
Is the running head in Google Docs still overrated? You bet! Running head in Google Docs can keep long documents organized and facilitate reading. In other ways, Google Docs will display the text added to the header on each page.
The blog is intended to shed some light on what is the running head in Google Docs and how to add a running head in Google Docs.
Table Of Contents
What Is the Running Head in Google Docs?
Wondering what is running head in Google Docs? Here you can find what it is!
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Your manuscript’s running head displays in uppercase letters at the top left of each page. It is a condensed version of the paper’s title. It makes it easier to keep track of your paper’s pages and keep them together (In case of a blind review, avoid revealing your identity). Upon publishing, this brief title will be displayed in the top right corner of each odd-numbered page. This is simply known as running head in Google Docs
How long does the running head in Google Docs need to be?
A condensed title of no more than 50 characters (including spaces) should be used for the running head Google Docs. In-between the running head and the title page is the label “Running Head:” which does not count toward the 50-character count.
Running head Google Docs: Some reasons why it’s included.
- When dealing with different sources, a running head makes it easy to note which pages are from a particular document.
- It allows anonymous submission (hence a short title instead of a name as the running head) as long as you follow the guidelines.
- It also allows readers to identify documents quickly.
How to add a running head in Google doc?
To add a running head in Google Docs, follow the below steps.
Step 1: The first step is to use the INSERT feature in Google Docs to insert relevant content, which entails the papers’ title or page number, in the top right corner of the document.

Step 2: Select “Different first page” just below the Google Docs header.

Step 3: Type “Running head:” in the upper left corner of the header without quotation marks

Step 4: Add a space after the colon. By pressing CAPS, you can enable caps lock. In all capitals, type the title or abbreviated version of the title.

Note: The initial words of the title in the abbreviated form need not always be the title’s first words. It should be appropriate to the topic of the work. Do not use adverbs or adverbial phrases.
Step 5: Copy the TITLE but NOT the “Running head:”
Step 6: To shift the pointer to the right side of the page, press the tab key or the space bar. Then, in the upper right corner, place a number one on the same line as your title (1).

- Ascertain that the typeface and font size are the same as those used in the text.
- Go to the second page of your document.
- Place your mouse to the left of the page number by double-clicking in the header.
- PASTE the copied title and double-check the font size and typeface.
- To align the title to the left margin, use the tab key or the space bar. The page number remains on the right side of the page.

Step 7: Double-click the header into the document’s body to close it.
In this way, you can add a running head in Google Docs.
Practical tips for writing running head in Google Docs
If your paper title is already under the character restriction, utilize the full title as the running head without making any modifications. For longer titles, you must design a unique running head that adheres to the style standards.
To begin, determine the most critical component of your title. For example, consider simply utilizing the first section of the article, “Effects of Running on Heart Health,” or the second half, “Heart Health in Elderly Patients,” if the study’s title is “The Effects of Running on Heart Health in Elderly Patients.” Then, based on which ideas and concepts are most prevalent in the paper, make a decision.
If using a portion of the title as the running head does not make sense, consider making a few changes or even paraphrase the label altogether. For example, with the subject “Running and Heart Health in Elderly Patients,” the running head might be “Running and Heart Health in Elderly Patients.”
Second, terms like “the” and “a” should be avoided. For example, “Re-examining Literary Traditions in Ancient China” can be condensed to “Re-examining Literary Traditions in Ancient China.” However, simply eliminating the word “the” from the title results in a running head under the APA’s 50-character restriction.
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Hope you’ve got an idea on running head in Google Docs. It’s your time to get your hands dirty. Try creating a running head in Google Docs.