Formatting your First Document
Table of Contents
List of Controls Used............................................................................................................................................................................... 1
Set Up for the Exercise ............................................................................................................................................................................ 2
Change the Font ...................................................................................................................................................................................... 2
Change the Font Size............................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Incremental Font Size Changes ............................................................................................................................................................... 4
Bold, Italic, and Underline ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Highlight Color ....................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Font Color ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Indent ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 7
Alignment ................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
Create a List ............................................................................................................................................................................................ 7
List of Controls Used
We will demonstrate how to apply a number of different format changes in this section. We will use a variety of controls to apply the
changes. The types of controls we will use are:
 Buttons – All buttons are activated with a single click.
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
Drop Downs – All drop downs have content that is hidden on the screen. A Drop-down
drop-down. Activate the drop-down button to reveal the commands.

Lists – Lists can be stand-alone or may be displayed with a drop-down button. A list will display options on shortcuts. You
may have to scroll the list to view all of the options.

Menus – A menu functions like a list and is usually displayed with a drop-down button.
button will be located next to the
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
Shortcuts – Shortcuts are located on both lists and menus. All shortcuts are activated with a single click.
Set Up for the Exercise
To participate in the exercise:
1. The Class Notes are already open in your internet browser. Do not close your browser.
2. Open the WordPad program.
3. Open the file, First Document, in WordPad.
You now have 2 programs, WordPad and your internet browser, open and available on the desktop. Click and drag each window to a
side of the screen. They are now side by side and you can work in either program by clicking in the program window to give it the focus.
In all exercises we will select the first paragraph of text to apply the exercise to. Highlight the first paragraph with a click and drag or
any other method. Be sure the highlight remains available throughout each exercise. If you accidentally clear the highlight, re-establish
it before you proceed. This will let you see the changes as compared to the second paragraph. Your document should look like the
example when you start the exercise.
You can simply study the examples or you can participate using your First Document file. You can use the First Document file over and
over if you do not save any changes when you close the program. When you close a program that has changes that have not been saved,
you will be prompted to save the changes. A dialog box will open with save options.
Activate the
button to close the file and not save any changes to the document. The document will retain its original content
and can be reused again for the exercise.
Will not cover every command in WordPad, but you can experiment with any of the controls available in WordPad. The worst that will
happen is that you will have to close First Document and start over. Additional commands will be discussed in the Windows 10 for
Intermediate class. See the front desk to sign up for additional classes.
Change the Font
Fonts are a family of text characters that all share the same characteristics. Each family contains shapes for all of the text characters
available. WordPad has almost 200 different font families to select from.
1. Locate the Font drop-down control on the Home ribbon.
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2.
Activate the
3.
4.
Scroll down and select and activate the Déjà VU Sans font shortcut. Note, that the font will preview in the document but
will not actually change the document until activated.
Click in the document to clear the highlight and the paragraph will display the text in a new font
5.
6.
You can practice this exercise by applying additional fonts.
Leave the document as shown for the next exercise.
button and drop-down the Font List in the Home ribbon.
Change the Font Size
Size is applied independently of the Font. Size can be selected from the size control list or you can type your own value into the size text
box.
1. Highlight the first paragraph.
2. Locate the size drop-down control on the Home ribbon.
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3.
Activate the
button and drop down the size control in the Home ribbon.
4.
Scroll down and select and activate the 14 shortcut.
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5.
The text will be larger.
6.
7.
Practice by applying different sizes.
Leave the document as shown for the next exercise.
Incremental Font Size Changes
Incremental font size changes will increase or decrease the current size of the selected text by the next increment in the size list. The font
size will be increased or decreased one more level each time you activate a button.
1. Highlight the first paragraph.
2. Locate the incremental size button controls on the Home ribbon. Note that the arrows are not drop-down buttons but
indicate the direction of the change being applied.
3.
4.
Increase
Decrease
Activate the increase control once.
The size will increase from 14 to 16 and the text will be larger.
5.
6.
Leave the document as shown for the next exercise.
Practice applying different sizes.
