Word processing 1

Content
Introduction
Characteristics of word processors
Terms in relation to word processing
Advantages of word processors
Disadvantages of word processors
Features of word processors and their
functionality
Conclusion
Revision Questions
 Word processors and word
processing
• A word processor is an application software that
enables a person to create, save, edit, format and
print text documents.
• Word processing is the art of creating, saving, editing,
formatting and printing text and graphic documents
using electronic word processors. OR
• Word processing is the act of using a word processor
to create, save, edit, format and print text documents.
Examples of word processors include: Microsoft Word,
Corel WordPerfect, Lotus WordPro, Apple Pages,
OpenOffice.org Writer, word pad, word star etc.
NB: Text editors are simple word processors
that are generally used to type without any
special formatting.
•Text editors are mainly used to create small
notes, memos and programs. Examples of
common text editors are: Notepad, Notepad++,
Gedit etc
features of a word processor window
• Title bar: this is usually at the top of the
window displaying the title of the currently
running application or task.
• Menu bar: this provides a drop down list of
commands that one can use to perform a task
e.g. file, edit, view, window etc.
• Tool bars: these are rows tools or icons that
represent commands. These icons are
shortcuts to commands
• Features of a word processor window
• Status bar: this displays the activities that a
user is carrying out at a particular time. It
shows activities like saving, printing, cursor
position etc.
• Scroll bars: these help to move the page up or
down, left or right. There is a vertical and
horizontal scroll bar.
• Task bar: this is found at the bottom of the
window. It consists of the start button, the
clock and date in the right hand corner. It
displays the programs open at a particular
time.
 Applications of word processors
• Writing reports
• Projects
• Typing and creating books
• Writing memo
• Designing curriculum vitae
 Terms in relation to word processing
1. Cut and paste: This refers to removing an item
like text from its original location and inserting
into a new location in a document.
2. Copy and paste. This refers to making a
duplicate copy of an item into a new location
3. I beam: This is the shape which the mouse
pointer takes up when it reaches any text entry
area.
4. Header: This refers to text that appears in the
top margin of all pages in a document.
 Terms in relation to word processing...
5 A table: This is the arrangement of data in rows and
columns
6 A cell: This is the intersection of a row and a column in a
table.
7 Word Wrap: This is a word processing feature which
automatically sends a word that does not fit within the
page margin settings onto the next line.
8 Clip board: This is a temporary storage location where
items which are copied or cut in a document are held
before they are pasted to another location in a document.
 Terms in relation to word processing....
9 Paragraph spacing: This is the vertical distance
between one paragraph and the next paragraph on a
page. ( It is measured in points)
10 Drop cap: This is a word processing feature which
creates a large letter at the beginning of a paragraph
falling over two or more lines of text.
11 Line Spacing: This refers to the vertical distance
between two lines on a page
12 Indent This is the amount of white space set in
between the margin and the beginning of text.
Examples of indents include the first line indent, hanging
indent and right indent.
 Terms in relation to word processing
cont....
• Mail Merge
Mail Merge is a feature of word processing
software which combines a main document
such as a formal letter to a data source such
as a document with a list of reciepient
addresses, in order to automatically generate
a fused document with many similar pages
each having the same body and layout but
different addresses
Line spacing is measured in points.
Justification
• Justification is the process of aligning text in a
document to both the left and right margins at
the same time.
• Justified text may have extra spaces between
letters within words, so that paragraphs appear
as a block with an even right-margin ending.
 Indent
The indent is the amount of white space set in between the
margin and the beginning of text.
Examples of indents include the first line indent, hanging
indent and right indent.
Formatting Text
• Formatting text is the process of enhancing the
appearance of type in a document.
• Formatting text refers to changing the look of the
characters (using commands like bold, italics,
underlining, changing font color, etc.).
 Advantages of word processors
• Word processors can save softcopies for future use
while with a type writer; a document has to be fully
retyped if needed again.
• During typing with a word processor, it is possible to
undo a mistake, while any error made with a type
writer is immediately impacted on the printout.
• A type writer prints one character at a time while a
word processor prints many pages at a time.
• There is a variety of quick text formatting features
such as bold, italic, underline, colour, etc. in a word
processor whereas there are limited formatting
options with a typewriter.
• A word processor provides grammar and spell check
options whereas a typewriter cannot help in spell
checking.
• It is easier to insert graphics and drawings in a word
processor yet it is not easy to draw with a type writer.
