Tips for Using Inspiration

Inspiration is an application that can be used for:

Using words and picture symbols, you can show ideas and concepts. Basically, Inspiration can help you to organize your information.

Here are some tips for using Inspiration:

After launching Inspiration, you'll see a Main Idea balloon. The default style is an oval like the one to the right. The shape is "selected," and you can make changes to it, when you see the small white squares and diamonds around it.
While the balloon is selected, you may change it to any of the other styles available. You move from one page of symbols to another with the left and right arrows. The down arrow allows you to go directly to a specific page of symbols. Below the arrows are some shapes the balloon may take.

The Inspiration Tool Bars

These tables give information about the different buttons on the Diagram and Outline tool bars.

Diagram Mode:

	Outline - This button toggles between Diagram and Outline views.
	Rapid Fire - Allows you to add ideas to a topic quickly. It will automatically create the symbols every time you press the Enter key.
	Create - Adds new symbols in the direction of the arrows.
	Link - Connects two different symbols.
	Arrange - Changes the order of the symbols in your diagram. A window will appear to help you select the manner in which you wish to organize your work.
	Note - You can add information with a note.
	Hyperlink - Links to a web page, a file or another Inspiration document.
	Spell - Checks the spelling in your document.
	Transfer - Moves your Inspiration document to a word processor.

Here's some information about what you'll see at the bottom of the Diagram Mode screen:

Outline Mode:

	Diagram - This button toggles between Diagram and Outline views.
	Topic - Adds a new topic at the level your cursor is at.
	Subtopic - Adds a subtopic to the topic you have currently selected.
	Left/Right - Moves a topic to left (up one level) or to the right (down one level).
	Note - You can add information with a note.
	Hyperlink - Links to a web page, a file or another Inspiration document.
	Spell - Checks the spelling in your document.
	Transfer - Moves your Inspiration document to a word processor.

Inspiration Symbol Libraries (shows all graphics contained in Inspiration 's graphic libraries)	Visual Learning Web Links	Showtime with Inspiration 7
Inspiration Tutorials	Ideas, examples and templates from:	Slides of Templates (from University of Oregon)

Click on the apple to return to Orchard School's Home Page.