Whether you’re returning to finish out high school, are just starting college or getting back in the throes of higher college education, students face dozens of hurdles throughout academia. Fortunately, the modern world has brought us a lot of great things, and students aren’t limited to just libraries and Google for research. Here are some of the online tools for students getting ready to go back to school:
EasyBib
MLA, APA, Chicago, citations. These are words which can make even the best writer shudder. Citations are no joke and it’s critical to get them right. This can be tougher if you’re dealing with traditional books, as most research by students is likely done online. EasyBib helps with this by scanning a book’s barcode and automatically creating a citation for you, which cuts down on time spent with referencing so you can focus on the paper.
Stanza
This handy app is connected to Project Gutenburg, a gigantic resource of historical/important literature. Since textbooks, especially in a college scenario, can be really costly, Stanza holds potential to keep your wallet heavy by accessing this electric library.
Dropbox
There’s nothing more accessible than online cloud storage. While Dropbox can store files for virtually anything, a student will benefit by being able to access important files from anywhere on any compatible mobile device. Lost your critical USB flash drive with that 12 page final paper? No problem, it’s safe on Dropbox.
MyHomework
Organization is critical in a learning environment. No matter the education setting, it’s likely you find papers lost in the black hole of a backpack. Then there’s agendas and keeping track of assignments, etc. MyHomework is a simple app which tracks assignments electronically, cutting down on clutter and giving you more mental clarity.
Dictionary.com
These days, what student has enough space to lump another weighty textbook in their backpack or locker? Thanks to the Dictionary app though, students get all the power of looking up words they may need to use or understand, without needing all the space or giving themselves a sore back.
Wikipanion
Wikipedia has probably gotten a sour reputation in the academic world. You’ve likely heard many teachers bemoan it as an illegitimate source of information that should never be used. Well, this is quite the misnomer, as Wiki articles tend to be well cited (with unverified statements asking for citation) and full of excellent, general information. It can’t be cited because it’s like an introductory research paper.
Regardless, this handy app allows for getting a jump start on any subject in a practical, chronological way. Wikipedia looks to maintain bias free articles while hosting various sources a student can inspect for themselves. Having this information on the go is tremendously powerful, no matter the setting of academics.
There are many more apps which can help students succeed, and it’s good to take advantage of the abundant informational resources available to us. For general purposes though, these free online tools can help any education seeker make their career a bit more focused and a bit more streamlined.
Do you have any favorite, school-related apps? Leave them in the comments below!
