Formatting a paper in MLA style in Google Docs takes about five minutes once you know the settings. The process covers page layout, a running header with page numbers, your name and course info, and a properly formatted Works Cited page. Here’s how to set up each piece from a blank document.
Set the Font, Margins, and Spacing
MLA requires 12-point type in a legible font, with Times New Roman being the most common choice. It also calls for 1-inch margins on all sides and double-spaced text throughout the entire document, including the heading block and Works Cited page.
Open a new Google Docs document and select all the default text area (Ctrl+A on Windows, Cmd+A on Mac). In the toolbar, change the font to Times New Roman and set the size to 12. Next, go to Format > Line & paragraph spacing and select Double. Google Docs defaults to 1-inch margins, but you can confirm by going to File > Page setup. Make sure Top, Bottom, Left, and Right are each set to 1 inch, then click OK.
Add the Header and Page Numbers
MLA papers need a running header in the top-right corner of every page showing your last name followed by the page number. In Google Docs, click Insert, then Page numbers, and choose the option that places numbers on every page starting with page one (the icon showing a 1 and 2 in the upper corners of two small pages).
A header area will appear at the top of your document with the page number already inserted. Click to the left of the number and type your last name followed by a space. Highlight both your last name and the page number, then set the font to Times New Roman at 12 point. Use the alignment buttons in the toolbar to right-align the header text. Click anywhere outside the header box to return to the body of your document.
Type the First-Page Heading
MLA does not use a separate title page. Instead, you type four lines of information, double-spaced and left-aligned, at the top of the first page:
- Line 1: Your full name
- Line 2: Your instructor’s name
- Line 3: The course name and section number
- Line 4: The date in day-month-year format (e.g., 15 July 2025)
After the fourth line, press Enter once and center your title using the toolbar alignment button. Do not bold, underline, or increase the font size of the title. After the title, press Enter once more, switch alignment back to left, and begin writing your paper.
Set Up the Paragraph Indent
Every body paragraph in MLA format starts with a half-inch indent. Rather than pressing Tab manually each time, you can set this as a default. Go to Format > Align & indent > Indentation options. Under “Special,” select “First line” and make sure the value reads 0.5 inches. Click Apply. Now every time you start a new paragraph, Google Docs will indent the first line automatically.
Use the Built-In Citations Tool
Google Docs has a citation sidebar that helps you build source entries and generate a bibliography without leaving the document. To open it, click Tools, then Citations. A sidebar will appear on the right side of the screen. At the top of the sidebar, select MLA as your formatting style.
Click “Add citation source” and choose the source type (book, journal article, website, etc.). Fill in the fields for author, title, publisher, date, and URL as applicable. Once saved, the source appears in your sidebar list. To insert an in-text citation, place your cursor where you want the parenthetical reference, hover over the source in the sidebar, and click the cite button. Google Docs will insert a properly formatted parenthetical citation at that spot.
When you’ve finished writing and have added all your sources, place your cursor at the very end of your paper. Start a new page by going to Insert > Break > Page break. At the bottom of the Citations sidebar, click “Insert bibliography.” Google Docs will generate a Works Cited list using the sources you entered, formatted in MLA style.
Format the Works Cited Page
The auto-generated bibliography gets you most of the way there, but you should check a few things. The title “Works Cited” should be centered at the top of the page in the same 12-point Times New Roman as the rest of your paper, with no bold or underline. The entries should be double-spaced with no extra space between them, and each entry needs a hanging indent, meaning the first line sits flush left while every subsequent line is indented half an inch.
If the hanging indent is missing or you’re building the page manually, highlight all of your citation entries. Click Format, then Align & indent, then Indentation options. Under “Special,” select “Hanging” and confirm the indent is set to 0.5 inches. Click Apply. Each entry will now wrap correctly. Make sure the entries are listed in alphabetical order by the first word of each citation (usually the author’s last name).
Quick Checklist Before Submitting
- Font: Times New Roman, 12 pt, everywhere (body, header, Works Cited)
- Margins: 1 inch on all four sides
- Spacing: Double-spaced throughout, no extra spacing before or after paragraphs
- Header: Last name and page number, right-aligned, on every page
- Heading: Name, instructor, course, date, left-aligned on page one
- Title: Centered, not bolded or enlarged
- Body paragraphs: First line indented 0.5 inches
- Works Cited: Starts on a new page, entries in alphabetical order with hanging indents
One last detail: check that Google Docs hasn’t added extra space after paragraphs. Go to Format > Line & paragraph spacing and make sure “Add space before paragraph” and “Add space after paragraph” are both unchecked. MLA relies on double spacing alone to separate lines, with no additional gaps between paragraphs or sections.