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Sections — Critical Advanced Skill
Page ≠ section — control headers, footers, numbering, and orientation per part of the handbook.
Page ≠ section
A page is a sheet of paper in Print Layout. A section is a container of layout rules that can span one or many pages.
| Tool | Starts new page? | Changes headers/footers/margins/orientation independently? |
|---|---|---|
| Page break | Yes | No — same section continues |
| Section break (Next Page) | Yes | Yes — new section begins |
| Section break (Continuous) | No | Yes — same page, new section (rare) |
What a section controls: margins, page size, orientation (portrait/landscape), headers and footers (including Link to Previous), page numbering format and restart, columns, and some footnote numbering.
What it does not control: paragraph styles (those are document-wide unless tied to section-specific headers).
How Northgate splits the handbook
Professional structure for NorthgateHandbook.docx:
| Section | Content | Typical layout rules |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cover | No header; no page number on first page |
| 2 | Front matter (welcome, TOC) | Roman numerals i, ii, iii; school header |
| 3 | Body chapters | Arabic 1, 2, 3…; chapter headers |
| 4 | Landscape appendix | Landscape orientation; timetable table |
| 5 | Back matter (forms) | Portrait again; footer only |
Each transition needs a Layout → Breaks → Next Page section break — not twelve blank Enter presses.
Link to Previous — the hidden coupling
When James edits a header, Word shows Same as Previous or Link to Previous (Header & Footer tab). While linked, section 3's header is the same object as section 2's — editing one edits both.
Symptom: "I changed the appendix header and the cover changed."
Investigation: Double-click header → look at Link to Previous. If highlighted, sections are coupled.
Fix: Turn Link to Previous OFF in the section that should differ → type the distinct header → verify earlier sections unchanged.
Prevention: Plan section boundaries before typing headers. Draw a one-line map on paper: Cover | TOC | Body | Appendix.
Which break when
| Break | Use when |
|---|---|
| Next Page | New chapter part needs new headers/numbering/orientation (most common) |
| Continuous | Same page, different columns (newsletter layout inside one sheet) |
| Even Page / Odd Page | Print book imposition — advanced print shop work |
For Northgate: Next Page solves 95% of handbook problems. Continuous is for special layouts, not "I want a new chapter on a new page" — that is a page break or Next Page section break depending on whether headers must change.
Diagnose: header changed everywhere
Symptom: Editing the landscape appendix header renamed every page header to Timetable.
Investigation steps: 1. Show/Hide ¶ — locate Section Break (Next Page) lines. 2. Double-click appendix header — is Link to Previous on? 3. Count sections: Header & Footer → Footer drop-down shows Section 1, Section 2…
Root cause: Appendix was not a separate section; header edit propagated via link chain.
Fix: Insert missing section break before appendix → open appendix header → Link to Previous OFF → set correct text → verify cover header untouched.
Split the handbook into cover and body sections
Goal
Insert a Next Page section break after the cover so body headers can differ.
James Okonkwo adds this to NorthgateHandbook.docx as part of one polished student handbook, policy pack, and open-day collateral before families arrive.
Find cover end
Where
Do this
You should see
- Cursor at boundary between cover and inner pages.
Verification
Check your work
You are correct if all of these are true:
- Section break visible between cover and page 2.
- Cover header ≠ body header text.
- Link to Previous is OFF for body section header.
Scenario — landscape timetable without breaking headers
Requirement: Open-day timetable is landscape; rest of handbook stays portrait.
Wrong: Layout → Orientation → Landscape with cursor in the middle of chapter 3 without a section break — Word may rotate unintended pages.
Professional: Section break before timetable → cursor in new section → Landscape → section break after timetable → Portrait again → fix headers in each section independently.
Before you continue: where must the section breaks go — before the table, after the table, or both? Both — one landscape section containing only the timetable.
Goal
Create a landscape section for the open-day timetable only.
James Okonkwo adds this to NorthgateHandbook.docx as part of one polished student handbook, policy pack, and open-day collateral before families arrive.
Break before table
Where
Do this
You should see
- New section starts before table.
Verification
Check your work
You are correct if all of these are true:
- Only the timetable section is landscape in Print Preview.
- Cover and behaviour chapters remain portrait.
- Headers in landscape section did not overwrite cover via Link to Previous.
Practice
More lessons in Microsoft Word · Next: Headers & Footers · Previous: Page Setup & Document Layout