How to Use a Page Break with 6 Examples
Knowing how to use a page break is elementary when users tend to spend 5.59 seconds per page on a website’s written content. Page breaks are how writers tell their writing software that this is where one page starts and the previous one ends. It mainly comes into play with word documents, PDFs, pamphlets, and printing. Here are 6 ways on how to use a page break:
- Ease of reading.
- End of a Section.
- Images/Graphics.
- Keeping things Balanced.
- Drama.
- Question/Answer.
How to Add Page Breaks
Page Breaks in Writing
To add a page break in an Office Word document, simply right click on the place where you want a page break. A menu will appear with the option ‘Insert page break’. Simply click that option to add a page break. Or, hit the Control and Enter keys simultaneously while having the blinking bar (called the insertion point) at the end of the desired page to create a page break in Word.
In Google Docs, on the ‘Insert’ tab is the ‘break’ option with a menu with page break and section break options. Click on the desired option while the insertion point is at the point where the page break should be.
Page Breaks in Excel
In Microsoft Office Excel, on the main menu on the top of the page, the tab ‘Page layout’ has the option ‘Breaks’ to add a break. Alternatively, after right-clicking a row or column below or to the right of the desired page break will bring up a menu with the option ‘Insert page break’. Simply click that option to add a page break. To delete a page break, go back to the tab ‘Page layout’ and select the option ‘Breaks’; click the option ‘remove page break’.
How to Use a Page Break
Ease of reading
To start on how to use a page break, the best way is for easing the reader’s reading of the document. Use a page break to break up large paragraphs or use one to keep large paragraphs away from each other, making the document more friendly reading. Page breaks also make sure that pages don’t get too long, keeping them in digestible chunks. Speaking of chunks…
End of a Section
Whether it be the end of a chapter of a book, a change of subject, or just the ending of a main topic, putting a page break at the end helps give the reader a sense of ‘we’re done with that’ or ‘we covered that part’. While this is elementary how to use a page break since it has been done since pages were first invented, it is still one of the most important since it gives readers a chance to mentally catch their breath, digest the information, and stop if they are reading in multiple installments with necessity to stop often.
Images/Graphics
While some images and graphics can fit next to the written text, some are just too big and detailed to do so. Use a page break to get them at the top of the next page so readers can find them easily while they are reading about them. You should be using images to reinforce facts, topics, and other information. These images include cartoons, graphics, graphs, photographs (yes, stock images too), and infographics.
Since most people are visual learners, use beautiful yet relevant images to reinforce ideas of the text. It is best to use/make your own to avoid copyright and make your site unique. Whatever images you use should be large and clear without being garish or overwhelming. If possible images, particularly cartoons and graphics should be flatter rather than 3D; this makes the image smoother and more a part of the overall design (this also makes the document load faster).
Keeping things Balanced
There is a limit on the ways a document can be designed to look nice. While using images is one way, keeping the written text balanced and smooth is another. Use page breaks to better balance paragraphs, lists, images, headings, and footnotes. You can do this by keeping the amount of content about equal between pages, have one page word heavy with the next word light, or even make a shape with the content (e.g. align the content between two pages so that when they are placed one on top of the other, they make a simple shape relevant to the subject matter)!
Drama
If you are writing about an exciting topic or story or just writing in an exciting way, use a page break to create momentary tension. Start a story or explanation on one page, continue it with rising tension, and right before the climax or resolution of the story place a page break. This causes the reader to turn the page and keep reading (which in itself is a minor celebration) in order to find the ending/resolution. This helps keep reader attention and engagement, an important and invaluable deed when describing events, procedures, or other subjects.
Question/Answer
When you are explaining a topic to readers, questions are a good way to help readers both learn the material and check if they understand the information – by applying it. Use page breaks to separate the question and its answer so the reader is not spoiled by it – best if the reader has to turn the page to find the answer.
This last method for how to use a page break should be done sparingly and carefully though; don’t use it for every question (that’s annoying and wasteful for space, unless you fill in the rest of the space with long explanations and helpful images) and the first time you do this use an example question so reader learn and adapt to this method before they need to apply their knowledge to a ‘real’ question.
Summary
Page breaks are how writers tell their writing software that this is where one page starts and the previous one ends. It mainly comes into play with word documents, PDFs, pamphlets, and printing. We went over 6 ways on how to use a page break:
- Ease of reading.
- End of a Section.
- Images/Graphics.
- Keeping things Balanced.
- Drama.
- Question/Answer.
