Use keyboard skills to organisational
guidelines
Install typing tutorial software
2
Microsoft Windows on PC
2
Linux on PC
2
Apple Mac
2
Working safely
3
Exercise
The QWERTY keyboard
7
Using the home keys
8
Using the top alphabet row
13
Using the bottom alphabet row
15
Using the left-hand keys
15
Using the right-hand keys
16
Using the Shift key
18
Using numbers and symbols
20
Typing numbers 1-5 using the left hand
20
Typing number 6-0 using the right hand
21
The symbol keys
22
Common symbols and their typical uses
23
Calculating speed and accuracy
24
Calculation of speed
24
Calculation of accuracy
25
Summary
Check your progress
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2005
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1
Install typing tutorial software
You will need to obtain typing tutorial software to best learn to touch-type.
Ask you facilitator for any preferred software available, or follow one of the
links below depending on your computer.
Microsoft Windows on PC
http://www.typequick.com.au/ — follow the link for the free demo.
http://www.typingstar.com/ — download the freeware.
http://www.touch-type.com/ — follow the English option, then the
download link or online demo.
http://www.typingmaster.com/ — follow the link to the Free Demo.
http://www.westone.wa.gov.au/courses/guide/s5/fs-tt.htm — follow the
onscreen instructions.
http://www.nailitnow.com.au/ — follow the link to the typing tutor.
http://www.customtyping.com/ — this runs in a web browser so is platform
independent.
Linux on PC
http://www.customtyping.com/ — this runs in a web browser so is platform
independent.
http://www.tucows.com/ — perform a search on ‘Typing Tutor’ for the
Linux platform.
http://tuxtype.sourceforge.net/ — while primarily designed for children, this
is still helpful for beginner adults.
Apple Mac
http://www.customtyping.com/ — this runs in a web browser so is platform
independent.
http://www.tucows.com/ — perform a search on ‘Typing Tutor’ for the
Macintosh platform.
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Working safely
Before you begin, let’s revise key points about working safely at a desk and
computer.
Setting up your workstation safely means that you:

Adjust the height of your desk to suit your body.

Adjust your chair so you can sit comfortably.

Place the computer so you can see the screen clearly.

Place the keyboard and mouse pad so you can work comfortably.

Arrange your desk so everything is easy to reach.

Make sure you have enough light so you can see clearly.

Make sure all computer cords are out of your way.
Tips
Make sure that:

your keyboard is close to the front of the desk

nothing is placed between the keyboard and the computer

you can easily switch your hands between the keyboard and the
mouse

you don’t bend over your keyboard — posture is important.
Take a look at the following picture of a comfortable workstation. You
might be able to print it out and hang it on a wall nearby.
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A comfortable workstation
Exercise
If you sit at a computer for most of the day your body may become stiff and
sore, especially if you are not sitting correctly. If you are doing a lot of
typing, your fingers and wrists may become tired and even begin to hurt.
Your muscles might become strained. When this happens, it might develop
into a condition called Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS) or
Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
It’s important that you take regular breaks and be as comfortable as possible
when typing. It’s also a good idea to vary your work as much as possible.
This means that you could do a bit of typing, then photocopying, and then
do some other task where you have to walk around the office.
Mouse pads are available with a raised section that supports your wrists.
You might like to try one of these. A copyholder is useful to hold a
document in a position next to the screen. It helps avoid having to look
down to read something flat on the desk. Because the document is at eye
level you won’t have to bend your neck.
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Tips
It’s important for you to take regular breaks. You should:

Stop typing every 20 minutes or sooner if you typing is constant.

Look out the window to rest your eyes.

Walk around the office to stretch your legs.

