1 - Introduction ~5 mins
Welcome
Your proposal is growing. When a name changes, a phrase needs tightening, or a teacher sets a word limit, you do not want to re-read every paragraph hunting for the same word. Today you will use Find, Replace, and Word Count so your {{code:03_proposal_draft}} stays consistent and assignment-ready.
Open {{code:03_proposal_draft}} from {{code:03_documents}} in your Project Portfolio. If you do not have it yet, tell your teacher straight away — you will use a short scratch draft today so you can still practise, and your teacher can give you a starter template named {{code:03_proposal_draft}} so you still finish with a cleaned proposal file. Wait for your teacher to confirm your proposal file is open before the warm-up question.
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
- Use Find to locate words in a longer document
- Use Replace to change wording consistently throughout
- Check word count and explain why it matters for assignments
- Replace a placeholder with the real project name and record the word count
Warm-up
Think of a time you renamed something halfway through writing (a project title, a club name, a placement). How sure are you that every mention got updated?
2 - Key Concepts ~6 mins
Once a proposal runs to more than a page, hunting names by eye is slow and easy to get wrong. These three tools do that job properly, and they show up in almost every LCA write-up you will do.
| Concept | Why it matters | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Find — a search box that jumps to every match of a word or phrase in the document | You can check whether a name, date, or claim appears, and how often, without scrolling the whole page | Find "placement" in your Work Experience proposal to confirm you used the same word each time |
| Replace — finds a word or phrase and swaps it for another, one match at a time or all at once | Renaming a project once is easy; renaming it in twelve places by hand is how typos and mixed names appear | Replace "[project]" with "Saturday market stall" so every mention matches the real enterprise name |
| Word count — the total number of words in the document (or in a selection) | Assignments, Key Assignment reports, and emails often have limits; knowing the count early stops last-minute cuts | A short proposal sitting at about 350–500 words is usually enough detail without padding |
| Placeholder — temporary text such as {{code:[project]}} that marks where the real name will go | Placeholders let you draft structure first, then lock the final name in one clean pass with Replace | Draft with {{code:[project]}} in three places, then Replace All with the final enterprise name before submission |
Worked sample (what "done" looks like)
A practice paragraph might start like this:
This proposal sets out the plan for [project]. The goal of [project] is to give local customers a simple booking option. [project] will run for six weeks in the local area.
After Replace All with the real name BookMyCut barber booking, every match updates, and Word Count shows the new total. That is the same habit you will apply to {{code:03_proposal_draft}}.
3 - Step-by-step Task ~15 mins
Practise Find, Replace, and Word Count on a short sample document first. Your teacher should already have placed {{code:03_find_replace_practice}} in {{code:03_documents}} with the sample paragraph ready. You will replace {{code:[project]}} with a real name, confirm zero old matches remain, then check the word count. Later you will do the same clean-up on your own proposal.
4 - Common Issues ~4 mins
Common Issues
| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Find says there are 0 matches for {{code:[project]}} | Check spelling and brackets carefully. Search for {{code:project}} without brackets if you typed the word plain. Make sure you are in the right document and that the text was pasted fully. |
| Replace All changed words I did not mean to change | Undo with {{kbd:Ctrl+Z}} (Windows/Chromebook) or {{kbd:Cmd+Z}} (Mac). Search for a longer, unique phrase next time (full placeholder or full old name), not a short common word. |
| I finished Replace but am not sure it is clean | Class checkpoint: before you close practice, Find {{code:[project]}} again — you want 0 matches. If any remain, Replace those, then Find once more. |
| I cannot find Word Count on the ribbon | In Word Online, check the status bar at the bottom first, or open {{menu:Review -> Word Count}}. In Google Docs, use {{menu:Tools -> Word count}}. |
| My keyboard shortcut for Replace does nothing | Use the menu path instead: Word Online {{menu:Home -> Editing -> Replace}}; Google Docs {{menu:Edit -> Find and replace}}. On Mac, do not use {{kbd:Cmd+H}} in the browser — it hides the window. Browser extensions sometimes block shortcuts. |
5 - Independent Practice ~20 mins
Independent Practice
- Open your Project Portfolio, go into {{code:03_documents}}, and open {{code:03_proposal_draft}}. Your file must be called {{code:03_proposal_draft}} in {{code:03_documents}} — if your teacher just gave you a starter, rename it to {{code:03_proposal_draft}} before you begin.
- Use Find on {{code:[project]}} first; if that returns 0, try any temporary title or nickname you used while drafting.
- Replace each old form with your final project name exactly as you want it on the cover (spelling and capitals locked).
- Find the old placeholder or old name again and confirm there are 0 matches.
- Check Word Count.
- Type Word count after replace: and the number at the end of the document.
No placeholders? Find a repeated temporary phrase and Replace it with your real project name so you still practise the full clean-up. Example: Find my idea and Replace with your enterprise name (use the full phrase, not a short common word like "idea" alone).
- Find: {{kbd:Ctrl+F}} / {{kbd:Cmd+F}}
- Replace: {{kbd:Ctrl+H}} (Windows/Chromebook); Mac Word Online: {{menu:Home -> Editing -> Replace}} (do not use {{kbd:Cmd+H}} — it hides the browser); Google Docs: {{menu:Edit -> Find and replace}} ({{kbd:Cmd+Shift+H}} on Mac if the browser allows it)
- Word count: status bar or {{menu:Review -> Word Count}} (Word Online) / {{menu:Tools -> Word count}} (Google Docs)
- {{code:03_proposal_draft}} uses one clear project name throughout, with no leftover placeholders like {{code:[project]}}
- A quick Find on the old placeholder or old name returns no matches
- A word-count line at the end of the document shows the current total
- The file is still living in {{code:03_documents}} inside your Project Portfolio
This cleaned proposal file is portfolio evidence — leave it in {{code:03_documents}} with the word-count line at the end.
Tip: save stays automatic in the cloud once the file is already in the right folder.
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