Written by Upendra Shahi

In a world where technological advancements are transforming every sector, education has not been left untouched. From starting my educational journey with a wooden slate in Nepal to now leveraging artificial intelligence for writing, the leap in technological progress is profound. This evolution, while convenient, also presents the challenge of staying updated with innovations that can significantly boost our academic productivity. This blog post, which was sparked by a discussion with friends who were not aware of reference tools, attempts to shed light on digital resources that might improve students’ ability to study effectively and their entire academic experience.

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

When I first started at the University of Bristol, I did not know much about online and digital learning. But as I explored, I found several digital tools that really help with university work. These tools are great for students who are just starting to use digital learning or for mature students coming back to school after working for a while. I decided to write this blog post to talk about these easy-to-use, yet profoundly effective digital tools that a lot of students do not know about.

For students, the ability to draft essays, research proposals, policy briefs, and other academic papers is crucial, and proper referencing is a key skill that significantly impacts grading. Yet, referencing can be time-consuming and prone to errors without the right tools. University provides support for using popular referencing tools such as Endnote, Mendeley and Zotero. However, for this blog, I will focus specifically on EndNote and Mendeley, which are the tools I have more experience with. These tools not only save time but also minimise errors, making them indispensable for students aiming to enhance their academic work.

EndNote

EndNote is an advanced reference management tool favoured by the academic and research community for its comprehensive features in managing bibliographic references for scholarly writing. Unlike Mendeley, EndNote is not freely available, except for the basic version. However, you do not have to worry, as the university has you covered. Additionally, it is the university’s ‘recommended reference management software.’ EndNote stands out for its robust functionality and customization options, making it ideal for managing extensive reference libraries and complex research documents. I would recommend this tool especially if you see yourself in the academia in the future. Its features include:

• Reference Management: Users can create a library of references from various sources, including online databases and PDFs.
• Citation Styles: Supports thousands of citation styles for bibliography and citation formatting.
• Integration with Word Processors: The “Cite While You Write” plugin allows for seamless citation insertion and bibliography creation in documents.
• PDF Management: Enables PDF attachment to reference and provides annotation and search tools.
• Collaboration and Sharing: Facilitates sharing libraries or parts there of for collaborative research.
• Online Access and Synchronisation: EndNote Online syncs with the desktop app for access across devices.
• Advanced Search and Organisation: Offers powerful search and organisation tools, such as groups and keywords.
• Customisation: Allows customisation of reference types and display fields to meet user needs.

Mendeley

Mendeley is a widely used reference management software that helps researchers, academics, and students organise their bibliographic data and research materials. Mendeley is praised for its user-friendly interface and its ability to simplify citation management and academic writing. I find Mendeley highly convenient and beneficial for long-term use, especially because it is free. Its key features include:

• Reference Management: Users can build a personal library of references from various sources and manage them efficiently.
• PDF Organization: It functions as a PDF reader and organiser, allowing users to annotate and organise PDFs.
• Citation Plugin: A plugin for word processors like Microsoft Word and LibreOffice facilitates easy citation insertion and bibliography formatting in multiple styles.
• Collaboration: Enables sharing of references and documents for collaborative work.
• Web Access and Synchronisation: Offers both a desktop app and web version, synchronising libraries across devices for accessibility anywhere.
• Research Network: Acts as a platform to connect with researchers, discover new research, and share publications.
• Literature Search: Allows direct academic database searches to add references to the Mendeley library.

The University offers introductory classes for these tools, which can be found by visiting the Study Skills page on the University’s website. Furthermore, it is essential to consult the Cite Them Right website for accurate referencing guidelines. Access to EndNote and CiteThemRight is provided at no cost when using your University email, and Mendeley is available for free.

I hope this information proves valuable to you. Do not hesitate to enrol in study skills classes offered by the University to familiarise yourself with these tools, provided at no cost and keep an eye out for additional resources that can enrich your academic journey.