Using Add-ons in Google Drive

Google Drive Add-ons: 

Google Drive users now have the ability to incorporate "Add-ons" to add features to various Google Apps. One of the most useful is the "Easy Bib" add-on.

To install an Add-on, open a blank Google document and then click on "Add-ons" (highlighted in yellow above) and then "get add-ons." That will take you to a mind-boggling array of options. Almost all of them operate on the "freemium" model, which means they provide some basic features for free and offer additional features for a cost.

Once EasyBib is installed it will be available in all Google documents that the user edits in the future. To open EasyBib, click on "Add-ons," "EasyBib," and then "Manage Bibliography" (even if it's your first entry).

At that point, a sidebar opens and the author can enter a book or journal title or a website address and, in most cases, it will automatically create a works cited entry. The author can choose between MLA, APA, or Chicago styles. The example below is from a source found on "Google Books."

As previously stated, there are a huge number of options for add-ons. there are flow chart designers, mind map makers, formula editors, translators, rhyme makers, and much, much more. If you find one that is particularly useful, feel free to post it in a comment below.

New editing features in Google Docs

Click on pic for more detailed view

Making edits as "suggestions":

Google has added an interesting new editing feature to Google Docs. It's always been possible to add comments to documents--that's what the yellow highlighted elements above are showing--but it's now possible to edit the paper but have those edits show up as "suggestions" in green.

The function is similar to the editing/change tracking features in Word, but is actually much lighter and simpler to use. Any time the editor makes a change in the paper, a box appears in the sidebar that automatically explains the change that the editor made. The edit also appears in green font in the text itself.