When using an LMS or other Web 2.0 tool to embed images, tables or YouTube videos you may have noticed that sometimes you are unable to get underneath the item you just inserted.

This is where it can be handy to learn a little HTML. HTML is the code that dictates what the website looks like.

Tags

At first when you toggle to HTML view it can be intimidating if you’re not familiar with tags. An HTML tag is a set of directions that are placed in between a less than (<) and a greater than (>). When modifying the HTML make sure you do not change what is in between the <> symbols.

<P>

The HTML tag <P> means paragraph. It will create a space and then allow you to start writing a new paragraph.

<BR>

The HTML tag <BR> inserts a line break. It does not put any space between the object or previous text and the next line of text.

Switch to HTML

Switch to HTML view. Look in the toolbar for something that says “HTML” or “<>” or “source” or in the case of WordPress the “Text” tab toggles to the HTML view.

Cursor at the End

Since you are not able to get underneath an element you inserted you simply want to place a <P> or <BR> at the end of the code. Scroll all the way to the bottom of all the gobbledygook and type <P>. You will also want to write a little placeholder text such as “put stuff here.”

Toggle Back

Switch out of HTML view to your normal editing screen. You should now see your placeholder text UNDERNEATH the YouTube video or whatever else you had inserted. Replace your placeholder text with what you really want to write. You’re good to go!