TYPING AND COMPUTER KEYBOARD

(INCLUDING SHORTCUT KEYS)

Typing as a Fundamental Skill

The ability to type with all of your fingers without needing to look at the keyboard

is known as touch typing.

Employers can benefit from this expertise as it allows employees to write and edit text

far more quickly than they would otherwise be able to. It also implies a higher degree of

accuracy in the final product. Better work environments and more time for other

activities are what employees get from this.

In practically every industry, touch typing is useful, especially in light of the ongoing

advancements in technology. Touch typing offers advantages to each individual as well.

Touch typing is more comfortable to use when using a computer, to start with. It also

improves communication between clients and coworkers. Thirdly, it increases document

correctness.

Anatomy of a Computer Keyboard

Individual keyboards may differ in construction, but most keyboards

feature between three and five of the following five components – the case, circuit

board, mounting plate, key switches and key caps.

Case

All keyboards have cases. The case of a computer keyboard is both aesthetic

and structural. The way a keyboard looks is almost entirely due to the choice of

case and key caps. In addition to the aesthetics, the case of a keyboard, along

with the mounting plate, also contribute to the rigidity and sturdiness of the

keyboard.

Circuit Board

All keyboards feature some form of circuit board. The circuit board is a critical

component that bridges the physical key switches and the electronic input to the

computer. A well-engineered circuit board can contribute to a superior keyboard

performance and feel, enhancing the overall experience.

The circuit board is responsible for registering keypresses and transmitting them

to the connected device. A high-quality, responsive circuit board ensures minimal

input lag, resulting in quick and accurate key recognition.

Mounting Board

Mounting boards are typically only found in mechanical and optical keyboards.

The mounting board, also known as the keyboard plate or backplate is a metal or

plastic plate with cutouts designed to fit mechanical key switches. A sturdy and

rigid mounting board ensures that the switches don’t move or wobble during

keypresses. This stability is vital for reliable and consistent key registration,

reducing the risk of missed or accidental keystrokes.

Key Switches

Key switches are synonymous with mechanical keyboards but are sometimes

used in membrane keyboards to give cheaper keyboards a more premium feel.

These keyboards are sometimes referred to as “mecha-membrane”.

A key switch is the individual mechanism beneath each keycap on a keyboard

that registers a keypress. More than any other component, key switches are the

biggest determiner of the both the performance and feel of a keyboard.

Key Caps

Keycaps are removable, usually plastic, covers that attach to the top of a key

switch and are the part of the keyboard you depress to register a keystroke. Key

caps come in a variety of different shape, colours and materials allowing for the

customisation of keyboards.

QWERTY vs. Other Keyboard Layouts

Contrasting the three keyboard layouts—QWERTY, Dvorak, and Colemak—to

assist you with determining which one would be most suitable for you. The original

typing layout, QWERTY, was created in the 1870s to go along with the typewriter.

Compared to the Dvorak and Colemak layouts, it is less effective for current keyboards,

yet it functions extremely well with the typewriter. Since QWERTY was established so

long ago and is so commonplace, many people are unaware of the more efficient

Dvorak & Colemak layouts. After reading about the origins of various keyboard layouts,
their distinctions, and how to set up your keyboard such that Colemak or Dvorak may

pick up one of these more recent typing techniques, you may choose to make.

Unfortunately, there is currently no solid evidence to support the idea that one

layout is inherently faster than another because QWERTY is so frequently used and the

sample size for Colemak and Dvorak typists is so small. Anthony "Chak" Ermolin, the

2020 Ultimate Typing Championship victor, is now the fastest typer in the world. He

uses the QWERTY keyboard layout. Only one typist, John "NoThisIsJohn" Leeds, used

an alternate layout during the tournament. Leeds typed on a Dvorak layout and placed

12th overall. It's important to note that all 10 of the competition's quarterfinalists typed

on a QWERTY layout, even if this doesn't imply that there aren't exceptionally quick

typists using other layouts.

There may be more data to support the idea that any or both of the Dvorak and

Colemak layouts are faster than QWERTY as time goes on and more people become

aware of them. In order for Dvorak and Colemak layouts to become more widely

accepted in the realm of competitive speed typing, there needs to be a significant shift

in public awareness of these layouts and a requirement for the younger generation of

typists to adapt them.

Typing Techniques and Tips

How to Type Faster

1. Know your keyboard

Getting to know your keyboard is vital if you want to type faster. It can slow you

down when you have to look back and forth between the screen and the keyboard

often. If you’re able to reduce or even eliminate how often you’re watching the

keyboard, it can make you a faster typist.

