Microsoft Word Fundamentals
If you have never used Microsoft Word do not be alarmed by the overwhelming display of options on the toolbar. The truth is learning the software program is much easier than learning how to assemble the Lillberg rocking chair from IKEA.
When you open Word the first thing you see is a bank page. At the top of the page in the blue border will be your toolbar. It is very important you will eventually need something located behind each of those names. Clicking on each button will activate a pull-down menu so you can see what options are available.
Clicking on the blank page will activate the cursor. When the cursor is activated you can begin typing. The default setting is usually a single spaced document with the Times New Roman font in size 12. If you like the look of this font, carry on. If you want to change the font, click on the Format button on the toolbar. The first option on the pull-down menu will be Font. Click on the Font button. The dialogue box that opens will give you a number of different font options. Select all that you wish to apply to your text. Once you have made your selections click OK and you are ready to type. If you want to make a change to the appearance of the text, highlight the text then click on Format, next on Font and then select the features you want on the text, for example: bold or italics.
To create a shortcut so that you can make changes to your font faster follow these simple directions.
- Click on View on the toolbar
- Select Toolbars from the menu. (Note you may have to click on the blue arrow button in order to see all the options.)
- Then click on Formatting (A check mark in a box should appear).
A second toolbar should now be visible in the blue border. This bar will allow you to make various formatting changes with ease by just clicking on the icons located on the toolbar. This toolbar is very useful since it will allow you to centre text, add nuggets, and change the font style much more quickly. To figure out what each icon on the formatting toolbar does, place your cursor on top of the icon and a description will pop-up.
If you would like to change the line spacing, click on Format then select Paragraph. In the dialogue box that pops-up you can set the Line Spacing according to your personal preference.
Another feature you may want to take advantage of is the ability to add page numbers. On the toolbar click Insert, then Page Numbers. A dialogue box will open with several options for the appearance and location of page numbers.
Microsoft Word has a number of built-in features like a grammar checker and a spelling dictionary that will alert you when you have made an error. A red squiggle line under a word indicates that you have made a spelling mistake. Highlight the word and right click on it. A pull down menu will reveal a few spelling possibilities, an option to ignore the word or add it to the dictionary. Select the correct spelling if one is supplied. If your word has a squiggly line but it is spelled correctly as in the case of a name, add the word to your dictionary. The next time you use the word you will not receive the error indication.
As you are typing you will eventually arrive at the end of the page. Microsoft will automatically insert a new page. However if you want to insert a page before you have reached the actual end point you can do so. Click –on Insert, then click-on Break which is the first option. A pull-down menu will give a number of options. Select the one that best suites your needs.
For those of you who are using Microsoft Word to launch your writing careers there are two features you may find very helpful. Both are located under Tools. The first is a word count. At this point this article has a word count of 700 words. The second useful feature is the thesaurus. If you’re like me, you appreciate a good thesaurus that can help you say the same thing using more intelligent sounding words.
These basics will help you get started with Microsoft Word. Keep in mind they are just the beginning. The best way to learn more and eventually master this program is to begin experimenting. Here is your Microsoft homework assignment: Find out how to:
- insert tables
- insert numbered lists or nuggets
- use the highlighter
For a bonus, learn how to edit your friend’s essay on climate change with inserted comments and suggestions. Al Gore can help with the content, Microsoft will look after the layout.