Firefox is an easily customizable and flexible browser that you can elevate even higher with the right add-ons. Its flexibility is particularly important if you’re a student spending your days and nights doing research.
A couple of add-ons and Firefox can help you study more efficiently and maybe even save you some time for leisure. We’ve grouped together a collection of the best add-ons for research students looking to make the most of their browser.
Notes and Bookmarks
Taking notes, whether digitally or on paper, and keeping track of your progress is essential to any research. Luckily, you can now automate most of it using add-ons.
1. PowerNotes Research
PowerNotes is an intuitive per-project, note-taking add-on. It allows you to add excerpts from text into specific files for various projects, add bookmarks, and even take in-app screenshots.
It takes up about a third of your screen, leaving you enough room to add and organize your notes without getting in the way of your research.
Download: PowerNotes Research (Free)
2. Notes by Firefox
Notes by Firefox is for the minimalist student who only wants the essentials. It has one job and it does it well.
You can scale the popup anywhere from a tenth of your screen to a third. It also lets you export all of your notes with the click of a button.
Download: Notes by Firefox (Free)
3. Google Keep Notes
While the Google Keep Notes add-on might not offer the most options for organization, it makes up for that with its easy-to-use, sleek design and app syncing.
You can use the same Google account to sync notes between your PC or laptop and smartphone, to ensure you never lose an idea even while on the go.
Download: Google Keep Notes (Free)
4. Symbaloo Bookmarker
Symbaloo Bookmarker is an all-in-one bookmarking tool that beats using plain Firefox folders any day.
You can color-code your bookmarks and divide them into categories: from education to entertainment and particular projects.
Instead of stuffing everything into a small popup that takes away from your browser, Symbaloo opens in its own page, allowing you to move bookmarks around, edit, and delete them with ease.
Download: Symbaloo Bookmarker (Free)
5. Pocket Select All
While similar to the other add-ons, Pocket Select All is article-oriented. Instead of bookmarking a webpage you need to refer to throughout your research, this add-on puts a pin in an article or research paper, saving it for later.
It also offers syncing between devices. You can read your saved pieces while away from your PC or laptop and make the most of your time wherever you are.
Download: Pocket Select All (Free)
Research Tools
If notes and bookmark apps are the sticky-notes and page flags of digital research, then research add-ons are the all-knowing librarian.
6. Dictionary Anywhere
Dictionary Anywhere is your replacement Google search for every other word. Simply double-click a word you don’t understand and a Dictionary Anywhere popup will appear with its definition.
In addition, you can adjust the settings so it translates the word into your native language, as it supports English, French, German, and Spanish.
Download: Dictionary Anywhere (Free)
7. Google Scholar Button
If you’ve ever wished Google Scholar was even more convenient then this is the add-on for you.
Instead of losing the Google Scholar bookmark or having to type it into the search bar every time you want credible sources, you simply click on the Google Scholar icon and start your search in the popup.
Download: Google Scholar Button (Free)
8. Side View
If you’ve been searching for the digital equivalent of having two books open at the time, Side View is here to save the day.
As the name suggests, this add-on lets you browse two pages simultaneously without having to switch constantly switch between them and risk losing your spot.
It’s also easy to use. Simply load the page you want to side view, and click the split-page icon at the edge of your search bar. Then, load your other page and you’re good to go!
Download: Side View (Free)
9. Search Preview
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could glimpse into a webpage before clicking it like you would a book before taking it home?
Now you can, using Search Preview.
It gives you a glimpse of what’s inside every search result when using Google, Yahoo, DuckDuckGo, and Bing.
Download: Search Preview (Free)
Anti-Distraction
The enemy of every easily-distracted student is the phrase “five more minutes.”
Fortunately, Firefox has add-ons that help you control your digital craving, avoid distractions, and maintain your focus.
10. Leech Block NG
Leech Block allows you to select sites that distract you the most and block them while you study or work.
You can schedule blocked sites beforehand so when it’s time to focus, nothing can distract you.
Download: Leech Block NG (Free)
11. Impulse Blocker
Similarly, Impulse Blocker prevents you from visiting sites you manually block.
Since it lets you block websites on the spot for a set duration, it’s perfect if you have an irregular schedule, and planning beforehand doesn’t work.
Download: Impluse Blocker (Free)
Time Management
The abilities to manage your time and stick to your schedule are vital to every successful student researcher. But sometimes you need a little extra help.
12. Mind the Time
This add-on tracks how much time you spend on each website. Instead of actively blocking you from visiting sites, Mind the Time gives you valuable insights into how you spend your time online.
Download: Mind the Time (Free)
13. Toggl Track
Toggl Track is an active to-do list that tracks how much time you spend on each task.
What makes it stand out is its ability to work with other productivity tools such as Evernote, Google Drive, Google Calendar, Asana, and Slack.
Download: Toggl Track (Free)
14. Toggl Plan
Toggl Plan is as close to an all-in-one tool as a productivity add-on can get. It allows you to plan various projects, both solo and within a group, manage your calendar, and plan a detailed and flexible timeline.
In addition to its compatibility with other apps like Trello, Github, and Google Calendar, it’s also only a click away through your Firefox browser.
Download: Toggl Plan (Free)
Going the Extra Mile
Going digital in your research isn’t only about replacing what books and notebooks could do, but surpassing them.
15. BibItNow
A daunting, yet essential, part of any research is proper citation. But instead of worrying about the capitalization of every letter and using the right type of comma, BibItNow does all the work for you.
Visit the journal piece you want to cite, click the Bib It Now icon, select the format of your citation, and copy it into your paper.
Download: BitItNow (Free)
16. Gesturefy
While not strictly a research add-on, Gesturefy can save you a lot of accumulated time doing simple actions like opening and closing tabs. You can use it to navigate to, open, and close tabs faster than ever using simple mouse gestures.
Gesturefy comes with more than 70 commands, along with the ability to set up your own.
Download: Gesturefy (Free)
17. Dark Reader
As the name suggests, Dark Reader switches every website you visit to dark mode, even if it doesn’t have one built in.
In addition to more comfortable browsing and reading, you can now pull an all-nighter without burning your eyes off trying to read a single, blinding sentence.
Download: Dark Reader (Free)
Step Up Your Game
Studying and researching online doesn’t have to be inconvenient and full of distractions. Take a hold of your digital experience and mold it to your liking.
From browser extensions to Windows apps, nowadays, there are plenty of digital tools to help with your studies. All you have to do is install and commit to them.
