Here is a term paper on ‘Word Processing’ for class 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short term papers on ‘Word Processing’ especially written for college and IT students.
Term Paper on Word Processing
Term Paper Contents:
- Term Paper on the Introduction to Word Processing
- Term Paper on WordStar Package
- Term Paper on the Block Menu
- Term Paper on the Quick Menu
- Term Paper on the Onscreen Format Menu
- Term Paper on the Print Control Menu
- Term Paper on Merge Printing
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Term Paper # 1. Introduction to Word Processing:
Although computers were initially invented for faster solving of complex mathematical problems, later on the emphasis shifted to non-mathematical operations, the predominant among those being manipulation of natural language texts.
As per one study, about 80% of the present day computer utilization are in the area of non-scientific applications — the computer, however, internally still operating under the binary system at low level as in the case of mathematical operations, being transparent to the user.
With specialized application packages designed for what is called Word Processing, text files can be created, modified, deleted, stored, retrieved, printed and used in many other ways. These application package files do not have any default extension and these packages operate under the overall control of an operating system like MS DOS, UNIX, etc.
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The greatest advantage of Word Processing packages is that you can make changes in a text at your sweet will anywhere in any manner with anything without wasting a single bit of paper, at a press of few keys; not withstanding the fact that you can also prepare text in any pre-formatted manner.
You can shift a word, a line, a paragraph, or several of them from any where to any where, rearrange the syntax, check the spelling, automatically align tabular columns — everything being at your finger tips. With a printer attached to the computer, you can print out your letter and documents in different styles.
You can always open an existing document, make changes and save in a different name or use it for printing. You can even print hundreds of letters with modifications appropriate for each of the addressee from a single letter by a process called mail merging. You can save a part of your document for reusing it in different documents.
For example, you can have your name and address, decently formatted, in a file for use in your all letters that you prepare — such kind of text being called boilerplate, which figuratively stands for stereotyped writing being used in newspaper publication. To a limited extent you can enter characters at a faster rate than that at which it is displayed in phases because of type-ahead buffer. Moreover, different files can be combined as and when required.
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Apart from spelling check facility, where you can build up your own dictionary in addition to the existing ones, facilities for word selection using a thesaurus or grammatical correction, to a limited extent, are also available in some advanced versions.
The incorporation of limited graphic characters for drawing boxes or using special characters of the Extended ASCII set are also available these days. In near future, the word processing packages may grow up to include more and more of the DTP [Desk Top Publishing] facilities.
Term Paper # 2. WordStar Package
:
The package is started by typing WS at the DOS prompt and pressing the Enter key. On starting the package, a menu called Opening Menu, as shown, comes on the screen, offering a number of single alphabetical character commands, which is executed by typing the respective characters in upper or lower case.
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There are two choices offered for opening a document, as shown below:
D — Document file:
This, command is used for creating a new file or opening an existing file in the “document” mode, that is having all the facilities provided by the package. It prompts for a filename, which can be typed. If the file already exists, its name will appear below the menu, wherefrom it can be selected by placing the cursor on its name and pressing return key.
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For a new file, a confirmation will be sought and there after the document will be opened displaying its name on the top most line of the screen, called status line. The position of the cursor on the screen in terms of Line number and Column position are also displayed on the status line.
N — This is the other mode, called Non-document mode, which is used for creating text files, where only 7-bit ASCII codes are used. Text files prepared under this mode can be compiled/assembled if they contain the appropriate source-coded. An existing file can be opened in any mode.
L — This is the command if you want to change your working drive or directory, where you want your files to be stored or retrieved form. For example, if you want to change your drive, type L. You will be prompted to type a valid drive name and you supply it. If you chose the A drive, you must have a floppy in the drive before executing this command.
O — For creating an exact duplication of a file in the same name in a different drive or directory or in a different name, this copying can be used. You would be prompted for the name of the file to be copied and also the name in which it is to be copied. You can provide a path name. If the target filename given already exists, a confirmation is obtained before overwriting. This is unlike the DOS copy command which simply overwrites.
Y — An existing file can be deleted with this command. You have to provide the name of the file, when prompted for it and also you have to give a confirmation. Both the wild card characters * and? Can be used to select a number of files for deletion.
R — This causes the Wordstar operation to be pushed into the background and the DOS environment presented with the DOS prompt. Once in this mode, any DOS command can be executed. Typing EXIT followed by Return key will take you back to Wordstar environment again.
X — This leads to permanent exit from Wordstar to DOS environment.
P — This command is for normal printing and not for merge-printing. After providing the name of the file to be printed, some options are offered.
These are:
1. Number of copies to be printed.
2. Whether to suspend [pause] printing after each page.
3. Starting page number.
4. Ending page number.
5. Name of printer, etc.
You can accept the default settings by pressing the Return key at each stage or all can be accepted by pressing the Esc key after giving the file name.
M — this command is for merge-printing which has been discussed later. It is a process of merging information in a document when it is being printed. In all the above cases, simply entering the single character, either in upper or lower case, causes the respective commands to be executed. Pressing the Control key and U [Ctrl+U] will cancel execution in each case.
Once a filename has been given to create or open a file, word-star enters the Edit Mode, displaying the EDIT MENU, where the explanation for different commands are given. A ruler is displayed below the edit menu, with left margin position shown with L, the right margin with R, and the tab stops with ! mark, which are 8 columns apart. This is followed by the blank space for typing your text. An ˄ mark at then end of a line indicates that it is a blank line.
A < mark indicates the end of a paragraph, that is, a line break caused by pressing the return key. Continuous lines are indicated by a blank space at the end. You can operate either in Insert or Overwrite Mode. In the Insert mode, the characters typed in enter the text displacing the existing characters, if any, from the cursor position. In the Overwrite Mode, the characters are overwritten. The status line indicates Insert in the Insert Mode, when Insert is on. A view of the Edit Menu is displayed below.
When the screen gets filled up, the text starts scrolling, that is, all the texts together move up by one line, offering a blank line at the bottom for typing. The cursor indicates the position where your next operation will be executed, like adding a character including a space, deleting a character, moving the cursor to the next position, etc. The simple movement of cursor within the displayed text can be achieved in two ways — by using the arrow keys or pressing certain keys in combination with the control key.
All these commands can be executed by holding down the Control key and simultaneously pressing the character shown below, in each case: [In menus pressing of Control key is shown as ˄].
E – Up one line.
X – Down one line.
S – One place left.
D – One place right.
A – One word left.
F – One word right.
You cannot move a cursor to a place which does not contain any text; the blank space entered with a Spacebar is also a text.
W – Up one line
Z – Down one line
R – Up one screen [PgUp]
C – Down one screen [PgDn]
G – Character over cusror [same as Del key]
T – Word over and right of cursor
Y – The line containing the cursor
U – Unerase the deleted portion
Backspace – deletes the character left of cursor
J – Help menu [same as pressing F1]
I – Move cursor to next tab position [same as Tab key]
V – Toggle insert on/off [same as Ins key]
N – Split an existing line within a text
B – Align paragraph within the margins
L – Find/replace again: continuation of ˄QA and ˄QF commands
The character ˄ before an alphabet indicates pressing of the Control key.
During editing mode, you can avail some other special facilities by going to different menus, which are:
˄O – for onscreen format given by Onscreen Format Menu
˄K – for block operation given by Block & Save Menu
˄P – printing controls from Print Control Menu
˄Q – special functions from Quick Menu
Term Paper # 3. The Block Menu:
A block is a portion of the entered text, marked by a beginning and ending symbols. Once a block is marked, indicated by change in intensity or colour of the text, various operations can performed. To mark the beginning of a block, press ˄K to go to the BLOCK AND SAVE MENU and then press B; a <B> mark appears in the text showing the beginning of the block. The whole operation can be quickly executed by pressing ˄KB. To complete the process of marking, move the cursor to the end of the desired block and press ˄KK.
