Obtain multiple sheets of paper and lay one on the table in front of you.
Take and examine the compass to get a feel for how it works. Move and adjust both arms of the compass, the side holding the lead or the pencil and the side from which the needle sprouts. Look up at the hinge and note any markings there. Some compasses show a measurement scale similar to that found on a ruler, though the markings are much smaller.
Set the hinge's point to the 1-inch mark.
Grab the handle of the compass above the hinge using the thumb and index finger of your dominant hand.
Position the shoulder needle on the center of the page.
Allow the pencil lead to run along the page, using a sweeping motion as you twirl the compass's handle, making sure its needle remains at one fixed point. As you spin the compass around this point, the device draws a complete circle. The above measurement of 1 inch equals the radius of the drawn circle. A circle with a 1-inch radius will have a 2-inch diameter.