The Best Note-Taking and Citation Reference Library Apps for Nursing School Organization
As a nursing student, keeping organized and well-informed is crucial for performing well in nursing school. One important aspect of this is note-taking and citation/reference management. With the advent of technology, there are many apps available for you to choose from to make these tasks more streamlined and efficient. In this article, we will compare some of the most popular note-taking and citation/reference apps.
Best Note-Taking Apps
When it comes to note-taking apps for nurses, the key is to find an app that fits your needs and preferences. Whether you prioritize organization, customization, or simplicity, there is likely an app on this list that will work for you.
Evernote
This app is a popular choice among healthcare professionals due to its ability to store and organize notes, documents, images, and even audio recordings. It has a simple interface, supports tags, and allows users to access their notes across different devices. Evernote also allows you to annotate PDFs and has a built-in scanner to digitize physical documents.
OneNote
This app from Microsoft is free and comes with Office 365. OneNote allows you to organize your notes into sections and pages, and you can also use tags to categorize them. The app supports handwriting recognition and syncing across multiple devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers.
Notion
This app is known for its versatility and customizability. Notion allows you to create different types of notes, such as checklists, tables, and calendars. It also supports file uploads and integrates with other apps, such as Google Drive and Trello. Notion has a free version with limited features, and a paid version with more advanced features.
Google Keep
This app is simple and easy to use, and allows you to take notes, make lists, and set reminders. Google Keep also has a voice-to-text feature that allows you to dictate your notes instead of typing them. The app integrates with other Google apps, such as Google Docs and Google Drive, making it easy to share your notes with others.
Bear
This app is popular among Apple users and has a clean and simple interface. Bear allows you to organize your notes using hashtags and tags, and also supports markdown formatting. The app has a free version with limited features, and a paid version with more advanced features, such as syncing across multiple devices.
Best Citation Reference Library Apps
Citation and reference library apps can be an invaluable tool for nurses to keep track of research, studies, and other important sources of information. Here are some of the top citation reference library apps available:
Mendeley
Mendeley is a free app that allows users to easily collect and organize research papers and other documents. It also has a feature for generating citations and bibliographies in a variety of formats.
Zotero
Zotero is a free, open-source app that allows users to collect, organize, and cite research sources. It can be used across multiple devices and has a plugin for Microsoft Word to make adding citations and creating bibliographies even easier.
EndNote
EndNote is a popular app among researchers and academics that allows for easy collection and organization of sources. It also has features for creating citations and bibliographies in a variety of styles.
RefWorks
RefWorks is a cloud-based app that allows for easy collection and organization of research sources. It also has features for creating citations and bibliographies in a variety of styles, as well as a plugin for Microsoft Word.
Papers
Papers is an app that allows users to collect, organize, and read research papers. It also has a feature for generating citations and bibliographies in a variety of formats.
Citavi
Citavi is a reference management app that allows users to collect, organize, and annotate research sources. It also has a feature for creating citations and bibliographies in a variety of styles.
ReadCube
ReadCube is a reference management app that allows users to collect and organize research sources. It also has a feature for creating citations and bibliographies in a variety of styles, as well as a built-in PDF reader.
Editor's Choice
Having been to nursing school twice (once for my RN and once for my NP), I've used a few apps on this list, and my favorite reference library manager is Zotero. Mendely was a close second favorite, but I had more issues with it than with Zotero.
From their web plugins to their Microsoft Word and Google Docs integrations, both options will serve you well, and you won't believe you ever lived without a reference library manager before.
