How to Use the Footnote Function in Google Docs

1. Place your insertion point right after the end punctuation of the sentence.

2. Click "Insert" and then "Footnote" This will generate the superscript number where your insertion point was placed.

3. After typing the footnote information, click after the superscript number to resume typing.

Follow the screenshots below for a visual reference:

Additional Footnoting Information

Outside information (not common knowledge) should be footnoted. However, this does not mean you have to have a footnote at the end of each sentence. For example, you could paraphrase from one source for 3-5 consecutive sentences. You only need to give the footnote at the end of the last sentence to signify to the reader that all that information came from one particular source.  

The example above that shows a footnote after consecutive sentences of paraphrasing. As you can see in the example, pages 16-20 in John Smith's book are paraphrased in 4 sentences (Note- the John Smith book is not a real book, merely an example) Appropriately, the footnote superscript number is not placed till the last sentence since it is consistently summarizing one source.

You always give a footnote at the end of the sentence after you give a direct quote.

You do not give a comma after the title if there is end punctuation like a question mark or exclamation mark. Similarly, you do not give a period after the question mark or exclamation point in the title within a bibliography.

Example:

Bibliography format-          

Smith, Donald. Absolom, Absolom! New York: Fortress, 2012.

Footnote format (if referencing page 24)-

Donald Smith, Absolom, Absolom! (New York: Fortress, 2012), 24.

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