That’s where the touch-typing technique can benefit you. This method of typing helps

you to memorize the keys so your fingers can find the correct letter without you even

looking at the keyboard. Good typists know their keyboard so well that they can even be

looking away from the screen while they type and still get it done right.

2. Use proper posture

Another essential tip to help you type faster is to use proper posture. This will

reduce the stress on your body and avoid fatigue, two things that can slow you down

when typing. A good posture for typing is to have your back straight and supported by

the back of your chair. You should bend your elbows and rest them on the desk or table.

Your feet should both be flat on the ground.

3. Stay alert

Your posture is vital to your comfort and your effectiveness as a typist. Be sure that you

are not slumping or that your posture does not change throughout your day. This can
hinder your typing speed. Be sure to take breaks and get up and move around. If you’re

able, consider body stretches or exercises you can do during your time away from the

screen. This will help keep your body and mind relaxed and ready for the job.

4. Practice

Like most skills, typing is one that you’ll be able to improve with practice and time. Don’t

feel discouraged if you start slow. Remember that you’re working on both your speed

and your accuracy. Over time, you’ll see your typing get faster. One of the best ways to

practice your typing is to take a course like Introduction to Keyboarding. This class is for

those without formal keyboard training, but it can also be a way to brush up on your

typing skills regardless of your level or speed.

How to Type Properly

Typing styles

Many people use different typing styles on their keyboards, which affects how to

type faster. These include:

Touch-typing

The most common style of typing is touch-typing. It is the professional method

and the technique that allows for faster typing. It involves training your brain to

memorize the keys on the keyboard and be able to type without even looking at

the screen or your hands. Touch typists use every finger to type, which improves

typing speed.
Hunt and peck

Another typing style is the hunt and peck method. It doesn’t require you to

memorize the keyboard or to use all your fingers when typing. Rather, the typist

looks for one letter at a time. Then, they push each button at a time, using one or

two fingers. The hunt and peck style is not how people learn to type faster.

Buffering

Another approach to keyboard typing is memorizing text and then typing them

out by watching the keyboard. This is called buffering, and while it reduces how

often you need to look at the screen, it is not as efficient or fast as touch-typing.

Common Keyboard Shortcut Keys

Common Shortcut Keys for Microsoft Windows Keyboards

KEYS ACTION

Windows logo key or CTRL+ESC Opens the Start menu

CTRL+ALT+DELETE Opens the Windows Close Program or NT

Security dialog box

DELETE Deletes the selected item(s).

SHIFT+DELETE Delete the selected items permanently

(without moving them to the Recycle Bin)

CTRL+Escape Opens Start Menu

CTRL+B Bold

CTRL+I Italics

CTRL+N Opens a new web page or file.

CTRL+O Opens the open web page or file dialog box

CTRL+P Opens the Print dialog box.

CTRL+S Opens the Save dialog box.

CTRL+U Underline

CTRL+X Cuts the selected item(s) to the Clipboard.

CTRL+C or CTRL+INSERT Copies the selected item(s) to the Clipboard.

CTRL+V or SHIFT+INSERT Pastes the copied items(s) from the

Clipboard.

CTRL+Z or ALT+BACKSPACE Undoes the last action if possible.

CTRL+Shift Do this while dragging a file to create a

shortcut

ALT+SHIFT+BACKSPACE Redoes the previously undone action.

Windows logo key Opens Start Menu

Windows logo key+M Minimizes all open windows.

Windows logo key+SHIFT+M Expands windows minimized with above

command.

Windows logo key+E Opens Windows Explorer.

Windows logo key+F Opens the Find All Files dialog box.

Windows logo key+R Opens the Run dialog box.

Windows logo key+BREAK Opens the System Properties dialog box.

Windows logo key+CTRL+F Opens the Find Computer dialog box.

SPACEBAR Same as Left Mouse Click

SHIFT+F10 Same as Right Mouse Click

SHIFT while inserting CDROM Suppresses Autoplay

SHIFT while loading Microsoft Word Suppresses the AutoExec macro.

F1 Displays help information

F2 Rename a selected item.

F3 Opens the Find All Files dialog box.

F4 Opens the drop-down list box on the toolbar,

if there is one.
 F5 Refreshes the current window.

F6 Switch Panes in Explorer

F10 Activates Windows Menu Bar

ALT+F4 Closes the current window.

ALT+F6 Switch between multiple windows in the

same program

ALT+ENTER Displays properties for the selected item.

ALT+TAB Switches between application windows.

ALT+ underlined first letter in menu Opens the Indicated Menu Item

PRINT SCREEN Copies an image of the screen to the

Windows Clipboard.

ALT+PRINT SCREEN Copies an image of the active window to the

Windows Clipboard.

