How to Use Google Docs for School Papers (Formatting Tips)

TL;DR

Google Docs is the go-to for school papers. For basic formatting: 12pt Times New Roman, double-spaced, 1-inch margins. For MLA: header with your info (left-aligned), title centered, works cited on last page. For APA: running head, title page, references. Use headers for long papers, page numbers, and the Explore tool for quick research. Master these basics and you'll never stress about formatting again.

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Why Google Docs Rules for School

Let's be honest — unless your school specifically requires Microsoft Word, you're probably writing your papers in Google Docs. And for good reason:

• It's free (no subscription needed)
• It auto-saves (goodbye, losing your essay to a computer crash)
• It works everywhere (laptop, tablet, phone, library computer, your friend's computer)
• Sharing and collaboration is built in (perfect for group projects)
• Version history means you can undo ANYTHING

But most students only use about 10% of what Google Docs can do. You're missing features that would save you time and make your papers look professional.

Let's fix that.

Basic Formatting: The Foundation

Before we get fancy, let's nail the basics that 90% of teachers expect:

Font and Size

1. Select all text (Ctrl+A / Cmd+A)
2. Set font to Times New Roman (the standard for academic papers)
3. Set size to 12pt

Where to find it: The font dropdown and size box are in the toolbar.

Alternative fonts some teachers accept: Arial, Calibri, Georgia. Check your assignment requirements.

Double-Spacing

1. Select all text (Ctrl+A / Cmd+A)
2. Go to Format → Line & paragraph spacing
3. Select Double

Or use the shortcut: Select text → click the line spacing icon in the toolbar → choose Double.

Margins (1-inch all around)

1. Go to File → Page setup
2. Set all margins to 1 inch (top, bottom, left, right)
3. Click Set as default if you want this for future documents

Good news: 1-inch margins are already the default in Google Docs. But double-check, because sometimes templates change them.

Paragraph Indentation

Each new paragraph should be indented 0.5 inches. You have two options:

Option 1: Tab key — Hit Tab at the beginning of each paragraph. Simple but manual.

Option 2: Auto-indent (better):

1. Go to Format → Align & indent → Indentation options
2. Under "Special indent," select First line
3. Set to 0.5 inches
4. Click Apply

This automatically indents every new paragraph. Set it once and forget it.

MLA Format Setup (Step by Step)

MLA (Modern Language Association) is the most common format for high school and college English papers. Here's exactly how to set it up in Google Docs:

Step 1: Page Setup

• Font: Times New Roman, 12pt
• Double-spaced
• 1-inch margins
• First-line indent: 0.5 inches

Step 2: Header (Top-Right)

1. Insert → Headers & footers → Header
2. Check the box for Different first page (you don't need this for MLA, but APA needs it)
3. Actually for MLA, you DON'T check "Different first page" — the header is the same throughout
4. In the header area, click the right-align button
5. Type your Last Name followed by a space
6. Go to Insert → Page numbers → select the option that puts the number in the upper right
7. Your header should now show: YourLastName [page number] on every page

Step 3: First Page Info Block

In MLA, there's no separate title page. Instead, put this info at the top of page 1, left-aligned:

Your Full Name
Professor/Teacher Name
Class Name and Section
Date (Day Month Year format: 27 February 2026)

Then center your title on the next line. Don't bold it, don't make it bigger, don't underline it. Just centered, regular formatting.

Step 4: Works Cited Page

1. Start a new page at the end (Insert → Break → Page break)
2. Center the title "Works Cited" (not bold, not underlined)
3. List your sources alphabetically by author's last name
4. Use hanging indent for each entry:
   • Select all your citations
   • Format → Align & indent → Indentation options
   • Special indent: Hanging, 0.5 inches

MLA Quick Checklist

• Times New Roman, 12pt
• Double-spaced throughout
• 1-inch margins
• First-line indent 0.5"
• Last Name + page number in upper right header
• Info block on page 1 (name, teacher, class, date)
• Title centered (not bold)
• Works Cited on separate page with hanging indent

APA Format Setup (Step by Step)

APA (American Psychological Association) is common in psychology, social sciences, and some college courses.

Step 1: Page Setup

• Font: Times New Roman, 12pt (APA 7th edition also allows Calibri 11pt, Arial 11pt)
• Double-spaced
• 1-inch margins
• First-line indent: 0.5 inches

Step 2: Title Page

1. Center everything vertically on the page (or leave a few blank lines from the top)
2. Type your title (bold, centered, title case)
3. Skip a line
4. Your name
5. School/institution name
6. Class name and number
7. Instructor's name
8. Due date

Step 3: Running Head + Page Numbers

In APA 7th edition (current):

• Student papers: Just page numbers in the upper right (no running head required)
• Professional papers: Running head in upper left + page number in upper right

For most school papers, you just need page numbers:

1. Insert → Headers & footers → Header
2. Check "Different first page" (title page is page 1 but looks different)
3. Insert → Page numbers → upper right

Step 4: References Page

1. Start a new page
2. Center the title "References" (bold)
3. List sources alphabetically
4. Use hanging indent (same as MLA Works Cited)

APA Quick Checklist

• Times New Roman 12pt (or approved alternative)
• Double-spaced throughout
• 1-inch margins
• Title page with required info
• Page numbers in upper right
• "References" page at the end
• Hanging indent for reference entries

Google Docs Power Features You Should Know

1. Explore Tool (Built-in Research)

Shortcut: Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I (or click the ⊞ icon at the bottom right)

This opens a research panel WITHIN Google Docs. You can:

• Search the web without switching tabs
• Find images
• Find scholarly articles
• Drag findings directly into your document

2. Voice Typing (Dictate Your Draft)

How: Tools → Voice typing

Click the microphone icon and start talking. Google Docs transcribes what you say. This is AMAZING for:

• Getting a rough draft down quickly
• Students who think faster than they type
• Brainstorming and getting ideas flowing
• Working on your phone when you don't want to type

3. Version History (Undo ANYTHING)

How: File → Version history → See version history

This shows every change ever made to the document, with timestamps. You can:

• See exactly what changed and when
• Restore an older version if you accidentally deleted something
• See who made changes (useful for group projects)

4. Outline View (Navigate Long Papers)

How: View → Show outline

Google Docs automatically creates a clickable outline from your headings. For research papers with sections, this is a lifesaver for navigation.

5. Word Count

How: Tools → Word count

Check "Display word count while typing" to see a live word counter at the bottom of your document. Essential for papers with length requirements.

6. Suggesting Mode (For Peer Editing)

How: Click the pencil icon (top right) → switch to "Suggesting"

In Suggesting mode, changes show up as highlighted suggestions that can be accepted or rejected. Perfect for peer editing.

7. Add-ons Worth Installing

• EasyBib — Bibliography citation tool
• Docs to Markdown — Export to Markdown format
• Grammarly — Grammar checking (if you have the extension)
• Table of Contents — Auto-generate a TOC from headings

Keyboard Shortcuts That Save Time

Action	Windows	Mac
Bold	Ctrl+B	Cmd+B
Italic	Ctrl+I	Cmd+I
Underline	Ctrl+U	Cmd+U
Select All	Ctrl+A	Cmd+A
Find & Replace	Ctrl+H	Cmd+H
Word Count	Ctrl+Shift+C	Cmd+Shift+C
Insert Link	Ctrl+K	Cmd+K
Undo	Ctrl+Z	Cmd+Z
Redo	Ctrl+Y	Cmd+Y
Insert Page Break	Ctrl+Enter	Cmd+Enter

Common Formatting Mistakes to Avoid

1. Extra Spaces Between Paragraphs

Double-spacing already creates space between paragraphs. Adding extra blank lines makes it look weird and increases your page count suspiciously (teachers notice).

Fix: Format → Line & paragraph spacing → Make sure "Add space before/after paragraph" is unchecked.

2. Wrong Font That Looks Like the Right One

Calibri, Arial, and Times New Roman all look similar at a glance but have different spacing. If your teacher says TNR, use TNR. They can tell.

3. Messing Up the Header

The header should have your last name and page number, not "Page 1" or "[Your Name Here]." Use Insert → Page numbers for auto-numbering.

4. Title Formatting Crimes

• DON'T bold, underline, AND italicize your title (pick zero or one based on format)
• DON'T put it in a larger font size
• DON'T put it in quotation marks (unless it's the title of a short work)
• DO center it

5. Forgetting to Remove Comments

If your peer editor left comments, remove them before submitting. Right-click → Resolve or delete.

6. Not Using Page Breaks

When you need to start a new page (like for Works Cited), use Insert → Break → Page break. DON'T just hit Enter 20 times. If you edit the paper, those 20 Enters will shift and the page break will be in the wrong place.

How Gradily Helps With Your Papers

Formatting is just the container — the content is what matters. Gradily helps you:

• Develop strong thesis statements for any essay type
• Structure your arguments logically and clearly
• Strengthen your evidence and analysis with step-by-step guidance
• Polish your writing for clarity and impact
• Cite sources correctly so your Works Cited is on point

A perfectly formatted paper with weak content still gets a bad grade. Make sure both the format AND the substance are strong.

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Final Thoughts

Google Docs formatting seems intimidating until you learn the steps — then it becomes second nature. Set up MLA or APA once, save it as a template, and every future paper takes 30 seconds to format instead of 30 minutes.

Master these basics, learn a few power features, and you'll be the person in your class who other students ask for formatting help. Not a bad reputation to have.

Now go write that paper. The formatting is the easy part — the writing is where it gets interesting. 📝