Google Docs

 

    Google Docs is a tool popular among those in education. It has several different features to help its users. First, it has a variety of templates. These templates are for lesson plans, reports, resumés, project proposals, and for papers in APA and MLA format; among many others. For special reports and papers that require a lot of formatting, these templates can save time and energy for those who may be new to the formats or short on time. Next: Google Docs is compatible with many devices. It can be used on computers, phones, tablets--you name it. An added bonus is that it saves your writing as you go! No more lost progress when your device dies or randomly decides to restart itself for updates! You can also add in pictures, tables, and graphs, which are perfect for lab reports or everyday assignments. 

    Now, the feature that makes it stand out: you can share documents with others and collaborate on the same document. With some schools pursuing virtual learning due to the pandemic, Google Docs makes it easier for students to work on group projects and assignments together. Personally, I love the "suggesting" feature. When the "suggesting" feature is enabled, edits become suggestions that a collaborator can accept or delete. I've found it helpful when having friends proofread my essays. If you don't want to collaborate with someone else on the document, but still want them to see it, you can choose the share settings before you send the invite to view the document. Options include: anyone with a link can view; anyone with a link can comment; and anyone with a link can edit.