Word Exercise 10
Word Exercise 10. Simple Report
For this exercise you will need to know how to:add new pages, divide a document into sections, and paginate text
Scenario:You want to create a short report with a cover and table of contents.
A Simple Report
Start Word and into the blank document paste the following text.
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Data and Information
It all begins the data. Data (the plural of datum) are just raw facts. Data are all around us. Everyday we generate an enormous amounts of data. Information is data that have been collected and processed into a meaningful form. Simply, information is the meaning we give to accumulated facts (data).
Managing Data
Just as you need to learn sentence structure and grammar to be an effective user of word processing or desktop publishing software, you need to learn fundamental data management principles to be an effective user of PCs. Many type of software, including popular spreadsheet and database software, let you assemble random pieces of data in a structured and useful manner. The principles of data management, which are new to most people taking this course, include the terms and concepts associated with the hierarchy of data organization. This hierarchy is the basis for most information processing. Figure 1. illustrates the six levels of the hierarchy of data organization/ They are bit, character, field, record, file and database. Each succeeding level in the hierarchy is the result of combining the elements of the proceeding level. Data are logically combined in this fashion until a database is achieved. The following paragraphs explain each level of the hierarchy and how it relates to the succeeding level.
Bits and characters. In a computer system, a character (A, B, C, 1, 2 and so on) is represented b a group of bits (1s and 0s) that are configured according to an encoding system, such as ASCII, a C is represented inside a computer as 10000011, and a 3 is represented as 0110101. We'll learn more about ASCII and other encoding systems in Chapter 3, “Inside the Computer”. Whereas the bit is the basic unit for storage in a computer, the character is the basic unit for human perception. When we enter a command on a PC or a terminal, each character is automatically encoded into a bit configuration, usually a string of eight 1s and 0s. The bit configurations are decoded to be characters on output so we can read and understand the output. In terms of data storage, a character is usually the same as a byte. It's not just letters and numbers that are translated and stored as 1s and 0s. Audio, video, graphics, and all other types of data and information are stored as combinations of bits, as well.
Fields. The field is the lowest level in the data hierarchy at which we can derive any meaning from the data. For example, a single character (such as A) has little meaning out of context. But when characters are combined to form a name (for example, Alicia or Alvin), they form a logical unit. A field is best described by example: social security number, first name, street address, martial status. These are all fields, the basic subdivision of a record.
An address is often represented as four fields: street address, city, state, and ZIP code. If we treated the entire address as one field, it would be cumbersome to print because the street address is normally placed on a separate line from the city, state and ZIP code. Because name and address files are often sorted by ZIP code, it is also a good idea to store the ZIP code as a separate field.
Records: Describing events or items. A record is a description of an event (for example a sale, a hotel reservation) or an item (for example a customer or a part). Related fields describing an event or an item are logically grouped to form a record. Table 1 shows some of the fields that might be found in a typical employee record, as a s their values for Alvin E. Adams and two other employees (note that “Department” and “Martial status” are coded for ease of data entry and to save storage space).
Files. Related records.A file is a collection of related records. For example, the employee file contains a record for each employee, and an inventory fil contains a record for each inventory item. File are sorted, merged, and processed by a key field. For example, in an employee file the key might be “Social Security Number”, and in an inventory file the key might be “Part Number”. When the employee file is sorted by the key field, the records are ordered sequentially by social security number. File is a common term in IT and has a broader meaning. A file refers to any named area in a computer's storage that may contain an image, a letter, a song, data, and so on.
The database: Integrated data resource.The database is the integrated data resource for an information system. In essence, a database is a collection of files that are in some way logically related to one another. That is, one file might contain logical links that identify one or more files containing related information.
The two most visible productivity software tools for data management are spreadsheets and databases. Each deals with the manipulation and retrieval of data within the hierarchy of data organization, but they do it in very different ways.
Producing Information
Information as we now know it is a relatively new concept. Just 50 short years ago, information was the telephone operator who provided directory assistance. Around 1950, people began to view information as something that could be collected, sorted, summarised, exchanged, and processed. But only during the last two decades have computers allowed us to begin tapping the potential of information.
Computers are very good at digesting data and producing information. For example, when you order a cross-country cycle from an Internet-based e-tailer, an on-line retailer, the data you enter into the system, (name, address, product ID) are entered directly into the e-tailer's computer. When you run short of cash and stop at an automatic teller machine, all data you enter including that on the magnetic stripe of your bankcard, are processed immediately by the bank's computer system. A computer system eventually manipulates your data to produce information. The information could be an invoice sent to you via e-mail for the bicycle or a statement from the bank reflecting your withdrawal.
Traditionally, we have thought of data in terms of numbers (account balance) and letters (customer name), but recently advances in information technology have opened the door to data in other formats, such as visual images. For example, dermatologists (physicians who specialise in skin disorders) use digital cameras to take close-up pictures of patients' skin conditions. Each patient's record (information about the patient) on the computer-based master file (all patient records) is then updated to include the digital image. During each visit, the dermatologist recalls the patient record, which includes colour images of the skin during previous visits, data can also be found in the form of sound, For example, data collected during noise-level testing of automobiles include digitised versions of the actual sounds heard within the car.
The relationship of data to a computer system is much like the relationship of gasoline to an automobile. Data provide the fuel for a computer system, Your car won't get you any where without gas, and you computer won't produce any information without data. It's all about data.
Reference
FROM: Computers: Information Technology in perspective by Larry Long & Nancy Long, Ninth Edition, 2002, Prentice Hall.
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Formatting the text
Selectall the text and set the font size to 12 point.
Fully justifyall the paragraphs.
Add a blank line after the main title Data and Information. Set the font of the title to Arial Black point size 18, centre the title.
Add a blank line before and after the three sub titles Managing Data, Producing Information and References. Make these titles Arial Black point size 16.
The five paragraphs beginning Bits and characters, Fields, Records, Files and The database should be bulleted. Set the bullet character to a large dot ●. Note the paragraph between Fields and Records should NOT be bulleted. This paragraph, which begins An address is often..., should indented but not bulleted.
Embedthis image in the first paragraph of Managing Data and allow the text to flow to the left of the image. Label the image Figure 1.
Typethe following table betweenthe two paragraphs beginning Records and Files. (Do not use the image.)
Add the following caption to the table:
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Table 1. A Partial Employee Record A typical employee record will include these seven fields as well as a variety of other information (benefits, job evaluations, milestone dates, vacation tracking, and so on).
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Insert two new pagesat the beginning of the document. Split the document into two sections, make the first section the two blank pages and the second section the rest of the document.
On the first (blank) page add a title, an appropriate image and your name.
On the second page add a short list of contents, label this list Contents.
Addthe header Data and Information to the second section, centre the text.
Adda footer to the second section which has your name on the left, the page number in the centre and the date on the right. The pages of section two should be numbered 1, 2, 3...
Where necessary the paragraphs in section 2 should be marked by adding a tab character to the start of the paragraph.
Save the document with the name word exercise 10 or similar.
©Copyright School of Computing, University of Glamorgan
If you have any problems or queries regarding these pages, please contact Ray Kingdon
Last Updated: 13 Aug 2003
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