12 Programs for Scientific Work

Writing a scientific paper, such as a bachelor's or master's thesis, can be challenging. Fortunately, there are a variety of programs that can simplify and optimize the writing process. Here are 12 tools that are not only allowed but even necessary to work efficiently and successfully.

Evernote - Your Digital Memory

Evernote is a software that helps collect, organize, and retrieve notes, documents, links, and photos. It is particularly useful during the research phase for organizing articles, statistics, and other sources. The special feature: Thanks to cloud synchronization, the content is available anytime, anywhere on all your devices.

Citavi - No More Stress with the Bibliography

Citavi is a literature management program that greatly helps in creating the bibliography correctly. Important text passages can be easily marked, and Citavi automatically inserts the source citations. However, the program is only available for Windows.

Microsoft Excel - Keep the Overview

Even though it's tempting to try out many new programs, an "old" tool like Excel can be very useful. For example, you can create lists of books and their call numbers that are not allowed to be borrowed from the library. Text passages can also be clearly organized in a list.

Basecamp - Projects Made Easy

Basecamp is a browser-based project management tool. It allows you to plan your bachelor's or master's thesis as a major project - with to-do lists, deadlines, file storage, and time tracking. Everything is in one place, without folder chaos. It is also ideal for teamwork.

Pomodoro Timer - Time Management Made Easy

Timer apps like the Tomato-Timer help to keep work and break times. Many are based on the Pomodoro technique: 25 minutes of focused work, followed by a 5-minute break. The regular interruptions keep you productive for longer.

Google Docs - Write Together

The online text editor Google Docs is ideal for putting your work on paper. All files are stored online and are accessible from anywhere. Documents can be shared with others, who can then add comments and annotations - perfect for proofreading. And the best part: It's free!

Google Scholar - Research Made Easy

Google Scholar is essentially the scientific search engine. Structured like the normal Google search, you will only find scientific documents here - an invaluable tool for literature research.

Voice Assistants - Simply Dictate

Programs like Siri, Alexa, or Cortana allow you to simply dictate thoughts and ideas. The conversion to text is automatic. This saves time when writing and also allows you to capture flashes of inspiration on the go. The only disadvantage: You have to revise the texts again.

MindManager - Visualize Ideas

With MindManager, ideas, tasks, and concepts can be clearly displayed. A perfect technique to keep track of even complex topics and visualize connections.

Auratikum - Your Digital Writing Assistant

Auratikum is based on Niklas Luhmann's famous Zettelkasten method. It accompanies you from the first thought to the finished work and is suitable for all types of scientific papers.

Gliffy - Create Diagrams

For those who like to work with diagrams and flowcharts, programs like Gliffy or draw.io are ideal. They are particularly useful for empirical work where survey results need to be visualized.

Writing a scientific paper is a complex task. However, with the right tools, it can be significantly simplified. The presented programs cover all important areas - from research and organization to the actual writing process. They are not only allowed but even necessary to work efficiently and successfully. Try them out and find out which combination works best for you!

Frag das PDF

FragDasPDF is especially useful for searching PDF documents and quickly extracting relevant information. It can be a great time saver when working with a variety of PDF sources and needing specific information.

FragDasPDF helps users to quickly understand PDFs in any language, grasp the essentials, and even "chat" with instruction manuals. It deciphers complex documents such as legal texts or scientific studies and answers all questions asked.