Word processing and presentations: creating documents and slides step by step

Letters, CVs, reports, assignments, minutes, invoices, posters and presentations: most office and school work is done in word processors (Microsoft Word, Google Docs, LibreOffice Writer) and presentation software (PowerPoint, Google Slides). This unit gives you a complete beginner's foundation: creating, typing and editing, formatting, inserting pictures and tables, saving and sharing, printing and PDFs, and building a simple presentation. The Microsoft Word and PowerPoint subjects then take each topic deeper.

Which program?

The skills transfer between programs: buttons are in slightly different places, but ideas are the same.

The Word screen

Typing and editing efficiently

Formatting text

On the Home tab:

Formatting paragraphs

Styles (the professional way)

Instead of manually making each heading bold and big, use Styles (Home → Styles): Heading 1 for main headings, Heading 2 for sub-headings, Normal for body text. Benefits: consistent formatting, one-click changes for the whole document, the Navigation Pane (View → Navigation Pane) to jump between headings, and an automatic table of contents. (Covered fully in the Word subject.)

Inserting things

Page setup

Layout tab: Margins (Normal 2.54 cm), Orientation (Portrait for letters; Landscape for wide tables/posters), Size (A4 is standard in Kenya), Columns (newsletters).

Checking your document

• Spelling and grammar: red underline = spelling; blue/double = grammar. Review → Editor/Spelling. Set the language to English (UK) or (US) consistently (Review → Language). Don't accept every suggestion blindly.
• Word count: status bar or Review → Word Count (assignments often have limits).
• Read it aloud: Review → Read Aloud catches mistakes you skim over.

Saving and file formats

• Save As (F12) to choose the location, name and format.
• Export to PDF: File → Save As → choose PDF (Word), or File → Download → PDF (Google Docs).
• Turn on AutoSave/AutoRecover (OneDrive autosaves; Docs saves automatically).

Printing

File → Print (Ctrl+P):

• Check the preview first.
• Choose pages ("1-3, 5"), copies, single/double-sided, colour or black & white.
• Print to PDF (Microsoft Print to PDF) creates a PDF if you don't have a printer.
• In cyber cafés, bring files as PDF on a flash disk or email to avoid formatting changes on another computer.

Common document types and their layouts

Presentations: the basics

A presentation is a set of slides shown while you speak: school projects, business pitches, church and community meetings, training.

Build a simple presentation (PowerPoint or Google Slides)

1. New presentation → choose a simple Design/Theme (Design tab).
2. Title slide: title and your name.
3. New Slide (Ctrl+M) → choose a layout (Title and Content, Two Content, Picture with Caption).
4. Add short bullet points, not paragraphs.
5. Insert pictures, charts or icons that support your message.
6. Add simple transitions (Transitions tab) if any; keep them subtle.
7. Present: F5 from the start (Slide Show); Shift+F5 from the current slide; arrow keys to move; Esc to end.
8. Save as .pptx and also as PDF for sharing or printing handouts.

Slide design rules

• One idea per slide, a clear title.
• 6 bullets or fewer, short phrases; big fonts (titles 32+ pt, text 20+ pt).
• High contrast (dark text on light background or the reverse).
• Real images over clip art; no tiny tables of numbers (use a chart).
• Practise speaking: slides support you, they shouldn't be your script.

Think about it: A student pastes a whole page of their report onto one slide in 12-point text. What problems will the audience have, and how could they fix it?Show answer

The audience can't read 12-point text from a distance, and they'll read instead of listening. Fix: split it into several slides with short bullet points or a diagram, use 20+ point text, and speak the details aloud (or put them in the speaker notes and the handout).

Practice tasks

1. Type a one-page formal letter applying for an internship, using proper paragraph spacing (no double Enters).
2. Apply Heading 1 and Heading 2 styles to a short report and open the Navigation Pane.
3. Insert a picture with text wrapping and a 3-column table with a header row.
4. Add page numbers and a header with your name, then export as PDF.
5. Create a 5-slide presentation about your town or business and present it with F5.

Summary

• Word, Google Docs and LibreOffice share the same core skills; Google Docs is free and collaborative, Word is standard in offices.
• Use shortcuts for selecting, copying, undoing and saving; use page breaks, not many Enters.
• Format text (bold, fonts) and paragraphs (alignment, spacing, lists); use Styles for headings.
• Insert pictures (with wrapping), tables, headers/footers and page numbers; set A4 and margins.
• Check spelling and word count, save as .docx and share as PDF, preview before printing.
• Presentations: simple theme, one idea per slide, few words, big fonts, F5 to present.

Check yourself

1. Which shortcut inserts a page break in Word? Write like Ctrl+Enter.

   Show answer

   Ctrl+Enter

2. Which format should you send when a document shouldn't be edited?

   Show answer

   PDF

3. Which shortcut saves a document?

   Show answer

   Ctrl+S

4. Which paper size is standard in Kenya?

   Show answer

   A4

5. Which Word feature gives consistent headings and an automatic table of contents?

   Show answer

   Styles

6. Which key starts a PowerPoint slide show from the beginning?

   Show answer

   F5

7. Which shortcut adds a new slide in PowerPoint? Write like Ctrl+M.

   Show answer

   Ctrl+M