best grammar checker for academic writing

best grammar checker for academic writing

The Importance of Using a Grammar Checker for Academic Writing

1. Introduction

The importance of using a grammar checker for academic writing is crucial in today’s fast-paced life, where time is of much essence. It would be impossible to envision a student in a college or a professional in a corporate world not using a word processor. Microsoft Word and WordPerfect are perhaps the most commonly used word processors by students. Word processors have a very powerful built-in tool: the spell checker. This tool should be used along with the grammar checker, especially as the grammar checker becomes more and more powerful every day. However, just using the simple conventions of these tools is not enough because it only scratches the surface of what should be done to ensure quality academic writing. Grammar and spell checkers can’t help much, especially in an English paper, where style and complex grammatical structures are indispensable. In such a case, it would be wise to use more advanced natural language processing tools, like ETS’s Intelligent Essay Assessor and Pearson Knowledge Technologies, which can compare your writing to expert academic writing in order to verify the quality of a text and provide aid in areas of weakness. Nevertheless, your grammar need not be complex for it to be error-prone. Young students still have problems with simple grammar and functions like the passive voice, which appear in higher education, and it is easier to fix these simple errors that can cause much ambiguity in a piece of writing at an earlier age. This is why it is pertinent for students to use a highly effective tool such as a grammar checker throughout their academic learning.

2. Benefits of Using a Grammar Checker

The time-saving potential is enormous for students, providing them with the ability to meet deadlines more effectively. Students generally have a great deal of responsibilities and obligations, on top of a good amount of other coursework. Completing high-quality papers in a timely fashion becomes increasingly difficult. The last-second opportunity to scan a paper through a grammar checker is a quick and convenient way of avoiding an embarrassing and costly mistake. A large report or thesis could take several hours to proofread by a person, taking this time away from other responsibilities. Any degrees of perfectionists will not be satisfied with the knowledge that there are still mistakes that can be found, leaving the potential to check the paper over and over again.

The advantages of using a grammar checker are so great that using it benefits make the difference between producing a good paper and a great paper. For example, the grading of a student’s paper could be negatively influenced since the grammar checker’s suggestions are not utilized. This can result in the grade on the paper and the GPA slipping. The least bit of effort, which is accepting the changes suggested by a grammar checker, can prevent such a thing from occurring.

3. Features to Look for in a Grammar Checker

· Money-back guarantees are also very important. If you are not fully satisfied with your grammar checker software, you should have the option to receive a full refund on the product. Be sure to check for these before making a purchase.

· An intelligent dictionary is a must-have for any grammar checker. Correct grammar and spelling are essential when trying to convey a message to another person. In many instances, certain software has a tough time detecting certain grammar errors in English because of an overused Spanish word. An intelligent dictionary will correct the user to the desired phrase effectively.

· A grammar checker should be fast in its scanning and have a user-friendly interface. Some grammar checkers are complex and require the user to click on various options. Show your potential by selecting a grammar checker that will be efficient and offer you the most out of the software.

· A superior quality in a grammar checker is one that corrects as you type. Many grammar checkers require that the user press a button for the corrections to occur. Make sure that the grammar and writing software that you choose has an option to select automatic corrections.

· A good online grammar checker software has the potential to fix a wide range of errors. People have too many grammatical errors for them to be fixed by hand. A software application should be able to correct errors that were done in tense, punctuation, articles, and others.

4. Top Grammar Checkers for Academic Writing

4.3 Ginger: Ginger is similar to WhiteSmoke and checks text for grammatical errors, misused words, punctuation, and style. It is also available for software download and web-based use. A unique feature of Ginger is its sentence rephrasing, which can be helpful to any writer who wishes to improve sentence construction and style. This grammar checker is recommended for anyone looking to improve their writing skills.

4.2 WhiteSmoke: This is a very user-friendly grammar checker that is good for writers who have English as a second language. WhiteSmoke checks text for proper grammar, punctuation, and style. Whenever an error is found, the software provides an explanation of the error and suggestions on how to fix it. This can be very useful to second-language English students. This software is available in web-based and software download versions.

4.1 Grammarly: This widely used online grammar checker not only checks for grammar, but it also gives useful explanations of grammar rules and suggestions on how to implement these into your writing. The free version checks for basic grammar and punctuation errors. The premium version checks for over 250 types of grammar, provides genre-specific writing style checks, and checks for plagiarism. This software is recommended for anyone who wants to thoroughly check their work for grammar.

The following grammar checkers are highly recommended for academic writers who need to ensure that their writing is both technically and grammatically up to standard. All of these are a good start, but it should be noted that using a grammar checker does not in any way replace learning proper grammar; it simply ensures that assignments are free from any errors.

5. Conclusion

In conclusion, the use of a grammar checker in academic writing is necessary for the maintenance of thought and expression. Not only does it protect and preserve the intended meaning of a piece, but it also makes the writer more conscientious and aware. By the very virtue of the process of grammar checking, the logical and analytical aspects of an individual’s writing are brought to light. This can lead the writer to make changes in the structure of their argument, which can only improve the said argument. This process of improvement is ultimately the goal of writers who engage in academic writing. Although it is a time-consuming task, it is one that is very much worth the effort. A grammar checker need not be the sole means of checking one’s work, but it should always be utilized. It is an easy and convenient way to ensure success in the areas of the style and mechanics of one’s writing. No one’s writing is above scrutiny and can no longer be improved, and to recognize these facts is the first step towards a refined and enlightening writing.