Google Add Ons

Google has been very proactive in creating add ons that bring power to the basic Google applications such as Documents, Sheets, and Slides.  These add ons create additional tools for people to use in their work. These add on programs are what I use to create work seamlessly and within the Google environment.

In Google Docs, the research add on is terrific.  It will format your writing for MLA, APA styles of writing for student and professional papers.  While I became a master of using the bibliography tools in Microsoft word during graduate school, Google, offers these without having to purchase office for your personal or business account. It allows research access from the web, Google Scholar, everywhere, inages, etc., allowing you to complete your work in the same window. When you cite a source, Docs places it in the appropriate style of your writing.   For you Avery label maker users, there is an add on for Google docs as well.  I have to experiment with this, however working in an elementary setting, our teachers are constantly using labels as fund raising reminders, getting students on the correct bus, and lunch line organizers.

While Excel is my normal go to program for heavy spreadsheets, I have warmed up to Google sheets  The PowerTools add ons allow you to really manipulate data in a meaningful way.  Features include a duplicate finder, separation and merge tools, as well as find and replace functions.  Add the functionality of Google's form tools and there is a simple data collection and administration tool.  With the table add ons, you can create multi colored tables if you desire.  This is much easier in excel, however, each productivity suite has its own set of tools that are available on a specific level of functionality.

Google Slides offers a simple set of template offerings for Slide presentations.  There are currently no add ons that I have found to date, however some creative folks have given you hope to dress up the basic Google slide template options.   Go to  Slide Carnival on the web and make a copy to your Google drive of the many templates available at the site.  You can then create a new presentation from the copy, editing content with your particular slide needs. You can then recolor, adjust, delete, etc till you have the presentation of your dreams.