Introduction to Word
Introduction to Word
Introduction to Word
Introduction to Word
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Starting Word .................................................................................................................................3
Overview of the User Interface .....................................................................................................3
Quick Access Toolbar .................................................................................................................4
Ribbon .........................................................................................................................................5
Navigation Pane ..........................................................................................................................6
Backstage View ...........................................................................................................................7
Creating Documents ........................................................................................................................... 7
Saving Documents ..........................................................................................................................8
Using Save As .............................................................................................................................9
Closing Documents.............................................................................................................................. 9
Opening Documents .....................................................................................................................10
Editing Documents .......................................................................................................................10
Selecting Text ............................................................................................................................10
Deleting Text .............................................................................................................................11
Copying and Moving Text.........................................................................................................11
Undoing and Redoing Changes .................................................................................................11
Formatting Documents ..................................................................................................................... 12
Live Preview..............................................................................................................................12
Mini Toolbar .............................................................................................................................12
Formatting Characters .................................................................................................................... 12
Changing the Font ................................................................................................................12
Changing the Font Size.........................................................................................................13
Applying Font Styles and Effects .........................................................................................13
Changing the Font Color and Highlighting Text ..................................................................13
Clearing Formats ....................................................................................................................... 14
Copying Formats ..................................................................................................................14
Formatting Paragraphs ................................................................................................................... 15
Aligning Paragraphs .................................................................................................................. 15
Changing Line and Paragraph Spacing .................................................................................16
Indenting Paragraphs................................................................................................................. 17
Setting Tab Stops ..................................................................................................................18
Creating Bulleted and Numbered Lists .................................................................................... 18
Adding Borders and Shading ................................................................................................21
Applying Styles .........................................................................................................................21
Creating Headings ................................................................................................................23
Previewing and Printing Documents ..........................................................................................23
Previewing Documents .................................................................................................................. 23
Printing Documents ...................................................................................................................24
Getting Help..................................................................................................................................24
Exiting Word ................................................................................................................................25
Starting Word
There are multiple ways to start Word. You can start Word 2010 from the Start menu (in
Windows 7) or by opening an existing Word file.
Name Description
Title bar Appears at the top of the program window and displays the name of the
document and the program. The buttons on the right side of the Title bar are
used to minimize, maximize, restore, and close the program window.
Quick Access Appears on the left side of the Title bar and contains frequently used commands
toolbar that are independent of the tab displayed on the Ribbon.
Ribbon Extends across the top of the program window, directly below the Title bar, and
consists of a set of tabs, each of which contains groups of related commands.
Navigation Appears on the left side of the program window and enables you to navigate
pane long documents, search for specific text, and reorganize content.
Document Appears below the Ribbon and displays the contents of the document.
window
Cursor Indicates where text or graphics will be inserted.
Scroll bars Appear along the right side and bottom of the document window and enable
you to scroll through the document.
Status bar Appears at the bottom of the program window and displays information about
the document (number of pages, number of words, etc.). The tools on the right
side of the Status bar can be used to display the document in a variety of views
and to change the magnification of the document.
NOTE: Clicking the arrow on the right side of the Quick Access
toolbar displays a menu which includes additional commands and
options that can be used to customize the toolbar. A check mark next
to an item indicates that the item is selected (see Figure 3).
Figure 3 – Customize Quick
Access Toolbar Menu
A dialog box launcher appears in the lower-right corner of most groups on the Ribbon (see
Figure 4). Clicking it opens a related dialog box or task pane which offers additional options or
more precise control than the commands available on the Ribbon.
You can minimize the Ribbon to make more space available on the screen by clicking the
Minimize the Ribbon button on the right side of the Ribbon (see Figure 4). You can expand
the Ribbon by clicking the Expand the Ribbon button . When the Ribbon is minimized, only
the tab names are visible.
Name Description
File Displays the Backstage view which contains commands related to managing files
and customizing the program. The File tab replaces the Microsoft Office button
and File menu used in earlier releases of Microsoft Office.
Home Contains the most frequently used commands. The Home tab is active by default.
Insert Contains commands related to all the items that you can insert into a document.
