How to make your class materials
(handouts, assignments,
presentations) more visual
 

      
 

Using the ''Shape Tools'' to enhance documents

  
  If you use Microsoft Word to produce class materials, you can use the "shape tools" to draw arrows
or other shapes in your documents.

If the drawing toolbar does not appear by default in your Word document, simply right click just beside
the Help icon (in the empty light blue space) and select Drawing from the dropdown menu.

  
 

In the following example, I've prepared
a Microsoft Word document to use with
the shape tools:

 
 

To create an arrow, I'll double-click the
"arrow" shape tool found on the bottom
of my Microsoft Word screen.

 
                             
  This will result in a large box that says
"Create your drawing here."

 
                             
  Press the ESC key on your keyboard
which removes the "Create your
drawing here" box...

 
                             
 

.. you'll also notice that your mouse
pointer has turned into a crosshair shape,
as seen in the below image:

 
                             
              This crosshair shape means you are now ready
to draw your arrow shape.		  
  Next, you'll want to click and drag (with
the left mouse button) to draw the
length and the direction of the arrow:

 
                             
  When the line is the right length and
direction, let go of the mouse button and
you'll have an arrow in your document:		    
  If you double-click on the arrow shape
(that you just created) you'll get a Format
AutoShape dialog box. In this dialog box,
you can make the arrow thicker by
increasing the numeric value of the
"weight" option. As seen below, we've
increased the "weight" value to 7pt (from
the default 1.75pt) :

   
                             
  Now the arrow appears thicker!

   
  If you'd like to explore these shape tools
further, there are other shape tools located
on the bottom of the screen, including the
AutoShapes. The AutoShapes work the
same way as the other shape tools but
they allow you to create more elaborate
shapes, like the "smiley faces" seen in
the picture below:		    
  Last but not least, for those of you who
use PowerPoint, the Shape Tools are
created the same way as you learned
in Microsoft Word:		    
                   


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Using Google images
to Visually
Enhance Documents

Screenshots
with the
Print Screen Key

How to take
a screenshot of
only one window

How to take
a ''full screen''
screenshot