5 Easy Steps: MLA Formatting in Google Docs

MLA Formatting in Google Docs

Navigating the complexities of academic writing can be daunting, especially when juggling different citation styles. If you find yourself grappling with the nuances of the Modern Language Association (MLA) format, fret not! Google Docs, a versatile writing tool, offers a convenient solution to streamline your formatting woes. This article will guide you through the intricacies of MLA formatting on Google Docs, empowering you to craft polished and professional academic papers with ease. As we embark on this formatting journey, let’s begin by delving into the fundamentals of MLA style, ensuring that your writing meets the exacting standards of academia.

MLA formatting, widely used in humanities disciplines, adheres to a specific set of guidelines. It dictates the presentation of elements such as in-text citations, headings, and the all-important Works Cited page. Understanding these conventions is crucial for maintaining consistency and clarity in your academic writing. Fortunately, Google Docs provides intuitive tools to assist you in adhering to these guidelines effortlessly. From automatic page numbering to pre-formatted heading styles, Google Docs simplifies the formatting process, allowing you to focus on crafting compelling content rather than wrestling with technicalities.

In the realm of MLA formatting, consistency is paramount. Google Docs empowers you to establish a uniform style throughout your document with the help of templates and styles. These pre-defined options ensure that your headings, margins, and font settings conform to MLA standards. Furthermore, Google Docs facilitates seamless collaboration, enabling you to share your work with peers or instructors for feedback and editing. By embracing the collaborative features of Google Docs, you can refine your writing, ensuring that your ideas are conveyed with clarity and precision. As you navigate the intricacies of MLA formatting on Google Docs, remember that consistency and clarity are your guiding principles. With the tools and techniques outlined in this article, you can conquer the challenges of academic writing, producing polished and professional papers that will undoubtedly impress your audience.

Setting Up MLA Format in Google Docs

To set up MLA format in Google Docs, follow these steps:

Open a new Google Docs document

Start by creating a new document in Google Docs. You can do this by clicking on the “Create” button on the Google Docs homepage or by going to docs.new.
Go to the “Format” menu

Once you have a new document open, click on the “Format” menu in the top menu bar.
Select “Styles and Formatting”

From the “Format” menu, select “Styles and Formatting.” This will open the Styles and Formatting sidebar.
Click on the “Paragraph styles” tab

In the Styles and Formatting sidebar, click on the “Paragraph styles” tab. This will show you a list of all the paragraph styles that are available in Google Docs.
Find the “MLA” style

Scroll down the list of paragraph styles until you find the “MLA” style. This style is formatted according to the MLA style guidelines.
Apply the “MLA” style to your document

To apply the “MLA” style to your document, simply click on it. The style will be applied to the entire document.

Once you have applied the “MLA” style to your document, you can start writing your paper. The style will automatically format your paper according to the MLA guidelines.

Adding MLA Headers and Footers

Setting Up Page Margins and Header

1. Click the “File” menu> >”Page setup”

2. Set the margins according to MLA style: 1 inch on all sides (top, bottom, left, and right).

3. Check the “Header and page number” option under the “Header” tab.

4. Choose “Plain header.”

5. Click the “Insert” menu > >”Header & footer”> >”Edit header.”

Customizing Header and Footer

1. In the header section, select the left alignment option.

2. Type your last name and the page number in the following format:

Your Last Name	Page number
Smith	1

3. To insert the page number, click the “Insert” menu> >”Page number.”

4. Change the font to Times New Roman, size 12pt.

5. Double-click the header to exit edit mode.

Formatting In-Text Citations

In-text citations provide brief references to the sources you use in your writing. These citations are placed within the text of your paper, usually at the end of a sentence or paragraph, and they direct readers to the full citation in your works cited page. In MLA style, in-text citations include the author’s last name and the page number of the source.

For example, if you are using a source by the author Jane Doe, and the information you are citing is on page 12, your in-text citation would look like this:

(Doe 12)

If you are citing a source with multiple authors, include the last names of all the authors up to three. If there are more than three authors, use the first author’s last name followed by “et al.” (which means “and others”). For example, if you are using a source by the authors John Smith, Jane Doe, and Michael Jones, your in-text citation would look like this:

(Smith, Doe, and Jones 12)

If you are citing a source that does not have page numbers, such as a website or an interview, include the author’s name and the publication date in your in-text citation. For example, if you are citing an article by the author John Smith that was published in 2023, your in-text citation would look like this:

(Smith 2023)

