MLA Format For Google Docs in 2024 – Video and Step by Step Examples

Google Docs has a sleek interface and several collaborative tools, and it's now the favorite of most people, with over 1 billion active users monthly. However, aligning the written work in MLA format and meeting the style’s strict formatting styles is where it may get a little bit tricky. 

For example, have you ever written a paper and needed to credit the source of your information? Or maybe you’ve read an essay and wondered where the author found the mentioned content. MLA format helps solve these two problems and provides a well-structured approach to credit your sources.

This guide will walk you through seamlessly setting MLA format for Google Docs and traditional essays to meet its strict guidelines.

What Is MLA Format, and Why Is It Used?

MLA Format is used to cite sources for subjects within the humanities. It is an easy way to provide readers with cues that they can easily follow and navigate. Additionally, it ensures consistency in the writing style among academic papers. Typically, MLA format is used for essays, books, research papers, and more. 

All intellectual property belongs to people who have put in all the work to come up with a written masterpiece. You should consistently and correctly cite their work when you consult and reference it.

Properly citing in MLA ensures you respect their intellectual property, and readers of your writings can verify the information you provide them. This is a transparent way of crediting your arguments and garnering audience trust. It also signifies your adherence to ethical research and writing approaches, as your writing will exhibit authority and persuasion.

In addition, citing in MLA format helps distinguish your original ideas from those of the cited text. To properly highlight this difference, including in-text citations and a work cited page is critical to attributing non-personal contributions to the other sources they are drawn from. This way, you shun plagiarism accusations and maintain transparency and integrity.

You can access MLA format from various academic sources. For example, college and other institution writing centers are your go-to resources for students, and they provide detailed strategies for MLA formatting. Additionally, bookstores and libraries come in handy for students and other researchers who want to access print sources for comprehensive MLA guidelines. 

The MLA website also has many guidelines regarding the latest formatting rules. 

Its guidelines are straightforward and authoritative and has a section offering a step-by-step demonstration of MLA formatting.

Standard MLA Format Configuration 

Standard MLA format configuration depends on a variety of factors. You should consider elements such as fonts, font size, margin sizes, headers, and more when formatting your writing in MLA. Let’s look at each element and how to format it in MLA.

Font

According to MLA guidelines, the font style should be Times New Roman. This means that when you use MLA format for Google Docs, you need to change the font to Times New Roman. This improves your writing’s readability and consistency. 

Font Size

MLA font size should be set to 12 pt. Though the font size may be specified differently and vary depending on every specific writing, 12 pt font size is typically the standard. This improves your text's readability and allows readers to follow through with your writing easily.

Margin Size

When using MLA format, set your margin sizes to 1 inch. This represents the space between the edge of the paper and the text. Be sure to double-check the margin size, as some programs default to a margin size of 1.25 – 1.50 inches. 

Headers  

A header in MLA format is typically for essays and academic papers. Headers include a variety of information such as name, professor or instructor name, course you are taking and its code, and the date. 

The header also includes your last name (surname) and page number in the far upper right-hand corner of each of your document pages. This gives consistency to your paper and is useful to the instructor in identifying the author and for grading.

Indents 

Indents signify the start of a line of text and also help to position a part of a text further from the margin and the main portion of the text, commonly known as indentation. An indent in MLA format should be the first line of each paragraph and one-half-inch from the left margin. 

You should utilize the tab key on your keyboard rather than pressing the spacebar five times to create an indent. This creates consistency in your work and makes it more legible.

Quotations 

Quotations are a great way to incorporate facts and information from another resource. In MLA format, a few rules apply. Utilize double quotation marks around the text you are quoting for short quotations. You should cite the quotation with the author’s name and a specific page number. 

Also include punctuation marks, such as periods, commas, and semicolons, which should be placed after the parenthetical citation. You should establish a block of text without quotation marks for short quotations. You can create this block by indenting your entire quote by ½ inch from the left margin. Ensure you include a reference for all your quotations on the Works Cited page.

Page Numbers 

MLA format requires you to include page numbers, accompanied by your last name, in the upper right-hand corner of each page of your assignment. They should be one-half inch from the top of the page. 

Page numbers may also depend on your instructor. For instance, some may instruct that no page number should be included on the first page. If this is the case, you start from page number 2 on the second page of your assignment and continue the order subsequently. This allows for consistency and for your readers to know what page they are on within your paper. 

