding down the CTRL key and pressing the I key.

8. Underline a phrase.
- Highlight the phrase “and I know I will.”
 - Click the U button in the toolbar at the top of the screen. If the U button is not in view use the
keyboard by holding down the CTRL key and pressing the U key.

9. Double space the lines in your paper.

- Place the cursor at the desired location in the paragraph.
- Select Format from the menu bar.
- Click Paragraph from the pull down menu.
- Select the Indents and Spacing tab.
-Select Double from the Line Spacing option
- Click OK

10. Add page numbers to your document. - Select Insert from the menu bar.
- Click Page Numbers from the pull down menu.
- Select Position and Alignment
- Allow Word to show the numbers on the first page.
- Click OK

11. Change your margins

- Place the cursor at the top of your paper.
- Select File from the menu bar.
- Click Page Setup from the pull down menu.
- Select Margins tab.
- Change the top, bottom, left, and right margins to 1.5”.
- Click OK

12. Place the cursor at the end of your paper to the right of “stuck” and press the Enter key three
times.
- Click the Left Justification button so the cursor will be on the left side.

13. Type a short paragraph

- Type: I have a paper to write, and I have to use footnotes. I don’t know how to do them, but
after this example I will.

14. Create a footnote

( A footnotes appear at the bottom of the page and they are numbered. Footnotes are used for
references and to define unfamiliar words.) - Select Insert from the menu bar.
- Select Reference
- Click Footnote form the pull down menu.
- Make sure Footnote is selected
- Click OK
- Type the footnote: My teacher will be happy to see footnotes in my paper.

15. Add another footnote

- Place the cursor after the word “learn” in the first paragraph.
- Select Insert from the menu bar.
- Click Footnote from the Reference menu
- Make sure Footnote is selected
- Click OK
- Type the footnote: Or at least try
 (Notice that the footnote number for the second footnote has changed.)
- Use the mouse to leave the footnote by clicking somewhere in the upper part of the page.

16. Create a header

(A header is a line that runs along the top of every page of your document.) -
Select View from the menu bar.
- Click Header and Footer from the pull down menu.
-Type: Microcomputer Applications Area
- Click the Close button from the Header and Footer toolbar.

17. Create a footer

(A footer is a line that runs along the bottom of every page of your document.) -
Select View from the menu bar.
- Click Header and Footer from the pull down menu.
- Click the icon labeled “Switch between header and footer” -Type: [Your Name]
-Click the Close button from the Header and Footer toolbar.

18. Create a blank page with existing document

- Press Ctrl and Enter simultaneously

21. Spell Check your paper.

- Select Tools from the menu bar.
- Click Spelling and Grammar from the pull down menu
- Word will stop on any words it doesn’t recognize from its dictionary, and you may choose to
ignore the Spell Check or have it replace your word with the correct spelling.

22. Proofread your paper.

- When Microsoft Word doesn’t recognize the spelling of a word, it underlines the word in
red.
- Watch for those red underlines and correct those that are wrong.
- The red underline will not appear on your printed copy.
- Also, remember Word isn’t always right.
- Word also misses real words that are used improperly.
- For example, if you type “fro” when you meant to type “for,” Word will not catch the
mistake. So you will need to read over your own work carefully.

23. Print the document

- Select File from the menu bar.
- Click Print from the pull down menu
-Notice the “Current Printer” and that you can change it by clicking on the down arrow key to
the right of the printer name.
- Click OK
- Turn in the printed copy with your name on it.

24. Save your document

- Select File from the menu bar.
- Click Save As from the pull down menu
 - Click on the arrow by the “Save in” box and change to your folder.
- Click in the “File name” box and give your file a name.
- Click Save
IMPORTANT: Always save your work every 5 to 10 minutes! You can also save it from the
keyboard by holding down the CTRL key and the S key.

Microsoft Word Practical Exercises

ACTIVITY 1
Create a Professional Cover Page for an Assignment
Open a new Word document.
Insert a cover page using the “Insert” tab.
Include the following information:
Title of the assignment
Name of the course
Student’s name
Matriculation number
Submission date
Add a border to the page (go to “Design” > “Page Borders”).
Save the file as “Assignment_Cover.docx.”

