MS Word Tutorial

Introduction to Microsoft Word

1. MS Word processor is a software package that enables the computer user to create documents containing text or graphics. It also provides ease of editing, deleting or adding any text in already created documents. By using MS Word, one can create a new document, type in the text or copy text from already created documents and can save it on the disk/diskette with or without protection (security passwords). Beside all these features MS Word has the following main features:-

(a) MS Word is a full-featured program for creating text etc.

(b) MS Word can integrate information from non-word programs like graphics, databases, spreadsheets etc.

(c) Word automatically saves the document while user is working. In case of abnormal shutdown like power failure, it automatically retrieves document in the next session of word.

(d) It also provides on-line help and an efficient graphical user interface (GUI) feature.

(e) Its tools like spell check, grammar and thesaurus certify its exigency.

Starting Word

2. The first method of starting MS Word is to double click its icon on the desktop. An equally handy way to start word is to double click on a word document icons. This will launch word and immediately open the document itself to work.

3. Another way is:-

(a) Click Start button and point to Programs.

(b) Click Microsoft Word.

Understanding Screen of MS Word

(a) Title Bar. It contains title of the software i.e. Microsoft Word and name of the current open document.

(b) Menu Bar. It contains different major options and sub options.

(c) Tool Bar. It contains a number of Buttons, which are shortcut keys to operations done by menu. There are some standard toolbars provided with the package, but the user can also design his own customized toolbar.

(d) Vertical and Horizontal Rulers. There are vertical and horizontal rulers to provide better control in page formatting and spacing.

(e) Scroll Bars. These bars allow moving horizontally and vertically across and along the page(s).

(f) Status Bar. It shows different types of information in MS Word which depends upon the operation user performs, e.g. in normal state it shows page no, cursor position, current system time etc. It also shows description of a tool button when mouse pointer is placed on it.

Creating a New Document

4. For creating a new document, proceed as follows in MS Word:-

(a) Select option File from the menu.

(b) Select New. A dialogue box will appear.

(c) It asks for Template under which the document is to be created.

(d) Click Ok. Word has now created a blank document. Or click Cancel to cancel the operation.

Saving a Document

5. Once you think your job is over or even if it is not, you can save the document by the following procedure:-

(a) Select option File from the Menu Bar.

(b) Select Save from the File Menu, a dialogue box is displayed, asking for the name under which documents is to be saved.

(c) Write the name of the document where it prompts for the file name.

(d) User can also specify the place through Save In window. i.e. drive or directory where the document is to be saved in MS Word.

Open an Existing Document

6. For opening an existing document, follow the following procedure:-

(a) Click File from File Menu.

(b) Click Open. An open dialog box will appear.

(c) Select the drive or folder where the document is saved from the Save In window.

(d) Select the document.

(e) Click Open in MS Word.

Delete Single Character

7. Proceed as follows:-

(a) Place cursor beside the character that you want to delete.

(b) Press Delete on the keyboard, character to the right of cursor will be deleted. Or press Backspace on the keyboard to delete character to the left of cursor MS Word.

Delete a word

8. Proceed as follows:-

(a) Place cursor on the left side of the word.

(b) Press Ctrl + Delete on the keyboard, word to the right of cursor will be deleted. Or press Ctrl + Backspace on the keyboard to delete word to the left of cursor.

Selecting Text

9. A portion of text is selected to apply a following operation on the whole body of MS Word.

(a) To select a range of text, place the cursor on the left of the area and move towards the destination by pressing right arrow key while holding shift.

(b) To select a word, double click it.

(c) To select a line, triple clicks any of the word of it.

(d) To select whole document, triple click on the left area of the document, where the cursor bar changes to pointer and tilts towards right.

Cut, Copy & Paste in MS Word

10. Cut Command. This option is used to removes selected text and graphics and puts it in the Clipboard (temporary storage area). This command is available only when user selects text and graphics. Text and graphics that user place in the clipboard remains there until he/she replaces it with a new item.

(a) Select the text to cut.

(b) Select the Cut option from Edit Menu.

Note. To quickly remove selected information from the document and place it on the clipboard, click the cut button on Standard Toolbar.

