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The College Student's Productivity Guide - 27 Apps, Tools, and Resources

Published on Monday 21st of May, 2007

Having trouble staying on task? Need outside help with simple things like writing a bibliography page? Not surprisingly, there are many online solutions for almost every aspect of your college life. No, there isn't a free download that can cure your hangover from Saturday night, but there are plenty of online study aids that will get you through the rough spots. Below are 27 applications, tools and resources that will make you a more productive college student.

Online Research

  1. Free Book Notes
    Forget to do your assigned reading last night? Want to cram for an upcoming English Literature test? Free Book Notes is a massive links index for online book summaries and analysis. There are many sites that offer something similar to Cliffsnotes, so you should start your search for a specific book here.

  2. Wikipedia
    Wikipedia, the encyclopedia that anyone can edit, is a great place to start your research. Whether you are searching for "quantum mechanics" or "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", you will find lengthy entries for just about any topic. However, be forewarned that some professors forbid the site from being cited in a formal paper. This is due to the site's wiki function, which is certainly capable of flaws. Although there are many volunteers that attempt to keep the site factual, errors do occur. Think of Wikipedia as your starting point, as the site will suggest many other resources and sites related to your topic.

  3. Merriam-Webster Online
    If you need to use an online dictionary, Mirriam-Webster is the one to bookmark. Not only is the dictionary exhaustive and regularly updated, it also boasts a thesaurus and Spanish-to-English translator. Other features include an audio pronunciation of each word. If you ever wondered how to pronounce a certain word, this is a chance to learn how without embarassing yourself.

  4. MSN Encarta
    MSN Encarta is a fine resource for those looking to learn something new or research a topic for school. The site contains a reputable encyclopedia, dictionary, thesaurus, atlas and much more. Although this site isn't as popular as Wikipedia, it is much more credible if you have to cite it as a source.

  5. ISI Web of Knowledge
    ISI Web of Knowledge is an online academic research library. Journals, white papers and other information are conveniently located at your fingertips when you join the site. Although parts of ISI are available to the public at no charge, serious researchers will probably want to pay for the complete service. This is a very convenient, 24-hour alternative to going to the library, which makes the membership fee well worth the price to many. Also, the site offers legitimate sources for citing, as opposed to Wikipedia.

  6. Questia
    For further online research, you should also consider a membership with Questia. This massive digital library features books, magazines, journals and newspapers. Additional features include a bibliography composer and sections broken down into research topics. Although this is another research platform that costs money to use, those attending classes online will find Questia indespinsable.

  7. Fathom
    Fathom is a great archive of articles, interviews and seminars presented by Columbia University for the purpose of distance education. Information can be found on a variety of subjects and is provided by notable field experts.

  8. Bloglines
    Bloglines is a great online resource for finding blogs, podcasts and news feeds to subscribe to. For research purposes, it is nice to have such easy access to RSS feeds. However, you will also have fun perusing through so much information.

Homework Composition

  1. Google Docs and Spreadsheets
    Forget about Word and Excel. Google Docs and Spreadsheets allows you to compose and safely secure your work online. Permitted you have an Internet connection, you will no longer have to worry about saving your work to your hardrive and a backup, as it will be accessible from any point and impossible to lose once it is saved.

  2. PDF Online
    For free and easy PDF conversion, use this online service. This is the most user-friendly way to convert documents, so you no longer have to worry about missing deadlines due to your lack of technical know-how.

  3. Ottobib
    For some people, the hardest part of a research paper is properly writing the bibliography page. Thanks to Ottobib, that is a problem of the past. Provided you have the ISBN of the books are citing, this site will configure your bibliography page for you, right down to every comma and colon. There are five styles available: MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, BibTeX and Wikipedia.

  4. NoodleBib
    NoodleBib is another free online tool that composes citations and bibliography pages for research papers. However, this is one of the more sophisticated bibliography composers in that it analyzes your citation list and prepares things in a printer-friendly Doc format.

