Course Readings
Assignment Resources
APA Citation
Academic Software
Need Help?
Tips for Success
There are many apps and websites which can help you with your studies! The software below are listed by function - i.e. what you would use them for.
Bibliographic software are apps which help you keep track of the articles (and other sources) which you are reading, organize them (e.g. by assignment), and cite them too! They can also help you find full text copies of articles (i.e. so that you can read the whole article).
As you are searching, when you find article(s) which you like, you can use the database or search engine's features to export the information about your article(s) into your bibliographic software, with a couple of clicks of your mouse, saving you a lot of typing.
Zotero and Mendeley are both free to use. If you haven't used either before, Zotero is generally more user-friendly (for instance, you don't have to log in every time you use it). However, be sure to download the Zotero Desktop App rather than using the web version, which has fewer features. If you prefer to use Mendeley, that's fine too!
(If you have purchased a license for Endnote, please note that Endnote is not very compatible with cloud services. Be sure to save any Endnote libraries on the hard drive of your own computer, not on the OneDrive, to prevent your libraries from randomly going "corrupt".)
Helpful links:
There are several ways to find the full text of an article (i.e. the entire article so that you can read it).
If you are using Zotero, any articles which you have exported from EBSCO or ProQuest databases are set up so that if you double-click on the title, the entry for that article will open in your browser - then, you can click on the Access, Full Text, or Download PDF button (depending on the particular article).
Zotero also has a feature where you can either click on a particular article, or use Ctrl-A to select all articles in a folder, then right-click and choose Find Full Text. This will use the Unpaywall system to check for free copies of the document in question. (If you are using a Mac, use Cmd-A and Ctrl-click instead of Ctrl-A and right-click.)
Although you can use any standard word processing software for note-taking (or a notebook or journal), there are several software options.
There are several options for reading eBooks through the library.
To find eBooks, search Discovery for the title of the eBook (not the chapter title) - you can also search by topic and limit the Source Type to eBook.
If you do not see the Source Type filter, your window may not be wide enough. If possible, pull your window as wide as possible. If not possible, click on the All Filters button on the left-hand side, and select the Source Type in that menu.
It is possible to read the eBooks in your browser by clicking on the title of the book, then on PDF Full Text (assuming the book is available).
Other options include reading the eBook using Adobe Digital Editions or the EBSCO mobile app.
Note that if you use Adobe Digital Editions, it is best not to use the Comments and Notes options within Adobe Digital Editions. These may sometimes disappear without warning.
For more information on Adobe Digital Editions, the EBSCO mobile app, and eReader compatibility:
Studiosity is a service available to all Yorkville students. Studiosity provides math and writing feedback.
TurnItIn is a software which can be used to assess an assignment, including spelling, grammar, and academic integrity.
Some instructors may require that assignments be submitted to TurnItIn. If so, TurnItIn is embedded in Brightspace.
While not specifically academic, Office suite and similar software are widely used in academia and the world beyond.
Yorkville students have access to the Microsoft Office suite of software. It is recommended to download the desktop versions of any MS Office software you wish to use, as the desktop versions are more stable and have more features than the online versions. However, the online versions can be useful for simultaneous collaboration during group projects.
Many job postings contain requirements for Microsoft Office applications or equivalents - some jobs present applicants with online tests involving the use of Microsoft Office applications. Learning these skills in university can prepare you for the workplace and look good on your résumé.
Word Processors such as Apple's Pages, Google Docs, LibreOffice's Writer, and Microsoft Word, are used for writing many assignments, including discussion questions, essays, literature reviews - anything that's mostly text.
Be sure to format your assignments in APA style, Yorkville University's official citation style.
Some of your assignments may be in the format of a presentation, or you may be asked to create a powerpoint file. Presentations emphasize the use of visuals and speech rather than text.
Presentation software includes Apple's Keynote, Google Slides, LibreOffice's Impress, and Microsoft Powerpoint. Note that if you are specifically required to create a .ppt format file, you can do so using the other presentation software - look for an Export or Save As option which allows you to convert to a .ppt file when you are satisfied with your presentation. Since you have access to MS Powerpoint as a Yorkville student, it's worth opening the resulting file in Powerpoint to make sure it was converted accurately.
Although there are no official rules for formatting a presentation in APA style, many of the APA rules may be applied to presentations. It is also a good idea to consider how your presentation could be made accessible to someone who could not see or hear - using visuals which can easily be described aloud, and ensuring that main points are represented visually as well as spoken aloud.
Spreadsheet programmes may be used for simple and complex mathematical calculations, and organizing and sorting data.
Spreadsheet software includes Apple's Numbers, Google Sheets, LibreOffice's Calc, and Microsoft Excel.
For more information about formatting your assignments in APA style, visit the APA citation tab, or click the link below.
These software may be helpful under specific circumstances.
