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When you talk about cloud computing collaboration, Google Docs is the number one application on the list. If you have a stable Internet connection, you can access Google Docs from anywhere. You can upload, share, and modify your files at any point in time. No wonder, more than 24.6 million users rely on it, each month.

Google’s syncing allows you to access the files, irrespective of the machine you use. At the workplace, the supervisors can monitor the write-ups of the subordinates and even customize as per their preference. What's more? One can instantly publish the content at the mere click of the button.  

But, how can one add footnotes in Google Docs? Footnotes are extremely important if you are talking about academic papers. It helps in making the paper look legitimate. Come, let’s find out.

Adding Footnotes in Google Docs

The first thing that should know: You can insert a footnote on the web or from your Android and iOS Google Docs apps. You can even include APA style citation or Chicago style citation in your academic papers on the Docs using other ways. Just read along.

What if You Are Working on a Browser?

If you are accustomed to using the Google Browser or Mozilla Firefox, then you have to follow the steps mentioned below. You have to:

Place the insertion point after the text (at the point you want to add a footnote)

Click Insert and select Footnote, or you can press Ctrl+Alt+F

Type the required text, after Google Docs place a superscript number

Press Esc from the keyboard to return to the document

As you can see, it is extremely elementary.

(Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-in-white-long-sleeve-shirt-sitting-on-chair-3932570/)

What if You Are Using Apps?

The process of adding footnotes in Google Docs is a bit different if you are using Apple Docs iOS or Android mobile apps. Now, with over three billion people using smartphones, it is imperative that you are aware of the footnote addition process.

All you have to do is

Open a new document in the Google Docs app and start writing

Next, tap the place where you want to insert the footnote

Hit the (+) sign near the top of the screen to access the Insert menu

Browse through the menu to find the ‘Footnote’ option

Type your footnote

And you are done. It’s as simple as that.

What if You Want to Add a Formatted Footnote?

If you want to acknowledge the work of other authors in the middle of the text, you can in-text and highlight it in the footnotes. In fact, it is customary if you are using Chicago style citation. Students often use Chicago or APA citation generator online to get the results.

If you want to add a formatted footnote, you can take the help of the Explore feature. After, you get the desired formatted citations; you have to:

Access the Explore sidebar by selecting the Explore icon. Or, you can take another route. You can go to the Tools to find the Explore option. You can even try the key combination of the Ctrl+Alt+Shift+I to open the Explore panel.

Enter the keywords to cite the source and hit the Enter button to search. If you are aware of the website from which you have taken information, paste the link in the Explore search.

Use the Web option within the Explore sidebar, instead of Cloud search results. Click the links that consist of relevant information. If you wish to cite any information, make a note of that link.

(Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-holding-teacup-infront-of-laptop-on-top-of-table-inside-the-room-925786/)

Change the format, if you find that the system is inserting the footnote as per the MLA convention (default settings). You can modify the format to the APA style citation or Chicago style citationYou will get the options from the three-vertical-dot menu in the Explore panel.

Keep the insertion pointer at the point you wish to place the footnote. Usually, you have to place at the end of the sentence. Or, you may insert it, following punctuation such as a quotation mark or the period.

Place the cursor over the desired information you want to cite, in the footnote in the Explore panel. After you select the quote icon, the system will automatically insert the footnote number within the content. And, it will also place the footnote at the bottom of the page.

Now, this process is a bit intricate. But, if you stick to the guidelines stated above, you will get the hang of it in a short while.

What if You Want to Use Add-on Citation Options?

Add-ons are a special feature of Google Docs. You will find over three hundred tools. If you want to use the add-on citation, click on the icon to check out more details or click on the + Free button to install it. After you do so, it will get added to your Docs.

Students often make use of Paperpile, EasyBib Bibliography Creator, and ProQuest RefWorks. Each of them consists of unique attributes, and some of them are highlighted below.  

EasyBib Bibliography Creator allows you to look for sources, and then it adds items to the bibliography list. After you are done, click the ‘Add Bibliography To Doc’ button. All the citations will get added.

(Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-gray-sweater-using-macbook-3932263/)

With Paperphile, there is no need to differentiate between sources as it offers a single-stream search. Choose Cite if you find the reference you want to use. You can edit the details of the citation, as Paperphile inserts reference with the link.

RefWorks allows you to create a personal account so that you can get personalized options.  

You will find these add-ons readily available in the G Suite Marketplace.

As you can see, a plethora of options is available if you wish to add footnotes in the Google Docs. You now have to experiment with the options to see where you are comfortable.

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