Lecture on Google Docs by Elissa Smith

Jul 19, 2024

Lecture on Google Docs by Elissa Smith

Introduction

  • Presenter: Elissa Smith, Software Applications Facilitator with 20+ years of experience
  • Course Focus: Guided tour of Google Docs
  • Platforms: Windows PC, Google Docs web application
  • Additional Resources:
    • Certifications and ad-free videos available on a learning subscription service
    • Exercise files linked in video descriptions
    • Off-site community for Q&A with instructors

Creating a New Document

  • Getting Started: Access Google Docs home screen
  • Starting a Document:
    • Click on the 'Blank' icon or choose a pre-made template
    • New document auto-saves to Google Drive
  • Interface Overview:
    • Untitled documents can be renamed
    • Toolbar with common buttons and dropdown menus
    • Collapse/expand toolbar for more screen space
    • Sharing and presenting options

Dropdown Menus

  • File: Open, print, make copies, rename
  • Edit: Undo, redo, cut, copy, paste, find and replace
  • View: Toggle ruler, page breaks
  • Insert: Images, tables, charts, headers, footers
  • Format: Basic text formatting, page orientation
  • Tools: Spell check, word count, translation
  • Add-ons: Extend functionalities of Google Docs
  • Help: Search option, documentation

Getting Help

  • Help Menu:
    • Search function for quick access to help topics
    • Keyboard shortcuts specific to Google Docs

Navigation and Data Entry

  • Navigation:
    • Using scroll bars
    • Key shortcuts (Ctrl + Home, Ctrl + End)
  • Data Entry:
    • Click to place cursor
    • Double-click to select and replace text
    • Inserting new text by clicking and typing

Voice Typing

  • Voice to Type: Enables typing via speech
    • Access via Tools > Voice Typing
    • Supports multiple languages
    • Basic commands like 'new line' and punctuation

Paragraph and Line Spacing

  • Basic Adjustments: Single, double, and custom line spacing
  • Alignment: Left, center, right, justified

Indents and Tab Stops

  • Indenting Paragraphs: Using Tab, adjusting via ruler
  • Tab Stops: Adding left, center, and right tab stops from the ruler

Bulleted and Numbered Lists

  • Creating Lists: Select text and use toolbar buttons
  • Sub-bullets and New Lines: Tab and Shift + Enter for indentation
  • Checklist Option: Convert items into checkable list
  • Numbered Lists: Different styles available (numbers, letters, Roman numerals)

Copying and Moving Text

  • Copying Text: Select, copy (Ctrl + C), and paste (Ctrl + V)
  • Moving Text: Cut (Ctrl + X) and paste to new location

Keyboard Shortcuts

  • Useful Shortcuts:
    • Control + B/I/U for bold, italics, underline
    • Control + A to select all
    • Control + Home/End to navigate document
    • Control + Shift + V to paste without formatting

Spell Check and Proofing

  • Automatic Checks: Red for spelling, blue for grammar
  • Manual Checks:
    • Right-click for suggestions
    • Tools > Spelling and Grammar for a thorough check

Personal Dictionary

  • Creating a Personal Dictionary:
    • Add words manually via Tools > Preferences > Substitutions

Find and Replace

  • Finding Text: Ctrl + F to find, vertical ellipsis to replace
  • Replacing Text: Enter new text and hit 'Replace' or 'Replace All'

Using Templates

  • Accessing Templates:
    • Docs home screen > Template Gallery
    • File > New > From Template for quick access

Printing Documents

  • Printing Options:
    • Print shortcut button, Ctrl + P, or File > Print
    • Various settings including print to PDF, print range, and color options

Emailing Documents

  • Email Directly: File > Email > Email This File
    • Choose format (PDF, Word, etc.)
    • Send as attachment or within email body

Publishing Documents

  • Publishing to Web: File > Publish to Web
    • Create a link or embed code
    • Preview and share via social media or email

Storage and Access

  • Google Drive:
    • Default storage in Google Drive (15GB free)
    • Access via Google Docs main menu > Google Drive

Adjusting View

  • Zoom and Layout:
    • Zoom options in the toolbar
    • View > Print Layout, Full Screen mode
    • Control zoom with Ctrl and mouse wheel

Managing Headers and Footers

  • Adding/Editing Headers/Footers:
    • Insert > Header or Footer
    • Options for different first page headers, even/odd headers

Column Layouts

  • Adding Columns: Format > Columns
    • Adjust width and add lines between columns

Breaks (Column, Page)

  • Inserting Breaks: Insert > Break > Column Break or Page Break

Conclusion

  • Google Docs offers a robust suite of tools for document creation and management.
  • Encourage practice using exercise files and exploring additional features on your own.

Additional Resources

  • Check out live classes and more detailed tutorials on office applications and professional development at learned.com

Note

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