The beginning mark must be before the position of the end mark in the text. After the block is marked, a B and a K at the end of the line indicates the beginning and end of block respectively. A view of the Block Menu is given below.
The other block commands, executed by the single letters, after pressing Ctrl+K [˄K] are:
S — Save the file and continue editing [same as F9 key].
D — Save the file and go to Main Menu [same as F10 key].
X — Save the file and exit WordStar.
Q — Exit edit mode without saving.
H — Display or hide block marks. You cannot delete block marks.
W — Save the block in a file, whose name is to be given when prompted.
R — Read from a saved file, at the cursor position, the text is inserted.
Y — Delete the marked block.
C — Copy the block to a position where the cursor is located, by inserting the text.
V — Move the block to where cursor is.
From the Block & Save Menu, you can also carry out the file operations like copying, deleting, changing drive, etc., which you could do from the Main Menu.
Term Paper # 4. The Quick Menu
:
The QUICK MENU is entered by pressing Ctrl+Q [˄Q] and its commands are executed by selected the appropriate characters, as stated below. As usual, you can type the command together like ˄QA in place of ˄Q, get the menu, and then press A.
A view of the Quick Menu is given below:
Cursor Movement:
E — To the upper left corner of the screen [same as Home key]
X — To the lower right end of text [same as End key]
S — To the beginning of line
D — To the end of the line
B — To the beginning of the block
K — To the end of the block
R — To the beginning of the file
C — To the end of the file
F – Finds a text entered at the prompt. You are offered a number of options, which are taking whole words, ignore case, etc. You can type the options one after another when prompted and displayed.
A – This is for finding as well as replacing the found text with what you provide as replacement. Here also you can provide a number of options. It will by default seek your permission before each replacement. Use ˄L to continue.
I – It fixed a specified page, whose number is to be given
U – It realigns all the paragraphs after the cursor position. ˄B realigns a single paragraph.
Term Paper # 5. The Onscreen Format Menu
:
This menu offers facilities for formatting your text to a limited extent. ˄O takes you to the ONSCREEN FORMAT MENU, where from you select the characters for appropriate commands. As before, you can type the commands together. The following commands are executed when typed after ˄O.
A view of the menu is given below:
L – Sets the left margin. You can provide the column number or press the Esc key with the cursor at the column where you want the new left margin.
R – It similarly sets the right margin.
C – It centers the text of a line, used for headings.
W – Turns automatic wrapping around of the text feature on or off.
J – Turns on/off the justification feature, that is, the right side of the text is not adjusted when it is off.
P – Turns on/off the preview feature. When on, the text is displayed suppressing all the print and other control commands to make it appear as it will be printed. No change in the text can be made when it is on. The status line indicates Perfect Preview.
Term Paper # 6. The Print Control Menu
:
In the editing mode, pressing ˄P takes you to the PRINT CONTROL MENU, where from you can format your document which will be executed during printing. The characters used for changing the printing types operate as on and off switches, that is, the first time it marks the beginning and the second time it marks the end of special printing.
The options available are:
B — Bold printing of text on / off
S — The marked text is underlined
V — The marked text is printed as a subscript, e.g. as O2
T — The marked text is printed as a superscript, e.g. as 52
D — Double striking the text for letter quality printing
Y — Printed using italics character [only in Epson mode]
To see the text, without these embedded commands, use ˄OP.
Term Paper # 7. Merge Printing:
This is a process of printing where information is incorporated in the document being printed by collecting it from a data file. Suppose, a school wants to inform the parents about the performance of each student through personalized letters.
With merge-printing, instead of typing each individual letter, one master document is prepared in a special manner with certain instructions marking the places where each letter will differ from the other and a data file is created which contain the changes to be incorporated in each letter prepared from the master document.
A number of dot commands are used to give instructions. In addition, the variables are enclosed within double ampersands in the master document, whose respective values come from the data file. The data file must be prepared in the non-document mode.