Keyboard Use Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Arrow Keys--keys used in place of the mouse to move the cursor to a new location
Backspace--key which removes the text to the left of the cursor position.
Caps lock key--key on a keyboard that causes all letters keyed to be capital letters
Character--any letter, number, or symbol typed on the keyboard
Command Keys--used in conjunction with another key to carry out an operation
Computer--machine that performs four functions: input, processing, storage, and
output. It can perform calculations and process a large amount of information
accurately and much more rapidly than the human brain.
8. Cut and Paste--to highlight text and move it to another location
9. Data--information entered into the computer. The computer processes data.
10. Delete--to remove or erase
11. Delete key--key which removes the text to the right of the cursor position.
12. Document--anything produced in a word processing program
13. Double space--when keying text, the act of spacing text two lines apart
14. Enter/Return key--key on a keyboard that is used to enter information into a
computer or to return the cursor to the beginning of a new line
15. Format--the way the words look on a page
16. Hardcopy--output from a computer that you can touch--(Ex: output from a printer or
plotter)
17. Home row keys--The keys on the keyboard where hands are positioned for typing.
The keys are a, s, d, f, j, k, l, ;
18. Icons--pictures or symbols that represent work (files or programs) behind them
19. Insert--to add new text into already existing text without deleting previously keyed
text
20. Justification--to align text either to the left/right or both margins
21. Keyboard--an input device consisting of a standardized layout of buttons or keys
with symbols, such as letters or numbers, that can be entered into a computer by
pressing on the keys.
22. Letter keys--keys on a keyboard which contain the letters of the alphabet
23. Menu Bar--The line at the top of the screen that gives you your different choices
24. Number keys--keys on a keyboard which contain the numbers 0-9
25. Posture--the position of the body or of parts of the body
26. Printer--a mechanical output device that can print text and graphics on paper
27. Printout--output from a printer
28. Return/Enter key--key on a keyboard that is used to enter information into a
computer or to return the cursor to the beginning of a new line
29. Scroll--to move text up and down and left and right on the screen
30. Shift key--key on a keyboard that is used to capitalize letters when pressed with that
letter key
31. Softcopy--output from a computer that you can see or hear, but cannot touch--(Ex:
output from a monitor or speaker)
32. Software--instructions on a disk that make the computer work. It tells the computer
(CPU) what to do. Software programs are usually stored on disks until needed.
Often the disk containing the program is called software.
33. Space bar--key on a keyboard that spaces the cursor forward one space at a time and
produces a blank space when pressed
34. Special Function Keys--keys that carry out specific things (Ex: Shift keys,
Return/Enter keys, Caps Lock key)
35. Strike--to tap or press the keys of a keyboard with a finger or thumb
36. Symbol key--key on a keyboard that contains a symbol
37. Tab key--a key used to indent text in a line; can also be used to set-up columns in a
document
38. Text--another name for alphabetical data that was entered
39. Title Bar--The line near the top of the screen that gives the name of your file
40. Word Wrap--letting the computer decide where to end each line (typing text without
pushing return/enter at the end of each line)
Word Processing/Desktop Publishing Vocabulary
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Center--to place text horizontally or vertically in the middle of a page
Character--any letter, number, or symbol typed on the keyboard
Clip Art--picture files that can be pasted into a document
Command Keys--used in conjunction with another key to carry out an operation
Copy and Paste--to highlight text, leave it where it is, and also put a copy of it in
another location
6. Cursor--a highlighted mark (sometimes blinking) on the screen that indicates the
user's location. It indicates where the next letter or character will appear when keyed.
Sometimes the cursor is a special picture or icon.
7. Cut and Paste--to highlight text and move it to another location
8. Data--information entered into the computer. The computer processes data.
9. Desktop Publishing--A computerized layout program that integrates graphics and
text to produce a professional looking document.
10. Digitized effects--to change analog information into digital information that the
computer can use to produce certain effects. For example, when a picture is scanned,
the picture image is digitized. This means that the picture image is converted to a
digital or numerical format.
11. Document--anything produced in a word processing program
12. Edit--to make changes to a document or other file
13. File--a word processing document
14. Font--a design style for a complete set of letters, numbers and symbols
15. Format--the way the words look on a page
16. Grammar checker--software program that checks for possible grammar mistakes.
Suggestions or corrections are often given.
17. Graphics--pictures that can be inserted into a document
18. Hardcopy--output from a computer that you can touch--(Ex: output from a printer or
plotter)
19. Home row keys--The keys on the keyboard where hands are positioned for typing.
The keys are a, s, d, f, j, k, l, ;
20. Icons--pictures or symbols that represent work (files or programs) behind them
21. Justification--to align text either to the left/right or both margins
22. Laser printer--a printer that produces high quality images using a method similar to
that of a photo copying machine
23. Layout--the physical placement of text and graphics in a document
24. Load--To enter a program or file into a computer's memory
25. Menu Bar--The line at the top of the screen that gives you your different choices
26. Move--rearrange text in a document
27. Printout--output from a printer
28. Retrieve--to load a previously saved file from a diskette or hard drive
29. Save--to store a file on diskette or hard drive for future use
30. Scanner--a peripheral device that converts text or pictures into bit-mapped data that
is put into a computer. The digitized images can then be edited.
31. Scroll--to move text up and down and left and right on the screen
32. Softcopy--output from a computer that you can see or hear, but cannot touch--(Ex:
output from a monitor or speaker)
33. Special Function Keys--keys that carry out specific things (Ex: Shift keys,
Return/Enter keys, Caps Lock key)
34. Spell Checker--part of a word processing program that uses a disk-based dictionary
to check and correct misspellings in documents
35. Tab key--a key used to indent text in a line; can also be used to set-up columns in a
document
36. Thesaurus--a tool that helps you find words with similar meanings
37. Title Bar--The line near the top of the screen that gives the name of your file
38. Toolbox--a collection of drawing and painting tools
39. Word Processing--a computerized method of writing, editing, saving, and printing
text