Library Home: Graduate Studies: Improve Productivity

Boost Productivity with the Pomodoro Technique

Tomato Timer
Bust out of your procrastination slump with Tomato Timer, which is an offshoot of the Pomodoro Technique (pomodoro is tomato in Italian) created by Francesco Cirillo in 1987 while studying at university.

This technique breaks down work into 25 minute (one tomato or pomodoro) complimented by a short 5 minute break. After four tomatoes, you have the reward of a longer break.

Use a Citation Manager to Keep your Research Organized

Effectively organizing your research promotes clearer thinking and writing, which saves time! One tool that promotes this clarity is a citation manager (CM), which is software that stores, arranges, and creates auto-generated citations of your sources. Zotero is a free CM, this version has a 300 MB capacity, that you can download onto your computer, work on multiple research projects simultaneously, upload images or PDF files, and export citations into Microsoft Word or Google Docs. It's easy to use and will help you manage research-based assignments and organize your course readings for easy reference.

Below are links and videos on downloading, troubleshooting, and using Zotero. Feel free to reach out a librarian for any assistance!

Download Zotero
Download the free version of the Zotero to build a research library with the ability to seamlessly add citations from your library to Word or Google Docs. Don't forget to install the browser connector to easily add websites into your Zotero library!
Zotero Documentation
This link directs you to Zotero's documentation that covers everything from downloading to troubleshooting various workflows. Most documentation includes clear visuals along with text. Use the Forum tab for system specific work arounds (i.e. Mac versus PC) from other Zotero users.
Zotero Bib
If you don't want to download Zotero but still want auto-generated citations, use Zotero Bib. All you have to do is copy & paste a ISBNs, source title, DOI, or PMID and select your citation style. Your citations may be saved across multiple sessions as long as you use the same computer.