• A word processor allows the user to type continuously
without pressing the enter key at the end of each line
(word wrap) whereas the user needs to advance the
lever of a typewriter manually, at the end of every
line.
• It is very simple to align text in a document to Left,
Centre, Right or Justified whereas with a type writer,
one has to manually align the text, which is very
difficult.
• A word processor has edit features such as Copy
and Paste in which repeatedly occurring text in a
document can be copied to and pasted from the
clipboard whereas a type writer has no clipboard.
• A word processor can work on many pages at a go
by inserting pages numbers, footers, headers,
watermarks, etc. whereas a type writer works on
one page at a time.
• A word processor can insert drawings word arts
and pictures whereas with a type writer, drawings
and pictures can only be drawn by a hand on the
stencil.
• With A word processor, you can use mail merge
feature to create a set of documents, such as a
letter that is sent to many customers, by only
creating one main document and inserting
different fields for the customers’ details whereas
with a type writer, you have to type the each
document separately.
• A type writer requires a lot of strength to strike a
key so as to have a strong impact on the stencil in
order to get a reasonably visible printout whereas
a computer keyboard has easy-to-press buttons
which don’t require too much strength during
typing.
• A type writer makes a lot of noise during its operation
as compared to a word processor which is relatively
quiet.
• A word processor has a lot of symbols such as Greek,
Arabic, Latin, and Hebrew alphabet character sets
whereas a type writer can only add the English
alphabet and commonly used symbols that are
currently calibrated on the typewriter.
• A Word processor can add preformatted elements
(templates) by selecting from a gallery of professional
templates e.g. cover pages, resumes, etc. whereas
with a type writer it is up to the typist to know the
layout and professional look of document types.
 Disadvantages of word processors
Word processors cannot be used without
Electricity.
Word processors are Expensive due to the cost of
computers.
They have led to Unemployment of typists
Many people are Computer illiterate, and cannot
use the program.
Computers have Viruses, which lead to loss of
data in soft copies.
 Disadvantages of word processors
Using word processors on light emitting computer
monitors for long leads to eye disorders, which
isn’t the case with type writers
Word processors require purchase of hard ware
like printers in order to obtain hard copies yet
with typewriters, whatever is typed is permanent
and instantly available as a hard copy: there is no
delay for printing or risk of unintended file
deletion
• Word processors cannot be used without Electricity.
• Word processors Use is Expensive due to the cost of computers.
• They have led to Unemployment of typists because one person
using a word processor can do a lot of work in a short time,
which would be done by many using type writers.
• Many people are Computer illiterate, and cannot use the
program.
• Computers have Viruses, which lead to loss of data in soft copies.
• Using word processors on light emitting computer monitors for
long leads to eye disorders, which isn’t the case with type
writers
• Word processors require purchase of hard ware like printers in
order to obtain hard copies yet with typewriters, whatever is
typed is permanent and instantly available as a hard copy: there
is no delay for printing or risk of unintended file deletion.
 Features of word processors
• Word Wrap: this feature automatically sends a word
that does not fit within the margin settings onto the
next line, without the user pressing Enter key.
• Find: allows the user to locate all occurrences of a
particular character, word or phrase.
• Replace: allows the user to substitute existing
characters, words or phrases with the new ones.
• Spell checker: allows the user to check spellings of
the whole document at one time or to check and
even correct the spelling of individual words as they
are typed (Autocorrect)
• Grammar checker: this reports grammatical errors,
usually by a wavy green line, and suggests ways to
correct them.
• Thesaurus: suggests alternative words with the same
meaning (synonyms) for use in the document.
• Mail Merge: This is feature used to create similar
letters to be sent to several people. The names and
addresses of each person can be merged with one
single main document.
• Automatic page numbering: numbers the pages
automatically in a document
• Tables: allow users to organise information into rows
and columns.
• Multi-columns: arranges text into two or more
columns that look similar to newspaper or magazine
• Drop cap – Formats the first letter in paragraph to be
dropped across two or more lines.
• Clip art: , refers to pre-made images about various
subjects used to illustrate concepts in documents.
• Templates: establish the initial document layouts and
formats for various document types.
• Printing: allows a user to obtain a hard copy of a
document from the printer.
• Word Count: Establishes the number of words,
characters, paragraphs, etc. in a document.
• Headers and Footers: Used to insert text in the top
and bottom margin through the document.
• Footnotes and Endnotes are used as
references that provide additional information
about a word or phrase within a document.
• Insert and Delete allows a user to add and
remove portions of text while editing
document