4-2-2 Controlling Text Flow Between Columns
Key Concepts
- Column Breaks
- Balancing Columns
- Text Wrapping
Column Breaks
Column breaks are used to control where text moves from one column to the next. By inserting a column break, you can ensure that specific content starts in a new column, maintaining the layout and readability of your document. Column breaks are particularly useful when you want to keep related content together or when formatting requirements dictate a new column.
Imagine column breaks as dividers in a magazine. Just as dividers separate articles, column breaks separate text into distinct sections, ensuring a clean and organized layout.
Balancing Columns
Balancing columns ensures that each column in a multi-column layout contains an equal amount of text. This is important for maintaining a professional appearance and preventing one column from appearing significantly longer than the others. Most word processors offer options to automatically balance columns, ensuring even distribution of text.
Think of balancing columns as distributing items evenly in a shopping cart. Just as you want each side of the cart to carry an equal load, balancing columns ensures that each column carries an equal amount of text, creating a balanced and visually appealing layout.
Text Wrapping
Text wrapping controls how text flows around objects, such as images or tables, within a column. Proper text wrapping ensures that the text does not overlap with the object, maintaining readability and visual clarity. Text wrapping options include wrapping text around the object, placing the object above or below the text, or even behind the text.
Consider text wrapping as arranging furniture in a room. Just as you arrange furniture to ensure smooth movement and clear pathways, text wrapping arranges text around objects to ensure a clear and readable layout.
Examples
In a multi-column report, inserting a column break before a new section ensures that the section starts in a new column, maintaining the document's structure. Balancing columns at the end of the report ensures that each column ends at the same point, creating a professional appearance. When inserting an image into the text, using text wrapping options ensures that the text flows smoothly around the image, maintaining readability.