CiteHelp
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CiteHelp Format User Guide

Complete step-by-step documentation for APA 7th and MLA 9th automated formatting in Microsoft Word & Google Docs.

1. Installation & Launching the Add-in

Microsoft Word

Opening in Microsoft Word (Desktop & Web)

  1. In Microsoft Word, click the Home tab on the top ribbon.
  2. Click the CiteHelp Format icon in the ribbon.
  3. The CiteHelp taskpane will open docked on the right side of your document window.

(In Word for the Web: Go to Home → Add-ins → CiteHelp Format).

Google Docs

Opening in Google Docs

  1. In Google Docs, open your document.
  2. Click Extensions in the top menu bar → CiteHelp Format → Open CiteHelp Format.
  3. The sidebar will appear on the right side ready to format.

2. Interface Overview

The CiteHelp sidebar gives you direct access to all formatting tools in a structured panel:

  • Top Bar: Style selector (APA 7 / MLA 9), Student vs Professional toggle, and Pro status badge.
  • ⚡ One-Click Format All: Deep-scans and standardizes the entire document at once.
  • Document Elements: Title page generator, 1-inch margins, and running heads.
  • Headings (H1–H5): One-click heading styling with style-accurate bolding and alignment.
  • Body & Lists: Standard body paragraph 0.5" indents, double spacing, and block quote formatting.
  • Special Elements: Figure labels, table formatting, and automated References / Works Cited sorting.
  • Footer: Account status and subscription management.

3. Choosing Your Style & Paper Type

Style Selector

  • APA 7th Edition: Uses Times New Roman 12pt (or Calibri 11pt), double spacing, centered title pages, and 5 distinct heading levels.
  • MLA 9th Edition: Uses Times New Roman 12pt, double spacing, a left-aligned First-Page Header Block, and 3 heading tiers.

Paper Type (APA Only)

  • Student Paper: For classroom assignments and essays. Includes Course, Instructor, and Due Date on the title page; no running head required in the header.
  • Professional Paper: For journal manuscripts and theses. Includes Author Affiliations and an ALL CAPS running head on every page header.

4. ⚡ One-Click Format All (Pro)

One-Click Format All is the fastest way to format an entire paper from start to finish:

  1. Click ⚡ One-Click Format All at the top of the sidebar.
  2. CiteHelp scans your document and presents an interactive review dialog showing detected headings, figures, and tables.
  3. Review or adjust the heading levels (H1, H2, H3).
  4. (Optional for dissertations) Check Chapter format to automatically insert a clean page break before each Heading 1.
  5. Click Format Document. CiteHelp standardizes:
    • 1-inch margins on all 4 sides.
    • Universal typography and double line spacing.
    • Heading bolding, italics, and alignments.
    • 0.5" first-line indent on all body prose (preserving bullet lists).
    • 0.5" hanging indent and alphabetical sorting on your References section.

5. Title Pages & First-Page Headers

Inserting a New Title Page

  • APA 7th: Click Insert Title Page, fill in your Paper Title, Author, Affiliation/Course, Instructor, and Date. CiteHelp inserts a clean dedicated title page with correct APA spacing and bolded title.
  • MLA 9th: Click Insert First-Page Heading. CiteHelp inserts the 4-line identification block (Name, Instructor, Course, Date) followed by the centered paper title.

Formatting an Existing Title Page In-Place

If you already typed your title page or heading block:

  • Click Format Existing Title Page.
  • CiteHelp reformats your existing top lines in-place without deleting or duplicating any text!

6. Headings Hierarchy (H1 to H5)

Place your cursor in any heading line and click the corresponding heading button:

Level APA 7th Edition Standard MLA 9th Edition Standard
H1 Centered, Bold, Title Case Centered, Regular, Title Case
H2 Left-Aligned, Bold, Title Case Left-Aligned, Italic, Title Case
H3 Left-Aligned, Bold Italic, Title Case Centered, Regular
H4 Indented 0.5", Bold, Title Case, Period. (Not standard in MLA)
H5 Indented 0.5", Bold Italic, Title Case, Period. (Not standard in MLA)

7. Body Paragraphs, Block Quotes & Bullet Points

  • Body Paragraph: Formats standard body text with a 0.5 in (36 pt) first-line indent, double line spacing, and 0pt before/after paragraph padding.
  • Block Quote: Formats long quotations (40+ words for APA, 4+ lines for MLA) with a 0.5 in full left margin indent, double spacing, and no quotation marks.
  • Bullet & Numbered Lists: CiteHelp preserves your bullet points, numbers, and multi-tier sub-lists while ensuring consistent font and double spacing.

8. Figures & Tables

Figure Captions

  • Place your cursor near your image and click Insert Figure Caption.
  • APA 7: Inserts Figure 1 (bold) above the image, followed by the italicized title.
  • MLA 9: Inserts Fig. 1. Caption text directly below the image.

Table Formatting

  • Place cursor inside a table and click Format Table Text to standardize cell padding, typography, and alignments.

9. References & Works Cited (Hanging Indent & A–Z Sort)

CiteHelp automates the most time-consuming part of academic paper formatting:

  1. Click Format References (or Format Works Cited for MLA).
  2. CiteHelp locates your bibliography section.
  3. Every entry receives a 0.5" hanging indent (first line flush left, subsequent lines indented 0.5").
  4. Entries are alphabetized A to Z by primary author surname (or title for anonymous works), ignoring leading articles ("The", "A", "An").
  5. Rich Text Preservation: All book/journal italics and clickable web links remain 100% intact during sorting!

10. Account Sign-In & Multi-Device Pro Activation

Passwordless Login (No Passwords to Remember)

  1. Click Sign In in the top corner of the add-in.
  2. Enter your email address and click Send Login Code.
  3. Check your inbox for your 6-digit numeric verification code.
  4. Enter the code in the taskpane and click Verify & Sign In. All Pro features unlock immediately!

Your subscription is valid across up to 3 personal devices (Word Desktop, Word Online, and Google Docs).

11. APA 7th vs. MLA 9th Quick Reference

Rule / Element APA 7th Edition MLA 9th Edition
Margins 1.0 inch (72 pt) all 4 sides 1.0 inch (72 pt) all 4 sides
Default Font Times New Roman 12pt, Calibri 11pt, Arial 11pt Times New Roman 12pt
Line Spacing Double (2.0) everywhere Double (2.0) everywhere
Paragraph Indent 0.5 inch first line 0.5 inch first line
Title Page Dedicated Page 1 (Centered, Bold Title) 4-line Header Block at top of Page 1
Header / Running Head Page # (Student) or SHORT TITLE + Page # (Prof) Lastname Page # top-right header
References Title References (Centered, Bold) Works Cited (Centered, Regular)
Ref Indentation 0.5" Hanging Indent + A–Z Sort 0.5" Hanging Indent + A–Z Sort

12. Frequently Asked Questions & Troubleshooting

Q: Does CiteHelp upload my document text to external servers?

A: No. All formatting algorithms, paragraph adjustments, and bibliography sorting run 100% locally on your computer or inside your Google Docs container. Your research never leaves your device.

Q: Can I format in Word and later open the file in Google Docs?

A: Yes! CiteHelp uses standard OpenXML and document styles that render identically across Microsoft Word, Google Docs, Apple Pages, and PDF exports.

Q: How do I manage my billing or cancel my subscription?

A: Click Account at the bottom of the taskpane, then click Manage Subscription & Invoices, or visit your CiteHelp Dashboard.

Q: Where can I get technical support?

A: Our team is available 7 days a week at support@citehelp.com or via our contact page.