In writing, there are two types of breaks: section breaks and page breaks. Section breaks are used to divide a document into separate sections, while page breaks are used to separate one page from the next. Both have their own purposes and should be used in appropriate circumstances.
Inserting Page Breaks and Section Breaks in Word
What is a section break?
A section break is a way of indicating to the reader that they are moving from one section of the text to another. It is commonly used in newspapers, magazines and online articles. When a section break is used, it is usually followed by a new paragraph.
What is a page break?
A page break is a line that divides the content of a document on one page from the content of the document on the next page.
When to use a section break vs a page break
A section break is typically used to divide a blog post into multiple, manageable chunks. This is helpful for readers who want to read your post in manageable chunks, and for search engines, which prefer posts to be formatted in a way that makes sense and is easy to index.
On the other hand, a page break is used to divide a document into exactly one, large, uninterrupted piece. This is helpful for readers who want to read your document from beginning to end, and for search engines, which prefer documents to be formatted in a way that makes sense and is easy to index.
How to insert a section break vs a page break
A section break is a line that separates one paragraph from the next, while a page break is a line that separates one screen from the next.
For example, suppose you have a long paragraph and you want to break it up into several smaller paragraphs. You could insert a section break between the paragraphs, or you could use a page break.
If you want to insert a section break, use a hyphen (
- ) as the separator. For example, this paragraph is split into two sections by a section break:
- Section One
- Section Two
To insert a page break, use a colon (:) as the separator. For example, this paragraph is split into two pages by a page break:
:Section One
:Section Two
Benefits of using a section break vs a page break
When you create a blog post, you have the option to create a break in the text by using a section break. A section break occurs when you divide your text into two or more paragraphs. The benefit of using a section break is that it allows your readers to more easily navigate your post. They can click on a section heading to read the content within that section.
The downside of using a section break is that it can make your post difficult to read on a mobile device. If your posts are long, it can be difficult to scroll down to the bottom of the post to find the updated information. It can also be difficult to read your post if you have a lot of section headings.
You can also create page breaks in your text. This is different from a section break in that a page break occurs when you reach the end of a page. When you use a page break, your readers can click on the page break to switch to the next page. This can help your readers navigate your post easily.
The downside of using page breaks is that it can make your post difficult to read on a mobile device. If your posts are long, it can be difficult to scroll down to the bottom of the post to find the updated information. It can also be difficult to read your post if you have a lot of page headings.
Conclusion
There is some confusion about the difference between a section break and a page break. A section break is when a paragraph or a section of a document is separated from the rest of the text by a line. A page break is when the entire document is divided into pages.
