“Of Mice and Megabytes Supplement”

HOW TO COPY-AND-PASTE
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First, highlight the text
Select the text you want to copy by highlighting it.

  1. First, select the text you want to copy: Place the cursor at the desired starting point. Click and HOLD DOWN the left mouse button. Slide the mouse until the entire text you want to copy is highlighted. (The highlighted area appears typically as white lettering on a black background.)
  2. Now copy the information: For Windows users, there are two ways to accomplish this. One is to click the RIGHT mouse button (the cursor must hover over some part of the highlighted area). A short menu will appear near the cursor. Choose Copy. The second way, a short cut, is to press and hold down the Ctrl key, then simultaneously press the “C” key. For Mac users, press the Apple key, and while pressed, press the “C” key.
  3. Don’t be alarmed if it appears nothing has happened. The information you’ve selected has been seamlessly stowed away by your computer for later use (into what is common referred to as the Clipboard).
  4. Place the cursor at the point where you want to insert the copied text.
  5. Paste the information: For Windows users, either press the RIGHT mouse button, and from the appearing menu, choose Paste. Or, press and hold down the Ctrl key then simultaneously press the “V” key. For Mac users, press and hold down the Apple key and press the “V” key. The information you copied previously will now be pasted at a point starting at the cusor.

Information to keep in mind:

  • Using this same technique you can also “cut-and-paste.” For Windows users, choose Cut from the menu or press Ctrl and “X.” For Mac users, press Apple and the “X” key. Cut-and-paste DELETES the text, then places it into a new area.
  • You can cut-and-paste and copy-and-paste from one application (i.e., Microsoft Excel) to another (i.e., WordPerfect).
  • Some applications (such as Word and Outlook Express) allow you to “move” the highlighted text. To do so, place the cursor in the highlighted area, click and HOLD DOWN the left mouse button. While holding it down, move the cursor (now pictured with a faint square below the arrow) to the insertion point. Release the mouse button.