Packback Deep Dives includes several helpful formatting tools to make it easier for you to meet academic writing standards like MLA, APA, and Chicago. This guide walks you through the main formatting features so you can feel confident your essay looks exactly the way you need it to.
Fonts and Font Sizes
Many writing styles require specific fonts and font sizes. To help you follow those rules, Deep Dives gives you more control over your formatting.
Where to Find Font Options
Go to:
Editor Toolbar → Page Elements → Font and Page Settings
What You Can Do
- Choose from recommended academic fonts
- Adjust your font size to meet style requirements
As soon as you make changes, you’ll see them update in:
- The writing editor
- The Document Preview
- The downloadable .docx file
This helps ensure that your final essay matches the formatting you’ve chosen.
Tab Key Functionality
The Tab key usually moves between links or buttons on a website—but when you’re writing a paper, you may expect it to indent your paragraph instead.
To support both needs, Packback lets you choose how the Tab key works while you write.
How to Change the Tab Key Setting
You can update this preference in two places:
- Page Elements → Font and Page Settings
- My Account → Manage Account → Writing Settings
What Happens the First Time You Use the Editor
- If you click into the editor using your mouse, the Tab key will indent by default.
- If you navigate with your keyboard, Tab will stay as a navigation tool for accessibility.
You’ll see a one-time message letting you know which setting you’re using—and you can change it anytime.
Using Block Quotes
Sometimes your paper will include long quotations that require special block quote formatting. Deep Dives includes a built-in tool to make this quick and easy.
How to Add a Block Quote
- Make sure the quote is in its own paragraph.
- Select that paragraph.
- Click the Block Quote tool in the toolbar.
What the Block Quote Tool Does
- Automatically indents the paragraph ½ inch, which matches MLA, APA, and Chicago guidelines.
You may still need to make additional style-specific edits (like line spacing or citation formatting), but the indentation will already be correct.
Removing Block Quote Formatting
Just click the formatted paragraph again and press the Block Quote button once more.
Line Spacing Options
Deep Dives helps you stay consistent with academic style guidelines by using double spacing by default—both within paragraphs and between them.
How to Change Line Spacing
You can:
- Highlight the whole essay, or
- Highlight a single paragraph
Then click the Line Spacing icon in the toolbar to choose:
- Single spacing
- 1.5 spacing
-
Double spacing
Important Note
- Even if you choose single or 1.5 spacing for a paragraph, the space between paragraphs will always stay double. This helps keep your paper in line with MLA, APA, and Chicago rules.
- Your spacing choices will also appear in the Document Preview and in the .docx download.
Still Have Questions?
If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to our Support Team by filling out our Request Form.