Formatting content with Markdown

Several places in the simulation editor let you write rich content — most of all the steps on the Activity steps timeline, before and after the simulation, and also longer instruction fields such as the Persona's Detailed Characteristics, the Scenario Story, and the Theory background. These fields accept Markdown: a simple way to add headings, lists, links and more using plain text. This article is a reference for what is supported.

Text formatting

Cesura supports standard (GitHub-flavored) Markdown:

• Headings — start a line with #, ## or ### for large, medium and small headings.
• Bold with **bold**, italic with *italic*.
• Bulleted list — start lines with -. Numbered list — start lines with 1., 2. and so on.
• Link — [text](https://example.com).
• Quote — start a line with >.
• Table — rows of | cell | cell | with a |---|---| separator line under the header.
• Divider — a line containing ---.

Insert images and videos from the toolbar

Content fields open in a visual editor with a formatting toolbar. You do not need to write Markdown to add media: the toolbar writes it for you. To see or edit the Markdown itself, click Edit as markdown (source), and Back to visual editor to return.

To insert an image or a video:

1. Place the cursor where the media goes.
2. Click Insert image or Insert video in the toolbar. The panel opens on the Upload tab.
3. Optional: fill in Alt text (optional) to describe the media for learners who use a screen reader.
4. Click Choose file and pick the file. It is inserted as soon as it finishes uploading.
   • Images: JPEG, PNG, GIF or WebP, up to 10 MB.
   • Videos: MP4, WebM, OGG or MOV.

To use media that is already online, open the URL tab instead, paste the address, and click Insert. For a YouTube video, always use the URL tab: paste the YouTube link and it plays inline.

Video upload needs the content to belong to a simulation or a space activity. Where it does not, Insert video shows only the URL form.

⚠ Images and videos in content do not appear in the learner’s PDF export, and links appear as plain text. If something in the PDF has to show a picture, describe it in words as well.

Embedding video, PDFs and images

Embeds use ordinary link and image Markdown — Cesura recognises the destination and renders a player or viewer inline:

• YouTube video — link to the video and it plays inline: [Watch the intro](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID). Short youtu.be links work too.
• PDF — link to any address ending in .pdf and it opens in an inline viewer with a download button: [Read the brief](https://example.com/brief.pdf).
• Image — use image syntax (note the leading !): ![Description](https://example.com/picture.png).

Note: quizzes, forms and audio are not added through Markdown. On the Activity steps timeline they are their own step types — add them from the Add menu: Quiz, Form, Media, Image or Document. See Simulation Display.

Cesura extras

Beyond standard Markdown, content fields support a few extras:

• Highlight — wrap text in double equals signs: ==important==.
• Collapsible block with a title — the reader clicks the title to reveal the content. Write the title in square brackets, then <-, the hidden content, and ->:
  [Read more about defensiveness] <-
Hidden content goes here.
->
• Inline collapsible — hide a short passage between <- and ->: This shows. <- This is hidden until clicked -> This shows again.

Tip: to show text as code, wrap it in backticks: `like this`.

A quick example

## Welcome

This simulation practises **giving difficult feedback**.

- You will be assessed on ==creating a safe climate==
- and on offering a concrete next step

Watch the short intro:
[Intro video](https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID)

[Tips if the conversation gets tense] <-
Pause, reflect their emotion, then refocus on the behaviour.
->

In this series

1. The simulation editor, explained
2. Create a simulation with AI
3. General settings
4. Simulation Display
5. Simulation Instructions
6. Feedback Instructions
7. The debrief
8. Formatting content with Markdown (you are here)
9. Best practices & troubleshooting
10. Set up a simulation as an exam
11. Enable & configure the Realtime Guide