Controls For MS Word Page Breaks
Along with the ability to manually insert page breaks, MS Word gives you a few ways to control the soft (or automatic) page breaks inserted by the program.
Page break controls can be reached via the Format menu, Paragraph choice.
You’re looking to navigate to the Line and Page Break tab.
Your choices are found in the Pagination section at the top.
At this point, I’m sure you can see your four choices, but what does it all mean?
Oh no, not more computer jargon flying around the room!
Never fear! This jargon can be easily translated, and you too will be a master of the page break controls.
The first choice is the “Widow/Orphan control.” When checked, this will prevent Word from leaving the first line of a paragraph (an orphan) at the bottom of a page or the last line of a paragraph (a widow) at the top of a new page.
Basically, Word will automatically move the first line of a paragraph to the next page (avoiding the orphan). If the last line of a paragraph is pushed to a new page, Word then will also move the line above it. This avoids the widow situation.
The second choice is “keep lines together.” This one, when selected, will prevent Word from inserting a page break anywhere within a selected paragraph.
On the right side, you’ll find the “keep with next” option. This choice will keep Word from separating the selected paragraph and the one immediately following it.
Finally, you have the “page break before” choice. Just as the name of the choice indicates, it tells Word to insert a page break before the selected paragraph.
Once you select the appropriate controls for your current situation, click OK.
And there you have it. Control for page breaks put where it belongs, in your hands.
Is it time for a break yet?
~ April