Purpose of Assignment 

The purpose of this assignment is to understand what basic hardware and software components make up a computer. Students will research hardware components, operating system software, and application software to determine how they work together to process information. Students will use a word processing tool to demonstrate how to correctly format a paper in APA style using skills learned in readings and MindTap simulations. 

Assignment Steps 

Resources: 

• Internet search engine such as Google, Yahoo, or Bing
• Microsoft Office 365, Office 2016: Introductory: Module 1: Creating, Formatting, and Editing a Word Document with a Picture
• Microsoft Office 365, Office 2016: Introductory: Module 2: Creating a Research Paper with References and Sources

Research computer hardware and software and how they work together to process user requests.

Develop a 1,050-word summary describing the role of hardware components and operating system software on a computer:

• Discuss what hardware components should be considered when deciding what applications to install.
• Sum up the key utilities in operating system software allowing users to customize their desktop and keep their PC maintained and optimized.