11. Copy Command. It copies selected text and graphics to the Clipboard. This command is available only when user selects text and graphics.

(a) Select the text to Copy.

(b) Select the Copy option from Edit Menu.

Note. To quickly copy the information to the Clipboard, click the copy button on the Standard Toolbar of MS Word.

12. Paste Command. Cut and Copy commands place the text in the clipboard and when user wants to paste it any desired location then select the Paste command. This command is not available if the Clipboard is empty.

(a) Place the cursor where you want to paste the text.

(b) Select the Paste option from Edit menu.

Note. To quickly insert the Clipboard contents at the insertion point, click the Paste button on the Standard Toolbar.

Font Option of MS Word

13. Font option consists of many other options like font style, underline style, effects and size. User has to select the text to apply these options.

(a) Select Font option from Format Menu.

(b) A dialog box will appear. Choose the Font from the dialog box. User can also apply Font Style on the selected text i.e. Bold, Italic etc.

(c) Different font sizes are shown in the dialogue box against each font. User can apply smaller as well as larger sizes to the selected text.

(d) User may apply any color to the font by Font Color option.

(e) Select any underline line style from Underline Style in MS Word.

(f) Another option Effects are also present in the Font window like shadow, small caps, etc.

Paragraphs in MS Word

14. The Paragraph dialogue box provides independent control over indents, spacing and text flow. Select Paragraph from Format Menu and do the following:-

(a) Indentation. This option controls the indentation from the left and right margins and the indent level of the second and subsequent lines.

(b) Spacing/Line Spacing.

(i) Spacing determines the amount of space between lines and between paragraphs. User can adjust spacing before or after the selected line.

(ii) Line Spacing determines the amount of vertical space between lines of text. This option provides the users with multiple choices to set Single, 1.5 lines, Double, At Least, Exactly & Multiple line spacing.

(c) Alignment. It consists of four choices of MS Word; left, right, centered and justified. It sets the text according to the selected choice.

Change Case

15. This option changes the case of the text. Before using this option, user has to

select the text. It consists of five choices.

(a) Click Change Case from the Format Menu.

(b) Select the option according to the requirement.

(c) Click Ok.

Find Command in MS Word

16. Searches for the specific text, formatting, footnotes, endnotes, or annotation marks in the active document. Special characters can be included. For example, paragraph marks, tab characters and hard page breaks in the search criteria.

(a) Select the Edit Menu from Menu Bar.

(b) Select Find option from menu bar. A dialogue box is appeared.

(c) Write the text to find and click Find.

(d) If you want to replace the searching text with other text then click Replace tab present in the same Find window. Write the searching text in Find What window and write the replaced text in the Replace With window of MS Word.

(e) Click Replace to replace very first search. Replace All to all searches text.

Bullets & Numbering in MS Word

17. Creates a bulleted or numbered list from a selected series of the items in text or a series of cells in a table. To add or remove bullets or numbers quickly, click the Bullets button or the Numbering button on the Formatting Toolbar.

(a) Select option Format Menu from Menu Bar.

(b) Select Bullets & Numbering from Menu, a dialogue box displayed.

(c) Select the Style of Bullets or Numbers.

(d) Click Ok.

Insert Page Number

(a) Select Page Number option from Insert Menu bar.

(b) Select Position and Alignment of the page number on the page from the respective window.

Insert Date & Time in MS Word

(a) Select Date & Time option from Insert Menu bar.

(b) Select format of Date or Time from the Available Format window.

(c) Click Ok.

Header & Footer

18. Adds or changes text that word repeats at the top of every page (header) or at the bottom of every page (footer) in a section or in an entire document.

(a) Select Header &Footer option from View Menu bar. A dialogue box is appeared.

(b) Write the text in MS Word.

Note. When you choose this command, Word displays the Header & Footer toolbar. Use the toolbar to quickly add the current time, current date and page numbers to move between the headers and footers in the document and to display or hide the document text.

Insert Pictures (Objects)

19. To insert picture in the document, do the following:-

(a) Position the cursor where you want to insert the picture.

(b) Select Picture option from Insert menu.

