Active cell  - The thick-bordered cell where you can enter numbers or formulas in a spreadsheet.
 
Alignment  - How your text conforms to the left and right margins of a page. The text can be right-aligned, centered, left-aligned, or fully-aligned/justified.

AND -  A way to search for information using the words AND, OR, and NOT. Boolean logic was created by English mathematician George Boole 150 years ago.

Animation-  A moving clip art graphic.

Anti-Virus - An application designed to search for viruses and repair files on a computer.

Applications - Programs that allow you to accomplish certain tasks such as writing letters, analyzing numbers, sorting files, managing finances, drawing pictures, and playing games.

Arrow keys - The keys on the computer keyboard used to move the cursor up, down, left, or right on your screen.

Ascending Order - Organizing or sorting information in order from smallest to largest, or A-Z or 1-9

Audio - Relating to sound or its reproduction of sound.  

AUP (Acceptable Use Policy) - A set of rules and guidelines that are set up to regulate Internet use and to protect the user. Axis - A feature of a chart, on which you can plot numbers. The horizontal line is called the X-axis, and the vertical line is called the Y-axis.

Bar graph - One type of graph developed from spreadsheet data that uses parallel bars to compare data and changes in data over time.

Bold -  A style of text that makes a letter or word darker and thicker to stand out in a document.

Button bar - A horizontal strip of buttons near the top of a window. It provides shortcuts for commonly used commands. Also known as a toolbar.

Buttons  - The little boxes on your screen that you click on with your mouse to accomplish a task. Most buttons contain small pictures (icons) that display what they do, such as a small printer that can be clicked on to print a document.

Caps lock - The button on the left side of the keyboard that makes whatever we type uppercase letters.  When caps lock is ACTIVATED, EVERY LETTER IS CAPITAL AND IT APPEARS LIKE WE ARE SHOUTING WHATEVER WE TYPE!  It is much preferable to use the shift key to make letters capitalized as using caps lock frequently causes password mistakes when the user forgets to turn it off.   

Calculate - The working of mathematical equations. Formulas that are usually used in spreadsheets allow the computer to automatically perform calculations.

Cell - The space at the intersection of a row and column in a spreadsheet.

Chart - A way to present information from a spreadsheet in the form of graphs or tables. 

Circle graph - A picture showing the relationship of two or more sets of data using a circler.

Clip art - Drawings you can add to your documents or presentations. Clip art includes items such as cartoons, maps, symbols, and flags. 

Collaborate - To work jointly with others or together, especially in an intellectual endeavor.

Column - The vertical divisions in a spreadsheet that are named with an alphabetical letter.

Copy - To make an exact copy of information on your document, so you can place to duplicate it in a new location.

Copyright Law - The law that protects the exclusive legal right to reproduce, publish, sell, or distribute the matter and form of something CPU (Central Processing Unit) -  The main chip that allows computers to do millions of calculations per second and makes it possible for users to write letters and balance your checkbook.



CPU – an abbreviation for Central Processing Unit.  The CPU is often called the “brains” of the computer because it is a chip that performs many of the calculations and operations necessary to make your computer run.


Credits - To give reference to the creator and source of the information used in a presentation.

Cursor - This is where the action is located on your screen, represented by a flashing line. When you type on your keyboard, the information appears at the cursor.

Cyberbully - The electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person (as a student) is often done anonymously.   Database - A database is an organized collection of related information that can be used for searches. An application that helps manage large collections of information. 

Data – The information that is produced or stored by a computer

Delete - A key used to erase characters. Descending Order - Organizing or sorting information in order from largest to smallest, Z-A or 9-1

Desktop - The background on the windows, menus, and dialog boxes on a PC. It is supposed to represent a desk.

Desktop publishing - Using features of word processing/DTP software to format and produce documents, letters, reports, flyers, and newsletters with graphics.

Digital - Characterized by electronic and especially computerized technology.

Domain - The part of an Internet address that identifies where a person's account is located. For example, at the address janedoe@gmail.com the domain is everything after the @ sign.

e-book - A book composed in or converted to digital format for display on a computer screen or handheld device. 

Electronic - of, relating to, or utilizing devices constructed or working by the methods or principles of electronics.  