If you are citing multiple sources in the same parenthetical citation, separate the citations with semicolons. For example, if you are citing sources by the authors Jane Doe and John Smith, your in-text citation would look like this:

(Doe 12; Smith 15)

Citing Quotations

When you quote directly from a source, you must include the page number in your in-text citation. The page number should be placed after the quotation marks. For example, if you are quoting from a source by the author Jane Doe, and the quotation is on page 12, your in-text citation would look like this:

“This is a quote from Jane Doe.” (12)

If you are quoting a long passage, you can include the page range in your in-text citation. For example, if you are quoting a passage from a source by the author John Smith, and the passage is on pages 12-15, your in-text citation would look like this:

“This is a quote from John Smith.” (12-15)

Creating a Works Cited Page

To create a Works Cited page in Google Docs, follow these detailed steps:

1. Open the Insert Menu

Click on the “Insert” menu at the top of the Google Docs window. Select “Footnotes” and then “Endnotes.” This will insert a new section at the end of the document.

2. Format the Header

Type “Works Cited” as the title of the new section. Use the “Format” menu to change the font and size of the title to Times New Roman, 12pt. Center the title.

3. Create an Entry

Select a citation style (e.g., MLA, APA) and refer to the corresponding style guide for the proper format of each entry. Position the cursor where you want to create an entry and click “Insert.” Select “Footnote” or “Endnote” and choose the appropriate style from the drop-down menu. Fill in the entry details.

4. Customize the Page

Page Margins: Set the margins to 1 inch on all sides.
Line Spacing: Use double spacing throughout the Works Cited page.
Hanging Indent: Indent the second and subsequent lines of each entry by 0.5 inches.
Remove Extra Footer: If you have an existing footer on the page, select the extra footer and delete it to avoid duplication.

Adjusting Margins and Page Setup

Margins

Go to “File” > “Page setup” > “Margins”.

Top: 1 inch
Bottom: 1 inch
Left: 1.25 inches
Right: 1 inch

Google Docs defaults to 1-inch margins on all sides, but MLA style requires different margins.

Header and Footer

Go to “Insert” > “Header & page number” or “Footer & page number”.

Header left: your last name
Header right: page number

Footer: blank

MLA style requires a header with your last name and the page number, but no footer.

Line Spacing

Go to “Format” > “Paragraph styles” > “Options”.

Line spacing: double

MLA style requires double spacing throughout the document.

Font

Go to “Format” > “Font”.

Font: Times New Roman, Arial, or Calibri

Font size: 12 pt

MLA style allows for a variety of fonts and font sizes, but Times New Roman 12 pt is the most common.

Indentation

Go to “Format” > “Paragraph styles” > “Indentation options”.

Left indent: 0 inches

First line indent: 0.5 inches (for the first line of each paragraph only)

MLA style requires a hanging indent, where the first line of each paragraph is not indented and all subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches.

Page Number

Go to “Insert” > “Header & page number” or “Footer & page number”.

Header right: page number

Page number format: Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.)

MLA style requires Arabic numerals for page numbers and that they appear in the header on the right side.

Using the MLA Citation Assistant

To use the MLA Citation Assistant, follow these steps:

1. Go to the “Tools” menu in Google Docs.
2. Select “Citations.”
3. Select “MLA” from the drop-down menu.
4. Click on the “Add citation” button.
5. Search for the source you want to cite.
6. Select the type of source you want to cite, such as a book, article, or website.
7. Fill in the required information for the citation.
8. Click on the “Add citation” button.

The MLA Citation Assistant will automatically format the citation according to the MLA style guidelines. You can also use the Citation Assistant to create a bibliography for your paper.

Here is a table summarizing the steps for using the MLA Citation Assistant:

Step	Action
1	Go to the “Tools” menu in Google Docs.
2	Select “Citations.”
3	Select “MLA” from the drop-down menu.
4	Click on the “Add citation” button.
5	Search for the source you want to cite.
6	Select the type of source you want to cite, such as a book, article, or website.
7	Fill in the required information for the citation.
8	Click on the “Add citation” button.

Incorporating Quotations

In MLA format, quotations of fewer than four lines are inserted into the current paragraph and enclosed in double quotation marks. For quotations that exceed four lines, use the block quote format. In this case, create a new indented paragraph and omit the quotation marks.

In both cases, include the appropriate in-text citation after the closing quotation mark or parentheses.

