Objectives

  • Apply styles, headers, page numbers, and a simple table.
  • Insert a picture with a caption and a bullet list.

Theory: Application software.

Tasks (50 minutes)

Create a one-page memo from “IT Department, Pokhara” to “BBA Year 1” with:

  1. Title in Heading 1; body in 12 pt, 1.15 line spacing.
  2. Header: course code IT 231. Footer: page number.
  3. A three-row table (Item, Owner, Due date) with at least two sample rows.
  4. A numbered list of three lab safety rules.
  5. One image (campus logo or a Creative Commons photo) with a caption.
  6. Spell-check; save as .docx named Surname_IT231_Lab3.docx.

Before You Start

  • Open a Blank document in Word (LibreOffice Writer works too; menu names differ slightly).
  • Have the memo text ready: three short paragraphs announcing a lab schedule change are enough.
  • Use a picture you are allowed to use: the campus logo, or a Creative Commons image (filter by licence in your image search).

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Title. Type the memo title, then click Home → Styles → Heading 1. Type the body text and keep it in the Normal style.
  2. Body formatting. Select the body (Ctrl + A also selects the title; reapply Heading 1 afterwards if needed). Set the font size to 12 pt, then Home → Line and Paragraph Spacing → 1.15.
  3. Header and footer. Insert → Header → Blank, type IT 231, then Insert → Page Number → Bottom of Page → Plain Number 2 (centred). Double-click the body to leave the header area.
  4. Table. Insert → Table and select 3 columns × 3 rows. Type the headers Item, Owner and Due date, then two sample rows, for example “Lab report 3 Section A 15 Nov”. Apply a table style from Table Design.
  5. Numbered list. Type three lab safety rules, select them, and click Home → Numbering. Example: “1. No food or drinks near computers.”
  6. Image and caption. Insert → Pictures → This Device. Set Wrap Text to Top and Bottom and resize it from a corner handle so it keeps its proportions. Right-click the image and choose Insert Caption (or References → Insert Caption), for example “Figure 1: Campus logo”.
  7. Proof and save. Press F7 for Spelling & Grammar and fix the flagged words. Then File → Save As, choose Word Document (.docx), and name the file as instructed. If paper submission is required, use File → Export → Create PDF/XPS as well.

Check Your Work

Checkpoint How to verify
Styles The title uses Heading 1 (it appears in View → Navigation Pane)
Header/footer Header shows IT 231; the footer page number updates automatically
Table and list Three-column table with a header row; numbered list of three rules
Image Image is proportionally sized and has a numbered caption
File Saved as .docx with the correct name; still one page

Common Errors and Fixes

Problem Fix
Heading made by just enlarging the font Use the Heading 1 style so the navigation pane and a table of contents can find it.
Page number typed by hand Use Insert → Page Number so it updates when pages are added.
Image jumps around when typing Set Wrap Text to Top and Bottom or In Line with Text.
Memo spills onto a second page Reduce the image size or the spacing after paragraphs; do not shrink the body below 11 pt.

Extension Task

For those who finish early: Add a table of contents (References → Table of Contents) to a two-page version of the memo, and use Mailings → Start Mail Merge → Letters to address the memo to three fictional recipients from a small list.

Deliverable

The .docx file printed to PDF as well if the lab requires paper submission.

Viva

  1. What is the difference between Save and Save As?
  2. Why use styles instead of manually enlarging every heading?
  3. How do you insert a page break?
  4. Name two file formats a word processor can export.
  5. What is the difference between a header and a heading?
  6. Why does a page number have to be inserted as a field rather than typed?
  7. What is mail merge, and give one business use of it.
  8. Why export a final document to PDF before sending it?