(c) Click Clipart.

(d) Insert Clip Art window will appear. Select the picture and click Insert Clip.

Insert Table in MS Word

20. To insert table in your document do the following:-

(a) Select Table menu from Menu Bar.

(b) Select Insert Table option from table menu.

(c) Insert table dialogue box is displayed, user can adjust number of columns or rows for table.

Page Margin

21. For setting page margin, proceed as follows:-

(a) Select Page Setup from File Menu.

(b) In the dialog box you can see paper margins i.e. Top, Bottom, Left, Right, Header and Footer. You can change these values by typing or pressing up/down arrows according to the service writing.

Apply Borders & Shading

22. Add borders and shading to selected paragraphs, table cells and frames. User can also add borders to graphics.

(a) Select Borders & Shading option from format menu of MS Word.

(b) A dialogue box is displayed; select the Border.

(c) User may choose the color and style from the respective options.

Protect a Document

23. To protect document, do the following: -

(a) Select Protect Document option from Tools menu of MS Word.

(b) A dialogue box is displayed, enter password for document and press OK.

Hyperlink in MS Word

24. Hyperlink is a link through which user creates a link between two files or within a file. While Bookmark is a facility through which user creates a hyperlink that goes to a specific location within a file or in another document or web page.

25. Insert a Hyperlink. User can create a hyperlink that goes to an existing file or to a new file. After he has specified a name for the new file, he can choose to open the file for editing immediately or come back to it later in MS Word.

(a) Select the text or drawing object you want to display as the hyperlink and then click Hyperlink from the Insert Menu.

(b) Do one of the following:-

(i) To link to an existing file or Web page, click Existing File or Web Page under Link to or click File under Browse For option.

(ii) To link to a file that you haven't created yet, click Create New Document under Link to.

(c) Do one of the following:-

(i) If you clicked Existing File or Web Page, locate and select the file or web page from the browse option. If user remembers the whole path then write down it in the

Type the File or Web Page Name window or select the file from the Select From List window.

(ii) If you clicked Create New Document, type a name for the new file. You can also specify the path to the new file and choose whether you want to open the new file for editing now or later.

(d) Assign a tip to be displayed when you rest the mouse over the hyperlink, click Screen Tip and then type the text you want. Word uses the path or address of the file as the tip if you do not specify one.

(e) Click OK.

26. Link to an e-mail address. When user clicks a hyperlink that goes to an e-mail address, the Web browser creates an e-mail message with the correct address.

(a) Select the text or object you want to represent the e-mail address.

(b) Click Hyperlink in MS Word.

(c) Under Link to, click E-mail Address.

(d) In the E-mail address box, type the e-mail address.

(e) In the Subject box, type the subject of the e-mail message.

Note. Some Web browsers and e-mail programs might not recognize the subject line.

(f) Click Screen Tip to assign a tip to display when user rest the mouse over the hyperlink and then type the text you want.

27. Link to another document or Web page. Use following steps:-

(a) Open the file you want to go to and insert a bookmark of MS Word.

(b) Open the file you want to link from, and select the text or object you want to make a hyperlink.

(c) Click Insert Hyperlink.

(d) Under Link to, click Existing File or Web Page or click File under Browse For.

(e) Locate and select the document that you want to link to.

(f) Click Bookmark and then select the bookmark you want.

28. Link to current document or Web page. To link to a place in the current document, you can use either heading styles or bookmarks in Word. In the current document, do one of the following:-

(a) Insert a bookmark at the location you want to go to.

(b) Apply one of Word's built-in heading styles to the text at the location you want to go to.

(c) Select the text or object you want to represent the hyperlink in MS Word.

(d) Click Insert Hyperlink.

(e) Under Link to, click Place in This Document.

(f) In the list, select the heading or bookmark you want to link to.

Note. To assign a tip to display when you rest the mouse over the hyperlink, click Screen Tip, and then type the text you want. For links to headings, MS Word uses "Current document” as the tip if you do not specify one; for links to bookmarks, Word uses the bookmark name. MS Word is the best product in industry for typing work. MS Excel, MS Power Point Courses also available.