Google Docs prioritizes collaborative enterprise work rather than humanities scholarship. When you initiate an untuned document, the canvas defaults to Arial or Roboto at 11-point sizing, adds 1.15 line spacing, and injects a subtle 8-point gap after every carriage return. In contrast, academic departments evaluating papers under MLA 9th edition guidelines mandate a consistent reading rhythm: an easily legible serif or standard sans-serif typeface, clean margins, and an unbroken vertical cadence.
While MLA 9 permits clear, standard fonts like Georgia, Calibri, or Arial, professors consistently demand Times New Roman 12 pt font as the collegiate baseline. Selecting the correct typeface takes two clicks, but rectifying line spacing requires deliberate intervention. Standard academic layout allows zero extra padding between paragraphs. Leaving Google’s default trailing gap creates artificial breaks across your narrative, signaling a lack of attention to detail before an instructor finishes the introduction.
