Word clouds have been around for some time. They can be great to help share a message or get a point across in a visual format. There is an add-on with Google Docs that helps users create a Word Cloud with their content.
For those who do not know much about word clouds, they are created based on the most commonly used words. The more often a word is used, the larger the word gets.
Get the Add-On
The add-on that you will want to use is Word Cloud Generator. It is very easy to use. Once you have the content on your Google Doc, activate the add-on from the add-on menu. Choose Word Cloud Generator and either select classic or modern mode. Your word cloud will show up on the right column. If you like what it has produced, you can either insert it in your Google Doc, by selecting append large or append small, or you can download it. This way you can place the word cloud in another G-Suite product or other web tool. See below for more help.
Why you might want to use word clouds?
- It can be a great way to help students determine whether or not their message is being made based on the words that are produced.
- If students need to make sure they are not using the same words throughout their paper, word clouds can also help with this. Again, the more often a word is being used, the bigger the word gets in the word cloud.
- If you need a visual in a Google Slide presentation, this can be a great way to get a point across without having 6 bullets of content. This can be helpful for seniors who are presenting their Senior Project and want a visual.
And that is my Spiel…
Craig M Sheil 