By Tristian Evans/reporter

“But without any experience, using it can be very confusing,” Chris Carcerano said during the Microsoft Word 2007 for Beginners seminar Sept. 10.

Carcerano started the seminar by telling students that using Word is “vital to your academic survival and definitely needs to be in your academic toolbox.”

Carcerano taught the students about the different commands within Microsoft Word. He showed some of the basics such as saving files, creating page breaks, citing works and inserting clip art and photography. He pointed out some of the newer commands added to Microsoft Word 2007 such as the “undo button.”

“Microsoft got it right when they assumed we would mess up and want things back,” he said as the students laughed.

When it comes to choosing fonts, Carcerano advised students to “keep it simple,” suggesting Arial, Times New Roman or Cambria.

He said to steer clear of fancy fonts, “one surefire way to draw the ire of your professor.”

Carcerano said using Microsoft Word to retype one’s messily written notes from class “helps the information stick in your head.”

Carcerano offered what he considered the best way to learn to use Microsoft Office to its full capacity.

“Take your time and play around with it, but not with anything important such as taxes and school assignments,” he joked.

Student Jack Williams said the seminar helped him.

“I was blown away by the things that can be done on Microsoft Word 2007,” he said after the seminar had concluded.

Jeanett Shelby, also a South student, concurred.

“I learned about a lot of things I didn’t previously know about,” she said.