Do some exercises to ease the muscles in your body.
Take a look at some simple exercises you can do to help your neck and
shoulders.
Important point about exercises
The following exercises are only a guide and should not be taken as suitable
for everyone. As with all exercise, you have to consider what is comfortable
for you and will not cause you any discomfort or harm. If you are unsure, or
have special needs, then consult with a doctor, physiotherapist or
occupational therapist.
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Exercising the arms
1
Stand up and raise your arm straight out to the sides at shoulder level.
Rotate your arms forward in small circles five times. Then rotate your
arms backwards five times.
2
Raise you arms over your head and lace your fingers together. Then
turn you wrists so that you palms face toward the ceiling and lift you
arms straight above you until you feel a gentle stretch.
3
Raise you right arm above you head and then bend at the elbow so that
your right hand is behind your head. Place your left hand on your right
elbow and gently push your right elbow behind your head until you feel
a gentle stretch. Then repeat on the other side
4
Wrap one arm around you, resting the wrist on the opposite shoulder.
Place the palm of the other hand on the elbow, press gently towards you
and hold for a few seconds to feel a gentle stretch. Repeat on the other
side.
Exercising the neck
1
Looking straight ahead and keeping your shoulders still, move you head
so that the left ear is trying to touch the left shoulder. Only go so far
that you feel a gentle stretch. Now move the head so the right ear is
towards the right shoulder to feel a gentle stretch. Do this about three
times.
2
Turn your head as though you were looking to the left, and then slowly
turn you head to the right till you feel a gentle stretch. Repeat this three
times.
3
Shrug your shoulders. Do this about three times
4
Tilt your head back and hold for a few seconds until you feel a gentle
stretch in your throat. Then tilt your head forward so your chin almost
touches your chest or you feel a gentle stretch. Repeat this three times.
5
While looking straight ahead, gentle pull your chin in until you feel a
gentle stretch. Relax then repeat three times.
Exercising the fingers and wrist
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1
Hold both hands in front of you and stretch them for a few seconds
splaying the fingers until you feel a gentle stretch.
2
Hold both hands in front of you and curl your fingers and thumbs under,
at the first knuckle. Stretch your hands out then scrunch again. Repeat
three times.
3
Holding your arms in front of you, tilt your wrist so your hands move
upwards until you feel a gentle stretch. Move your wrists so your hands
move downwards until you feel a gentle stretch. Repeat this three times.
Reading: Use keyboard skills to organisational guidelines
2005
The QWERTY keyboard
The QWERTY keyboard is the standard computer keyboard layout for
English language keyboards. It is named from the first six letters from left to
right of the top row of letters. This arrangement of keys was adapted to
computers from early mechanical typewriters and dates back to the 1870s. It
was originally designed to slow down fast typists to avoid jamming the
mechanical arms of the typewriter.
The QWERTY keyboard
There are other designs of keyboards such as Dvorak. This is the most well
known alternative to the standard QWERTY keyboard. The Dvorak
keyboard was developed to provide maximum usability in typing. The most
commonly used letters were put along the home row to reduce finger
movement. Also, the vowels and the most common consonants are on
opposite sides of the keyboard dividing typing more evenly between hands.
The layout of the characters on a Dvorak keyboard is shown below, the
small red characters show the standard QWERTY arrangement.
The Dvorak keyboard
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Using the home keys
The home keys are those keys in the middle of the keyboard. They are
called home keys because this is where your fingers should always return to
as you type. It’s important to be able to use the home keys because it makes
it easy for your fingers to move up and down to the other keys.
The home keys for the left hand are ASDF. The home keys for the right
hand are JKL; (semicolon).
This is what the home key row looks like:
Although the letters are in capitals on the keyboard they are lower-case
letters when you type them, for example ‘asdf’ and not ‘ASDF’. If you want
them to be capitals, you have to press either the Caps Lock or Shift keys.
Quick practice
Practise placing you hands lightly on the home keys and typing the letters
asdf and jkl;
Tip
Did you notice a small bump on the F and J keys? These are extremely
useful to know when your index fingers (they are the ones next to your
thumbs) are in the correct position. That is, you should be able to feel these
bumps with you index fingers when you are not pressing any keys.
Sometimes you will encounter keyboards where the bump is located on the
middle finger keys, eg D and K.
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To type ‘g’ and ‘h’, you move you index fingers across to these keys.
Also in the home key row is a key that has double quote marks ‘ and single
quote marks ‘. Use the little finger of you right hand to reach these symbols.
Quick practice
Practise placing you hands lightly on the home keys moving your index
fingers to type:
asdfgf
and
;lkjhj
Making a space
To make a space between the letters, press the spacebar with your thumb.
The letters will look like this:
a s d f; l k j
Starting a new line
To start a new line, press Enter with the little finer of your right hand. The
letters will look like this:
asdf
;lkj
Now you know where to position each finger on the home key row, try the
next three practice activities.
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Practice 1: Left home keys
Use your left hand to practise typing these sets of letters.
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asdf
aadd
aaff
afaf
asas
adad
sdaf
ffdd
ssff
afds
asdf
ddaa
aaff
afaf
fafa
dada
sasa
asas
adad
afaf
ddfa
sfda
ffdd
asas
ddaa
ffss
ssdd
dsdf
adad
aadd
ddff
ssff
fdsa
asdf
aadd
aaff
afaf
asas
adad
sdaf
ffdd
ssff
afds
asdf
ddaa
aaff
afaf
fafa
dada
sasa
asas
adad
afaf
ddfa
sfda
ffdd
asas
ddaa
ffss
ssdd
dsdf
adad
aadd
ddff
ssff
fdsa
Reading: Use keyboard skills to organisational guidelines
2005
Practice 2: Right home keys
Now use your right hand to type these sets of letters.
jkl;
;lkj
kjlj
k;k;
j;j;
kk;;
lljj
klkl
;lkj
jkl;
ljlj
jjkk
kkll
ll;;
;;jj
;j;j
klkl
lklk
kk;;
jjk;
;jkl
lk;j
;l;j
j;kl
klkj
;k;k
j;j;
kkll
;;jj
kk;j
k;jk
l;lj
jkl;
jkl;
;lkj
kjlj
k;k;
j;j;
kk;;
lljj
klkl
;lkj
jkl;
ljlj
jjkk
kkll
ll;;
;;jj
;j;j
klkl
lklk
kk;;
jjk;
;jkl
lk;j
;l;j
j;kl
klkj
;k;k
j;j;
kkll
;;jj
kk;j
k;jk
l;lj
jkl;
Reading: Use keyboard skills to organisational guidelines
2005
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Practice 3: Home row
Now use both hands correctly to type the following letters.
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fgfg
hjjh
jhjg
hgjf
dls;
jfsh
gdhj
h;h;
gaga
gadh
ghad
kflh
dgsg
dads
sads
jakl
lsad
gkls
hhgg
galk
l;af
hadg
dakg
dagk
kal;
fhlk
;a;k
;als
kdls
jf;a
ga;h
gfds
hjkl
fgfg
hjjh
jhjg
hghj
kdl;
jfsh
gdhj
h;h;
gaga
gadh
ghad
kflh
dgsg
dads
sads
jakl
lsad
gkls
hhgg
galk
l;af
hadg
dakg
dagk
kal;
fhlk
;a;k
;als
kdls
jf;a
ga;h
gfds
hjkl
Reading: Use keyboard skills to organisational guidelines
2005
Using the top alphabet row
To use the top row of the alphabet keys, you keep you fingers resting on the
home keys and move them up to press the keys you need.
Your little finger and the next two fingers move to the keys immediately
above them. The two index fingers have to reach up and across to touch the
keys.
Using the left-hand keys
With you left hand, practise reaching from the home keys to the keys in the
row above.
The F (index) finger reaches up to R and T and across to G
The D finger reaches to E
The S finger reaches to W
The A finger reaches to Q
Moving fingers between left-hand keys
Using the right-hand keys
With your right hand, practise reaching from the home keys to the keys in
the row above.
The J (index) finger reaches up to Y and U and across to H
The K finger reaches up to I
The L finger reaches up to O
The; (semicolon) finger reaches up to P
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Moving fingers between right-hand keys
Practice 4: Top row
Practise typing these letters on the top row correctly.
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fdsa
rewq
asdf
qwer
fsad
weqr
fdea
waew dede
qrad
drad
fads
ards
are
qeer
qfet
fret
fatr
feed
fred
trad
drat
wet
twee
qtds
gret
grad
jopl
hurt
popl
jake
jup;
re;t
grop
rats
heep
hope
keep
pool
jojo
reep
peel
fids
sots
peal
your
yope
feel
loop
drop
kill
saki
rapl
hip;
Reading: Use keyboard skills to organisational guidelines
2005
Using the bottom alphabet row
To use the bottom row of the alphabet keys, you keep your fingers resting
on the home keys and move them down to press the keys you need.
Your little finger and the next two fingers move to the keys immediately
below them. The two index fingers have to reach down and across to touch
the keys.
Using the left-hand keys
With your left hand, practise reaching from the home keys to the keys in the
row below. Curve the fingers slightly and you will find that they move more
easily over the keys.
The F (index) finger reaches across to G and down to V and B
The D finger reaches down to C
The S finger reaches down to X
The A finger reaches down to Z
Moving left-hand fingers to the bottom row
Reading: Use keyboard skills to organisational guidelines
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Using the right-hand keys
With you right hand, practise reaching from the home keys to the keys in the
row below.
The J (index) finger reaches across to H and down to N and B
(B can also be reached using the F finger on the left hand.)
The K finger reaches down to M
The L finger reaches down to the, (comma) and the < (less than symbol)
The ; (semicolon) finger reaches across to the ‘ (apostrophe or single quote
mark) and down to the . (full stop or period), > (greater than symbol), ?
(question mark) and the / (forward slash mark).
Moving right-hand fingers to the bottom row
Practice 5: Bottom row
Now practise with these letters.
sxsx
dvdv
fvdv
fvfv
dsxs
fvxs
aszx
azaz
axax
zaza
fxxd
sdcd
azaz
fvgb
bfxs
babz
dcfz
dbxs
gazz
bcdd
fbsc
czab
sabs
fgbz
dsab
sbcs
sacs
jnjh
kmkm l.,l,
;.;.
nk,l
l.jh
jnjn
km.l
k,lj
mkfs
dskl
nbmv dmvl
nmbm kasc
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cask
nasm mass
Reading: Use keyboard skills to organisational guidelines
2005
You should now be familiar with the home keys and the alphabet keys on
the top and bottom rows.
With your hands resting on the home keys, practise typing the following
words. Use both hands. Use the home, top and bottom keys. Remember to
curve your fingers slightly. Don’t look at the keyboard.
Practice 6: Words
Now practise with whole words.
fast
faster
hold
mist
zoo
win
jam
lick
big
day
out
band
sell
my
good
buggy
have
slap
funny
when
some
your
outline
before
seems
to
be
all
too
easy
typing
words
type
these
words
put
comma,
between
each
second
word.
Remember to
do
your
exercises
often.
Tip
Practise as often as you can. Remember to do your exercises after you have
been sitting at the keyboard for a while.
Reading: Use keyboard skills to organisational guidelines
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Using the Shift key
