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MLA Format using Google Docs

This tutorial will show you how to do MLA Format using Google Docs. It is very easy and we are going to accomplish the following settings:

I. How to Set the Font and Size:

  1. When you create a new document, the default font is Arial and size 11.
    googledocs-fontandsize
  2. Click on the font and change it to Times New Roman.
  3. Click on font size 11 and change it to font size 12.
    googledocs-fontandsize2

II. How to Set the Margins in Google Docs:

Google uses the default margin of 1 inch for all top, right, bottom & left so there is no need to change.

If you would like to verify the margins, here are the steps: click on File => Page Setup

googledocs-pagesetup-margins

III. How To Create a Header in Google Docs:

  1. Click on Insert => click on Header & page number => click on Header.
    googledocs-header
  2. Notice the font on the Header is NOT Times New Roman => change the font to Times New Roman and font size 12.
  3. Notice the cursor is blinking on the left, click on the Right Align icon to align the cursor to the right.
    googledocs-header2
  4. Press the Enter key on your keyboard twice.
  5. Type your Last Name => press the Spacebar key on the keyboard once.
  6. Click on Insert => Header & page number => Page number => then click on the first box.
    googledocs-header3
  7. Now click on anywhere below the Header line to close the Header.

IV. How to Setup Line Spacing to Double Spaced:

  1. Click on the Line Spacing button => Choose Double.
    googledocs-line-spacing-doublespaced

V. How to Enter the First Page Information:

  1. Type your full name => press Enter.
  2. Type your professor’s name => press Enter.
  3. Type course title => press Enter.
  4. Type your paper’s due date => press Enter.
  5. Click on the Align Center icon on the formatting toolbar (to center your blinking cursor) => Type the title of your paper, capitalizing the first letter and all major words and proper nouns. Do not use italics, boldfaced type, underlining, or all caps to format your title. Do not type a period at the end of the title => press Enter.
  6. Click on the Align Left icon (to bring your blinking cursor to the left).
  7. Click on the Tab key to indent 1/2 inch to begin your first paragraph. Use the Tab key on every next new paragraphs. Your completed setting should look like this:googledocs-firstpage-mla

VI. How to Setup the Works Cited Page:

Follow this how-to when you are ready to work on your Works Cited page. The Works Cited page has the following characteristics:

  • A heading “Works Cited” centered one inch below the top edge of a new page. Do not bold or underline this heading.
  • No indent on the first line of each entry. If an entry runs more than one line, indent the subsequent line or lines 1/2 inch from the left margin.
  • Alphabetize entries in your list of works cited by the author’s last name, using the letter-by-letter system.

How to:

  1. Immediately after typing the final line of your paper, click on Insert => Page Break (to begin a new page). Your header with your last name and automatic page numbering should appear at the top right of your paper.
  2. Click on the align center icon so that the text is centered.
  3. Type Works Cited (do not underline, boldface, italicize, or enclose the title in quotation marks).
  4. Press the Enter key once to begin a new line.
  5. Click on the align left icon so that the text is aligned left.
  6. Now type your sources. Don’t worry about indentation on the subsequent line/lines yet.
  7. Once you are done typing your sources => highlight all your sources => click on the Left Indent icon and drag it to the 1/2 inch mark.
    googledocs-workscited-hangingindent
    googledocs-hangingindent2
  8. Now click on the First Line Indent icon and drag it to 0 inch mark. You are done setting the Hanging Indent for Google Docs.
    googledocs-hangingindent3

You are done with the settings. I hope you found this tutorial helpful. Take care!

{ 42 comments… add one }
  • logan fisher August 25, 2023, 8:08 am

    very helpful

  • Shari Aluc May 23, 2023, 12:16 pm

    Very helpful. Thank you

  • LaWanda Richendollar August 16, 2021, 2:27 pm

    Useful

  • Howdy May 27, 2021, 12:10 pm

    thanks

  • Coach jeff April 22, 2021, 1:17 pm

    This is good

  • hailey reed April 12, 2021, 6:51 pm

    I agree with everyone else. THIS is so helpful to me. TYSM I really needed help with my project, but now im sure that i dont need anymore help.

