The Information and Technology exam is a comprehensive exam covering the topics from the course. The exam is made up of multiple choice and true/false questions covering computer concepts and Catawba College Computing Services Policies and Library Research, and hands on work requiring use of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Power Point. The exam is timed and the student must pass with a C or better and will be awarded an "S."

What is the best way to study?
The best resource for preparing for the technology section of the test is the textbook, Microsoft Office XP: Introductory Concepts and Techniques, 2001 by Shelly, Cashman and Vermaat. This book can be purchased at the Catawba Bookstore. These books are not available from instructors or the library.

The best way to prepare for the library section is to take a look at the Research Guides area of the Corriher-Linn-Black Library’s website. This section contains several tutorials that will help you prepare for the test. Library Instructors cannot provide personal tutoring. If you feel uncomfortable about this section of the test, then you should consider taking the class.

What is covered on the test?
In general, students need to be prepared for the following material:

Information-Library (35% of the score)
The student should know how:

• To effectively plan and manage a research project.
• To utilize and access the circulating and non-circulating collections of the library, how to check materials out of the library, how to use the reserve system and how to request interlibrary loans.
• To use the library OPAC to access materials in the library's collection.
• To use search engines and directories more effectively to gather information on the World Wide Web.
• To use selected NCLIVE (North Carolina Libraries for Virtual Education) databases to gather information.
• To evaluate the information found.

Technology (65% of the score)
The student should know:

Campus Network, E-mail, Windows, Computer Concepts

The Campus System

1. How do you login to the campus network?
2. What is the operating system?
3. How do you change your password?
4. What is a good password?
5. What is the Acceptable Use Policy?
6. Why do you logoff?
7. What drives (network and otherwise) are available to you? Describe each.
8. What is the role of the Student Laboratory Assistant?
9. How do you report problems?

E-mail

1. How do you check your e-mail?
2. How long will unread e-mail stay in the system?
3. How do you send On-campus e-mail? Off-campus?
4. What is your full (internet) e-mail address?
5. Where can you find the e-mail addresses of people on campus?
6. How can you send a file via e-mail?
7. How do you delete e-mail?
8. What is netiquette and how does it apply to e-mail?

Windows Operating System

1. What is Windows XP?
2. What is the Catawba Menu System?
3. What is Windows Explorer?
4. How do you copy a file from one drive to another?
5. How do you delete a file?
6. How do you format a floppy disk?
7. Describe the two parts of the Windows Explorer window.
8. How do you add a folder or subdirectory to a drive (or folder)?
9. What are the different "views" for in Windows Explorer?
10. What are the basic mouse operations?
11. What do the minimize, maximize, and restore buttons do? Where are they located?

Computer Concepts

1. Computer Information processing cycle: input, processing, output, storage
2. Data vs. information
3. Parts of the computer
4. Computer program or software
5. Input devices: keyboard, mouse
6. Output devices
7. Processor Unit: CPU, Microprocessor, memory (RAM), kilobyte, byte, gigabyte
8. Computer Screens: CRT vs. LCD, pixel, super VGA
9. Auxiliary Storage or secondary storage devices: Floppy disks – recording density (bits per inch), track, sector, ways to take care of floppy disks, write protect feature. Hard disk: storage capacity, compressions programs. CD-ROM – used for multimedia applications, storage – 600 million bytes of data (300,000 pages of text).
10. Computer Software: system vs application software, personal computer application software packages.
11. Communications: Communications channels and equipment, analog vs digital signals, modem.
12. Local Area Network vs Wide Area Network, hardware resource sharing and information resource sharing, file server vs. client server processing).
13. How to purchase a computer system.
14. How to install a computer system.
15. How to maintain your Computer system.

Office XP

Word: Creating and Editing a Word Document
Be sure you can:

1. Change font, and font size
2. Add blank lines to a document
3. Create a page break (CTRL+ENTER)
4. Spell Check
5. Use auto-formatting to add bullets as you type
6. Add bold, italics, and underlining to text
7. Insert a picture from the web or from disk
8. Print a document
9. Use the Scroll bars (horizontal and vertical) to move around your document
10. Use menu bars, toolbars, rulers and status bars.
11. Identify word-wrap.
12. Print a document.

Word: Using Word’s Wizards and . . .
Be able to answer or do the following:

1. Explain what wizards and templates are – how do they differ?
2. What is print preview?
3. What is auto formatting?
4. Add a border to selected text

Word: Creating a Research Paper
Be able to answer or do the following:

1. Retrieve text from the T: drive.
2. What does MLA stand for?
3. How do you change the margins? What are the margins for MLA style?
4. How do you adjust the line spacing? What is the recommended spacing for MLA style?
5. What are headers and footers? How do you create/change them?
6. What is a hyperlink?
7. How do you insert a footnote?
8. What is the format according to MLA style for the works cited page?
9. What is a parenthetical reference?

Excel:
Be sure you can:

1. Start Excel and create a new workbook, or retrieve an existing workbook
2. Select a cell or range of cells
3. Enter text, numbers and formulas
4. Use the autosum button to sum a range of cells
5. Copy a cell to a range of cells using the fill handle
6. Change the size of the font in a cell, use bold, center, autoformat
7. Use the name box to select a cell
8. Create a chart using the chart wizard
9. Save a workbook
10. Print a worksheet
11. Use CTRL + ` to print formulas

PowerPoint:
Be sure you can:

1. Start a new Power Point document, or retrieve a power point document
2. Select a design template
3. Create a title slide
4. Change the font size of selected text
5. Italicize selected text
6. Save a presentation
7. Print a presentation in various ways
8. Add a new slide
9. Use different Views (slide, slide sorter, presentation, outline)
10. Promote, demote bulleted paragraphs
11. Use style checker
12. Edit a presentation
13. Change line spacing on the title or slide master
    Display a presentation in black and white
14. Print a presentation in black and white.
15. Use online help.