This document provides an introduction and overview of PDF files. It discusses why PDFs are preferable to other file formats like Word for consistency, archiving, and collaboration. PDFs ensure formatting is retained regardless of what device or program opens them. The document demonstrates how to create PDFs from Word documents and paper handouts using common scanning software. It also provides examples of sharing and annotating PDFs for academic purposes.

1. Intro To PDF Files
Presented By: The DigHumanities.Org Project
Dr. Jason Thompson
Aaron Perrell

2. Why a PDF?
Why not Word?
• Word Documents to not retain formatting
• There are 19 versions of Word
• Four kinds of files are seen as “.doc”s
• Newer “.docx” files are even less compatible
• RTF files are not a solution

3. What Is A PDF?
Portable Document Format
• Created by Adobe in 1993
• Requires Adobe Acrobat for full features
• Included in new computers or available free at adobe.com
• PDFs always display correctly
• Other programs change- PDFs are archival

4. Academic Benefits
• Consistency in publishing, including:
submission, review, annotation/markup, and final
submission
• Security for research & manuscripts

5. Encrypt and Password protect information

6. Academic Benefits
• Consistency in publishing, including:
• submission, review, annotation/markup, and final
submission
• Security for research & manuscripts
• PDFs can be read aloud by your computer
• Put down the red pen:
• PDFs allow audio comments

7. The Details
examples, how-to’s, & more examples
• No special skills required
• Why .doc’s have problems
• Questions so far
• Creating a PDF:
• From a Word doc & from a handout
• What to do with your PDF

8. Overview
You already have the tools
• PDF creation does not require:
• New software
• Special skills
• Additional time
• Specific computer setup

9. Word Problems
What Word is- and isn’t
• Word is:
• A powerful document editor
• Word is not:
• A publishing tool
• Made for collaboration
• Capable of maintaining design

10. Example of different people viewing the same Word
document.

11. The PDF Fix
How PDFs fix the problem
• PDFs are made for publishing
• PDF files include fonts and layout
• PDFs include collaboration tools
• PDFs always appear the same
• Regardless of system or location, a PDF is a PDF

12. Questions?
Before we begin the tutorials...
sy
^
ea

13. Creating & Using
finally... the good stuff ;)
• Creating PDFs from:
• Electronic documents with Word or online
• Paper documents with a scanner
• Searching scanned documents
• Letting the computer read to you
• Publishing your PDFs

14. PDF From Word
PC Users:
1. With the document open, click the Windows ( )
logo
2. Under “Save As” chose “PDF or XPS”
Mac Users:
1. With the document open, click “File” in the menu
2. Under “Save As” change format to “PDF”

15. PC Users
1. With the document open,
click the Windows ( )logo

16. PC Users
Under “Save As” chose “PDF
or XPS”

17. Mac Users
1. With the document open,
click “File” in the menu

18. Mac Users
Under “Save As” change
format to “PDF”

19. PDF From A Handout
Either Pc or Mac
1. Open the software that came with your scanner
2. Choose the scan to PDF option
3. Save the file

20. PDF From A Handout
Department Minolta scanner
1. Touch [Fax/Scan] fax/scan operations
2. Touch [Scan Settings] to specify settings for scanning
3. In Scan Settings > File Type, touch [PDF]
4. Press “Go” button on scanner

21. Office Scanner
Touch [Fax/Scan] fax/scan
operations

22. Office Scanner
Touch [Scan Settings] to
specify settings for scanning

23. Office Scanner
In Scan Settings > File Type,
touch [PDF]

24. Office Scanner
Press “Go” button on
scanner

25. Sharing PDFs
to your students via wyoweb
1. Log into WyoWeb, and open appropriate course site
2. Click the “Files” tab
3. Click “Add a new File to [...]”
4. Select your file and click “Ok”
5. Click “Add file”

26. Post to
WyoWeb
Log into WyoWeb, and open
appropriate course site

27. Post to
WyoWeb
Click the “Files” tab

28. Post to
WyoWeb
Click “Add a new File to [...]”

29. Post to
WyoWeb
Select your file and click “Ok”
(or “Choose” on a Mac)

30. Post to
WyoWeb
Click “Add file”

31. A Quick Demo
The scanning process on a standard PC computer

32. Other Options
You can also...
• Send PDFs as e-mail attachments
• Post them to personal websites
• Share them on public e-reader sites like scribd.com
• Search scanned PDFs
• Annotate, cite, and track PDF information in almost every
electronic bibliographic tool available

33. Questions?
Thanks for attending!
Leave your email address as you exit and
we’ll send you the PDF of this talk, as well
as a link to watch the video online.
as
it w y ; )
ya eas
old be
T to
go ing