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      About the Author

      Ciprian Adrian Rusen is a recognized Windows Consumer Expert – Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP). He has published several books about Windows and Microsoft Office, and he's also a very active tech blogger at http://www.7tutorials.com.

      On his website you can find many tutorials about Windows 7, Windows 8.1, and Windows 10. He and his team of editors also publish how-to guides about other Microsoft products like Windows Phone and Xbox One. If you would like to keep up to date with the latest Microsoft consumer products, you should subscribe to his blog.

      Introduction

      Welcome to the IC3 Internet and Computing Core Certification Key Applications Study Guide for the IC3 Digital Literacy Certification. The purpose of this book is to help you prepare for the Key Applications certification exam, which covers four major types of applications: word processing, spreadsheet, presentation, and database software. You will learn the common features of these types of applications, how to perform all kinds of tasks (opening and saving files, formatting them, printing them, and so on), and how to collaborate with others to create all kinds of business documents and files.

      The book contains all of the information you need to pass the Key Applications exam. It also includes notes and warnings from the author to help reduce issues you may be experiencing in your own environment. By studying for and passing this exam, you will gain insight that will make you more valuable in your current position and will make you more likely to be recognized.

      In the remainder of this section we will look at some of the facts about the exam, give some commonsense tips for taking the exam, and review the process for registering for the exam.

      Individuals seeking IC3 certification are required to take and pass all three IC3 exams: Computing Fundamentals, Key Applications, and Living Online. Here are some facts about them:

      Here are some general tips for improving the odds of passing your certification exam: