Resources for Dissertation Writing

Unfortunately, there's no magic wand you can wave to make your finished dissertation appear before you on your desk. But there are some tools that may make the writing process easier.

Writing

UBC IT makes Microsoft Office 365 - which includes Microsoft Word and OneNote - available for free to all currently enrolled students with a valid CWL. (The thesis template created by the Research Commons is a Word template.)

Scrivener is a resource used by many writers, which is available for both PC and Mac platforms. ($$)

Avoiding Procrastination and Distractions

Here are some anti-procrastination apps that might help you to stay on track, at least for a while!

Cold Turkey ($$)

SelfControl (Free; for Macs only)

Forest (Freemium: you can pay for upgrades in the app)

Creating The Right Writing Atmosphere

Some people find it hard to work at home where it's quiet, but find that public spaces are too full of people to get much work down. Coffitivity is a web site and Mac app that lets you have the auditory environment of a coffee shop in your own home.

Have a tool that works well for you that you think we should add here? Let us know! (research.commons<at>ubc.ca)