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Introductory Sessions

IS933 Understanding and Managing the Computer: Part 1

This session will develop your confidence in managing a personal computer. In this session you will be able to:

Understand the main concepts of file management

Install and uninstall software applications

Use simple text editing and print tools

This session covers the practical aspects of Module 2 of the ECDL. See IS934 to cover the remaining aspects of this Module

No sessions currently available

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IS934 Understanding and Managing the Computer: Part 2

This session will develop your confidence in running a personal computer. In this session you will be able to:

Use the main features of an operating system

Operate effectively around the computer desktop

This session covers the second part of Module 2 of the ECDL. See IS933 to address the remaining requirements of the Module Please Note: this session is available as a Self-Study Pack only

No sessions currently available

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IS935 Information and Communication Part 1: The World Wide Web

This session covers the Internet and web browsing aspects of Module 7 of the ECDL, and includes:

Understanding the common terms associated with the Internet

How to accomplish everyday web browsing tasks

Searching for information, along with completing and submitting web-based forms

Saving web pages and downloading files from the web

To complete the e-mail requirements of this Module see also IS936

No sessions currently available

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IS936 Information and Communication Part 2: Outlook 2007

This session covers the electronic mail (e-mail) and other communication options required for Module 7 of the ECDL. After this session you will:

Understand what e-mail is and know some advantages and disadvantages of its use

Be aware of network etiquette and security considerations

Know how to create, spell check and send e-mail

Be aware of ways to enhance productivity when working with e-mail software

To complete the Internet requirements of this Module see also IS935

No sessions currently available

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IS997 College Computers Essential Guide

All students new to the College are strongly recommended to attend this session, as the topics covered are essential for effective use of the College IT facilities. You will learn:

Where you can access PCs on Campus

What software is installed on these PCs

How to access your College e-mail both on and off Campus

What IT usage rules you need to know

How to avoid losing your work and where to save securely

Where you can print and the range of options available

Where to get IT related help and advice

All Departments will include this session as part of your Induction Programme. You should book for this session only if you miss your Departmental session.

No sessions currently available

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Wordprocessing Sessions

IS131 Fundamentals of Word 2007

Learn to use Microsoft Word’s tools to produce university standard documents, with an emphasis on clarity and structure. Topics include how to:

Understand Templates in Word

Make effective use of Styles

Insert and use Page Breaks effectively

Create Headers and Footers

Create a basic Table

Add and position Clip Art

Add Footnotes and in-text referencing

In addition to enhancing your basic Word skills you can also use this session to contributes to the requirement of Module 3 of the ECDL (see also IS132 and IS133)

No sessions currently available

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IS132 Further Word 2007 Techniques for ECDL Success

Learn some key features of Word which are necessary to help you pass the third ECDL module on word processing. You will learn how to:

Switch between open documents

Use the Format Painter

Set and clear Tabs

Apply Autotext entries to Headers and Footers

Create a Landscape page amongst Portrait pages

Advanced features of Tables

Insert objects such as Excel charts

Prerequisite: IS131 Fundamentals of Word 2007 or similar experience

In addition to enhancing your Word skills you can also use this session to contributes to the requirement of Module 3 of the ECDL (see also IS131 and IS133)

No sessions currently available

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IS133 Basics of Mail Merge using Word 2007

This session will show you how to use the Mail merge facility within Word 2007 to produce individualised letters and labels. You will learn how to:

Create individualised letters using Mail Merge

Create address labels using the Mail Merge facility

Prerequisite: a good working knowledge of Microsoft Word 2007

In addition to enhancing your Word skills you can also use this session to contributes to the requirement of Module 3 of the ECDL (see also IS131 and IS132)

No sessions currently available

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IS137 Advanced Word 2007 Techniques for Dissertations

Enhance your dissertations and projects using some of Word’s more advanced features by learning how to:

Use Section Breaks effectively

Create and use your own Styles

Use specific Headers & Footers in different sections of a document

Insert differently formatted pages into a document, e.g. landscape pages

Use tables to assist formatting

Work with Table of Contents

Prerequisite: IS131 Fundamentals of Word 2007 or similar experience

No sessions currently available

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IS139 Managing Large Documents using MS Word 2007

In this session you will learn how to use Words Master and Subdocument facility to produce produce larger documents, e.g. dissertations and theses. You will learn how to:

Create a Master and Subdocument structure

Work with Words Master and Subdocument facility

Insert Table of Contents and Table of Figures into a Master document

Use Headers & Footers effectively in each subdocument

Prerequisite: IS137 Advanced Word 2007 Techniques for Dissertations or similar experience