The Shift key lets you make capital letters. This key is on both the left-hand
and right-hand sides of the keyboard.
When you are typing capital letters you have to decide which Shift key you
will press.
If you are typing in a capital letter with your left hand, such as any of the
letters on the left-hand side of the keyboard, use the little finger of your
right hand to press the Shift key.
For example, to make a capital T hold down the right Shift key with you
little finger of your right hand, as you press T.
If you are typing in a capital letter with your right hand, such as any of the
letters on the right-hand side of the keyboard, use the little finger of your
left hand to press the Shift key.
For example to make a capital i (I), hold down the left Shift key with the
little finger of the left hand, as you press I.
If you need to type a word or sentence in capital letters, select the Caps
Lock key. Press this key again if you no longer need to type in capitals.
When the Caps Lock is on, it will often be indicated by a small light on the
upper right side of the keyboard.
You also use the Shift key when you want to type a symbol or mark on the
upper part of the key. For example, to type in a question mark (?) hold down
the left Shift key with the little finger of the left hand, as you press ?.
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Practice 7: Capitals
Type these sentences to practise typing capitals.
I told my mum the story.
The story was not true.
She went to the zoo, today.
Mary had a pea in her pocket.
Kevin had a cracker in his pocket.
It does take a while to get good at this.
Harry did not like the apple.
We’ve got football on the brain.
Isn’t it great to be crazy?
Yachting is fun for all.
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Using numbers and symbols
Typing numbers is an important part of keyboarding. You use them when
you are typing the date, an address, or a phone and fax number. You will use
them a lot if your job involves a lot of figures or financial information.
Numbers are found in two places on the keyboard:
1
above the alphabet keys
2
on the right side of the keyboard known as the number pad.
You should use the number pad on the right side of the keyboard if you are
typing mostly numbers. You will find it is much faster than using the
numbers at the top of the keyboard.
Typing numbers 1-5 using the left hand
From the home keys, reach up to the top row without looking at the
keyboard. Use the fingers on your left hand to press the number keys: 1, 2,
3, 4 and 5.
The A finger reaches up to 1
The S finger reaches up to 2
The D finger reaches up to 3
The F finger reaches up to 4 and 5 (and even 6)
Moving left-hand fingers to type number keys 1 - 5
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Typing number 6-0 using the right hand
From the home keys, reach up to the top row, without looking at the
keyboard, use the fingers on your right hand to press the number keys 6, 7,
8. 9 and 0.
The J finger reaches up to 6 and 7
The K finger reaches up to 8
The L finger reaches up to 9
The ; finger reaches up to 0
Moving right-hand fingers to type number keys 6 – 0
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Practice 8: Words with numbers
Now put it all together and practise typing these words and numbers.
123 is an easy way to get to 890.
456 is just the same as 789.
She lived in 225 Hampden Lane.
Please send 7390 widgets.
458 rats up a 2.5mm drain pipe.
1024 bytes to a 1Megabyte.
4096 is 4 times 1024.
Dial 612 545 8903 for quick service.
The symbol keys
Above the numbers on the top row of the keyboard are the symbol keys.
You type nearly all these symbols by pressing the Shift key with your little
finger and the symbol key with the correct finger. You do not have to use
the Shift key for - and = (on the right-hand side of the keyboard) or the `
mark on the left-hand side.
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There are also symbols on the right-hand side of the top alphabet row. Use
the following finger to reach these keys. Remember to use either the right or
left Shift key to type these symbols on the upper part of the key. You do not
have to use the Shift key for the symbols on the lower part of the keys.
Moving fingers to type symbol keys (in conjunction with the Shift key)
Common symbols and their typical
uses
Learn the position of the symbol keys. As you press each one, say the
symbol out aloud.
Symbol
Meaning
Examples
@
at
1 Used when typing email addresses, eg:
sarah@bigserver.com.au
2 Used in orders and invoices, eg: 4 boxes @ $2.75 per
box
$
Dollar
Used in financial records, eg: $1,200.00
%
Per cent, which
means part of a
every hundred
Used to show parts of something, eg: 20% of sales this
month were from NSW.
&
And or ampersand
This symbol is a quick way of writing ‘and’, eg: Greg &
Partners
(
Brackets or
parentheses
These are used when you want to explain something in a
sentence, eg: Written correspondence (letters, memos,
email, etc) is used every day in an office.
)
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Calculating speed and accuracy
Calculation of speed
A person’s ability to touch-type is expressed in terms of speed. ie words per
minute (WPM). But speed by itself does not give the true impression of how
good at touch-typing a person is. You might be able to type 200 words in a
minute, but if there are 100 mistakes then your efficiency is extremely poor.
It is better to type at a lesser speed, and maintain higher accuracy, than to
make constant mistakes which will need to be corrected.
The Australian Standards are very specific in terms of how proper typing
tests are conducted. There are requirements for the font, line spacing,
justification, margins and paper size etc. The style and content even has
guidelines attached, for example:

The subject should be of a business or social nature

The test material should not contain unusually high proportion of
commonly used words and should also include numbers and uppercase words

The test material should consist of continuous prose without headings,
enumerations or underscoring. The style should be neither unusually
simple nor unusually complex.

The average syllabic intensity of the test material should be generally
between 1.4 and 1.6 syllables per dictionary word.
And so on …
Basically to perform a test you should type for 5 minutes then count the
number of keystrokes made, including spaces, punctuation and returns, etc.
Then the typing speed can be calculated as follows:
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
Divide the final number of key strokes by 5 to give the number of
standard words.

Divide this number by 5 (the number of minutes allowed for the test)
and round it to one decimal place. The result represents keyboarding
in standard words per minute.
Reading: Use keyboard skills to organisational guidelines
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Calculation of accuracy
The Australian Standards set the minimum acceptable accuracy at 98%. The
accuracy, expressed as percentage, is calculated by the following formula
and then rounded down to one decimal place.
Standard words – errors
Percentage accuracy
=

____________________
100
Standard words
The following examples represent what would be consistent with the
Australian Standard.
Example 1: 250 standard words with three errors
Percentage accuracy
=
250 – 3
________

100
250
=
98.8
PASS at that speed
Example 2: 200 standard words with four errors
Percentage accuracy
=
200 – 4
_________

100
200
=
98.0
PASS at that speed
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Example 3: 298.6 standard words with six errors
Percentage accuracy
=
298.6 – 6
________

100
298.6
=
97.99
FAIL at that speed
The simplest way of determining speed and accuracy is to use tutorial
software. There may be ‘challenge tests’ available to you as well — and you
are encouraged to keep developing your efficiency.
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Summary
The most common keyboard layout is known as the QWERTY keyboard. It
is named from the first six letters on the top row. It was designed to slow
fast typists in order to reduce mechanical wear on the equipment.
The home keys are ASDF and JKL; and represent the location where the
fingers should return when at rest.
It is important to set up your workstation in a manner designed to reduce the
incidence of Occupational Overuse Syndrome (OOS). Regular exercise can
form an important part of preserving your health. It is important to find
exercises that are suitable for you as an individual unless you don’t have any
special needs.
The Australian Standards for keyboarding tests are rigid in their definitions
and declare that 98% is the minimum acceptable accuracy for any given
speed.
Check your progress
Now you should try and do the Practice activities in this topic. If you’ve
already tried them, have another go and see if you can improve your
responses.
When you feel ready, try the ‘Check your understanding’ activity in the
Preview section of this topic. This will help you decide if you’re ready for
assessment.
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