GEOLOGY 2500:  January 12

Getting started and M.S.Word stuff:

Word 2007 differs from earlier versions of M.S. Word in that ALL of the tools are directly available from the various tool menus.  Previously, a user could customize the toolbar, adding those tools commonly used and deleting icons that were never used.  The new, improved (?) version of Word eliminates the need to customize the toolbar but I am still finding it difficult locating each and every tool I want to use when I want to use it, with the command hidden among the rest of the stuff I have never used.  Oh well.  I used to play Dungeons & Dragons on my home desktop, seeking virtual treasure while trying to avoid or slay the orcs.  Now I satisfy my need to solve problems by working my way through the maze of software applications and their various ever-changing updates.

I seem to use the right button click more in Word 2007 than previously.  Some of the following tasks have not been rewritten for Word 2007 - I will edit this after attempting the demonstration.

First, a walkabout exploring menu tabs.  Then we will use a few of those tabs I seem to click frequently.

Insert - Images.  Also Footnotes; Endnotes; Page numbers; Header/Footer.
    Insert - Autotext - Footer
    Insert - Reference - Footnotes

Equation editor and insert symbols (Γρεεκ anyone?):

Tables - toolbar: demonstrate features

Clip art: Insert - Picture - Clip Art will either take you to a dialog window from which "art" can be obtained to insert into your document or give you a search for keyword dialog box. Note how images can be resized and how text can be wrapped (select picture; then Format - Picture - Wrapping) around the picture - and how a 'frame' can be added (Format - Borders and Shading).

Crop and change picture lighting and contrast in Word.  Note: most images on Web pages can be captured by right clicking the image.  Other times, I use the Print Screen button to capture the screen and then cropping the rest of the screen and leave the image.

Change Font, Size (etc.): Can be done within document, do not over-do it. You can even change font colors.

Drawing tools: demonstrate. Note: many tool products do not translate into .html code. In other words, footnotes and drawings made with the drawing tool might not convert into Web page footnotes and drawings.  If Word 2007 changes this, this would indeed be an improvement. 

Word Art demo.

Assignment: demonstrate that you can do each of the following: into a Word document -

(1) Insert clip art and a picture from the Web (anything from 'Nature' - animals, rocks, sunsets, etc.).  How to capture an image from a Web site while in Windows?  Right click the image and "Copy" to clipboard, then open your Word document and "Paste".  Write a brief note telling me what the picture shows and why you selected this particular picture.

(2) Type a (short) line from Shakespeare (you pick it), each word in a different font and/or size.

(3) Write 2 equations using the equation editor, involving a square root, quotient, exponents and subscripts. Wrap each in a border.  Look up the equations in your favorite physics, chemistry or statistics textbook, or find something online.

(4) Demonstrate some super^script and sub_script; also, insert some Greek characters  (for example - Π ρ π Θ - you pick your favorite).  Write some words (in whichever foreign language you have studied) that require special letters (accents, ~) not used in The King's English.  For example: la piña; ¿Cómo estás?  Note: Microsoft Word allows you to lead and write in languages other than English!  Spell and grammar checks can be enabled, once the dictionary (etc) have been loaded. 

    Spanish shortcuts from English keyboard:  Ctrl - Shift - ~ - n results in ñ, Ctrl - ' - (vowel) results in vowel with accent.

(5) Draw a frame and a smiley face.  No doubt you can do a better job than I.

(6) Write your name inside an oval.  No, this is not my name, just a line from one of my favorite sci-fi novels.

7. Construct a Table listing, in one column, titles of the software listed for this class, and, in the second column, your self-assessment of your skill level with each software package.  Feel free to add a third 'comments' column.

How do you rate yourself on each of the software applications listed on the syllabus?  On a scale of 0 to 10 -

• Expert (can teach others advanced applications)? - 9 or 10
• Competent with basic operations? - 6 to 8
• Beginner - 2 to 5
• Never used it - 1
• Never heard of it - 0

Get everything onto 3 or fewer pages. Do not forget to include your name and the title Word Lab 1. Due at 1200 hours on January 14.  Please attach your Word document (after closing Word) to a Blackboard Message - not email!.

Note: attaching a file that is still open to an email message frequently messes up.  Close a file before attaching that file to email.

Extra credit: Selecting a new language (for the really fluent).  Write a paragraph in that language.  Tools - Language - Set Language (your computer may have to download resources from the server in order to write in the language you select).

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