Google Docs for improving students’ collaborative scientific writing

This study explores the outcomes of using Google Docs for collaborative scientific writing and the associated student perceptions. The study included a total of 35 undergraduate students from the educational sciences programme. All students participated in a pre- and post-test design experiment and 10 were randomly selected to attend interviews. The study revealed three key findings: (a) there was a positive correlation between the frequency of interactions with Google Docs (edits, comments, and revisions) and the improvement of collaborative scientific writing; (b) a significant link was observed between the duration dedicated to writing activities and the quality of individual contributions, indicating that extended involvement leads to more substantial input; (c) students perceived Google Docs to be a useful, satisfactory, easy-to-use, engaging, and interactive tool that enhances their productivity in collaborative scientific writing. The results highlight the usefulness of Google Docs for supporting effective collaborative scientific writing in higher education settings.