E-mail - Sending and receiving messages through a computer network. This process requires a computer, modem, or network connection, and an e-mail address.  Edit - To make changes to a document or presentation.

Enter/Return - The key used to begin a new line in a word processor or to enter information into a spreadsheet.  It is the same as clicking OK in a dialog box.

Entry bar - The field where information is entered in a spreadsheet.

Ethical - Involving questions of right and wrong behavior, following accepted rules of behavior: morally right and good.

Evaluate - To determine the significance, worth, or condition of something usually by careful appraisal and study.



File - a collection of data that is stored together.  Files can be stored on a flash drive, hard drive, CD/DVD, or other media.  Everything that a computer does is based on data stored in files.  You can do lots of things with files - create them, name them, rename them, save them, or delete them.  Certain files can even be looked at (picture files), listened to (music files), and run (program files).


Field - A place in a database record where a category of information can be entered or located. File - A set of related records in a database.

Firewall - Technology that prevents users from visiting inappropriate websites, and protects the network from unauthorized users.

Font - The shape and style of text.

Format - To set the margins, tabs, font, or line spacing in the layout of a document.

Formatting Tools - Tools that are used to give shape, size, and general makeup (as of something printed).  

Freeware - Software is written and then donated to the public, so anyone is free to copy it and share it with their friends. This is not the same as shareware or commercial software, which is supposed to be paid for.  

GIF (Graphic Interchange Format) (Pronounced "jiff.") - A file format for pictures, photographs, and drawings that are compressed so that they can be sent across telephone lines quickly.  

Graph - A picture showing the relationship of one or more sets of numbers to each other. Some graph types are line, bar, area, and pie graphs. Graphic - Images/pictures created, edited, and/or published using a computer. 

Hacker - An unauthorized person who secretly gains access to computer files.

Hardware – Physical parts of the computer system such as the CPU, keyboard, screen, mouse, joystick, printer, speakers, etc.

Highlight or Select - To choose part of a document by clicking and dragging over it with the mouse to highlight the text.

Home page - An introductory screen on a web page on the World Wide Web, used to welcome visitors. A home page can include special text or graphics on which you click to jump to related information on other pages on the Web. 

Home row - Keys on the keyboard with fingers of the left hand are on A-S-D-F and fingers on the right hand on J-K-L-;

Host - The name given to a computer directly connected to the Internet. Host computers are associated with computer networks, online services, or bulletin board systems.

Hyperlink or Hypertext - Special text, when clicked, the user jumps from one related topic to another.

Illustration - Clip art, graphics, or drawings on a computer.   Image - A visual representation of something like a likeness of an object produced on a photographic material or a picture produced on an electronic display.   Indent - To set the first line of a paragraph in the margin of a word processing document. Internet - Term given to the network of computers that provide information worldwide.

JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) - A standard for shrinking graphics, so they can be sent faster between modems and take up less space on your hard drive.  

Keyboard - The hardware device used to enter letters into the computer.

Keyword - A word or reference point used to describe the content on a web page that search engines use to properly index the page.

Label - The term given to the words entered on a spreadsheet, usually naming a column.

Landscape - The page setup that permits a document to be printed in a horizontal position.

Line graph - A graph used to display trends and compare data.

Line spacing - The span between lines of text

Linear - Moving in a straight line or path; a multimedia presentation that moves in a straight line from image to image. 

Links  - Connections that bridge one image, page, or word to another by clicking on a highlighted word or phrase.

Math Symbols - Symbols used in a search.   > Greater than symbol  < Less than symbol used in a search Greater than or equal to Less than or equal to Not equal  = Equal to 

Monitor - The device with a screen used to show computer images.

Mouse - A tool used to move the cursor and pointer around the screen.

Multimedia  - To use a combination of text, pictures, sounds, movies, and/ or animation in a presentation.

Network - A system of connected computers that allows the sharing of files and equipment. There are two types of networks: local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN).

Non-linear  - Not moving in a straight line or path; a multimedia presentation that transitions from one image to another in a preset order, but not necessarily in a straight path.  