Format for Quotations Under 4 Lines

Quotation	In-Text Citation
“This is a short quotation that is included in the main paragraph.”	(Author’s Last Name Page Number)

Format for Quotations Over 4 Lines

Quotation	In-Text Citation
> This is a long quotation that is set off as a block quote. It should be indented by 10 spaces from the left margin and have no quotation marks. > > It can span multiple lines and include paragraphs.	(Author’s Last Name Page Number)

Incorporating Titles

In MLA format, the titles of longer works (such as books, plays, and films) are italicized, while the titles of shorter works (such as articles, short stories, and poems) are placed in quotation marks. These titles follow the same rules for capitalization as do titles in running text.

For example:

Book: The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Short story: “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe
Poem: “Ode to a Nightingale” by John Keats

Avoiding Common Formatting Errors

8. Spacing and Margins

Double-spacing is a crucial requirement for MLA formatting. Ensure that there are two spaces after every period and that every line is double-spaced, including the references page. Additionally, set 1-inch margins on all sides of the document (top, bottom, left, and right).

Here’s a detailed table summarizing the spacing and margin requirements:

Section	Spacing	Margins
Body Text	Double-spaced	1 inch on all sides
References Page	Double-spaced	1 inch on all sides
Block Quotes	Indented 0.5 inches from both margins (first line only)	N/A

Finalizing and Exporting Your Document

9. Finalize Your Header

Once you’ve added all your sources to the Works Cited page, you’ll need to finalize your header. Make sure that your name, the instructor’s name, the course name, and the date are all correct. You should also double-check that the page numbers are correct.

Header Format
Your Name	Last page number (right-aligned)
Instructor’s Name	Date (centered)
Course Name	Page number

10. Export Your Document

Once you’re finished with your document, you can export it as a PDF. This will ensure that your formatting is preserved when you share it with others. To export your document, click on the “File” menu and select “Download” > “PDF Document”.

11. Submit Your Document

Once you’ve exported your document, you can submit it to your instructor. Make sure to follow your instructor’s instructions for submission.

Troubleshooting MLA Formatting Issues

### 1. Page Numbers Are Not Appearing

Possible Cause: You may have accidentally turned off the “Page numbers” option in your document settings.

Solution: Go to “Insert” > “Page numbers” and select the desired location and style for your page numbers.

### 2. Margins Are Not Correct

Possible Cause: You may have modified the default margin settings in your document.

Solution: Go to “File” > “Page setup” and reset the margins to the following settings:

Top	Bottom	Left	Right
1 inch	1 inch	1.25 inches	1 inch

### 3. Header Information Is Missing

Possible Cause: You may not have created a header in your document.

Solution: Go to “Insert” > “Header” and select “Default header”. Enter the following information in the header:

Your last name
The page number (starting with “1” on the first page)

### 4. In-Text Citations Are Not Properly Formatted

Possible Cause: You may have incorrectly followed the MLA in-text citation guidelines.

Solution: Refer to the MLA style guide for the correct format for in-text citations.

### 5. Works Cited Page Is Not Formatted Correctly

Possible Cause: You may have missed some of the required formatting elements for the Works Cited page.

Solution: Ensure that your Works Cited page has the following elements:

Title “Works Cited” centered at the top of the page
Entries listed alphabetically by author’s last name
Hanging indents for each entry
Double spacing throughout the page

How to Do MLA Format on Google Docs

Using Google Docs to format your paper in MLA style is a simple and convenient way to ensure your document meets academic standards. Here’s a step-by-step guide to formatting your paper in MLA style using Google Docs:

Set up the page margins: Go to File > Page setup and set the margins to 1 inch on all sides.
Create a header: Go to Insert > Header & page number > Header. In the header, type your last name and the page number (e.g., Smith 1). Set the font to Times New Roman, size 12, and left-align the text.
Format the title: Type your paper’s title in the center of the page, in sentence case. Use Times New Roman, size 12, and bold the title.
Create a running header: Go to Insert > Header & page number > Header. Select “Different first page” and type your title in the header. This will ensure that your title appears on all pages except the first.
Format the body text: Type your paper’s text, using Times New Roman, size 12, and double-spacing. Indent each paragraph by 5 spaces.
Create a Works Cited page: Go to Insert > Break > Page break. Type “Works Cited” as the title of the page, centered and in Times New Roman, size 12.
Format the citations: List your sources in alphabetical order, using hanging indents. Each entry should include the author’s name, title of the work, publication information, and page numbers (if applicable). Use Times New Roman, size 12, and double-spacing.