(Free) Software for Students
The presentation software that uses motion, zoom, and spatial relationships to create dynamic presentations with easy integration of video, audio, and animation.
A free, online software application that provides basic software capabilities as well as easy online sharing. Drive also houses the "GSuite" which provides access to basic software for creating and editing documents (GoogleDocs), simple design software (GoogleDrawings), presentation software (GoogleSlides), basic spreadsheet software (GoogleSheets) and an application for creating simple forms and surveys (GoogleForms). All of these tools can be used with Lane student accounts or standard Gmail. Please use the links below to explore.
An open-source, free software that guides users through the process of creating mind maps.
Another software for creating webs and outlines is a bit more dynamic and sharable. Of note, this software allows for exportation to a variety of platforms for printing and sharing maps on both Mac and PC.
“Mind42 is a software application that supports the creation of mind maps. It's a specialized tool to quickly create, manage and edit the kind of data structure required for mind maps. … it's really about entering thoughts, arranging and refining them, and exploring ideas in a graphical way.”
This text analysis tool provides information on the readability and complexity of a text, as well as statistics on word frequency and character count. It is great for determining a paper's reading level.
Use this website to hear your paper read aloud in a voice and cadence of your choosing. This site is a useful tool for catching grammar and spelling errors and for assessing the flow of your writing.
OpenOffice is a free, open-source software suite that includes programs similar to many of the features of Microsoft Office, including word processing, spreadsheets, database construction, and presentation software.
For students with a valid .edu email address, Microsoft provides a free version of their office software for download.