Numeric - Keypad The portion of a keyboard, set up like an adding machine or calculator, is used to enter numbers and equations quickly into the computer.

Online Resources - Internet information available to a computer user.

Online Safety - Precautions taken to protect personal information and images from being misused by others.

OR - Formal name given to advanced search strategies using AND, OR, and NOT connectors. Boolean logic was created by English mathematician George Boole 150 years ago. 

Page Set Up - The term about the way a document is formatted to print.

Password - A code for security protection to allow access to a computer or computer programs.

Paste - To insert the last information that was cut or copied into a document. Cut and paste can be used to move information within or between documents.

Pictogram - Pictures used to create a bar graph chart

Pie graph - Circle graph divided into pieces that look like portions of a pie.

Portrait - The default page setup that prints the document vertically.

Print - To put what is on the computer screen on paper. It creates a paper copy of the document created on the computer.

Printer - A hardware device used to make a paper copy of what is created on the computer. 

Probeware - Computer-assisted data collection tools.

Public Domain - Software written and then donated to the public. Anyone can use and copy public domain software free of charge, but it is not always the same quality as commercial software. Record - A collection of related fields and entries.

Retrieve - Open a saved document.

Row - The horizontal divisions in a spreadsheet named with a number.

Save -  To store information (data) on a flash drive, hard drive, or other media for later use.  Important work should be saved often, every 5 or 10 minutes, to make sure your latest changes are safely recorded.  (Microsoft or One drive)

Save As - To save a document with a new name. (Microsoft or One drive)

Search - To look for specific information or files on the internet or computer.

Search Engines - Software that searches, gathers, and identifies information from a database based on keywords, indices, titles, and text.  google.com, bing.com, yahoo.com,

Search Strategies - There are 3 basic ways to begin a search. 
1. Try to guess at the URL. 
2. Use subject directories provided by some search engines. The selected resources are grouped by subject, categories, and subcategories that can be used for keyword searches or to browse the categories. 
3. Use a search engine for large searches using unique keywords or combinations of keywords to narrow the search.

Security - Protection of computer, computer files, or a computer network from use without permission of the owner or owners. 

Select or Highlight - To choose part of a document by clicking and dragging over it with the mouse to highlight the text.

Server - A special computer used to store programs and files, and then sends them out to other computers one or all at a time.

Shareware - Software that can be tried before you purchase.

Software/Application - Programs that allow you to accomplish certain tasks such as writing letters, analyzing numbers, sorting files, managing finances, drawing pictures, and playing games.

Sort - Arranging information in a specific order (usually ascending and descending).

Spreadsheet - An application that can be used to do calculations, analyze, and present data. It includes tools for organizing, managing, sorting, and retrieving data and testing "what if " statements. 

Stand-Alone Computer - A computer that does not rely upon any other computer or server to work. 

Storyboard - A graphic organizer used for planning and developing a multimedia report/presentation. The contents, layout, and formatting of each card/slide and the linking together of the cards/slides.

Table - Columns and rows of cells that can be filled with text that are used to organize information 

Telecommunication - The act of sending and receiving information, such as data, text, pictures, voice, and video. The exchange of information can be within a building or around the globe.

Text  - Words on a page.

Thesaurus - A feature in most word processors used to replace a word in a document with one that is more suitable and adds variety to your writing.

URL Address - Uniform Resource Locator Website address. Example: https://www.boerneisd.net/

User name - First part of an e-mail address. Example:  sandra.podwika is the user name of Mrs. Podwika’s email address: sandra.podwika@boerneisd.net 

Value - The term for a number in a spreadsheet that can be added, subtracted, multiplied, or divided.

Vandalism - The intentional act of destroying computer files or computer networks. 

Virus - A computer program designed to damage computer files.

Web address - Universal Resource Locator (URL). Example: https://www.boerneisd.net

Word processing - Using keyboarding skills to produce documents such as letters, reports, manuals, and newsletters.

Word wrap - This occurs when you get to the end of a line and continue typing the text will then go to the next line.

Worm - A computer file designed to do damage that goes through a computer and possibly a network 

WWW (World Wide Web) - The section of the Internet that allows access to text, graphics, sound, and even video. A lot of free information can be found on the WWW.