Thanks for your response, J.A. Here are some examples of the problems I'm having.
When I was typing a post in the Birds in Backyards forum to which I belong I hit the wrong button & an unwanted partial screen of symbols came up. When I returned to the keyboard I couldn't return the cursor to the end of the sentence where I was typing no matter how many times I tried. But I was able to place the cursor part way through the sentence I was typing in order to correct a spelling mistake.
In Word I attempted four times to place the cursor in front of a letter but as soon as I lifted my finger the cursor moved to the line below. On the fifth attempt I was able to place the cursor within two letters of the letter to be changed. On the sixth attempt I was able to place the cursor where I wanted it. In a different place in the document this function worked OK.
In another location in the same document I had the same problem of repeatedly not being able to place the cursor where I wanted it & with the cursor moving to the line below. After about five attempts I successfully placed the cursor.
Again in Word I made several attempts to change "Australia" to "Australian". I eventually ended up with "tralian". What this means for the Australian Constitution I'm not sure.
Also in Word, when I tried to reposition the cursor in order to change a letter a selection was made. Attempts to get rid of the selection only resulted in a larger selection being made. Eventually, a selection was made of the word together with a suggested new spelling. I knew I was on the right track at last!
I'm wondering if, after a number of years playing cricket & Australian football my fingers are no longer sensitive or delicate enough to hit the right note, so to speak. And is there a hidden setting in the iPad Mini 4 which can be changed to accommodated thick fingered people like me?