* (Asterisk on the right side numeric Expands everything under the current

keypad) selection.

– (MINUS SIGN on the right side Closes everything under the current

numeric keypad) selection.

Productivity Shortcut Keys

Computer Shortcut Keys in MS Office and Windows

Computer Shortcut Keys A-Z Basic

Shortcut Key Function/Action Common Use

Ctrl + A Select All Selects all text or items in a

document

Ctrl + B Bold Makes selected text bold

Ctrl + C Copy Copies selected text or item

Ctrl + D Duplicate Creates a duplicate of the selected

item

Ctrl + E Edit Opens the editing options

Ctrl + F Find Searches for a specific word or phrase

Ctrl + G Go to Navigates to a specific location

Ctrl + H Replace Replaces one set of characters with

another

Ctrl + I Italicize Makes selected text italic

Ctrl + J Justify Aligns text to both the left and right

Ctrl + K Insert Hyperlink Adds a hyperlink to selected text

Ctrl + L Align Left Aligns text to the left

Ctrl + M Minimize Minimizes the active window

Ctrl + N New Creates a new document or file

Ctrl + O Open Opens an existing document or file

Ctrl + P Print Prints the active document

Ctrl + Q Quit Closes the active application

Ctrl + R Refresh Reloads or updates the current
page

Ctrl + S Save Saves the active document or file

Ctrl + T Cut Removes and copies selected text or item

Ctrl + U Underline Underlines selected text

Ctrl + V Paste Pastes copied or cut text

Ctrl + W Close Closes the active window or application

Ctrl + X Cut Removes and copies selected text or item

Ctrl + Y Redo Redoes the last undone action

Ctrl + Z Undo Undoes the last action

MS Office Shortcut Keys (Shortcut Key Function)

Ctrl + N New Document

Ctrl + O Open Document

Ctrl + S Save Document

Ctrl + p Print Document

Ctrl + C Copy

Ctrl + X Cut
Ctrl + V Paste

Ctrl + Z Undo

Ctrl + Y Redo

Ctrl + A Select all

Ctrl + F Find

Ctrl + H Replace

Ctrl + B Bold

Ctrl + I Italic

Ctrl + U Underline

Ctrl + P Open print dialog

Ctrl + F2 Print preview

MS Word Shortcut Keys (Shortcut Key Function)

Ctrl + F3 Cut to the Spike

Ctrl + F4 Close the active document

Ctrl + F5 Restore the document window size

Ctrl + F6 Switch between open documents

Ctrl + F7 Activate the Spelling and Grammar check

Ctrl + F8 Extend a selection

Ctrl + F9 Insert an empty field

Ctrl + F10 Maximize the document window

Ctrl + F11 Lock a field

Ctrl + F12 Open the “Save As” dialog box

Computer Shortcut Keys MS Excel

Ctrl + Arrow keys Move to the edge of data region

Ctrl + Space Select entire column

Ctrl + Shift + “+” Select entire row

Ctrl + “-“ Insert new worksheet

Ctrl + Shift + “$” Delete the selected cells

Ctrl + Shift + “%” Apply currency format

Ctrl + Shift + “#” Apply percentage format

Ctrl + E,S,V Apply date format

Ctrl + D Paste special

Ctrl + R Fill right

PowerPoint Shortcut Keys

Ctrl + Enter Insert a new slide

Ctrl + M Insert a new slide in slide sorter view

F5 Start the presentation

Ctrl + F5 Start the presentation from the current slide

Alt + Shift + Left Arrow Promote a paragraph

Alt + Shift + Right Arrow Demote a paragraph

Ctrl + Shift + “+” Insert a new slide

Ctrl + D Duplicate the selected slide

Ctrl + E Center align text

General Windows Shortcut Keys

Here are some of the most commonly used Shortcut keys in Windows:

Ctrl + C: Copy

Ctrl + X: Cut

Ctrl + V: Paste

Ctrl + Z: Undo

Ctrl + Y: Redo

Ctrl + A: Select All

Ctrl + F: Find

Ctrl + S: Save

Ctrl + P: Print

Alt + F4: Close the active window

F2: Rename a selected item

F5: Refresh the current window or webpage

Customizing Keyboard Shortcuts

 Most Windows programs will support the creation of custom keyboard shortcuts, as long

as the program is first pinned to the taskbar at the bottom of the screen. Here is how to

create custom keyboard shortcuts in Windows:

If the desired program is not on the task bar on the bottom of the screen:

1. Go to the start menu

2. Right click the name/icon for the desired program

3. Click the menu option that says “more” followed by “add to taskbar”

4. The icon should show up on the taskbar immediately after clicking “add to taskbar”

Once the program is on the taskbar:

