CS110: Introduction to Computers

Study Guide – Test 2, Fall 2002

You should be comfortable with the concepts listed for each chapter and be able to discuss them, expand on them and identify their characteristics. In addition, you should be able to identify and define the terms listed below for each chapter. Page references for these terms are listed at the end of each chapter, in the Concepts book (also see the glossary at the end of the book).

Chapter 3 – Computer Software

The Multiple Choice/Short Answer portion of the test will be based primarily on Section C – Application Software material. In addition, some questions will be based on the lab work and my class discussions. The latter will cover the following application features & functionality.

What can you do with document production SW, in particular Word Processing SW. What functionality does it provide that can help you improve the quality of your writing?

Assists with composing, editing, designing, printing & electronically publishing documents.
3 key features

Spelling & Grammer Checker
Thesaurus
Readability formulas

Other features

The ability to type then edit/format
Search & Replace to fix multiple instances of a problem easily
Use of formatting: text format, ability to add graphics, title pages, TOC, indexes, Font & Paragraph styles, headers & footers, page #s, tables, etc. help make your document look good too!

Describe the “Find” & “Search and Replace” functions

What type of things can you search for beside ‘text string’
(See Concepts page 129-130 & Lab book pg 54-55 & Word/Excel dialog)

Document Templates vs. Wizards – what are they, how are they similar &/or different

Provide a way to create a new document based on a model document – blank with pre-defined formatting; including layout, styles, margins, graphics/borders, etc.; and possibly even labels, boilerplate text or instructions
Wizard goes a step beyond by prompting the user, in a step-by-step fashion/sequence, for data or information to be inserted into the resulting document

What are tables and what benefit do tables provide in a document

A grid-like structure that can hold text or pictures (or other tables)
Provide easy-to-read columns of data
Enable more control over text or data formatting, positioning of graphics and page layout

“It may sound surprising, but for Web pages, tables provide one of the few ways to precisely position text and pictures. As a result, Web page designers make extensive and very creative use of tables”.

Compare and contrast the “Save” vs. “Save As” dialogs/functionality.

Change name, type & or path

The Save As option allows you to change the file name, select a different storage device, or path, for a file, and change the output file format; whereas the Save option simply displays the latest version of a file under its current name and at its current location.

If first time file is being saved, get Save As dialog, because the file doesn’t exist therefore there is no real current, or existing, name & location.
Also, what file are you left working with?

The Save function leaves you in the original document. The Save As function leaves you in the new document (assuming you changed one of the 3 attributes listed above).

What other (common) functionality is availabe in these dialogs & in the Open dialog?

Renaming files/folders, Deleting files/folders, Creating files/folders, moving files/folders (see lab book pages)

Related - remember information related to “File Types”, from the first test, & native file format as it relates to Application Software

Document centric
E.g. *.doc files will display in Word Open dialog
File format recognized by app, association between app & file type (file/data format).

What are Cell References in spreadsheets, how many types are there (Absolute & Relative) & why/where/how are they used?

Two types of cell references: Absolute & Relative. Unless specified, all cell references are Relative. Specify an Absolute reference by preceeding row & column reference with a “$”
Use Absolute cell references when you need cell references to remain constant throughout a copy/paste, or fill, operation. (At times they may also be appropriate when inserting rows or columns.)

What can a spreadsheet cell contain?

Text, #s, Formula (& functions).

What must a formula start with

“=”
What can it contain?

Cell references, #s & functions & mathematical operators (+,-,*,/)

Chapter 3 – Terms

Application Software	Label
Automatic Recalculation	Search & Replace
Cell & Active Cell	Soft vs. Hard return
Cell Reference (incl. Relative & Absolute Reference)	Spreadsheet
Document template	Style(s) [as in pre-defined or custom Word formatting]
Document wizard	Tables
Font	Text block
Formula	Word wrap
Header & Footer	Workbook & Worksheet
Justification

Hands-On Exercise – Excel Formatting & Charting

A second portion of the test will include a hands-on exercise. This part of the test will require you to add data (in the form of lables, values & formulas) and apply formatting actions to an Excel file. You will be provided a spreadsheet containing some basic information (text and numbers/data) to work with. You will need to evaluate this information, read and evaluate some additional instructions/information, and determine how to complete the spreadsheet to create a report. In addition, you’ll be required to create a basic graph/chart based on the data calculations in the spreadsheet report.

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