If you’re like most academics, you have many demands on your time. Wouldn’t it be nice if some of those demands could be made a bit easier?

Here are 6 useful software tools that can help make the writing process faster or help you better organize your notes and literature:

1. Dragon Naturally Speaking. This speech recognition software (available only in paid versions) allows you to dictate documents, search the web, dictate and send emails and more using only your voice.

2. Docear-The Academic Literature Suite. This free open source tool helps you organize, create and discover academic literature.

3. Evernote. This tool, which comes in a free version as well as an upgraded paid version, allows you to create text, photo and audio notes, clip web pages and synchronize your notes across your devices.

4. Research Writer by ActiveScholar. This research writing software (the company offers a free 30-day trial) is developed specifically for academic writers. It allows you to capture, maintain, and organize research information for journal articles, dissertations, theses, course papers, essays and books.

5. Citavi. This reference management software, available in free and paid versions, allows you to search resources worldwide, analyze and organize content, save quotations and thoughts, and more.

6. Mendeley. This free software tool allows you to search and sort your references, documents and notes in one place.

What software tools do you use? Please share them in the comments section.

Power Thesaurus. An easy-to-follow, crowdsourced online thesaurus. (shared by Nina).