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Winging it in Word - Part III

© Chris Cruickshank

This week's article looks at editing, It is something we all do (hands up everyone who can type perfectly each and every time!), and yet it surprises me how little some people know about this skill, a skill that once learnt can transform the speed and accuracy with which work can be done.

In this article, we shall look at the following points:

· Moving around a document

· Cutting text (deletion)

· Copying text from one place to another (Pasting)

· Pasting items created in other programs (OLE)

Moving Around

This may seem a rather obvious thing - moving around a document, but do you know how many different ways you can do this? Here's a list...

· Using scroll bars

· Using the mouse (particularly if you have a centre wheel)

· Using the keyboard

OK, 3 ways doesn't seem like a lot, but these can be broken down still further - particularly using the keyboard. CTRL + Home for example will take you to the beginning of a document; CTRL + END to the end and so forth. All these different ways are there, not to confuse, but to let you work in a flexible manner - the way in which YOU find best to work.

For instance: When I am typing, I use keyboard commands to move around the document (Page up and Down, CTRL + Home etc). This way my hands remain on the keyboard and I ignore my mouse.

When I am editing (especially formatting) a document, I use the mouse so that I can click at specific points within my document. You can use which ever way you find easiest to use or remember, but try learning them all as it can be surprising how much easier it is if you are not swapping between mouse and keyboard.

The Office Assistant can be useful, as it will often mention keyboard shortcuts or other methods to move around. I still come across shortcuts I knew nothing about!

Cutting and Copying Text

When I write a lengthy document or chapter, I tend to make sure that I get the basic sentences down first. I don't worry about spelling or grammar as I am in "ideas mode". Once I have the basics down, I then go through the document "tidying things up". This includes spelling, grammar but also the order of presentation of my ideas.

On re-reading my piece, I often find myself thinking "This paragraph would be better in a different place". Now I'm lazy so there is no way I am going to retype a sentence when all I want to do is "move it". You can easily move words, sentences, paragraphs or whole sections using Cut.

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