ACTIVITY 2
Format a Document with Headers and Footers
Open a new document and type a two-paragraph text (you can copy from any topic online).
Add a title at the top, center-align it, and format it with a larger font size and bold.
Insert a header that includes the student’s name and page numbers (use “Insert” > “Header”).
Add a footer with the course name and semester (use “Insert” > “Footer”).
Save the file as “Formatted_Document.docx.”
Create a Table for Student Grades

ACTIVITY 3
Open a new Word document.
Insert a table with the following columns: Name, Subject, Marks, and Grade (use “Insert” > “Table”).
Fill in the table with dummy data for five students.
Format the table: Add borders, shade the header row, and align text in the cells.
Save the file as “Student_Grades.docx.”
Microsoft Excel Practical Exercises
Basic Spreadsheet for Monthly Expenses

Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Excel is a powerful spreadsheet application for organizing, analysing, and visualizing data. It is
widely used in fields such as business, finance, and engineering. Key features include:

Data Organization: Use rows and columns to manage large datasets effectively.
Formulas and Functions: Perform calculations, analyse data, and automate repetitive tasks.
Charts and Graphs: Create visual representations of data for better insights.
Conditional Formatting: Highlight specific data points based on defined criteria.
Practical Relevance: Students can use Excel to track expenses, analyse academic performance, or complete
statistical assignments.
ACTIVITY 1
Open a new Excel workbook.
Create a table with the following columns: Item, Cost, Quantity, Total.
Fill in at least five items with dummy data.
Use a formula to calculate the total cost for each item (Cost × Quantity).
Add a row at the bottom to calculate the overall total using the SUM function.
Save the file as “Monthly_Expenses.xlsx.”
Create a Simple Chart

ACTIVITY 2
Open a new Excel workbook.
Enter data for five subjects and their scores in two columns (e.g., Subject and Score).
Highlight the data and insert a bar chart (go to “Insert” > “Charts”).
Label the chart appropriately with a title, axis labels, and data labels.
Save the file as “Subject_Scores_Chart.xlsx.”
Apply Conditional Formatting

ACTIVITY 3
Open a new Excel workbook.
Create a table with five student names and their scores in one subject.
Use conditional formatting to highlight scores below 50 in red and above 70 in green (go to “Home” >
“Conditional Formatting”).
Save the file as “Conditional_Formatting.xlsx.”
Microsoft PowerPoint Practical Exercises
Create a 3-Slide Presentation About Yourself

Microsoft PowerPoint
Microsoft PowerPoint is a presentation software used to create visually appealing slides for academic,
business, or personal purposes. Key features include:

Slide Design: Customize slides with themes, layouts, and colour schemes.
Multimedia Integration: Add videos, images, and animations to enhance the presentation.
SmartArt and Charts: Simplify complex information with diagrams and data visualizations.
Transitions and Animations: Make presentations engaging by adding movement to slides and objects.
Practical Relevance: Students can use PowerPoint for classroom presentations, group projects, and creative
storytelling.

ACTIVITY 1
Open a new PowerPoint file.
Slide 1: Title Slide – Add your name, course, and semester.
Slide 2: About Me – Add three bullet points about yourself with images/icons.
Slide 3: Hobbies/Interests – Include three hobbies with relevant pictures and transitions.
Apply a design theme to the presentation.
Save the file as “About_Me.pptx.”
Design a Presentation for a New Product

ACTIVITY 2
Create a 5-slide PowerPoint presentation:
Slide 1: Title slide with product name and tagline.
Slide 2: Features of the product (use bullet points).
Slide 3: Benefits of the product (add images/icons).
Slide 4: Pricing and availability (use a table).
Slide 5: Contact details (include social media links).
Add transitions and animations to enhance the slides.
Save the file as “Product_Presentation.pptx.”
Create a Comparison Slide Using SmartArt

ACTIVITY 3
Open a new PowerPoint file.
Add a title slide with your name and “Comparison Slide.”
Use the “SmartArt” feature to create a diagram comparing two items (e.g., Android vs. iOS).
Include three points of comparison with icons/images.
Save the file as “Comparison_SmartArt.pptx.”
These exercises will help students practice basic and essential features of Microsoft Office tools.