Page Layout Contains commands that affect the overall appearance of a document.
References Contains commands related to items that you can add to a document.
Mailings Contains commands related to creating mass mailings.
Review Contains commands related to proofreading a document, working in other
languages, adding comments, tracking and resolving document changes, and
protecting a document.
View Contains commands related to changing the view and other aspects of the display.
Name Description
Displays a list of all the headings in the document. Click a heading in the
Headings pane to go to the corresponding heading in the document. Drag a heading up
or down to change its order in the overall document structure. Right-click any
heading to perform additional actions such as promote or demote a heading,
add a new heading or subheading, or delete a heading.
Displays thumbnail images of all the pages in the document. Click a
Pages thumbnail image in the pane to go to the corresponding page in the document.
Displays a list of search results. Click a result to go to the corresponding
Results location in the document.
Backstage View
The File tab (the first tab on the Ribbon) is used to display the Backstage view which contains all
the commands related to managing files and customizing the program. It provides an easy way to
create, save, open, share, print, and close files; find recently used files; view and update file
properties; set permissions; set program options; get help; and exit the program.
Creating Documents
When you start Word 2010 without opening an existing document, a new blank document is
displayed, ready for you to enter your content. You can also create a new document while Word
2010 is running. The cursor, a blinking vertical line in the upper-left corner of the page, shows
where the next character you type will appear. When the cursor reaches the right margin, the
word you are typing automatically moves to the next line. Pressing the Enter key starts a new
paragraph.
Saving Documents
Each document you create is temporary unless you save it as a file with a unique name or
location.
NOTE: By default, Word 2010 documents are saved in the Word Document format which has the .docx
file extension. Documents created in versions of Word prior to Word 2007 have the .doc file extension.
You can use Word 2010 to save a document in the Word 97-2003 Document format to make it compatible
with earlier versions of Word. You can also use Word 2010 to open documents created with earlier
versions of Word, but the new features of Word 2010 will not be available until the document is converted
to the .docx format.
Using Save As
The Save As command can be used to save a document in a different location, with a different
file name, or in a different file format.
Closing Documents
When you finish working on a document, you should close the file. If the document contains any
unsaved changes, you will be prompted to save the changes before closing the file.
To close a document:
1. Click the File tab, and then click Close.
To open a document:
1. Click the File tab, and then click Open. The Open dialog box opens (see Figure 10).
2. Locate and select the file that you want to open.
NOTE: If the file you want to open is not in the default folder, use the left Navigation pane in the
Open dialog box to select the appropriate drive or folder.
3. Click the Open button.
Editing Documents
Most documents require some editing. After creating a document, you may want to add or
remove text, or move text from one place to another. This section covers how to perform basic
tasks such as selecting, deleting, copying, and moving text; and undoing and redoing changes.
Selecting Text
In order to perform certain tasks, you must first select the text. You can use the mouse, the
keyboard, or the selection area (an invisible area in the document’s left margin) to make a
selection. Selected text appears highlighted on the screen.
To select text:
1. Do the following:
To select a word, double-click anywhere in the word.
To select a sentence, hold down the Ctrl key and click anywhere in the sentence.
To select a line, click in the selection area to the left of the line.
To select a paragraph, triple-click anywhere in the paragraph. Or, double-click in the
selection area to the left of the paragraph.
To select the entire document, triple-click in the selection area. Or, press Ctrl+A.
Deleting Text
You can use the Backspace or Delete key to delete text one character at a time. The Backspace
key removes the character to the left of the cursor; the Delete key removes the character to the
right of the cursor. You can also select and delete a word, sentence, paragraph, or block of text.
To delete text:
1. Select the text that you want to delete, and then press the Delete key.
To copy text:
1. Select the text that you want to copy.
2. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the Copy button . Or, press Ctrl+C.
3. Click in the document where you want to paste the text.
4. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the Paste button . Or, press Ctrl+V.
NOTE: Clicking the arrow on the Paste button displays additional paste options.
To move text:
1. Select the text that you want to move.
2. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the Cut button . Or, press Ctrl+X.
