Academic writing is notorious for being difficult for many students. It might feel frustrating sometimes, yet it can become much easier and even exciting. With the help of the right online tools, any student can finish an essay faster and with better results. In this guide, you’ll find the best tools for academic writing out there.
1. Grammarly
This is a well-known application that a lot of students use. The premise is simple – Grammarly allows quick and comfortable proofreading. It evaluates grammar, spelling, word usage, and potential errors. The basic and free version is enough to eliminate common mistakes and make sure your essay is flawless.
There is also a subscription-based version that has a plagiarism checker and advanced proofreading features. Those include:
- Style;
- Audience;
- Citations;
- Tone suggestions;
- Sentence rewrites.
However, it is rather suitable for professional authors. In any case, with Grammarly, you can proofread your essay faster and make sure there are no accidental errors you might have missed.
2. PaperWriter
When it comes to academic writing, it is a one-in-all service. The platform offers writing, editing, and proofreading help to all students in need. So if you were wondering, “Could someone else write my paper service for me?” – PaperWriter is the answer.
The platform has a highly-skilled team of professionals that can nail any type of college paper, whether it is a research or dissertation. They also can polish your work to excellence or provide qualified advice on how to upgrade it. There is also a blog that offers tips and tricks on academic writing, so students can develop their skills.
Overall, it is a wonderful resource where you can get assistance with any paper you are struggling with.
3. Google Scholar
Google Scholar is an academic search engine. It is free and available for anyone. It works the same way as Google but only suggests peer-reviewed and scientific results.
This is extremely useful when it comes to information research and finding reliable sources. Instead of wasting your time going through irrelevant search results, you will instantly get only links you might need.
Also, this tool can create a citation reference for you. For that, students only need to click the citation icon under the search result title and get a ready-to-copy reference. This will also save plenty of time on formatting.
4. Dragon Dictation
Another way to complete your essay easier is to dictate it. People usually speak much faster than they type. This is where Dragon Dictation comes in handy. It is a perfect online tool to activate with your voice. Now you can simply dictate the text you want to be typed.
It is worth noting that students will still need to proofread and edit the text after. Maybe you’ve pronounced something too fast or incorrectly. But overall, it saves a lot of time and helps to not lose the train of thought.
5. Hemingway
It is a free web application that evaluates the readability of the text. It helps to make sure your essay is cohesive and easy to understand. Hemingway checks:
- Passive voice (it is always better to stick to active voice in academic writing);
- Complex phrases;
- Hard to read sentences;
- Difficult phrases.
It also gives the overall rating. An easy-to-read text is usually 9 or less. When it comes to adverbs, the app suggests simpler alternatives. And students can edit the text in the app to get immediate reevaluation.
6. Ulysses
Ulysses solves another issue students might have – losing focus while writing. It is not uncommon to get distracted and fall into the rabbit hole of procrastination. But with this word processor, this is going to be much harder.
It has a slick interface with only the necessary features present. This way, you will be less distracted while typing. Also, it offers convenient editing based on the markdown principle. So you get essay editing services while you are concentrating on the logical flow. Of course, it is not as good as professional editing done by experienced writers. But it can solve simple issues.
Among other benefits of Ulysses are progress tracking and keyword labeling features.
7. Write or Die
If you have trouble sticking to an assignment, this one is worth trying. It is a game-based application that ensures you are concentrating on writing. First, you need to set a specific goal. And if you fail to finish it, you are going to be punished. If you get distracted and stop working, the application will delete the text you’ve already typed. But if you manage to complete it, you are going to be rewarded.
The logic is simple, yet it is effective. Gamification is a fun way to make any task more enjoyable. And the reward system offers a dopamine release, which promotes a better mood and higher satisfaction.
8. EndNote
It is a great tool for reference management. It comes with a free basic version and paid subscription as well. It works with Microsoft Word and allows the creation of in-text citations with bibliography references at the same time.
The app comes with a huge library of bibliography styles, so you will find the one that suits your college requirements easily. Also, it creates references for videos and blogs. And the bibliography can be downloaded in PDF format.
Another huge advantage of EndNote is that students can search through the online database of libraries (like the National Library of Medicine or the Library of Congress).
9. Evernote
Evernote is another well-known tool that students might benefit from. It is much more than a note-taking app. It is available for free and comes with a premium subscription as well. So what can you do here? Here are the most useful features:
- Keep and create notes;
- Save photos, videos, or lectures;
- Organize documents into folders and projects;
- Access your documents from any device;
- Search through by a keyword or phrase;
- Save web pages for further research.
It is a great way to keep all the materials you need organized and always have access to them.
In Summary
Students can use all or some of these online tools to complete college essays faster and easier. They solve different issues to keep one on track and complete the task.