Topic outline

  • COURSE INTRODUCTION

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    • Time: 5 hours
    • Free Certificate
    This course will teach you how to create documents using Microsoft Word and Google Docs. It is designed for students with little or no experience with these word processing programs. We will review some basic editing and formatting tools and how to create and print a business letter. Google Docs and Microsoft Word share many of the same formatting features and functions, and most of the features we explore in this course can be used in both programs. If you do not have Microsoft Word, you can use a free 30-day trial of Microsoft Office 365. Google Docs is available for free to anyone with a Google account. Many schools, universities, and public libraries also have at least one word processing program that you can use. Generally, word processing principles are the same or quite similar, regardless of the type of word processing program or version you use.

  • Unit 1: Getting Started with Word and Google Docs

    In this unit, we will see how to get started with Microsoft Word and Google Docs to create a document. We also discuss the basic on-screen elements of Microsoft Word and Google Docs, including toolbars, menus, commands, and taskbars. As you go through this unit, open your version of Microsoft Word or Google Docs and follow along with the tutorials. This will help you learn as you explore the window and menu environment.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 1 hour.

    • 1.1: Microsoft Word Window and Menu Environment

      Microsoft Word is a popular word processing program that is offered as a free web-based app and as a subscription-based or one-time purchase desktop app. It is part of the Microsoft Office suite, which includes Excel, PowerPoint, and many other apps. Files can be saved online and opened on any device or shared with others to support collaboration. Many businesses use Microsoft Word to create, edit, format, save, and share documents. This subunit will introduce you to Microsoft Word commands for creating a document.

    • 1.2: Google Docs Window and Menu Environment

      Google Docs is another popular word processing program, but it functions entirely on the web. This makes it easy to access your documents from anywhere and collaborate with others, but it requires an Internet connection. It's offered as a free or subscription-based service. Docs is part of the Google Workspace suite, which includes Sheets, Slides, and more. Like Microsoft Word, many businesses use Google Docs to create, edit, and format documents. This section will introduce you to the Google Docs commands for creating a document.

    • 1.3: Using and Creating Document Templates

      Another easy way to get started with Microsoft Word or Google Docs is to use one of the built-in templates. These templates are ready-made documents that you can customize. When you open a template, you'll find that elements such as fonts, styles, margins, and paragraph settings are already specified. For instance, you might encounter a template that incorporates all the formatting components of a typical corporate letter, which you can then tailor to suit your specific requirements. Templates are available for many types of documents, including resumes, flyers, business cards, and more. You can also develop your own templates, particularly when you think you will need to create similar documents repeatedly.

  • Unit 2: Document Formatting, Layout, and Design

    In this unit, we explore how to use a variety of commands to modify the appearance of a document, as well as introduce options for saving and printing. As with the previous unit, some of the videos present commands or features of Google Docs or Microsoft Word, but both programs share most of these same commands. We encourage you to open your version of Microsoft Word or Google Docs to follow along with the tutorials. This will help you learn as you practice.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 2 hours.

    • 2.1: Basic Formatting Commands

      The visual design of a document is known as its formatting. When a document's layout is confusing, it can be frustrating and hard to comprehend. Well-organized and properly formatted documents are simpler to read and help you emphasize important data and information for your readers. For instance, you might want to highlight your team's success in meeting a challenging sales target. In this part, we'll show you how to use Microsoft Word and Google Docs to format your documents effectively.

    • 2.2: Saving and Printing

      It's important to save your work often because if something happens and you haven't saved, you could lose your work. In this section, we will cover save and print options.

    • 2.3: Document Design

      The design of a document refers to its look. Typically, you want a document or a series of related documents to have a consistent design. Microsoft Word and Google Docs provide several tools that help you apply the same design elements (colors, font formatting, styles, etc.) throughout a document or across a series of related documents. In this section, we explore commands for changing the document design.

  • Unit 3: Collaboration

    In this unit, we will explore options for using Microsoft Word and Google Docs to collaborate with others. We will review how to share files, set permissions, and use comments to ask or answer questions or make suggestions.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 1 hour.

    • 3.1: Sharing Documents with Microsoft Word

      Microsoft Word makes sharing documents with others quite easy, even if they do not have a Microsoft subscription. However, in order to edit shared files, a free Microsoft account is required, and the file must be stored on OneDrive.

    • 3.2: Sharing Documents with Google Docs

      Google Docs has robust sharing features, and like Word, it only requires a free Google account. To share a file in Google Docs, the file must be saved in Google Drive.

  • Unit 4: Creating Business Documents

    Many businesses use word processors to create, edit, and print a variety of documents, including letters, memos, meeting minutes, and reports. Formatting standards have been defined to make these documents consistent and easy to read. In this unit, we discover how to create and format business letters and memos using the very common block-style formatting standard. In addition, we explore several commands used to format other types of business documents, such as reports.

    Completing this unit should take you approximately 1 hour.

    • 4.1: What Is a Business Letter?

      A business letter is a formal document typically used by a company to correspond with clients and other companies. Formatting standards have been defined to make these documents easy to read, consistent, and professional. We begin this section by defining the structure and content of a business letter and memo.

    • 4.2: Creating a Block-Style Letter or Memo

      When creating the basic block-style that many offices use for their emails, memos, and letters, be sure to pay attention to spacing between paragraphs and words, since it is an important component of block-style documents.

    • 4.3: Adjusting the Margins and Page Borders of Your Business Letter

      The block-style format is very common in business. However, some businesses may use other common formatting styles or even a custom format. In this section, we explore some other commands you can use to format business documents in other styles. Let's begin by learning how to modify margins and add a page border.

    • 4.4: Creating Headers and Footers for Your Business Letter

      Business documents will often make use of headers and footers for elements such as logos, titles, and page numbers. In this lesson, you will learn how to divide a document into sections so that you can have different headers and footers for each section. As an example, consider a user manual for a product that has chapters such as "setup", "using the product", and "maintenance". Each chapter will likely have a different header. This is accomplished by dividing the document into sections.

  • Course Feedback Survey

    Please take a few minutes to give us feedback about this course. We appreciate your feedback, whether you completed the whole course or even just a few resources. Your feedback will help us make our courses better, and we use your feedback each time we make updates to our courses. If you come across any urgent problems, email contact@saylor.org.

  • Certificate Final Exam

    Take this exam if you want to earn a free Course Completion Certificate.

    To receive a free Course Completion Certificate, you will need to earn a grade of 70% or higher on this final exam. Your grade for the exam will be calculated as soon as you complete it. If you do not pass the exam on your first try, you can take it again as many times as you want, with a 7-day waiting period between each attempt. Once you pass this final exam, you will be awarded a free Course Completion Certificate.