3. Click in the document where you want to paste the text.
4. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the Paste button . Or, press Ctrl+V.
To redo an action:
1. On the Quick Access toolbar, click the Redo button . Or, press Ctrl+Y.
Formatting Documents
Word 2010 includes a number of features that can be used to easily format a document.
Formatting enhances the appearance of a document and makes it look professional.
Live Preview
The Live Preview feature allows you to see how different formatting options will look before you
apply them. As you move the mouse pointer over the list items or thumbnail images in the
galleries, the formatting of the selected text or object in the document temporarily changes. You
can apply the previewed formatting by clicking the selected option. You can also cancel live
previewing without making any changes by pressing the Esc key.
Mini Toolbar
The Mini toolbar contains frequently used formatting commands and appears in a semi-
transparent mode whenever text is selected. Moving the mouse pointer over the toolbar activates
it and makes the options available for use (see Figure 12).
Formatting Characters
Character formatting enhances the appearance of text and includes font, font size, font style and
effect, and font color. You can use the commands in the Font group on the Home tab of the
Ribbon to quickly apply character formatting (see Figure 13).
NOTE: You can also change the font size by clicking the Grow Font button or Shrink Font
button in the Font group on the Home tab of the Ribbon.
Name Description
Bold Makes the selected text bold (example).
Underline Draws a line under the selected text (example). Click the arrow on the
button to select the type of underline.
Strikethrough Draws a line through the middle of the selected text (example).
Text Effects Applies a visual effect (such as a shadow, glow, or reflection) to the
selected text.
Change Case Changes all the selected text to uppercase, lowercase, or other common
capitalizations.
To highlight text:
1. Select the text that you want to highlight.
2. On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the Text Highlight Color button to apply the
most recently used color, or click the Text Highlight Color arrow and select a different
color from the color palette (see Figure 15).
NOTE: You can remove a highlight by clicking the Text Highlight Color arrow, and then
clicking No Color.
Clearing Formats
You can use the Clear Formatting command to remove all formatting and styles from selected
text, leaving only the plain text.
To clear formats:
1. Select the text that has the formatting you want to clear.
2. On the Home tab, in the Font group, click the Clear Formatting button .
Copying Formats
The Format Painter command allows you to copy the formatting of specific text and apply it to
other text in the document. This feature can save you time and effort when multiple formats have
been applied to text and you want to format additional text with all the same formats.
To copy formats:
1. Select the text that has the formatting you want to copy.
2. On the Home tab, in the Clipboard group, click the Format Painter button . The
mouse pointer changes to an I-beam with a paintbrush .
3. Select the text to which you want to apply the copied formatting.
Formatting Paragraphs
Paragraph formatting refers to the layout of a paragraph on the page. You can change the look of
a paragraph by changing its indentation, alignment, and line spacing, as well as the space before
and after it. You can use the commands in the Paragraph group on the Home tab of the Ribbon
to quickly apply paragraph formatting (see Figure 16).
NOTE: You can display or hide formatting marks such as spaces, tabs, and paragraph marks by clicking
the Show/Hide button in the Paragraph group on the Home tab of the Ribbon.
Aligning Paragraphs
Paragraph alignment refers to the position of each line of text in a paragraph between the left and
right margins. The Paragraph group on the Home tab of the Ribbon contains four alignment
buttons that can be used to quickly change the alignment of a paragraph (see Table 5).
Name Description
Aligns each line of the paragraph at the left margin, producing a ragged
Align Text Left
right edge. This is the default alignment.
Center Aligns the center of each line in the paragraph between the left and
right margins, producing ragged left and right edges.
Aligns each line of the paragraph at the right margin, producing a
Align Text Right
ragged left edge.
Aligns each line of the paragraph between the left and right margins,
Justify
producing even left and right edges.
NOTE: For additional options, click the dialog box launcher in the Paragraph group to open
the Paragraph dialog box. On the Indents and Spacing tab, in the Spacing section, select the
desired option from the Line spacing list, and then click the OK button. If you select the At
least, Exactly, or Multiple option, you can enter the desired value in the At box (see Figure 19).
