Week 1

GWAM: Gross Words A Minute
The number of words counted per minute. One word equals 5 key strokes.

Home Keys/Home Row
Center row of letters on the keyboard, composed of the letters a s d f (for the left hand) and j k l ; (for the right hand). This is where the fingers rest after striking other keys.

Keyboard
This is the primary text input device. It also contains certain standard function keys, such as the Escape key, tab, and arrow keys, shift and control keys, and sometimes other manufacturer-customized keys.

Mouse
Pointing device that allows you to tell the computer what to do.

Monitor
A computer display monitor, usually called simply a monitor, is a piece of electrical equipment which displays viewable images or text generated by a computer without producing a permanent record.

CPU
This term has two meanings (just to confound beginners, you understand)
1) Central Processor Unit--the main chip on the computer that makes everything go.
2) The box that holds the guts of the computer.
A faster CPU is always better than a slower one. You can never have too fast of a CPU.

Week 2

Pointer (AKA Cursor)
The name of the arrow (or other shape) that tracks across the screen as you move the mouse (or other pointing device) around.

Space Bar
Moves cursor forward one space at a time, leaving a blank space.

Enter/Return
Moves information or the cursor to the next line for typing

CD Drive (AKA D: Drive)
A device used to write and read data to a compact disk and to transfer the information to the computer’s memory.

Hard drive (AKA C: Drive)
Where all your files and folders are physically located. The data is stored on a stack of disks that are mounted inside a solid encasement. These disks spin extremely fast so that data can be accessed immediately from anywhere on the drive.

Flash Drive
An ideal device for transferring data between two PC's using their USB ports. Also known as "pen drives", "thumb drives", "USB drives", “Jump drives,” "USB sticks" and a wide variety of other names. Uses a microchip to store the information.

Week 3

Cut
To highlight text or an image, then to remove it from its place through the use of Ctrl+X or the Edit menu. This is designed to remove an object and allow it to be reinserted elsewhere.

Copy
To highlight text or an image, then through the use of Ctrl+C or the Edit menu, the user creates an exact replica of the original object. This is designed to make more than one of something.

Paste
After highlighting text or images and Cutting/Copying it, that removed/copied object can be inserted at the user’s specified location through the use of Ctrl+V or the Edit menu.

Save
Tell the computer to create a file on disk that has the information you've put into the document (usually typing). Uses shortcut key Ctrl+S, File->Save, or the button.

Save As
Give the file a name and/or store the file in a certain place. Uses File->Save As or F12.

Margins
The blank space that surrounds the text on a page; used to frame text, providing a clean presentation.

Week 4

Caps Lock
Turns on and off typing in capital letters. Is pressed with the left pinky.

Numeric Keypad
This allows for faster typing of numbers with the use of only one hand. Often functions as a calculator does. Turned on with the Num Lock key.

Tab
Moves the cursor to the next tab stop. It is used most often to indent. Default setting is for every ˝ inch. Is pressed with the left pinky.

Delete
To remove an item of data from a file or to remove a file from the disk. In keyboarding, this removes all information to the right of the cursor. Is pressed with the right pinky.

Backspace
In keyboarding, this removes all information to the left of the cursor. Is pressed with the right pinky.

Directional Keys (AKA Arrow Keys)
Moves the cursor left, right, up, or down without erasing any text.

Week 5

Internet
It is a network of networks that consists of millions of private and public, academic, business, and government networks of local to global scope. The Internet carries a vast array of information resources and services.

Double Click
To press the LEFT mouse button twice in rapid succession without moving the mouse between clicks.

Click
To select an object by pressing the LEFT mouse button when the cursor is pointing to the required menu option, icon or link.

Right click
To press the right button on the mouse. (This is Windows specific. On a Mac running System 8 or higher, you hold down the Control key and then click to get the same effect.)

Documents
Files you create and edit.

Shift
Makes a capital letter or the upper symbol of number keys when used in combination with other keys

Week 6

Escape
Cancels a command or series of commands

Close/Exit
To close a window that has been opened for viewing and / or editing. Click File ? Exit or click the X in the top right of your screen.

Ctrl/Alt (Control/Alternate)
Used in combination with other keys to perform specific tasks

Undo
A program command that erases the last change done to the document reverting it to an older state. Ctrl+Z or Edit?Undo

Open
To click on a previously created document in order to use or edit it. Ctrl+O or File?Open

Desktop
Just like a physical top of a desk, the Windows desktop is where you put the things your working on or want to access. The desktop is the main screen in Windows where you can put icons that act as shortcuts to various programs.

Week 7

Insert
To place or introduce into something; In computers, it is used to place a picture, clipart, sound, or other media into a document.

Font
The look of the printed text on the page. It affects the face, size, style, and color of what is typed.

Balance
proportion: harmonious arrangement of parts or elements within a whole (as in a design); "in all perfectly beautiful objects there is found the opposition of one part to another…"- John Ruskin

Align
the act of adjusting or aligning the parts of a device in relation to each other. In computers, it refers to the direction in which the text or document is adjusted (left, right, center, and justify)

Rhythm
the arrangement of spoken words alternating stressed and unstressed elements; recurring at regular intervals

Unity
oneness: the quality of being united into one; making your presentation or document flow from one section or subject into another, smoothly and without seem.

Week 8

Video Cassette Recorder (VCR)
A magnetic tape recorder for recording (and playing back) TV programs

Digital Video Disc (DVD)
Videodisk: a digital recording (as of a movie) on an optical disk that can be played on a computer or a television set

Random Access Memory (RAM)
You can think of this as the "space" where you computer does its processing. It is temporary memory. When the computer looses power, the information disappears

Read Only Memory (ROM)
An information storage unit inside a computer which cannot be changed, only looked at.

Server
A computer that provides client stations with access to files and printers as shared resources to a computer network

Uniform Resource Locator (URL)
The address of a web page on the world wide web (www)