Final Project

Computer Essentials
Research Portion of Project

1. Choose a minimum of 3 careers you are interested in pursuing after high school

2. Research these careers for the following:

a. How many years of school will you need to do this career?

b. What are the approximate costs of this schooling?

c. What is the starting salary?

d. What is the salary potential?

e. What sort of companies might this qualify you to work for?

f. Geographically, where might you be located?

g. Include a job description.

h. Why did you choose these careers?

3. Use at least 3 scholarly cites preferably of at least 2 kinds ie journal article and book

(Google for scholarly journals for your career choices. Also use the sources available on the

district student home page.)

4. Start a new Word document and take notes

5. Next youll put your data in a spreadsheet

6. Then youll do a short research paper

7. Finally youll do a PowerPoint presentation presenting your career of choice

 Excel Portion of Project
1. Open Excel and Save Project as My Career Choices
2. Click the corner (column/row)cell to select all and VERTICAL Center all cells
3. A1 = MY CAREER CHOICES Select a font and Increase the size (Merge & Center later
when you know how many columns you will be using)
4. Change the height of row 2 to approximately 90.
5. Find a picture describing each career to put in this row of cells starting at B2.
6. Type the name of each career starting in Cell B3
7. Format the font to something nice, bold, and a bigger size of your choice.
Widen these columns to approximately 30 and adjust the height to look nice.
8. Starting in cell A4 list the career criteria previously researched (research items a-d).
9. Fill in the amounts for the research items in the appropriate cells: - using decimals were
necessary.
10. Skip two rows after research data and enter the following in columns A and B:
Format cells right align type the following names:
a. Number of Careers: MUST use a formula to determine
b. Most Expensive Career Education is : enter formula,
c. Least Expensive Career Education is : enter formula
d. Average Cost of Education : MUST use a formula
e. Largest Salary potential and formula
f. Least Salary Potential formula
11. Select B5:D7 format cells to $ 0 decimals
12. Color code each career with a different shading. Place a thick border around your
spreadsheet area.
13. Create a column graph of just the education costs (dont forget to start in cell A3). Place
the chart to cover cells A C height should be adjusted to clearly see bars. Include a
catchy title, and insert axis titles. Legend can be placed where it looks best. Format the
font to look appealing. You can use Word Art if you would like. You can format
background, but chart should be very easy to read!
14. Create a pie graph comparing only the Careers and Years of education (again, start in cell
A3 and use the CTRL key). Use something other than the standard circle such as 3D or
Exploded. Word art can be added for your title. Adjust your data to include names and
costs and delete the legend.
15. Color code the bars and pie slices to match the colors for each career on your
spreadsheet.
16. Add a text box with the word MY PICK and place on the pie piece that will be your final
vacation choice. You can format the box with a shade and border that will match your
pie slice. This will be your choice for your Final PowerPoint Project. AND, you will be
embedding this chart onto one of your PowerPoint slides. Be creative, IMPRESS ME!
 Word Portion of Project
Using your Research and your Excel project, you will now create an informative Word
research paper document. You will need to include the following:

1. On the Reference tab, you will need to use the Citations and Bibliography section to list (Manage
Citations) all the places cites you got your information to create your excel spreadsheet. If you
did not write them down, you can research the data again and update your spreadsheet as needed.
There should be at least 4 citations. Be sure to change the citation type as appropriate.

2. Using the MLA template we created in class, create/type at least one paragraph describing each
row and column of your excel spreadsheet. In other words, describe each row for your four
different career choices. At either the beginning or end of each section (maybe you want to
alternate) please reference your excel data by cutting and pasting to your research paper.

a. Be sure that your margins are set to 1x1x1x1

b. Font is Arial and font size is 12

c. Line spacing is 2.0 with no space before or after.

d. The header contains a page number; your last name is located to the very fight of the page.

e. The heading contains, your name, my name, the class name and the date

f. There is a centered title line Careers or Career Choices

3. There should be a minimum of one citing per paragraph in order to show where you got the
information you listed on your spreadsheet. (Use the add a Citation tab)

4. At the end please conclude your report by copying (or cutting and pasting) the chart you created
into your paper and then describing it, tell me what it means and how to read it.

5. Then conclude your paper by describing your selection and telling me why you chose the location
you chose. Was it the cost or the entertainment? Was it just the location itself?

6. Add a page break (under the insert tab) and then create the works cited page (under the reference
tab).
 Power Point Portion of Project
Using one of your Word Research Paper and Excel Career project, you will now create
an informative power point show. You will need to include the following:
A MINIMUM of 10 slides. Each slide must have:
o An introductory slide
o A conclusion slide
o Imported chart from your excel spreadsheet
o Imported data from your excel spreadsheet
o Each slide should have
a title or subtitle
several items of information (preferably bulleted)
Use design choice or self-created background
Select a transition for all slides and set the amount of time needed
Each slide must have custom animation of the words and/or images
Optional: Add music throughout the show

7. On the Design tab, you will select the design of your choice unless you are going to create your
own.

8. On the animation tab, you will select your slide transition as well as custom animate the entry of
your words and pictures. NOTE: DO NOT use only mouse click. Always have your items enter
WITH or AFTER previous This will also apply for your song on the first slide. You will want your
transition to
apply for all. At
the end of this
ribbon you will
find the timing
for each slide I
would start with
10 second per
slide and apply
for all and then
you can adjust
each slide as you
watch your
show. BUT you
will definitely
want to click the
Automatically
check box.
9. Dont crowd your slides General Rule: No more than 5 lines and 5 words per line. You SHOULD
NOT have sentences or paragraphs use phrases and words remember people want to SEE the
show NOT read it.

10. Your last slide should be some sort of a conclusion and hopefully ends when the music ends, but
this is not necessary. JUST dont have an abrupt end to your show. Play your show several times
to adjust any timing that may be necessary. Make sure people have time to see and read each
slide. Some slides may only need 5 seconds and others may need 15-20+ seconds depending on
what is on the slide.