NOTE: If you want to set precise indent settings, click the dialog box launcher in the
Paragraph group to open the Paragraph dialog box. On the Indents and Spacing tab, in
the Indentation section, enter the desired values, and then click the OK button (see Figure
21).
Name Description
Left Tab Aligns the left end of the text with the tab stop.
Center Tab Aligns the center of the text with the tab stop.
Right Tab Aligns the right end of the text with the tab stop.
Decimal Tab Aligns the decimal point in the text (usually a numeric value) with the tab
stop.
Bar Tab Draws a vertical line at the position of the tab stop.
NOTE: You can remove a custom tab stop by dragging it off the horizontal ruler. You can also
change the position of a tab stop by dragging it to the left or right along the horizontal ruler.
To add borders:
1. Select the text that you want to add borders to.
2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the Borders button to apply the most
recently used border style, or click the Borders arrow and select a different border style
from the menu (see Figure 26).
To add shading:
1. Select the text that you want to add shading to.
2. On the Home tab, in the Paragraph group, click the Shading button to apply the most
recently used color, or click the Shading arrow and select a different color from the color
palette (see Figure 27).
Applying Styles
Instead of using direct formatting, you can use styles to apply consistent formatting to a
document. A style is a set of formatting characteristics such as font, font size, font color, and
paragraph alignment and spacing. Word includes several predefined styles that can be used to
format headings, body text, lists, etc. If you do not like the appearance of a built-in style, you can
modify it or create a custom style to suit your needs. The Quick Styles gallery on the Home tab of
the Ribbon provides a quick way of previewing and applying styles to selected text. You can also
apply styles using the Styles pane.
Creating Headings
Headings are used to organize information into a logical structure. The best way to create
headings in a Word document is to apply heading styles. If you use the built-in heading styles
(Heading 1 through Heading 9), Word can generate a table of contents automatically.
Previewing Documents
Before printing a document, you can preview it to see how each page will look when printed.
Print preview automatically displays on the Print page of the Backstage view. Whenever you
make a change to a print-related setting, the preview is automatically updated.
Printing Documents
When you are ready to print a document, you can quickly print one copy of the entire document
using the current printer, or you can change the default print settings before you print the
document.
To print a document:
1. Click the File tab, and then click Print. Or, press Ctrl+P. The Print page of the
Backstage view displays print settings in the center pane and a preview of the document
in the right pane (see Figure 30).
NOTE: You can skip step 2 if you do not want to change any of the print settings.
2. To change the print settings, do one or more of the following:
To change the printer, in the Printer section, click the button displaying the name of
the default printer and select the desired printer from the list.
To print multiple copies, type the number of copies you want to print in the Copies
box.
To specify what part of the document to print, in the Settings section, click the button
displaying Print All Pages and select the desired option from the list.
NOTE: If you select the Print Custom Range option, type the desired page numbers in the
Pages box. Use commas for individual pages and hyphens for a range of pages (e.g., the page
range 1,3,5-7 prints page 1, page 3, and pages 5, 6, and 7).
3. Click the Print button.
Getting Help
You can use the Word Help system to get assistance on any Word topic or task. This system is a
combination of tools and files that were stored on your computer when Word 2010 was installed.
If your computer is connected to the Internet, you can also access resources from Office.com.
To get help:
1. Click the Microsoft Word Help button on the right side of the Ribbon. Or, press the
F1 key. The Word Help window opens, displaying a list of general help topics (see
Figure 31).
NOTE: You can also click the Help button in the upper-right corner of an open dialog box
to display topics related to the functions of that dialog box in the Word Help window.
2. Click any topic to display the corresponding information.
3. To find help on a specific topic, type a word or phrase related to the topic in the Search
box, and then press the Enter key. The search results display in the window.
4. To switch between online and offline help, click the button in the lower-right corner of
the window to display the Connection Status menu, and then click Show content from
Office.com or Show content only from this computer (see Figure 32).
5. To close the Word Help window, click the Close button in the upper-right corner
of the window.
Exiting Word
When you finish using Word 2010, you should exit the program to free up system resources.