No sessions currently available

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Desktop Publishing Sessions

IS152 Creative Techniques using MS Publisher 2007

This session introduces a range of Publisher skills which will enable you to create professional looking publications including brochures, newsletters and flyers, including how to:

Create a new publication from a design template

Work with text and frames

Insert images and graphic objects

Use the Master Page

Create a logo

Prerequisite: A working knowledge of Word 2007

No sessions currently available

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Library and Information Sessions

IS222 Using the Library

New to the library? Not sure how to find materials for your assignments? Don’t want to pay overdue fines? This session is perfect for first year students or anybody who is new to using RHUL libraries. During this session you will learn how to:

Use the library catalogue to find books, journals, DVDs, etc.

Manage your library account to avoid paying fines.

Find and access online journals and e-books.

No sessions currently available

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IS224 Research Skills for Projects and Dissertations

Aimed primarily at third year undergraduates and taught masters students preparing for their extended essays or dissertations and for PhD or masters research students just embarking on their topic, this session will enable you to:

Plan your literature search

Use advanced search techniques

Manager your references

Wednesday 10th March 2010 16:00 to 17:00

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IS225 Getting the Most from E-journals

Aimed primarily at undergraduates or anybody who is new to using RHUL libraries and wants to know how to access electronic journals at Royal Holloway, this session will enable you to:

Link to e-journals using different library resources

Access the full text of journal articles online

No sessions currently available

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IS228 Managing Information with RefWorks

Learn how to store references and add them directly to Word documents using RefWorks, a web based reference manager, which enables you to store, retrieve and format your references from PCs and Macs anywhere on the Internet. Aimed at anyone doing a dissertation or extended piece of work, this session will enable you to:

Create your own database in RefWorks

Save book and journal references into your databases

Directly add references from your database to Word documents

Reformat your documents in different journal citation styles

Friday 12th February 2010 12:00 to 13:00

Thursday 11th March 2010 13:00 to 14:00

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Spreadsheet Sessions

IS331 Working with Spreadsheets using Excel 2007

Learn to use the most important features of Excel in order to produce effective Excel worksheets. Topics covered include:

Using the Fill Handle efficiently

Making use of functions

Using a range of formatting features

The use of absolute references

Creating and using centralised variables

In addition to enhancing your basic Excel skills you can also use this session to contributes to the requirement of Module 4 of the ECDL (see also IS333)

No sessions currently available

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IS333 Presenting Data Graphically using Excel 2007

Following on from IS331, this session concentrates on the graphical presentation of data contained in a spreadsheet. You will learn how to:

Create and edit a range of charts

Apply regression lines and error bars

Merge two charts together

Modify the data series where necessary

Format charts to suit your needs

Prerequisite: IS331 Working with Spreadsheets using Excel session or similar experience

In addition to enhancing your Excel skills you can also use this session to contributes to the requirement of Module 4 of the ECDL (see also IS331)

Wednesday 10th February 2010 11:30 to 13:00

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IS337 Further Features of Excel 2007

This session will extend your working knowledge of Excel by introducing some of its more advanced techniques. Features to be covered include:

Use of Filters to locate information

Applying Cell Names to create meaningful formulae

Applying Conditional Formatting

Easy navigation around a worksheet

How to print larger spreadsheets

Prerequisite: IS331 Working with Spreadsheets using Excel session or similar experience

No sessions currently available

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IS338 Introduction to Excel’s Pivot Tables

Pivot tables offer you the ability to summarise your data in a variety of different ways, all without having to create a single formula! You will learn how to:

Create Pivot Tables to handle a range of data

Add and remove data headings from a Pivot Table

Rearrange a Pivot Table so that its display suits your needs

Use the Pivot Table to ‘drill down’ your data

Prerequisite: IS331 Working with Spreadsheets session or similar experience

Wednesday 17th March 2010 14:00 to 16:00

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Presentation Sessions

IS731 Creating Effective Presentations with PowerPoint 2007

Your objective when giving a presentation is to get your key message across to the audience and for them to sit up, take notice and have learned as a result of your efforts! This session will include the following to help you achieve this:

Create presentations using a range of slides

Insert Charts and Images

Modify the background etc. of all slides using the Masters

Produce presentations that engage your audience

Add animation

In addition to enhancing your PowerPoint skills you can also use this session to prepare you for the requirements of Module 6 of the ECDL

Thursday 11th February 2010 11:30 to 13:00

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IS732 Further Features of PowerPoint 2007

Extend your PowerPoint skills by considering a range of features that can enhance your presentations. Learn how to:

Add animation to charts

Insert hyperlinks into a slide

Use Action Buttons to help navigation

Insert sound and video clips

Add background images

Create a Summary slide

Prerequisite: IS731 Creating Effective Presentations session or similar experience

No sessions currently available

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Database Sessions

IS431 Intro. to Access 2007: Creating a Simple Relational Database

This introductory Access session will help you understand the concept of a relational database, and all the terminology that goes with it! Using Microsoft Access you will also create a relational database and therefore learn how to:

Create Tables with Fields to store your data as Records

Enter and edit data in a Table

Create Relationships between Tables

Ask questions about the stored data by running Queries

In addition to learning about Access and the fundamentals of relational databases you can also use this session to contributes to the requirement of Module 5 of the ECDL (see also IS432)

No sessions currently available

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IS432 Basic Forms, Queries & Reports in Access 2007

This session covers an introduction to Forms, Queries, and Reports in Access. You will learn how to:

Create professional–looking Forms using simple wizards

Modify Forms to suit your needs

Create a range of Queries to ask specific questions of your data

Create and save a Report based on a Table

Change the arrangement of data fields and headings within the Report layout

Prerequisite: IS431 Introduction to Access 2007 or similar experience

In addition to learning about a range of Access features you can also use this session to contributes to the requirement of Module 5 of the ECDL (see also IS431)

No sessions currently available

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IS433 Further Features of Access 2007

This session builds on the foundations covered in IS432 and extends your knowledge of:

Creating Forms to suit your needs

Producing Reports to display the data required

Creating Action Queries to make changes to one or more records in a single operation

Prerequisite: IS432 Usng Forms and Queries in Access 2007 session or similar experience

No sessions currently available

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Database Design Sessions

IS424 Database Design Part 1

The first stage of any database project is to analyse your data and prepare a good design – if you do not get it right at this stage then you might not be able to use the database in the way you want.

This session is designed to help you analyse data so as to produce a model of the data that you wish to include in your database; this is known as conceptual database design. You will learn:

The basic concepts of the relational database model

The basic concepts associated with the Entity-Relationship (ER) model - entities, relationships and attributes

How to use Entity-Relationship (ER) modelling in database design

How to build an ER model from a requirements specification or by analysing sample data

Attendance at both this session and IS425 is required but there are no other prerequisites.

Please feel free to bring sample data you are currently using or planning to use for your research if you would like some advice.

Tutor: Catherine Harbor, e-mail C.Harbor@rhul.ac.uk

No sessions currently available

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IS425 Database Design Part 2

Following on from IS424, this session will outline techniques for deriving a set of database tables from your Entity-Relationship model; this is known as logical database design. You will then have all the information you need to be able to create your database tables in a relational database management system, such as Microsoft Access or Oracle. You will learn how to:

Derive a set of database tables from an ER model to produce a logical database design

Check that the logical database design you have produced will allow you to use the database in the way you want

Prerequisite: IS424 Database Design Part 1 session

No sessions currently available

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Graphics Sessions

IS526 Manipulating Images using Paint Shop Pro

Whether you are blessed with creativity or have little confidence when it comes to design and image creation, Paint Shop Pro offers a range of easy to use tools for enhancing, manipulating, and creating a range of images. You will learn how to:

Use the Crop facility

Use the Clone facility

Make effective use of Layers

Change the colour of an image

Select sections of an image using a variety of methods

Add text to an image

Please Note: this session is available as a Take-Away only

No sessions currently available

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IS534 Essential Scanning Skills

This session is designed to equip you with the key skills needed to use a scanner to capture images for inclusion in your work. You will learn:

Which scanner settings are key to successful scanning

How & why to produce small sized files

Different methods of inserting your graphics into Word

How to save images from Web pages

How to capture images from screen

No sessions currently available

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Web Page Creation Sessions

IS612 An Introduction to Dreamweaver

In this session you will learn how to use Dreamweaver to create an attractive accessible personal web page. Topics covered include:

Basic Dreamweaver usage

The document structure navigator

Images, tables and links

Influencing the pages appearance

Wednesday 10th February 2010 14:00 to 16:00

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IS613 Further Features of Dreamweaver

This session will extend the skills you learned in IS612 by examining such areas as:

Creating Anchors to insert links within your web page

Editing Cascading Style Sheet rules

Working with classes

Wednesday 24th February 2010 14:00 to 16:00

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IS683 PDF: Adobes Portable Document Format

This session provides a thorough introduction to producing PDF (Adobes Portable Document Format) documents and covers a variety of useful tools and techniques including how to: