Introduction
Writing essays is a fundamental part of the education process. Putting together a well-crafted essay takes time, effort and skills that some students struggle with. Fortunately, there are various computer programs and online tools available that can help students develop their essay writing abilities and make the writing process easier. This article will discuss some of the top programs and services available to assist students with essay writing.
Outliners
One type of helpful program is an outliner. Outliners allow students to plan and structure their essays before writing begins. By creating an outline, students can logically organize their main ideas, supporting points, and evidence. Some popular outliner programs include:
Microsoft Word: The outlining tools in Microsoft Word allow users to easily create multi-level outlines with headers and sub-headers. Outlines can be collapsed and expanded as needed. Word outlines are a simple way to plan essay structure directly in the word processing program.
Outline Maker: This free desktop program provides a clean interface for creating outlines with an unlimited number of levels. Different outline styles like the traditional Roman numeral style or simple bullet points are supported. Users can export outlines to popular formats.
MindMeister: This online mind mapping and outlining tool lets users create color-coded outlines with visual branching connections. Diagrams can be shared or printed. MindMeister supports both individual and collaborative outlining projects.
Outliner.app: As a browser-based outliner, Outliner.app provides a distraction-free writing space. Automatic formatting and indentation organize different outline levels. Users can quickly reorder and nest topics as needed.
Creating a strong outline is an important first step in essay writing. These programs help organize ideas and ensure essays have a logical flow and structure before any writing begins.
Drafting Tools
Once an outline is complete, drafting programs can aid the actual writing process. Common drafting tools for essays include:
Microsoft Word: As the ubiquitous word processor, Word has all the functionality needed for writing essays like formatting styles, citations, commenting, and reviewing tools. Its many features can be distracting.
Google Docs: Similar to Word but web-based, Docs provides real-time collaboration abilities. Citations and certain formatting styles are limited compared to Word.
Scrivener: Geared towards long-form writing projects, Scrivener allows compiling research notes, outlining sections, and drafting all in one place. Its “corkboard” view is useful for essay organization.
Evernote: While primarily a note taking app, Evernote’s clean interface and ability to tag and organize notes makes it handy for compiling research and drafting essay components.
Ulysses: Designed with writers in mind, Ulysses focuses on distraction-free writing with features like full-screen mode, word count goals, and gorgeous formatting presets. Useful for final drafting.
These drafting tools help focus the writing process and allow organizing thoughts, research and quotes into a coherent essay draft. Their varying capabilities suit different stages and writing styles.
Citation Generators
Managing citations correctly is critical for academic writing. Citation generators automate the insertion of in-text citations and bibliography references in various styles like MLA, APA, Chicago and more. Popular citation tools include:
Citavi: Geared for research projects, Citavi imports documents and extracts citations. It generates citations in any style and keeps a central project library organized.
Zotero: This free, open-source program lives in the browser. Easy to use, it attaches files like PDFs to bibliographic references and translates formats.
Mendeley: Ideal for organizing PDF research articles. It automatically generates citations and bibliographies in Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs.
Cite This For Me: An effective free online citation generator. Users select a source and it inserts the properly formatted in-text citation or reference list entry.
Proper citations demonstrate research credibility and help avoid plagiarism. With automated citation builders, students can focus on content instead of manual formatting details.
Grammar and Spellcheckers
Correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation are also crucial for well-written academic papers. The following tools perform automatic checks:
Microsoft Word: Its grammar and spellcheck feature flags common errors, though some advanced issues are missed. Limits on custom dictionaries.
Grammarly: Available as a browser extension or app, Grammarly comprehensively analyzes writing for many types of issues beyond spelling. Its tone and style suggestions are useful.
ProWritingAid: For a one-time fee, this desktop program catches errors missed by competitors. It has contextual grammar analysis and style checking for unbiased tone.
LanguageTool: An open-source grammar checker plug-in that works with major browsers and word processors. Support for dozens of languages and custom vocabularies.
Regular proofreading misses problems, while automated tools catch unconscious mistakes. Combining manual edits with technology is ideal for catching all essay errors.
Peer Review Tools
Getting constructive feedback improves writing. Peer review sharing programs facilitate this:
Google Docs: Allow commenting directly in documents for real-time feedback. Anonymity may limit honest critiques.
Criter: Students upload drafts anonymously for multiple blind reviews. Reviewers provide feedback through a structured rubric.
Peergrade: This online service connects peer reviewers randomly. Reviewers comment and evaluate essays using customizable grading rubrics.
Turnitin: While focused on plagiarism detection, Turnitin also lets instructors comment on papers and provide peer review training materials.
Peer feedback tools increase accountability. Students learn by reviewing others and gain perspective on their own writing through anonymous assessments.
Conclusion
Mastering essay writing takes effort but technology provides helpful tools every step of the way from planning stages to final formatting touches. While word processors remain the foundation, outlining, citation, grammar, and peer review programs work together to streamline writing quality and efficiency. With practice using these essay aids, students develop robust researching, organizing, and critical thinking skills applicable beyond academics. New resources continuously emerge as well, supporting writers at all levels.
Andrew Stroud