Hello, I would like to ask: is it possible to seriously write scientific and other academic papers in Word for iPad, where one needs to cite and do similar tasks? Is there any solution? Something that could replace the combination of Word + EndNote on a Mac? What do you use?”
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All iPads Writing thesis, citation etc in word for ipad.
- Thread starter Delarock
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There is Zotero, Endnote itself, and other - the integration is not as tight as on a desktop - but for academic article writing in e.g. life science it is perfectly fine - for article writing Apple’s Pages and any reference manager is fine, because publishers have quite minimal requirements (yep, a word document, 1.5 line spacing, references/footnotes depending on field, figures separately).
For a thesis I would recommend Texifier together with References or Zotero on the iPad instead of Word so. If LaTeX give you the creeps 😀 - Typst is very nice IMHO for the intended purpose.
And just in case: for quick vector illustrations or image annotation used as figures, the free Inkpad Libre is really nice.
For a thesis I would recommend Texifier together with References or Zotero on the iPad instead of Word so. If LaTeX give you the creeps 😀 - Typst is very nice IMHO for the intended purpose.
And just in case: for quick vector illustrations or image annotation used as figures, the free Inkpad Libre is really nice.
Actually, if you use Word for iPad (not the best word processor - lazy Microsoft!), Mendelay has a plugin. I have not tested it for awhile but it worked similarly to the Word plugin for Mac. You access your Mendeley online library with the plug-in and format references as you like.
EDIT: Good luck with your thesis!
It’s possible but it would be exponentially easier and less time constraining to just use a laptop instead.
I tend to agree. Not because of Words limited functions (you mostly do not need it for thesis writing anyway) but the lack of other apps (statistics, data handling, scientific software etc.)
I feel like this sums up many productivity tasks on an iPad.
NO!
If you are trying to write more than a hundred pages thesis, iPad will be a nightmare.
It is one of my battles among this state of technology wonderment, tablets are worthless for that kind of work. Even for reading (unless you are extremely competent running from distractions and having a strict routine, something that I couldn't do with these instruments).
Grab your books and grab a computer. Grab a pen and a journal. You will be successful. Do not waste time with this. Zotero and Word works perfectly with computers.
All the best!
I don't use Word on the iPad for editing documents that I consider important that have much level of complexity - citations, TOC, Index, illustrations, etc. I'll use a desktop with fully functional Word.
For scientific writing, you also need a professional ref. software. Citation support in Word is rudimentary.
Have you tried?
I tried everything, or using it as a main driver or as a support. I don't understand why would one prefer a tablet over a laptop.
One thing we should talk about more is the complete failure of ergonomics: laptops and computers will be better. Thinking and writing a thesis is a process that can take years and one should be careful of their physical.
Funny, ages ago when I did my thesis, I went with a Toshiba laptop. It had an amber screen and I got the question why I would write a serious document on a laptop. It was serious work and not something to be done on a laptop. And on top of that, it wasn’t ergonomic…
The devices change, the discussion and arguments are basically identical!
(My argument for a laptop was simple: I did a lot of research in different libraries and I did a lot of interviews. Working in libraries of other universities a laptop was so much easier. And being able to type blind & with 10 fingers enabled me to make verbatim reports and do many interviews.)
this. People have written their thesis on DOS&company 😀
Also: the OP does not ask whether it is possible to write scientific articles or a thesis ONLY using an iPad… depending on the field you are writing your thesis in, an iPad can comfortably used for that IMHO. I have seen bachelor or master students doing all their data analysis and figures in Excel - Apple’s Numbers is probably covering all the same bases.
And if the analytical and plotting abilities of Numbers are not sufficient, there is DataAnalysis, or - levelling up 😁 - Juno or the free Carnets.
Obviously if you are required to use for whatever reasons specific software, a desktop/laptop is needed to run that - but that’s the same with data from lab equipment, you transfer the results.
I see no reason why you can’t comfortably type text, import figures done somewhere else, import data, process and analyze and graph/plot these and bring it all together on an iPad.
There is indeed a something like a “convenience factor” in relation to writing a thesis - at least in life sciences, physics, etc. you will most likely become part of a group. Which will have some “default” in doing things - e.g. if everyone uses Matlab, you will use Matlab too, because of continuity - and that’s where you can get most likely help when starting out or running into a problem. And if you decide to use Matlab at home, you will need a device which runs it.
nota bene: the “ergonomic” argument - I like to emphasis that I am not referring to using a bare iPad for this. A desk, a chair, appropriate lightning, coffee or tea supply, keyboard, mouse , iPad stand and/or external monitor are indeed needed. Heck, low volume music is occasionally a must! 😁
And yes, I have done and still do that. I write, analyse, process, annotate, plot and graph, article drafts, project applications, book chapters, analytical result reports, scientific illustration, presentations currently switching between a 3rd gen. 11” iPad Pro, a M3 Macbook Air and a Windows 11 Dell laptop provided by the institution I work in.
Could I - with my current knowledge - use only the iPad writing, polishing and bringing things together for a journal article draft, a bachelor, master, or even phd thesis in e.g., data science, physics or neuroscience? Absolutely.
Would I recommend it when starting out like the OP seems to do? No.
There is likely significant less sweat and tears - there will be anyway 😆 - using a laptop. The scientific field and task one ventures out in, plus personal preferences, define the requirements of the device. There are plenty were you could go
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Depends on the field. My PhD students gets maximum two months - the rest is data gathering in the lab.
The OP wanted to know if it possible to use an iPad maybe because the OP will travel or write remotely. With a Magic Keyboard (or better external keyboard and trackpad and a large screen), something like Mendeley + Word, it is possible (if the function still is there) . iPad lack professional analysis software so you anyway need a Mac or a PC depending on the research field. So a Mac/PC is overall a better choice.
It is true, people have done that writing with other models, and if it proves that technology evolves, it does not prove that new creations are always better. Well, I don't understand the majority of these arguments. Referring to this case, why would someone use a tablet if can use the laptop for the same price? How does the size matter concerning our convenience, if we are talking about 2 or 3" inch difference? Ergonomically it does not make sense, why should I adapt it with more toys and gadgets if I could have just one piece of technology? Of course that those pieces can help me but the main problem is always the instrument where I type with.
I don't understand but I respect other options.
Great, so as you certainly know, data gathering does not take only two months, and it can be also supported by students' personal technology, which, as you said, is completely redundant when picking tablets over laptops. If the OP travels or work remotely, I encourage him to grab a beautiful bag pack, not a tiny one. I'm sure it will be sufficient.
That's a great experience. I also have to type a lot and I'm very adapted to laptop's keyboard, so I understand what you are saying.
Concerning the bad ergonomics of old laptops, it is true, 20 years ago it sucked. Fortunately for us now, things changed.
Data gathering is done in labs with 100% WinPC. Why is this a thread about iPad vs Mac?
I used Mellel. It’s very stable especially even on documents with thousands pages. But… the learning is quite steep. There is also Mac version. It has also bundled with Bookend. I use pdf when I send the document / draft, so I don’t have compatibility issues.
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No we did not. The thread is about thesis writing on iPad and if it technically possible. It seems you do not understand the PhD work and what it entails.
Data gathering and analysis may involve a number of OS and apps as well as cloud compute to produce a set of figures in form of images. These are then placed in a document during thesis writing.
You do not write your thesis during data gathering and analysis. That comes later often after the results has been published.
OP asked about the thesis writing and not the data gathering and analysis.
If you are clever you do not need a ref app if you sort the references in alphabetic order and use inline ref like (first author, year). A TOC, page numbers and ability to place figures as pre-made images is sufficient. I believe even an iPad app can do that. A reference app is however helpful to organise your references before writing.
At my university it is some disciplines such as physicist that insist on using LaTex, unfortunately. Word is the de facto standard in cross disciplinary collaborations and in corporate so learn to use that instead of LaTex.
I tried to work little bit with ipad, but because iam finishing my PhD. et i have to write some articles with lot of citations i have to stay with macbook. Its much more comfortable with mac word + endnote.
Iam very sad that microsoft didnt release mac version of office for ipad.....
Iam very sad that microsoft didnt release mac version of office for ipad.....
We did when you said "So a Mac/PC is overall a better choice".
I'm also working on my PhD, so I find your ideas quite arrogant and diminutive. In certain fields yes, we write our thesis along the data gathering or analysis or other steps (basically, since day one).
As you said, I also believe that we can find good apps for tablets, but in my experience they have not the level of comfort and productivity that we find in computers.
And as you can read, the OP also feels much more comfortable with a Mac. That's my point.
Good work to you all.
Counterpoint: If you are clever you use a reference manager. If you have a lot of figures and you are clever, you do not use Word for a thesis.
They have all good arguments on their side for that - go and write a lot of formulas in a word document and then - let’s say relative close to the deadline - your supervisor says that all lowercase σ should be ς , oh, and it would be better if that would be set in italics. Good luck & higher entity’s speed in reworking the formulas and affected figures in Word 🤓
You yourself pointed out already that different disciplines might have different requirements - heck, even within a discipline/corporation people use different programs for similar tasks….
talking thesis you probably should go with department/supervisor requirements e.g., revision format and final format impact here - for revision doc/docx format might be indeed wanted, but what program can’t output that?😂
Getting some understanding about document structure is more important than the specific program used IMHO. Learning where e.g., the function to markup and define headings or subheadings and where/what the function is for the table of contents/list of figures is then an easy thing in whatever program. But YMMV.
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