Paraphrases 

Paraphrasing is when you take information or text from one source and include it in your writing, but in your own words. This means you don’t copy another source word-for-word but rewrite in a different way to avoid plagiarizing. You should cite the source with an in-text citation at the end of the paraphrased section. 

The citation is similar to a quotation in that the author’s name and page number should be included. Paraphrasing can be a great way to communicate information you did not know previously in the style of your writing piece. You must cite your source, as it was not your information to begin with, and you need to give credit to the original source.

Photos 

Though citing photos in MLA when writing an academic paper or essay may be confusing, it’s doable. Here’s how to go about it. First, place a figure label with a number and a period underneath the image. 

Second, place the same works cited information in the caption, or you can give only the author, title, and year of the work. Keep in mind that if you opt for the second option, you will need to put all information in the Works Cited. 

Titles

Ensure you use italics to distinguish the titles of longer works, such as books, magazines, and journals. Say you've mentioned The New York Times in your essay. Ensure you italicize it throughout, as it differentiates it from your other essay elements. 

Beyond the title, you can also use italics to show emphasis but ensure you don't overdo it to be consistent with the MLA guidelines. When overused, they may distract the reader or make your work appear less formal. Use them only when necessary, like to clarify a point or to avoid ambiguity.

Endnotes

If you have used endnotes as additional sources of information, ensure they don't distract the natural flow of your writing. Place them on their page at the tail-end of your essay but before your Works Cited page. Your section notes should be titled, centered, and without any formatting. Don't bold, underline, or italicize them.

List your notes consecutively using Arabic numbers, and ensure this corresponds to the numbering in your text body. Double-space your notes and use a hanging indent- 5 spaces. Ensure the subsequent lines align with the left margin. After every end note number, place a period followed by a space. Then, insert the proper note after the space.

How to Format MLA in Google Docs With a Template 

1. Create a New Document 

The first step in using MLA format for Google Docs with a template is to create a new document from a template. You can do this by opening a new document and hovering your mouse over “File.” Then, select “New” and “From Template”. Once the template gallery opens, scroll down to the “Education” section. Here, choose the “Report MLA” option. 

2. Change the Sample Text

Now that you have your document created from a template, you can fill in the text. The template will auto-populate with sample text that you can replace. Be sure to change the sample text so that you don’t pass off the text from the template. 

3. Check Your Work

Lastly, make sure you check your work! Items from a template are typically good to go once you finish them. However, it’s good practice to ensure the template contains all of the necessary MLA formatting. From font size and spacing to indents and a Works Cited page, you should ensure your document checks all boxes before you submit it. 

Example of MLA Format 

Below is an example of MLA format made from the citation generator on Google Docs. As you can see, the author is listed first, followed by the article that is being cited. Because this is an online source, the link is also listed. 

Howard, Richard. “MLA Formatting and Style Guide – Purdue OWL® – Purdue University.” 

Purdue OWL, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html. Accessed 31 October 2022.

Later in this article, you will find the steps to build a citation like this in MLA format within Google Docs. 

How to Format MLA in Google Docs Without a Template 

Learning to use MLA format for Google Docs without a template can sometimes be tricky. Though utilizing a template has its perks, some people prefer to do this manually. Below are some key steps to consider when looking to create an MLA formatted document from scratch:

1. Create a New Document

The first step you should take is to create a document in Google Docs. To do this, select “File” and “New Document”. This will then populate an empty Google Doc for you to work with. 

2. Set Margins, Line Spacing, and Font Size

Once you have your document, you can set the margins of your paper and specify line spacing. Set your margins to 1 inch on all sides, while line spacing should be doubled. The font size should be consistent throughout and set to 12 points. 

3. Add a Header and Include Indents

Once you have the bulk of your style set for the paper, ensure you add a header and include indents. Indents should be made at the beginning line of each paragraph and can be created with the tab button on your keyboard. This is recommended over clicking the space key five times. 

For the header of the first page, you should include the following:

• Your name
• Your professor’s or instructor’s name
• Course code and name
• Date 

Additionally, at the top right of each page, you should include your last name and page number.

4. Follow Citation Rules

Throughout the paper, you should follow citation rules as set by MLA. Whether you are pulling a direct quote or paraphrasing, you should include an in-text citation. You should also include a Works Cited page so that readers of your writing can properly find the source you may have referenced within your text. 

5. Produce a Works Cited Page

As stated above, one of the most important parts of MLA format is producing a Works Cited page. This should be on its page of the paper and should follow specific MLA Works Cited page rules and standards, which are available here. 

