Google Launches New Research Tool For Google Documents

Google has launched the Research tool for Google documents. This new tool allows you to add Google Search content directly to your document without leaving the page. Right now when you login and create a new document you will see the new pane on the right side. You can reopen the tool anytime by clicking Research under Tools, or by initiating a search.

To initiate a search based on text you have already written you can right click on any word, or highlight a phrase and right click, to find the research function. Ctrl+Alt+R on Windows or Cmd+Alt+R on Mac are key shortcuts you can use also. If you prefer, when the tool is open, there is a search field at the top so that you can search for anything you want at anytime. The tool is not available in spreadsheets or the other file types.

The Research tool enables you to add a lot of different media that can easily be edited. Perhaps the best feature in my opinion is that any content inserted is automatically cited if required with a superscript number and footnote containing a link to the content along with a page title and date if available. Images and maps can be dragged to the document while text is added or cited by hovering over it. Any web page can be previewed in another pane that comes up next to it; even the webpage screenshot can be dragged to your document. Here is a quick sample document I made so that you can see the footnotes..

Give it a try and let us know what you think. I wish I had this in school!

My wish for Google Docs

Google Docs is great, but it is lacking in one area. Like many people I use the service to backup documents, photos, and videos; I even purchased additional storage. Because my primary and backup drives are at the same location I am not really protected in case of a major event. So I use Google Documents as an additional backup for some important files.

The missing link? Hierarchy. During the upload process you can not upload one folder that has subfolders and all the files in those folders. You can only upload files to already established folders and subfolders known as collections. Therefore if you wish to backup you must go through and create the folders in Document then upload one folder/subfolder's files at a time.

Do you have any wishes?

Another one of mine is for it to convert .sam (Ami Pro) files to current open document standards.