Google Docs

Google Docs is an online folder in which documents can be saved and shared. During my production of my research project I continuously updated and saved drafts of my work. This proved helpful when my computer decided to die and I lost everything on it, including my project work. However because of Google docs when I got access to another computer I was able to access the last copy of the work I had saved, unfortunately this did not include the work I had just written when my computer bid me farewell, so I was not entirely left to work from scratch again. Due to my computer dying I was able to realise the importance and helpfulness of using an application such as Google docs, without it I may not have been able to recover my work and would have been put seriously behind meaning I couldn’t not complete the project for the deadline.

When I first was told to use Google docs I was dubious. I did not like the idea of sharing my work for all to see, judge, comment or change. However I soon realized with each document posted you could chose your own privacy settings. I therefore would save some work to Google docs for only me to see, and other drafts for certain people to have editing ability, and others for everyone to see but no-one able to edit. Doing this allowed me to gain constructive criticism from my peers and tutor which I would otherwise not have gained, which in turn allowed me to improve upon my project writing and development.

Google docs could be easier to use, because the tool in which you select people to be able to view or edit your work does not accept the email address unless it is saved in your Google address book. This meant it was more time consuming for me to use as all my email addresses are saved in my main user account which is hotmail, and being technologically illiterate it took me a while to understand and get to grips with this and how to make it work.

In conclusion Google docs are helpful and I feel a vital tool for anyone writing anything, because you never know when your computer may die or where you might lose your USB memory stick. It allows you to receive easy to view annotations which may prove vital to your works development and it means you can easily share improvements with people that need to know them, e.g. your university tutor. I am pleased I was made aware of this application and will certainly be using it long after I have finished this current research project.