Basic computer skills help

1. USING THE MOUSE
•The Mouse Pointer
•Basic moves
•Clicking (aka left-
clicking)
•Double-clicking
•Right clicking
•Additional moves
•Dragging (for
highlighting or moving)

2. USING THE MOUSE
Right
Left Button
Button
Scroll wheel
(or just wheel)
Image courtesy of Creative Computing (http://www.creativecomputing.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=209_252).
Parts of the Mouse

3. USING THE MOUSE
Normally, the mouse is
used with the RIGHT
hand, and the Left
Button is used for most
tasks.
If you prefer using your
left hand, your computer
settings can be change
so that the buttons are
reversed!
Image courtesy of Creative Computing (http://www.creativecomputing.net/catalog/index.php?cPath=209_252).
Parts of the Mouse

4. USING THE MOUSE
The Mouse Pointer – Different Symbols have different
meanings:
•Normal Pointer – this is how the mouse appears normally.
•Hand – this appears when your mouse is over a clickable
link. You see this when you’re on the Internet, but also in
other items (documents, emails) that are directing you to the
Internet.
•Select (text) – This pointer appears when you are working
with text (working with a word processor, email, filling out
forms).
The Mouse Pointer

5. USING THE MOUSE
The Mouse Pointer – Different Symbols have different meanings:
•Busy – these symbols appear when the computer is
processing. Wait for the pointer to change back to another
type before continuing.
•Move – When this appears, you can move the window or
other item that you’ve selected . You would drag it to another
place on the screen or in your document.
•Resize – when these symbols appear, you can change an
item such as a photo or window to a larger or smaller size.
The Mouse Pointer

6. USING THE MOUSE
Double-clicking – One of the first things you need to do
with your mouse is open a program! “Double-clicking” your
mouse’s left button will open a program on your computer’s
“desktop” (The screen you see after your computer has started
up.)
1. Place the mouse over the computer program that you wish to
open.
2. Click the left mouse button 2 times in a row. Do this fairly
quickly, but relax. Often when people are tense or try to
click to quickly, they move the mouse pointer away from the
program.
Basic Mousing Moves

7. USING THE MOUSE
Single-clicking – Another common move is the single-click
with the left mouse button. Use this when pressing a button or
selecting a link, and in many other cases.
1. Place the mouse over the item you wish to select.
2. Gently click the left mouse button one time.
Basic Mousing Moves

8. USING THE MOUSE
Right-clicking – This is a function that many
people don’t even know about! Right clicking
in various places gives you shortcuts to common
tasks.
1. Place the mouse over the item you wish to
select.
2. Gently click the right mouse button one
time.
Image courtesy of Dave’s Computer Tips (http://www.davescomputertips.com/newsletters/2007/20071201.php)
Basic Mousing Moves

9. USING THE MOUSE
Dragging – This move allows you to do a
variety of things. You can move items around
(pictures, windows), and you can also highlight
sections of text.
Basic Mousing Moves

10. USING THE MOUSE
Dragging – Moving items around
1. Put your mouse on the item that you wish to
move.
2. Click the left mouse button, and HOLD IT
DOWN.
3. Drag the picture to the new location.
4. Let go of the left mouse button.
Basic Mousing Moves

11. USING THE MOUSE
Dragging –
Moving items around – moving a window:
1. Put your mouse on the item that you wish to
move.
2. Click the left mouse button, and HOLD IT
DOWN.
3. Drag the window to the new location.
4. Let go of the left mouse button.
Basic Mousing Moves

12. USING THE MOUSE
Dragging –
Highlighting text
1. Put your mouse cursor at the beginning of
the text (to the left of the first letter in your
selection).
2. Hold down your left mouse button, and
drag it down to the end of the word at the
end of the text.
3. Let go of the mouse button.
4. (At this point, you can copy, cut, change
font, etc.)
Basic Mousing Moves

13. USING THE MOUSE
Keep Practicing:
•Palm Beach County Library’s (PBCL) Tutorial:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/mousing/
•PBCL’s “mousercise” practice:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/mousing/mousercise.htm
•PBCL’s games practice site:
http://www.pbclibrary.org/mousing/games.htm
•Central Kansas Library System’s “mouserobics”:
http://www.ckls.org/~crippel/computerlab/tutorials
/mouse/page1.html
Basic Mousing Moves