Study guide · 4.1
Create basic documents and presentations
Documents and presentations are the most common things people create on a computer. This guide covers the basic steps for building a clear document in a word processor and a simple presentation in slide software.
A study feature written by ExamDragon, not part of the real exam. Each heading is one of Certiport's skills for this objective.
4.1.1Display proficiency in creating basic documents
- Word processors include Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages and LibreOffice Writer.
- Create a new blank document or start from a template, then save it with a clear name.
- Format text with font, size, bold, italic, underline and colour; align paragraphs left, centre, right or justified.
- Use built-in heading styles, bulleted and numbered lists, and line spacing to make structure clear.
- Insert tables, images, page numbers, headers and footers; set margins and page orientation in the layout settings.
- Check spelling and grammar, use undo (Ctrl+Z) to reverse mistakes, and save or export as PDF to share a fixed copy.
Example: You write a one-page event notice in Google Docs: a heading style for the title, a bulleted list of times, a table of prices, a photo, then download it as PDF to email.
4.1.2Display proficiency in creating basic presentations
- Presentation apps include Microsoft PowerPoint, Google Slides, Apple Keynote and LibreOffice Impress.
- A presentation is a set of slides; choose a theme or template for consistent colours and fonts.
- Use slide layouts such as Title, Title and Content, and Section Header; add text, images, charts and tables.
- Keep slides simple: a short title, a few key points and readable font sizes; put details in speaker notes.
- Transitions are effects between slides; animations are effects on items within a slide; use them sparingly.
- View modes: normal (editing), slide sorter (reordering) and slide show (presenting).
Example: For a five-minute class talk you build six slides in PowerPoint with one theme, one image per slide and short bullet points, and keep your script in the speaker notes.
Key terms
- Word processor
- An app for creating and formatting text documents.
- Template
- A ready-made file with layout and styles to start from.
- Style
- A saved set of formatting, such as Heading 1, applied with one click.
- Slide layout
- The arrangement of placeholders on a slide.
- Speaker notes
- Private notes for the presenter that the audience does not see.
- Transition
- A visual effect when moving from one slide to the next.
Easy to confuse
- Confusing transitions (between slides) with animations (on objects within a slide).
- Putting too much text on slides instead of using speaker notes.
- Formatting headings by hand instead of using heading styles, which also build a table of contents.
- Sharing an editable file when the reader only needs a fixed PDF copy.
After this guide: You should be able to create, format and save a basic document and build a simple, readable presentation.