You might see a page 5, 6, 7, and then it goes to a new chapter which is shown as page 9. You will notice that t seems that there is a missing page number. It is also reflected in the page numbering. When you do a print preview, print, or create a PDF, Word will show the blank page. This often confuses writers who don’t realize that that blank is there as they can’t see it. Take note! Word will not display a blank left-side page in Normal view mode. Word will then place a blank left-side page (if needed) before that next chapter to make certain that happens. You would do this in Word by placing a Section Break: Odd Page before the chapter or section you want to start on the next odd numbered page, which will be a ride-side page. In a book, you often want to start the next section on the next right-side page (odd page). You can also choose to link the current sections running head with the previous section if you want them to be the same. This is useful for having the current chapter title for the running head of a section. when you use section breaks, you can have different running heads in each section. In a book, the first-page header should be left blank as this would be the chapter title page, the even page header often has the book title, and the odd page header the current chapter title or author name. You can place different running head text in each one (or not have any). Running HeadsĮach section has a first page, even page, and odd page header. It also makes it possible to use lower case roman numerals for page numbers (i, ii, iii, iv, etc.) on the front-matter, and Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, 4, etc.) on the chapter pages. This lets you have page #1 be the first page of Chapter One. Section breaks allow you to control the numbering in each section. Section breaks also control the page numbers within the section, running heads, and whether the next section begins on the next page or next right hand (odd numbered) page. These section breaks will create a page break between each of those sections.īut it is not just a page break. Section break should be placed after the title page, copyright page, dedication page, table of contents, chapter 1, chapter 2, and so on. In books, they are used between chapters and to divide the front-matter or back-matter pages.

In Microsoft Word, section breaks are meant to divide your book into sections.

Section breaks in ms word