The iPad has become a powerful tool for productivity, entertainment and more. As more and more students rely on tablets for schoolwork, there has been a rise in iPad apps designed specifically for writing essays. Due to the abundance of options available, picking the right app can seem overwhelming. This article will provide an overview of some of the top iPad apps for essay writing and what features make them stand out.
Google Docs: One of the most full-featured options is Google Docs. As a word processor within Google’s online office suite, Docs allows for collaborative editing in real-time. Multiple people can work on and comment on the same document simultaneously from different devices. Documents are automatically saved to your Google Drive for access from any internet-connected device. Google Docs supports formatting tools like font styles, bullets and numbering. You can also insert images, equations, tables and more. The app is free to download and very easy to use, making it a top choice for students needing versatile word processing on the go.
Microsoft Word: Developed by the makers of the desktop version, the Word app brings many of the familiar functions of MS Word to the iPad. It allows opening, editing and creating documents locally or from OneDrive cloud storage. Similar to Google Docs, Word supports collaborative editing and commenting. The app maintains full formatting control with options like font selection, paragraph styling, page setup and more. Integrated grammar and plagiarism tools can help improve writing. Microsoft Word has all the power of the full desktop program packed into a tablet-friendly interface, making it ideal for advanced document needs. A subscription is required for the most features.
iA Writer: Offering a more minimalist approach, iA Writer focuses on simplicity and distraction-free writing. The app strips away extra options for a clean writing space. It supports basic formatting like bold, italics and font selection, but otherwise stays streamlined. iA Writer automatically saves drafts to iCloud so work can continue seamlessly across devices. What sets this one apart is its emphasis on the writing process over final product aesthetics. Some find the lack of extra formatting controls limiting, but many enjoy its distraction-free interface for productive writing sessions. At $9.99, it provides a affordable option for casual users.
Evernote: Known for its versatile note taking abilities across devices, Evernote also functions well for essay writing tasks. Notes can contain formatted text, images, file attachments, audio recordings and more. Handwritten notes are converted to typed text. All content syncs seamlessly via Evernote’s cloud service. Notes are organized into customizable notebooks for different subjects or projects. Search and tagging capabilities make information easy to find later. While less of a true word processor, Evernote’s flexibility to capture reference materials and jot down ideas alongside written portions of an essay give it value for research-heavy papers. The free version provides adequate functionality for most student needs.
Ulysses: Created as a powerful writing app first and foremost, Ulysses focuses on distraction-free writing, elegant formatting and comprehensive publishing tools. It strips away unnecessary interface elements for a clean editing space. The app supports multi-level headings, lists, text styling, footnotes, and more. Advanced writing features include word/character counts, distraction timer, outlining and Markdown support. Documents can be exported in a variety of formats including Word, PDF and directly to external services like Dropbox. At $40, Ulysses is one of the more full-featured yet expensive options, making it more suitable for publishing professional work versus casual use.
Quoll Writer: Designed specifically for academic writing and research papers, Quoll Writer incorporates helpful tools for each stage of the essay writing process. It includes outlining capabilities to plan your essay structure using hierarchical headings before writing. As you write, integrated tools analyze word count goals, citation needs, and generate bibliographies. Quoll Writer makes it easy to save, organize and access reference materials and source citations as needed directly in your writing workspace. The app syncs everything to Dropbox for cross-device access. At $9.99, its focused set of research and planning tools make Quoll Writer a powerful choice for students.
Pages: Created by Apple as a companion to the desktop version, the Pages app brings the familiar document creation and formatting tools to iPad. You can open, edit and create new Pages, Numbers and Keynote files locally or directly from iCloud Drive. Basic text styling comes standard but more advanced layout options require familiarity with the desktop program. Integrated templates provide essay formats to build from. Documents are saved automatically as you work to keep everything in sync across your Apple devices. While slightly more limited than full Office suites, Pages provides solid word processing at no added cost for iPad owners.
Notable: As a dedicated, journal-style note-taking app, Notable offers a way to capture research sources, written ideas and notes for reference later during the essay writing process. Notes can contain formatted text, images, audio links, sketches, file attachments and more. Content is searchable, taggable and organized into customizable notebooks for each subject or project. Notable automatically backs up all your notes to the Notable cloud to synchronize access across devices. While not a true word processor itself, Notable serves as a valuable companion for gathering and accessing source materials while writing.
There are many high-quality iPad apps suited for different facets of essay writing from word processing and collaboration to research and organization needs. Features to consider include formatting controls, reference management, compatibility across devices, file sharing options and writing focused extras like outlining or distraction tools. Apps mentioned like Google Docs, Microsoft Word and iA Writer cover basic document creation needs. For academic papers integrating sources, Quoll Writer, Evernote and Notable add helpful reference and bibliography tools. Overall, choosing the right app depends on essay writing style and project requirements. Experimenting with a few can help students discover their most productive digital workspace.
Andrew Stroud