MLA Format In Google Docs

To manually create and format Google Docs in MLA format, you should follow these guidelines:

• Margins: Set your margins to 1 inch on every side – left, right, top, and bottom.
• Line spacing: Ensure you double-space your whole document- body text, headers, and titles.
• Font: The recommended MLA font is Times New Roman, 12 font size.
• Indentation: Each of your paragraphs should be indented by 0.5 inches. You can use the tab key on your computer to indent or, better still, modify within the settings.
• Punctuation spacing: Ensure you leave only one space after every period or comma.
• Header: On the extreme left of your first page, but on a separate line for each, insert your name, instructor's name, course name and number, and submission date. Ensure you double-space all the elements.
• Title: Immediately below your header, insert your title, capitalizing its major words, then center it. Don't bold, italicize, or underline your title.
• Longer works Title: Only italicize the titles of longer works like journals or books.
• Running head: Use a running head placed on the top right corner of your writing. Keep 1-inch margins from the top and the right, and include your surname and the page number. To do this in Google Docs, go to insert> header and page number> page number. After inserting the page number, type your surname before it.
• Endnotes: After writing your body content, include your endnotes on a separate page. Title it Notes and center it, but don't format it.
• Works cited: This is the final separate page, including all sources consulted. It should be double-spaced with hanging indentations.

Example of MLA Format In Google Docs

Below is an example of MLA Format, taken from a Works Cited example from Purdue Owl. From this example, the author’s name is the first piece of information displayed. Notably, the name of the cited work is included in quotation marks, followed by the title of the book from which it is extracted. All other relevant information, such as volume number and pages, are included towards the end. 

See the example below.

Bagchi, Alaknanda. “Conflicting Nationalisms: The Voice of the Subaltern in Mahasweta

Devi's Bashai Tudu.” Tulsa Studies in Women's Literature, vol. 15, no. 1, 1996, pp. 41-50.

What is a Citation? 

A citation is a reference to a specific source that is being utilized in another piece of work. Its role in MLA format is to guide the reader to where the original source of information was extracted and to validate a claim being made in the body of work.

How to Cite in Google Docs

Learning to cite in Google Docs can be quite simple if you know the right steps. It can be as simple as filling out a template! 

Let’s examine the steps you should follow to cite in Google Docs in a correct but simple way.

1. Find the “Citations” Option in Your Document 

In your document, click the “Tools” tab and “Citations.” A sidebar will pop up, prompting you to fill out various fields. 

2. Select Format 

Select which type of formatting you want to use, in this case, MLA. You also have the option to choose Chicago or APA for other work that you may be doing, but this time we are going with MLA.

3. Click “Add Citation Source”

Click the “Add Citation Source” button, and select how you assessed your source. You will then be asked to fill in an ISBN for books or place a URL for websites and online newspapers. 

4. Add Citation

Your citation will be ready once you have filled out all required fields, such as authors, titles, and date accessed. Double-check your work to ensure you have as much information in the citation as possible. Every time you want to utilize this citation in the text, all you have to do is click  “Cite,” which will populate in parentheses. Otherwise, you can copy and paste this fill citation for a Works Cited page! 

How To Create A Hanging Indent On Google Docs

Hanging indents are used when you want to indent each line of a paragraph except for the first line. These are especially useful with Works Cited pages and can be used across APA, Chicago, and MLA formats. 

Let’s look at the process of creating a hanging indent on Google Docs. 

1. Select Text

In your document, select the text you want it to contain the hanging indent. If you are doing a Works Cited page, ensure you press the enter key after each citation. This will exclude the first line of each entry from being indented. 

2. Choose “Indentation Options”

Click the  “Format” tab and drag your mouse over the “Align & Indent” button. Then, choose “Indentation Options” in the options. A box will pop up, prompting you with choices to select from. 

3. Click “Special Indent” 

Once the box pops up, click “Special Indent.” Where it says “None,” choose the button that says “Hanging.” Once you click this, all of your highlighted text will contain a hanging indent. 

Conclusion

Using MLA format for Google Docs is an extremely useful and widespread academic standard. It allows individuals to cite sources and easily share information with readers. Additionally, it creates consistency among a written piece of work and credibility for a writer. 

So, mastering how to format your writing in MLA doesn't have to sweat you out. Ensure you follow the above guidelines to showcase professionalism and credibility in your citing and formatting. So, the next time you embark on your writing journey, you will confidently format your writing in MLA with precision.