  • Unknown November 4, 2020, 9:41 am

    Thanks so much this has helped me out so much.

  • anonymous October 27, 2020, 11:49 pm

    bro this shit is so helpful thanks

  • anonymous October 26, 2020, 2:07 pm

    TYSM this helps me so much

  • My_design_was_a_mistake( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) October 23, 2020, 1:39 pm

    Ty for this it helped meh so much 😀

  • sheng October 20, 2020, 2:01 pm

    thank you very much

  • Alona September 1, 2020, 1:09 pm

    This was very helpful very sure I will pass

  • Casidy Manning September 1, 2020, 9:46 am

    This tutorial is very helpful and hoping i don’t fail this assignment.

  • KJ KEVIN DEAN August 25, 2020, 12:05 pm

    it helped me a little bit with understanding the topic

  • ALara November 8, 2019, 3:21 pm

    This is very Helpful and great 🙂

  • Armando October 21, 2019, 10:26 am

    super helpful

  • J. Ferro is my teacher October 10, 2019, 6:53 pm

    This is good. THANK YOU

  • JAcob H October 6, 2019, 7:51 pm

    SDuper helpful, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

  • John October 6, 2019, 6:40 pm

    Very helpful.

  • Chris A. Cruz October 4, 2019, 10:29 am

    Thanks, this guide got me a perfect score.

  • rebecca September 23, 2019, 11:50 pm

    This was super helpful, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!

  • yes good September 17, 2019, 8:51 am

    Yes good very good mhm yes yes good.

  • Alecea September 16, 2019, 9:07 am

    THANK YOU SO MUCHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • John September 9, 2019, 6:07 pm

    thank you

  • ever had September 5, 2019, 6:26 pm

    thx 4 the help

  • Frankie September 4, 2019, 10:45 pm

    This is very easy to follow but i was trying to use these steps while using docs on my phone and some things do not line up and it was pretty difficult. If there’s anyway to make steps for mobile that would be so much easier.

  • Gage September 4, 2019, 3:36 pm

    Thank you for the help.

  • Andres Rojo September 4, 2019, 9:38 am

    Worked for me

  • Mary August 29, 2019, 12:58 pm

    This is very easy to follow. I set it up as a link for my students.

  • Frank March 28, 2019, 1:13 pm

    Thank you

  • el negro March 28, 2019, 7:01 am

    Man this was the most helpful thing i could ever find man. This helped me in so many ways bro like you dont even know my man. This thing should be on the first page of yahoo new dude. THANK YOU SO MUCH ESE.

  • AND Peggy February 5, 2019, 11:26 am

    MLA was very confusing to me until I found this! Thank you so so much!

  • Angie January 31, 2019, 1:13 pm

    Thanks so much for this! This is so helpful!

  • k January 13, 2019, 2:32 pm

    amazing

  • Mariah August 9, 2018, 12:01 pm

    Thank you

  • Jonathan Garcia July 5, 2018, 2:13 pm

    Thank you very much for taking the time to do this tutorial which is really helpful in order to complete MLA format papers and essays.

  • Alan May 2, 2018, 3:15 pm

    great

  • Matt January 31, 2018, 10:50 am

    Very helpful

  • Kaitlyn November 7, 2017, 9:11 am

    Hoping that i will be able to finish this report on time.

  • tyler casson October 29, 2017, 6:36 pm

    helpful

  • king vargas October 18, 2017, 12:31 pm

    this really helped me figure this out considering my paper is due tomorrow at the end of first period i really appreciate this its really an outstanding explanation.

  • SNicole October 3, 2017, 2:01 am

    Very kewl, I was totally lost with MLA.
    Thanks,
    SNicole

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