http://docs.oracle.com/javase/tutorial/uiswing/events/keylistener.html Check this tutorial
If it's a UI based application , then " I also need to know what I need to add to my code so that my program waits about 700 milliseconds for a keyinput before moving on to another method" you can use GlassPane or Timer class to fulfill the requirement.
For key Event:
public void keyPressed(KeyEvent e) {
int key = e.getKeyCode();
if (key == KeyEvent.VK_LEFT) {
dx = -1;
}
if (key == KeyEvent.VK_RIGHT) {
dx = 1;
}
if (key == KeyEvent.VK_UP) {
dy = -1;
}
if (key == KeyEvent.VK_DOWN) {
dy = 1;
}
}
check this game example http://zetcode.com/tutorials/javagamestutorial/movingsprites/