The following video and animated GIF provide teachers with an overview of the Research Tool within Google Docs.  This isn’t a new feature in Google Docs, but I wanted to share it because I noticed many classrooms have been collecting information from online sources.  It would definitely be easy for students to keep a notes page to collect information from the web and cite it with little effort using the Research Tool’s cite button.  

Even if this tool isn’t used to locate information, the Research Tool can be used to locate images for a class project.  For instance, because the Research Tool can also be accessed within Google Slides, students could locate images filtered by usage rights to be dragged into their presentations, while citing the online source simultaneously.  

The video below reviews some tips on using Google Docs during the information collection stage for any essay writing.  This tool makes a great argument for why your students should be using Google Docs on a more regular basis.