Formatting issues with cut and paste

[LauraBowell]

Good morning,

I am trying to cut and paste a Word document for my first discussion post and Canvas is repaginating it and not preserving the paragraph and citation indentations. I don't know how to fix it and I've spent almost two hours now going through all the tools on the tool bar, etc. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Laura

[TrishaMeyer1]

Hi @LauraBowell ,

The Canvas RCE is not really designed to imitate the functionality of a true word processing program. For example, Canvas recommends not using the Text Entry submission type for an essay that requires specific formatting, such as MLA or APA. It is better to link to such a document because the RCE doesn't have the sophisticated formatting options.

If you need to preserve the formatting of a Word document, it is better to provide a link to that document rather than try to reproduce it in Canvas.

[LauraBowell]

Trish, this is so helpful - thank you!

[SusanNiemeyer]

As @TrishaMeyer1, pointed out, you could simply provide a link to the Word document.

Alternatively, you could take the approach of creating new content in Canvas using the RCE. Before the pandemic, I created all of my materials on Microsoft Word. Now, I create everything directly on Canvas. I never bother with Microsoft Word for course materials. Copying and pasting is a real headache.

Good luck!

[LauraBowell]

Great idea - thank you Susan!

[GayleGrant]

What is RCE?

[TrishaMeyer1]

Hi @GayleGrant,

RCE=Rich Content Editor. It's the editing interface in Canvas. 

[Chris_Hofer]

Hi @GayleGrant ...

Yup...the RCE is the Rich Content Editor.  Here's a short video on what it is:

Rich Content Editor (All Users) - Instructure Community (canvaslms.com)