Google Docs

Last updated: May 27, 2022

Introduction

Google Docs is a versatile way to create and share documents. It is actually the very word processor used to write this software page and the collection of other written resources you can find on our website. With Google Docs, a user can seamlessly collaborate with others when creating documents, regardless of location and connectivity.

Background

Google Docs is one of Google’s applications for productivity. Other examples include Google Sheets and Google Drive, which have their respective resource pages on our site. Google Docs was made in 2006 by Google and written in both JavaScript and Java. At first, Google Docs was in a lengthy beta stage, as the real-time collaboration feature was very experimental. Still, in late 2012, Google Docs was made into what we know today.

A key trait of Google Docs is its ability to be used almost everywhere, regardless of internet connection. The tool is currently available on virtually every web browser, including Google Chrome, Safari, Firefox, and more. Also, users can download certain documents to edit them offline. Once the device reconnects with the internet, the document is updated with the changes made while offline.

Process

Being a product of Google, one would have to either create a Google account or sign in with a previously made account to access the features of Google Docs.

As the name suggests, Google Docs centers around document creation and editing. There are hundreds of different features found within Google Docs, with the ability to even add custom scripts if one is familiar with JavaScript and Java. However, Google Docs helped establish what a word processor should look like by incorporating several different, now essential features in its design.

Here are a few of the features of Google Docs:

Text Editing	Users are able to change almost every aspect of the text found within a Google Doc, such as its font, spacing, size, and format
Lists	Users can add several different types of lists within a Google Doc, such as a bullet list or a numbered list
Tables	Users can add tables similar to this one into their Google Doc, with different sizes
Built-in tools	Google Docs has several different built-in tools, such as a word counter, spell check, and a citations tab
Offline Documents	Google Docs allows users to download their own documents for on the go editing.

A cheatsheet for other features can be found here.

Furthermore, collaboration is one of Google Docs’ strong suits, as the real-time collaboration feature allows several people to work on the same document simultaneously. To enable this feature, one would have to share the document with whomever they would like to collaborate with. This can be done by clicking on the blue “Share” button in the top right corner. Here, a user could share their document in a variety of ways.

As previously mentioned, Google Docs has many possibilities for creating documents. Google has created a Google Docs training website that can help all who want to learn more about Google Docs. There are guides for beginners and those more experienced in Google Docs on the website.

When one is done creating their Google Doc, they can export it in many different formats, such as PDFs or Docx files. Alongside this, users can also save their Google Doc into their Google Drive, which is a hub for all of a user’s files.

Brand information

With Google pioneering several different technologies in the computer industry, Google is regarded as one of the technological giants. It is safe to say that one has used a Google product one time in their lifetime, as Google has diversified its products. From the go-to search engine for many to spearheading several different AI programs, Google products are almost everywhere.

Google Docs is a part of the Editor Suite offered by Google, a free, web-based platform that includes other productivity tools such as Google Sheets and Google Slides.

Uses in education

At ASU, one could use Google Docs in almost every field. A biology major might use it to collaborate with their peers in creating their scientific papers, or an English major might create their documents using Google Docs. Also, the cooperative nature of Google Docs helps develop team working skills that help connect people all over the world. For example, an international student outside of Arizona could help create a paper with their classmates with just their web browser.

To emphasize how much students and staff utilize Google products, ASU provides every ASU account with their own Google Account, including their own Google Drive account and Gmail account. More can be found here.

Moreover, Google Docs also can create and use templates for those who need to make several copies of the same document.

Overall, alongside the other productivity apps, Google Docs have become staples in the online education world, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.