Habitica

What does it do?

Gamify your habit tracking and complete quests with friends!

What can I use it for?

Habit tracking and to-do-lists wrapped up in an RPG package with character levelling and visual rewards. Its retro-gaming aesthetic along with its creative way of habit tracker is an attractive alternative to those who are planning to make their habits stick.

Cost? FREE with purchasable cosmetic additions.

Where can I find it? It’s available to download from the App Store and Google Play. Browser login and more information are available here.

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Duolingo

What does it do?

Interactive language learning.

What can I use it for?

Looking for a new hobby or learn a new language in your spare time? Duolingo provides a highly intuitive and fun way to relearn your own mother tongue or impressing your mates. They offer a range of topics to solidify a foundation with quizzes with plenty audio and visual clues.

Cost? FREE with Duolingo Plus costing £12.49 per month.

Where can I find it? It’s available on the Google Play and App Store – for a browser option and more information are available here.

QuizUp

What does it do?

Bitesize trivia with friends.

What can I use it for?

QuizUp is a burst of trivia duelling with friends. They have an extensive list of topics to choose from and available to play in different languages. It is ideal for those looking a quick competitive break from studying or for those who find pub quizzes drag on for too long.

Cost? FREE with various in-app purchases.

Where can I find it? It’s available on the App Store and Google Play – account signup is available here.

Miro

What does it do?

Collaborative web whiteboard platform.

What can I use it for?

Missing messy project group project planning with whiteboards and sticky notes? Miro might just be for you with customisable formats and an option to upload media. It is a flexible tool for project planning or your very own personal vision board.

Visual Learning, Mind Mapping, Organisation, Planning, Group Work

Where can I find it? It’s available on the App Store and Google Play. For more information or Mac and PC download options are available here.

MindView

What does it do?

This mind mapping tool helps you with learning and planning.

What can I use it for?

You can use this mind mapping software as a visual way of learning topics or as a planning tool for written work. Images and links to resources can be added and once you have finalised your plan this can be exported into Word so you have a ready made template to write into.

Cost? It is available for use on all QMUL computers, so free! Or you can purchase a yearly subscription for a personal computer from $20 a month.

Where can I find it? It’s available on all QMUL computers. For further information about purchasing a subscription for your own computer you can take a look here or for information on a 30-day free trial look here.

Coggle

What does it do?

This mind mapping tool allows you to create mind maps and flow charts that you can add text and images to and link videos and websites. Mind maps can be downloaded as PDFs.

What can I use it for?

Use this tool when planning assignments and revising. It helps you to get ideas down and draw links between concepts. The colour coding feature and the ability to add images and videos also provides a great visual overview of the information.

Cost? You can sign up for free and have access to 3 private diagrams and as many public diagrams as you like. Or for $5 a month you can have access to unlimited private diagrams.

Where can I find it? You can sign up with a Google, Microsoft or Apple account here. For further information on the app, you can take a look at the tutorial video here.

Visual Timer – Countdown (Android only)

What does it do?

This timer app gives users a visual representation of time passing. It allows you to set a timer to complete tasks with a visual and numerical countdown to help keep you focused and develop an understanding of the passage of time.

What can I use it for?

You can set a timer for one-off tasks or pre-programme a timer for activities you do regularly.

Cost? It’s free!

Where can I find it? It’s available to download on Android phones only from Google Play here.

Google Calendar

What does it do?

It allows you to keep track of appointments and deadlines.

What can I use it for?

You can use this app to add times, dates and places for appointments and attach images and maps. You can also create revision timetables and set reminders for assessment deadlines.

Cost? It’s free!

Where can I find it? For more information on the app or to download from the App Store or Google Play look here.

Forest

What does it do?

Forest is a motivational time management app that stops you using your phone by blocking access to other apps and websites you put on your blacklist for a fixed amount of time. The app grows trees all the time you are not using your phone and you can save your progress so that eventually you have a full forest.

What can I use it for?

Forest helps you combat procrastination and distraction, and be present to your study and your learning. The timer feature allows you to break your study into discrete chunks. If you are easily distracted by notifications, news, social media and the like, this app is particularly motivating because it turns your bad online habits into a game where you can grow time management skills.

Cost? £1.99 (in-app purchases also available, allowing you to be environmentally-conscious and grow real trees!)

Where can I find it? It’s available to download from the App Store and Google Play. For further information on the app you can take a look at https://forestapp.cc/. Also, this fan video below is very useful.

Scapple

What does it do?

An intuitive mind mapping software which helps with getting an overview on a piece of research and then plan the write up. Works in conjunction with Scrivener.

What can I use it for?

Use it for getting initial research ideas down and organising your thoughts and ideas in one place when planning or writing an essay, dissertation or thesis. Mind mapping is also a great way of getting an overview on any topic which you are trying to learn or to make your revision more visual and interactive.

Cost? a one-off subscription fee of £13 (student/academic price)

Where can I find it? It’s available to download for both Mac and Windows from the Scapple website here.