Bold, Italic, and Underline
The bold, italic, and underline characteristics are applied with toggle buttons. Activating one of these buttons will toggle the named
characteristic on or off. Each characteristic can be applied individually or in conjunction with the rest.
1. Highlight the first paragraph
2. Locate the Bold, Italic, and Underline buttons on the Home ribbon.
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3.
Activate each button and observe that the text will become bold, then slanted, and finally underlined.
4.
5.
Practice different combinations applying these characteristics.
Toggle the Bold, Italic, and Underline characteristics off for the next exercise.
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Highlight Color
A highlight color will color the background of the selected text. This looks very similar to using a highlighter on a textbook.
1. Highlight the first paragraph.
2. Locate the Text Highlight button on the ribbon.
3.
Activate the drop-down button next to the Text Highlight button to display the highlight menu.
4.
Activate the Yellow button on the menu to highlight the selected text.
5.
Note that the Text Highlight button will indicate the last color used. If a color is indicated on the button you can apply the
color by activating the Button without using the drop-down.
6.
To remove a highlight activate the No Color shortcut.
7.
8.
Practice changing the highlight colors and removing the highlight.
Remove the Text Highlight for the next exercise.
Font Color
You can also change the color of the text. You can actually choose from 16.7 million colors.
1. Highlight the first paragraph.
2. Locate the Text Color button on the ribbon.
3.
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Activate the drop-down button next to the Text Color button to display the color selection menu.
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4.
Activate the Green button in the second column to apply a green color to the text.
5.
Note that the Text Color button will also indicate the last color used. If a color is indicated on the button you can apply the
color by activating the Button without using the drop-down.
6.
To remove a color and return to black text, activate the Automatic shortcut.
7.
To access more colors activate the More Colors shortcut.
8.
You can select from the 48 Basic colors. You must use the OK button to confirm and apply your selection in this menu.
9.
You can access the 16.7 million color palette by activating the Define Custom Colors shortcut.
10. Practice changing the text colors in the 3 color menus.
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11. Return the text color to black for the next exercise.
Indent
Indentation will move a block of text so that all lines are indented. In WordPad you only have the option of indenting entire paragraphs.
1. Highlight or click in the first paragraph.
2. Locate the Decrease Indent and Increase Indent buttons in the Paragraph category.
3.
Active the Increase Indent button once to indent the paragraph 1 Tab Stop.
4.
5.
6.
Each time you activate an indent button the paragraph will be indented another Tab Stop in the indicated direction.
Practice multiple indents.
Decrease the indent to the far left for the next exercise.
Alignment
You can align a block of text to the left, center, right, or justified to both the right and left margins in the document. Alignment is not
limited to paragraphs only.
7. Highlight the first paragraph.
8. Locate the Align Text Left, Center, Right, and Justify buttons on the toolbar.
9.
Active the Center button.
10. The text will be centered between the margins of the document.
11. Practice the other alignment options.
12. Close without saving and reopen first document for the next exercise.
Create a List
The list will be the most complicated exercise we will practice. But lists are very useful, as evidenced in this document. Both numbered
and bulleted list styles are available.
1. Place the insert point at the end of the first paragraph.
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2.
3.
Press the Enter key to insert a blank line in the document. The insert point should be located on the blank line between the
paragraphs. Almost all lists will start on a blank line.
Locate the Start a List button on the toolbar.
4.
Activate the drop-down button to display the list styes menu.
5.
Activate the Numbering list style button and a list will begin indented and start with number 1.
6.
The insert point will be positioned to the right of the number 1. Type ‘First item’ without the quotes and then press the Enter
key.
7. The list will automatically create an entry for the next item in the list and number it 2.
8. Type ‘Second item’ without the quotes and then press the Enter key.
9. The list will automatically create an entry for the next item in the list and number it 3.
10. Type ‘Last item’ without the quotes and then press the Enter key twice in succession to end the list and insert a blank unnumbered line.
11. Delete the blank line to make your document look like the example.
12. Practice making both bulleted and unbulleted lists.
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