If you are like me and are working towards a degree, then you will appreciate my top 10 list of practical tech tips for college students. Check cheap assignment writing service uk to get quick help with writing a paper while studying.
1. Keep an extra pair of hands.
I was seven years old when I decided it would be a smart idea to update my operating system. My laptop would become a shiny paperweight. Little did I know. I was freaked to say the least. I had to complete a paper and post it on the discussion board in a matter of days. There was no way for me to do it. Marian’s IT team came to my aid with a loaner. I got my computer fixed and ordered a new one for the weekend. I learned my lesson and now have a backup.
2. The electronic textbook is your best option.
Since I started working in adult programs for a while, I’ve seen many students insist on paper textbooks. But, trust me, electronic textbooks can be downloaded to multiple devices and are less expensive than paper textbooks. They can be highlighted, marked up, bookmarked, and notated just like a hard copy. A keyword search can also be done – this feature has helped me save a lot of time writing research papers but some students prefer to deal with best essay writing website, anyway.
3. Make the most of your smartphone.
Smartphones enable us to access course material such as lectures, articles, and discussion forums from anywhere we have cell service. Your waiting time can be used to schedule mini study sessions. You don’t have to wait for the kids’ soccer practice to run long. If the doctor’s office is running late or you need to change your oil, plug in your earbuds and start working on your course.
4. Students get discounts
I am not talking about saving some money on museum admission, but much larger sums on the hardware or software that you might need. Most companies offer education rates, so you can get a reliable new laptop, iPad, or photo editing software. Many online services also offer extended, free trials to students. Axure.com provided me with a student license that I could use for a year in my last semester. All they had to do was email me from my student email.
5. Cloud-based storage is not something you should be afraid of.
Technology is changing at the speed-of-light, and I am well aware of this fact. However, cloud storage has been around for a while. Dropbox and Evernote both offer free accounts that can encrypt your data for storage and transfer. You can access your files from anywhere you have an internet connection with a smart password. This will allow you to rest easy knowing that military-grade cybersecurity protects your information.
Google’s suite products Drive, Docs Sheets, Sheets, Google Mail serve as hubs for my file storage, communication, and transfer needs. You don’t like Google? Take a look at the list of alternative sites published by pixelprivacy.com.
6. Send in your homework as PDFs.
Save and send your work as a PDF unless your professor has specified the format. PDFs are universal. That means that no matter what program created the file or which fonts were used, what size the images are, or what operating system it is on, the PDF can still be viewed exactly as the creator intended. You can avoid bizarre formatting issues that suddenly pop up in Word documents by saving your work to PDF.
7. You can take your grammar to the next step.
When I returned to school, it was twenty years since my last English course. Google was my first port of call when I needed help with writing. I found many great tools. Grammarly is my favorite. Grammarly helps me correct my spelling mistakes and makes suggestions for grammatical corrections. It also looks out for accidental plagiarism. It’s cloud-based so it can be logged into any computer to continue where I left off.
8. Source citations shouldn’t slow you down.
Citation Machine is my favorite site for assistance with a source citation. You will have to watch an ad once per day to access their service. However, I find it worth it. Citation Machine pulls information from user-assisted searches to fill in the gaps. Before you hit submit, you can edit any incorrect information or add any missing data. It is as easy as copying and pasting the formatted citation to your reference list.
9. Give your presentations some polish and pizazz.
How many dull PowerPoint presentations has your experience with? Don’t let boring PowerPoint presentations ruin your productivity. You can find free photography, videos and sound clips on websites such as CreativeCommons.org and Videvo.net. You can make your presentation professional by incorporating professional quality assets. It will unify your work and engage your audience.
10. You can go online for your training.
Add depth to your knowledge by exploring your most popular software programs and systems. Lynda.com/Udemy, Codecademy, and Codecademy all offer professional-produced video instruction. These sites include transcripts and exercise files so you can learn at your own pace. Find the learning site that suits you best and start to take advantage of the wealth of knowledge available.
We hope you find at most a few of these tech-related tips useful in your education and learning habits. Technology isn’t one-size-fits all. You can adapt it to your needs and comfort level. You can always modify it to suit your needs.