1. Right-click the desired icon

2. At the bottom of the drop-down menu, above “unpin”, right-click the name of the

program. This might take a moment to pop up

3. Left-click “properties”

4. Click on the text box that says “shortcut key”

5. Type in your desired keyboard combination by pressing the keys

6. Once completed, click “ok”

7. If desired, remove the app from the taskbar by clicking “unpin”

Keyboard shortcut limitations

 All keyboard shortcuts must start with the “ctrl” key

 The second key must be “alt” or “shift”

  The third key can be any letter, number, or punctuation mark

 There can be no more than three keystrokes for a shortcut

Considerations for creating custom keyboard shortcuts

Here are my tips for creating custom keyboard shortcuts that are meaningful and easy

to remember:

 For easy-to-remember shortcuts, have the first letter of the program correspond

to the shortcut. For example, if I was creating a shortcut for Microsoft Visio, I

would use “V” as my shortcut

 If you would rather use numbers, have your most used program have “1” as a

shortcut

 If needed, adding tactile labels to the keyboard can help users remember which

shortcut is which

 Whenever possible, involve the user in creating the shortcuts, if you are creating

them for someone else. That way, you can ensure the shortcuts make sense to

them.

 Keyboard shortcuts can be used even when another app is open. Make sure that

the shortcuts do not override the functions of other apps.

Ergonomic Tips for Computer Users

Prolonged use of a computer keyboard and/or mouse can lead to frequent muscle

aches and nerve pain unless a few guidelines are followed. You can work more
comfortably and safely if you incorporate the following ergonomic tips into your work

style:

Posture And Positioning

 Maintain good posture when working at the keyboard. Utilize a chair with back

support.

 Keep your feet supported on the floor or on a footrest when you work to reduce

pressure on your lower back

 Avoid twisting or bending your trunk or neck. Frequently used items should be

positioned directly in front of you and angled upward on a copyholder when

working.

 Keep your shoulders relaxed with your elbows close to your sides.

 Avoid resting your elbows on the hard surface or edge of your table. Pads can be

used to protect your elbows if necessary.

 Elbows should be positioned at 100 to 110 degrees when working in order to

keep a relaxed position at the keyboard. This could require a slight negative tilt

(front of keyboard higher than back) when working in upright positions. If reclined

in your chair, the keyboard could be at a positive angle to maintain this relaxed

position.

 Your wrists should be in a neutral or straight position when keying or using a

pointing device or calculator. Wrist rests can assist you in maintaining a neutral

position when used properly during pauses. Float your arms above the keyboard
 and wrist rest when keying. Avoid planting your wrists on the table or wrist rest.

This can result in bending the wrists either up and down or side to side.

 Take breaks. These breaks can be brief and should include stretches for optimal

results. If possible, take a one or two-minute break every 15 to 20 minutes, or a

five-minute break every hour. Every few hours, get up, move around, and do an

alternative activity.

Work Technique

 Reduce keystrokes with the use of macros or software programs allowing "sticky

keys." Use scroll locks and keystroke combinations to reduce pointing-device

movements.

 Alternate tasks to make changes in your working position to avoid making the

same movements for prolonged periods of time.

 Keep your fingers and knuckles relaxed when working at the keyboard.

 Never hold a pen or pencil in your hand when keying.

 Avoid hitting the keyboard with excessive force. Studies have shown that the

average user hits the keyboard with four times the required force when keying.

 Avoid holding your pointing device tightly. Your hand should be relaxed.

 Rest your eyes by refocusing on distant objects intermittently when working.

Work Environment
  Avoid excessive reaching. Your keyboard, pointing device, files and telephone

should be within easy reach.

 Use a keyboard tray to properly position your keyboard and pointing device.

 Use a copyholder positioned in line with your monitor and keyboard.

 When writing at the computer, avoid excessive reaching over the keyboard or

work materials. A sturdy in-line copyholder can double as a writing surface if

appropriately positioned.

 Position the monitor so that the viewed part of the screen allows you to keep your

neck in a neutral or straight position. The monitor should be centered directly in

front of you. The top of the computer screen should be slightly below the top of

your head, so that you are looking at it with a slightly downward gaze.

 Position your monitor to eliminate excessive glare or reflections from windows

and lighting.

 Customize your computer by using your software. The screen font, contrast,

pointer size, speed, and color can all be adjusted to maximize your comfort and

efficiency.

Lifestyle

 Aerobic exercise will help to sustain strength, improve cardiovascular

conditioning, and counteract the strain of sedentary computer use.

 Routine use of non-prescribed medications or a wrist brace is not recommended.

If you begin to develop symptoms, notify your supervisor. Slight changes made

early can avoid future complications.

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