When copying content from Microsoft Word to Blackboard (e.g., forums), formatting errors occur.

Microsoft Word documents contain invisible code that determines how the document is formatted. When you highlight a section of a Word document, you capture that invisible code as well. The problem occurs when you capture some but not all of that invisible code, then paste the partial code into Blackboard. When you submit a page with partial code, the resulting Blackboard page may display information incorrectly—either visibly (with page elements nesting improperly) or invisibly (with form fields like test question selectors not functioning properly).

Method 1

Instead of using Microsoft Word, try using a basic text editing program such as Notepad (Windows) or TextEdit (macOS).

Method 2

Make sure you capture all of the invisible code.

1) Open your Word file. Then, press command+A (macOS) or Ctrl+A (Windows) on your keyboard to select all of the text.

2) Press command+C (macOS) or Ctrl+C (Windows) to copy the document. This makes sure that all of the invisible formatting code is copied.

3) Navigate to Blackboard. Then, click into the area into which you wish to paste. Press command+V (macOS) or Ctrl+V (Windows) to paste.

This method will ensure that you have all of the invisible background code, versus partial code which has the potential to make your formatting not appear as intended.

Method 3

1) Highlight the text you want to copy in your Word file. Then, copy it.

2) Navigate to Blackboard, to the place you wish to paste your text.

3) Place your cursor into the box and paste using command+V (macOS) or Ctrl+V (Windows).

4) Once your document is in the text editor space, highlight everything by pressing command+A (macOS) or Ctrl+A (Windows) to select all. Then, use the "Remove Formatting" option in the WYSIWYG (What You See is What You Get) editor tools. You can find it on the right side of the top row of icons.

NOTE: Method 3 keeps the original formatting but cleans up all of the background code.