Buying and Selling Textbooks

  1. eBay
    When it's time to buy your textbooks, avoid your local college bookstore like the plague. Not only do they price gouge, they will also insult you when you attempt to sell the book back at the end of the semester (A $1 for a brand new $75 textbook, are you kidding?). Plan ahead and find your books on eBay. Unless your professor specifies otherwise, you should be fine with an older edition of most textbooks, so don't stress out if you can't find the most current ones.

  2. Campus Books
    If you can't find what you need on eBay, Campus Books is a search engine that will comparison shop for your textbooks. According to the site, they search dozens of online stores and thousands of online sellers to find you the best deal. Also, you can create an account with Campus Books and sell your own at the end of each semester. This could be an easy way to make some quick, much-needed cash.

  3. Amazon.com
    Amazon.com is an online store that sells just about any non-perishable item you can think of. Not only is this is a great resource for frugal students to buy discounted items, it will probably sell the textbooks you need but couldn't find on second-hand sites.

Handy Tools

  1. Book Burro
    Book Burro is a free download for your toolbar that will locate a book you are browsing online. The tool will not only search online stores for the book, but libraries as well. Also, Book Burro will comparison shop for you and display how much each store is charging for said book.

  2. Firefox
    By now we hope you aren't still using Internet Explorer. Not only does Firefox better protect you from viruses and spam, this free Web browser has much cooler widgets and themes available for download.

  3. Google Toolbar
    Google's free toolbar is a quick download and will cut your research time in half. Not only will it let you make a Google search from any site, there are additional tools like an English page translation and a smart pop-up blocker. This toolbar makes general Web browsing much easier. It is available for both Internet Explorer and Firefox, too.

  4. Gimp
    Gimp, short for GNU Image Manipulation Program, is a free alternative to PhotoShop. The download is available for Mac, Linux and Windows users. College students may find this program useful for both work and play.

  5. eFax
    Don't have a fax machine? Don't worry, you'll never need one again, thanks to eFax. This site allows you to receive and send faxes online. It is fast, easy and secure.

  6. MapQuest
    As a college student, you shouldn't be expected to sit in front of the computer all the time. When you decide to take a road trip or go to a party, make you know how to get there. Nothing is easier than MapQuest when it comes to driving instructions. All you need is an address and a place to print your map.

  7. The Career Key
    The Career Key Test is a modern aptitude test designed to help you find what you are best suited for. Whether you are choosing your major or are about to graduate, you should be giving your future career a lot of thought. This site is all about deciding which direction to take your life next.

Social Networking

  1. CampusNut
    CampusNut is a site aimed at high school and college students. It combines social networking and humor with tools for students, such as book summaries. The site's intent is to be an all-inclusive online hangout for young adults.

  2. Facebook
    As a college student, you have many social networking sites to choose from. However, Facebook is commonly thought of as the more sophisticated, college-oriented of them all. So, leave MySpace to the teenagers and start a Facebook account. If you are also using Pick-A-Prof to choose your classes and professors, there is now a way to merge your Facebook account with the site to ensure that you end up taking classes with your friends.

  3. The Campus Center
    The Campus Center is a diverse site that combines the social networking of Facebook with the online tools of Google Docs and Spreadsheets. There is also a multimedia aspect to the site, offering videos and music. This is a bit like a virtual student union, which is ideal for distance learners, and even professors are encouraged to join.

  4. Pick-A-Prof
    You shouldn't register for any classes at your college without consulting Pick-A-Prof first. This online network allows students to review their professors, which will assist future students when they are deciding which class to take. The site also shows the percentage of grades given by each professor. (Hint: The teachers who hand out A's to 90% of their students are probably a great pick!)

  5. Rate My Professor
    Rate My Professor is similar to Pick-A-Prof, albeit less sophisticated, and it is possible that you will learn something on one site that wasn't available on the other. For that reason, it may be advantageous to start an account with both. Why is this so important? Because finding that "easy A" is like finding the holy grail to a busy college student.

It is hard to imagine what college students did before the advent of the World Wide Web. Whether you prefer to conduct research online or need a tool to help you with your homework, there are many options for you to explore. No matter what your online needs are as a student, the above 27 applications, tools and resources will help you love your college life and graduate on time.

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