Lunch & Learn - Deeper Dives with Google Docs

Swimming at the Doc - Deeper Dives in Google Docs

Using Google Docs

Google Docs is a powerful tool that allows us to create meaningful, beautiful documents. The web interface is incredible and the constantly saving option is awesome. The fact that you can log onto any computer and pull up your documents and files is what I think sets Google Docs and Google Drive apart. While there are limitations of the web interface, they are minor and constantly being updated. Google Docs has been my primary word processor throughout graduate school and I have not come across any difficulties using the service. In fact, it has been extremely handy.

Grabbing Templates from the Templates Gallery

There are quite a few options for creating really sweet, beautiful documents with the touch of a button. There are a few places where you can find these templates easily. Best of all, most of them are free.

The New Google Docs Template Gallery

The Google Docs Template Gallery is available for you when you go to docs.google.com. There, you have some options to find the right template for your project.

The Old Template Gallery

The Old Template Gallery is available still (rumors of it coming down have been around for many months) and is full of user created templates for you to use. They are all free and there is a search feature to help you find the right template for your job.

Vertex42

Vertex42 offers an add-on (we will get there) for Google Docs but has an extensive database of free templates for you to use. Many are for excel and Google Sheets, but you can find a few for letters, resumes, etc. on the site.

Google Docs Add-Ons

Google Docs allows you to have add ons like you would for sheets, but the add-ons serve different purposes. Below, I have listed some of my favorite Google Docs Add-ons:

• Easy Accents
• Quickly allow students to add accent marks to Google Docs while they are working.
• Easy Bibliography Creator
• From the people at EasyBib, a quick way for students (or staff in graduate classes) to quickly create references and bibliography parts for their papers. It is incredibly easy and supports MLA, APA, and Chicago Styles.
• g(math)
• g(math) is really cool add-on that allows students the opportunity to quickly and neatly use math language in their documents. They also offer opportunities to create different types of math and scientific graphics that our students would work with.
• GradeProof
• GradeProof is a lot like Grammerly, but works within Google Docs! Studentswill have to sign up for an account, but it will help them realize their grammar mistakes and offer solutions.

Formatting the Document

Google recently added columns to the document, but with a little learning, you will see that we can replicated the documents that we have created in the past with our other software options.

Columns

To add Columns to your document, it is a relatively simple thing to do. Follow the steps below to learn how.

• Locate the “Format” option on your tool bar
• Select “Columns” from the drop down list
• Choose the width and size of your columns

Adding Photos

Photos can really help you documents stand out. When you are creating photos, you have many different options for what you can do with them. For instance, you can format your document around photos, wrap text around them and much more.

To add pictures to your document, follow the steps below.

• Start by locating the “Insert” option on the toolbar near the top of the screen.
• Next, select “Image” from the menu.
• Once you are in the Upload Image Area, you have many options. Below, I describe the options.
• Upload - the image is stored in your Google Drive (on a Chromebook) or  on your Hard Drive
• Snapshot - Snapshot activates your Camera to take a picture
• URL - Is the file hosted somewhere else? Link to it! (There is some danger to this, if they change the link structure, you will lose your picture)
• Albums - Using Google Photos? Your albums are absolutely linked here for easy access
• Google Drive - Have pictures stored on your Google Drive? You can easily find them with this tool.
• Search - Search photos that you are allowed to use from Stock Images, Life Magazine, and Google Images. It is a very powerful tool.
• Drawings - Need a graph or drawing of something? Use Google Drawings, which will insert the drawing as an image in your document.

Cropping Photos

Google Docs allows you to crop the photos that you are using. In order to access the crop option, insert an image using the steps above. Once your image is in the document, you can crop the photo. Cropping the photo allows you to zoom to one part of the photo or show only part of the photograph.

• To Crop your Photo
• Insert Photo into Document. Once the photo is inserted, simply click on the photo.
• Next, locate the “Crop Image” button on the toolbar. This will look like two angles with a line extending through them.
• The Black Bars will become the frame. Use the blue dots (Corners ONLY) to extend and expand the image
• You can easily move the most important part of the image into the frame as well
• When Done, click off and you image will be saved to your document.

Wrap Text

Wrapping text allows you to customize and decide how your document will function and look. It is important if you are planning on using pictures (or drawings) to make a textbox or other picture in your work.

To wrap text, simply select an image in your document and choose “In Line | Wrap Text | Break Text” from the options.

• In Line means that the image will follow the same rules as the text. An press of the enter key will move the image down, etc.
• Wrap Text allows the text to wrap, or go around, the image.
• Break Text allows the image to move free of concern of the surrounding images.

Text Styles

Text styles allows you to create headings and different aspects of the document. These headings can then be turned into a table of contents for your longer documents. The ability to have these text styles can make your documents stand out much more.

To enable text styles, locate the area that says “Normal Text” and click. Once in the menu, you can change text style. You can further customize it by using the arrow.

Adding Additional Fonts

Fonts can do a lot to change the appearance and style of a document. To add new fonts to your Google Drive files, follow the steps below.

• Select the fonts area of the toolbar above (Probably says “Arial”)
• Choose Fonts from the Menu
• Additional Fonts can be added using the more fonts button at the bottom
• Sort by different options to find great fonts
• Be cautious, as more fonts will slow load times