Revision as of 16:08, 4 April 2011

Application Info
Name:	Docs
Icon:
URL:	http://docs.google.com
Type:	Document creation, editing, and sharing

Google Docs allows you to create, edit, and share online, collaborative documents in a variety of formats.

General Information

Google Docs is designed to mimic traditional office applications but runs in a web interface. They utilize a variety of technologies (including javascript and AJAX) to make the online experience similar to a typical office application experience and utilize web-based technologies to support easy collaboration.

Technical Use

After logging in to your university Google account, use the top menu bar to navigate to Documents.

General

Main interface for Google Docs

The main interface for using Google Docs serves as a launch point for creating, editing, and sharing documents of a variety of formats and is broken into four main areas. The left sidebar is a navigation tool for selecting folders for viewing. The middle, main content area lists files that you have created or otherwise have access to for viewing or editing purposes. The right sidebar displays information about a selected file. The top area can be used to search for files of a given name.

By using the star buttons next to a document, you can make a document a favorite, which can make it easier to find in the future.

Creating Documents and Uploading Files

When creating a new document, you can either create a new document from scratch, create a new document from a template, or upload a file to work on.

Create a New Document from Scratch

To create a new document from scratch, simply click on the Create new button in the left sidebar and select the document format you would like to create.

Create a New Document from a Template

To create a new document from a template (e.g. budget, invoice, letter, etc.), simply click on the Create new button in the left sidebar and select the From template... option. This will open a link with available templates from the university. Currently, there are no templates supplied by the university. However, you may browse public templates provided by Google by clicking on the Public Templates tab.

Upload a File

If you already have a file (e.g. Word document, Excel spreadsheet, PowerPoint presentation, etc.), you may upload the file to Google Docs, and you will then be able to collaboratively edit and share it like any other Google Doc. To do this, simply click on the Upload... button in the left sidebar and follow the instructions provided, being sure to select the proper audience for the file (under Private).

It is important to note that although Google Docs can effectively replicate much of what desktop office applications generate, it cannot do everything. So, if you have, for instance, an advanced PowerPoint presentation with animations, transitions, embedded media, and so forth, you may have difficulty converting it to a Google Doc presentation with any level of fidelity to the original. As a rule, if you are creating a project from scratch, it is best to use the same tool throughout the duration of the project. So, if you anticipate needing to use Google Docs for collaboration, for instance, then it would probably be best to begin your project in Google Docs to begin with and save yourself the trouble of traversing multiple applications.

Sharing

Perhaps the greatest strength of a Google Doc lies in your ability to share it with others. By sharing a document, you can decide who can view and edit your document, allowing for a variety of uses. In general, while working on a Google Doc of any format, you can share it by clicking on the Share button at the top right. You can then enter email addresses (or names from your contact list) of people or groups with whom you would like to share your document.

All Google Docs have a basic sharing setting with additional permissions stacked on top of it. The basic setting is the document's general permission setting, which may be set to Private (i.e. only you can see it), Public (i.e. anyone can see it), The University of Texas at Austin (i.e. anyone at the university can see it), and so forth. Additional permissions may then be added to this for specific users. So, if I only wanted to share a file with one other user, I would set the file to Private and then add a permission line for that specific person. If I wanted to make a file visible to university personnel and to a handful of people not affiliated with the university, I would set the file to The University of Texas at Austin and then add a new permission line for each person on the outside. In this way, all Google Docs have a default permission (i.e. the first setting) which can then be adjusted by additional permissions for specific users or groups.

Collections

Collections work much like folders in an operating system or playlists in a media player; they are ways of organizing files for later retrieval. Additionally, however, they also allow you to group files together and to share them with specific people and groups. So, even though you may have a file that is set to Private, you can place it into multiple collections and share it in those collections with different people and groups.

To create a new collection, click on the Create new button in the left sidebar and select Collection. Collections are shown in the left sidebar.

To add files to a collection, find the file and drag it to the collection.

Document Formats

Pedagogical Use

Security Concerns