What is a word processor?
A word processor is a program for making text documents. Examples: LibreOffice Writer, Microsoft Word, Google Docs. It is more than a typewriter: you can change text any time before you print.
Basic jobs
- Create and edit: type, delete, insert, select, cut, copy, paste, undo and redo.
- Find and replace: change one word everywhere in one go.
- Check: spelling and grammar checker, word count.
- Save: in a file format such as .docx, .odt or .pdf; save often.
- Print or share: print preview first; export to PDF so the layout does not change.
What you see on screen is what prints. This is called WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get).
Formatting: character, paragraph and page
Character formatting
Select the letters first. Then change the font (letter design), size (in points, pt; 12 pt is normal body text), bold, italic, underline, colour, highlight, subscript (H₂O) and superscript (x²).
Paragraph formatting
A paragraph ends where you press Enter. Click anywhere in it and change: alignment (left, centre, right, justify), line spacing (1, 1.5, 2), space before and after, indents, bulleted and numbered lists, borders and shading.
Page (document) formatting
Page size (A4 is 210 mm × 297 mm), orientation (portrait or landscape), margins, columns, page breaks, headers, footers and page numbers.
Styles, structured documents and the table of contents
A style is a saved set of formatting with a name, such as Heading 1, Heading 2 or Normal. If you change the style once, every line with that style changes. This keeps a long document neat and the same everywhere.
A structured document uses heading styles to show its parts: chapters (Heading 1), sections (Heading 2) and so on. The program reads these headings to:
- build an automatic table of contents with page numbers (update it with one click);
- show a navigator / outline panel to jump between parts;
- number headings automatically (1, 1.1, 1.2…).
Do not make headings by only pressing Bold and a bigger size: the program will not know they are headings.
Tables, pictures, footnotes, citations and mail merge
Tables and pictures
A table has rows and columns; each box is a cell. You can merge cells, add borders and even add simple sums. Pictures, shapes and charts can be placed with text wrapping (in line, square, behind text). Add a caption below each figure.
Footnotes, citations and bibliography
A footnote is a small note at the bottom of the page, linked by a number in the text. An endnote goes at the end of the document. A citation shows where an idea came from, e.g. [1] or (Rao, 2024). The bibliography is the list of all sources at the end. Most word processors number these and build the list automatically.
Mail merge
Mail merge joins a main document (the letter with fields like «Name») and a data source (a table of names and addresses) to make one personal letter for each row.
Key formulas and definitions
- Character formatting = changes selected letters (font, size, bold, colour)
- Paragraph formatting = changes a whole paragraph (alignment, spacing, indent, lists)
- Style = named, reusable set of formatting (Heading 1, Normal)
- Table of contents = built automatically from heading styles
- Mail merge = main document + data source → many personal letters
- Shortcuts: Ctrl+C copy, Ctrl+V paste, Ctrl+X cut, Ctrl+Z undo, Ctrl+B bold, Ctrl+S save
Worked examples
1. You want the word "Warning" in red and bold, but the rest of the line normal. Which formatting do you use?
Character formatting. Select only the word "Warning", then press Bold (Ctrl+B) and choose red font colour. The rest of the line is not selected, so it does not change.
2. Your 20-page project has headings typed in bold 16 pt. The teacher asks for a table of contents. What is the fastest correct way?
1) Click each chapter title and apply the style Heading 1; apply Heading 2 to sub-headings. 2) Put the cursor on page 2 and insert an automatic table of contents. 3) If pages change later, right-click the table and choose Update. Bold text alone is not enough, because the program only reads heading styles.
3. A school must send a fee reminder to 300 parents, each with the child's name and class. Plan it with mail merge.
1) Make a spreadsheet (data source) with columns Name, Class, Parent. 2) Write one letter (main document). 3) Insert merge fields «Parent», «Name», «Class» where the details go. 4) Preview a few letters. 5) Finish the merge: print or save 300 letters. One letter + one table = 300 personal letters.
Common mistakes
- Pressing Enter at the end of every line. Let the text wrap by itself; press Enter only to end a paragraph.
- Using many spaces to line up text. Use alignment, tabs, indents or a table instead.
- Making headings with bold only, then wondering why the table of contents is empty. Use heading styles.
- Copying ideas from a website without a citation. Always cite the source and list it in the bibliography.