IT Skills
Short guides showing how software can help you learn, the big wins to focus on, and ecosystem integration.
Research requires deep focus, but our digital environments often offer nothing but distraction. It is time to flip the script. These resources are designed to help you build a digital ecosystem—a personalised setup that prioritises your ideas over tool maintenance.
I've applied a strict 'Less is More' philosophy. I won't teach you every button in Microsoft Word or every plugin in Obsidian. Instead, I teach you the power moves—the critical settings and workflows in Zotero, Scrivener, Google Workspace, etc. that dramatically accelerate your ability to read, cite, and write.
From taming your email inbox to mastering Adobe Creative Cloud, I show you how to tailor your operating system (whether Mac or PC) to your specific needs. The goal is simple: to help you achieve Digital Sovereignty. Stop fighting with your technology and start using it to build a resilient foundation for your best academic work.
Academic Software
This personal knowledge management tool allows scholars to build a networked 'second brain' by linking disparate notes, facilitating the synthesis of complex ideas over time.
An essential reference manager that streamlines the research process by collecting, organising, and automatically citing sources within manuscripts to ensure bibliographic accuracy.
Designed specifically for long-form writing, this application enables researchers to draft non-linearly and restructure complex arguments easily for dissertations and monographs.
Learning Management Systems (LMS)
These platforms serve as the central digital hub for course administration, handling the distribution of syllabi, submission of assessments, and grading to maintain academic continuity.
Manaba
A course support system widely used in Japanese higher education to track attendance, manage assignment collections, and facilitate student reflection portfolios.
Google Classroom
This platform streamlines the teaching workflow by integrating with Google Workspace for efficient, paperless assignment distribution and real-time feedback.
Operating Systems
A stable, Unix-based environment favoured by many scholars for its longevity, seamless ecosystem integration, and superior rendering of typography for reading and writing.
The most widely compatible operating system, ensuring seamless access to institutional infrastructure and specialised research software that may not be available on other platforms.
Linux
A highly customisable, open-source system often preferred by researchers in computational fields for its robust programming environment and efficient resource management.
Office Software
The industry standard for academic publishing and administration, offering powerful tools for manuscript preparation, data analysis, and departmental collaboration.
Google Workspace: Drive, Docs, Sheets, Slides, Forms
A cloud-native suite that excels at real-time collaboration, allowing research teams to co-author papers simultaneously and easily collect data via web-based forms.
This professional design suite empowers academics to create high-quality visual assets for conference posters, presentation slides, and publication figures.
Productivity Software
Beyond basic surfing, modern browsers act as the primary gateway to research databases and support extensions that accelerate reading and citation workflows.
Email: Gmail, Outlook
These clients manage the high volume of academic correspondence, using advanced filtering to separate critical research communications from administrative noise.
Calendars: Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar
Essential for time-blocking deep work sessions, these tools manage complex teaching timetables and coordinate meetings across different time zones.