LEARN HOW TO TYPE
One of the most common requests that we get at Knowledge
Hound is for a free typing tutorial that doesn't require
plugins, Java, downloads or registration. With that
in mind, we've written this short, basic guide to get
you started on the road to keyboard proficiency.
First, gently rest your left pinky finger on the "A"
key and your right pinky on the ":"
key. Rest your other fingers (except thumbs) on the
next closest keys. In other words, for your left hand,
the ring finger goes on "S",
the middle finger on "D"
and the forefinger on "F".
For your right hand, the ring finger rests on "L",
the middle finger on "K"
and the forefinger on "J".
Your thumbs should rest on the space bar (that long,
thin key at the bottom of your keyboard). The letters
"G" and "H" should be showing, untouched, at the center
of the keyboard. This is your resting or default finger
position. Whenever a finger isn't typing another character,
it should return to its default position. It isn't necessary
for a finger to actually touch its default key, but
it should at least return to a position above the default
key.
Many keyboards have a raised area on the "F" and "J" keys (the keys that your forefingers rest on). This is intended to help you find your default position without having to stop and look at your hands. Another way to do this is to locate your "Shift" keys and find your place in relation to them. On most keyboards, the "Shift" keys are a unique shape.
Before we move on to actually typing anything, take
some time to practice finding your default position
without having to look at your hands. Once you feel
comfortable with this, you're ready to go to the next
step.
It's time to start building muscle memory. This is accomplished by repeating the same action many times until it becomes second nature.
Begin by typing the alphabet. At first, of course, you'll have to look to see where everything is, but keep practicing until you can do it while looking at your monitor instead. Then try doing it with your monitor turned off. Don't forget, whenever a finger isn't typing, it should return to its default position.
Next, follow the same steps you did for the alphabet
with the numbers 1 through 10. Try going from 10 to
1 as well. Once you're comfortable with number keys,
practice using your punctuation keys. Look to see where
they all are, then try typing each one with your eyes
closed, starting from your default position. Do this
ten times for each character. Some punctuation marks
require the use of a "Shift" key.
We mentioned the "Shift" keys earlier. You probably
already know that you need to depress the "Shift" key
while typing if you want to produce a capital letter
or the upper character on a key. What many people seem
to forget is that there are *two* shift keys. You should
use the right shift key when typing with your left hand
and vice versa, so that you're not trying to depress
two keys simultaneously with one hand.
Try typing the words to your favorite song or poem
in all capital letters (known as "caps"),
but do it using your shift keys rather than your "Caps
Lock" key. Don't forget punctuation! Next, try
doing the same thing using proper capitalization.
You're just about done. There are some other characters, like "@", "$" and "%", that you'll want to become familiar with. Practice them the same way that you did your punctuation keys. Here's a fact most people don't know... The key above your "Tab" key has a squiggly line as its upper character. This character is called a "tilde" (TILL-dee). Many personal webpage addresses contain this symbol.
Once you know where all the characters are, prop up a book or magazine so that you can see it easily when your hands are in their default position. Now, type what you see. Writing email is another good way to beef up your new skills. Practice really is the key here, so type a little everyday. Fight the urge to return to two-finger typing. In no time at all, you should be beating your old hunt-and-peck days hands down! :)
