Running heads are an essential element of professional research papers. The running head (sometimes called a “header”) appears on every page of your paper and includes the following elements:
- The title/header of your paper (in all caps).
- Present on all pages of the doc.
- Include the prefix “Running Head:” on the first page.
Creating a running head is pretty easy on Google Docs. Below we will discuss the exact steps you need to follow:
Step 1
Open your Google Doc and click “Insert” at the top of the page. Then click “headers & footers.” A pop-up menu will appear with several options. Click “Header” to insert the header element into your paper.
Step 2
On the first page of the document, check the checkbox for “Different first page”. This will ensure that the header appears on all pages of the document except for the first.
Step 3
Type “Running head:” and then include the title of your paper (in all caps). For example, “Running head: HOW TO CREATE A RUNNING HEAD IN GOOGLE DOCS.” Click “Enter” to close the header editing tab.
Step 4
Then add the title to the second page’s header without the “Running head:” prefix and press “Enter”.
Once the title is in place on the second page, Google Docs copies it onto every page that follows. This works because you checked the “Different first page” box earlier, so the running head treats the first page on its own. Click “Enter” to close the edit mode.
Conclusion
You have now successfully created a running head for your paper in Google Docs! Keep the “Running head:” prefix on the first page alone, and write the title in capital letters on every page. We hope this quick guide was helpful. Happy writing!
