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2021 Edtech Wr t ng Tools That You Need to Try

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18.01.2021 Edtech Wr t ng Tools That You Need to Try

EDTECH WRITING TOOLS THAT YOU NEED

TO TRY
11/19/2019 MOST
POPULAR

COVID-19
EMERGENCY
FUNDING
OPPORTUNITIES

THE RESEARCH
ON VIRTUAL
LEARNING

Some ed tech writing software and how to evaluate if it's best for
TOP PICKS
you.

For many writers — and writing teachers — the idea of a computer

providing editorial feedback and guidance sparks outrage. The
approach seems impersonal — and formulaic. “Hey! Algorithms! DO GIFTED AND
Leave them kids alone!” ran a recent headline.   TALENTED
PROGRAMS
WORK?
But a growing body of research shows that assisted writing
feedback tools can boost writing outcomes, and no doubt teachers
need support when it comes to giving students more feedback on
their writing. 
Bu site deneyiminizi ki?iselle?tirmek, site kullan?m?n? analiz etmek ve ki?iye ?zel tan?t?
Bana WRITING
daha sonra TO
hat?rlat
mlar sunabilmek i?in ?erezler kullan?r. www.youronlinechoices.eu LEARN AND WHY
We’ve written before about the rise of assisted writing feedback
Kabul ediyorum IT MATTERS
software, which helps students learn to write through targeted
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feedback and practice, basically using the science of learning. There

are a ton of programs out there, with more on the way. We wanted VIDEOS
to give an overview of what’s available -- and recommend some
tools to try.  A C…
C…

So below is a list of some writing feedback software programs, along

with some notes about each one. From our research, these are some
Interview with
of the better programs. 
Pooja Agarwal

If you’re wondering how to evaluate such software — and we

encourage you to do so — here are some questions to ask yourself:
Ho…
Ho…

      1) Who is the intended user for the software?

Some software is geared towards students to use independently. A
Ulrich Boser on
student could use the software in the same way they might use a
TEDx Talk
tutor — to help them strengthen their assignments to achieve
better grades. Other software, is really about assisting writing
teachers. This group provides panels, revision histories, and
dashboards for teachers to track their students’ writing progress.
A C…
C…
There’s even software that’s geared toward professionals. These tools
usually emphasize integration with web browsers, email clients, and
word processors. Some software have options for all three user
Interview with
groups. 
Ken Koedinger

    2) Which genres does the software specialize in?

Most software is directed at the classic argumentative essay, but
software varies in the genres it can handle: scienti c articles, ABOUT
academic articles, personal narrative. General advice on grammar,
The Learning
sentence length, and overall readability might be applicable across
Curve publishes
the board, but if you’re looking for speci c, structural advice in a
articles about
certain genre, you’re going to need specialized software to do that.
how people
AI-based software needs a database of essays to train on, so you’ll
learn. Please
want to make sure of the applicability. 
reach out with
any ideas for
    3)  What aspects of writing does assisted feedback
Bana articles onhat?rlat
the
Bu site deneyiminizi ki?iselle?tirmek, site kullan?m?n? analiz etmek ve ki?iye ?zel tan?t?
daha sonra
cover?
mlar sunabilmek i?in ?erezler kullan?r. www.youronlinechoices.eu
research on
Most word processors have grammar Kabul
andediyorum
spelling checkers, but
learning
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writing feedback software aims to provide more advanced feedback. ARCHIVES

That said, software varies in how much it covers: some barely go
January 2021
beyond basic grammar checking. Others try to tackle things like
October 2020
essay organization and evidential support. Generally speaking,
September
software that tackles more advanced, high-level writing skills can
2020
only be effectively used with known prompts, not any random essay.
August 2020
July 2020
    4)  Is it primarily about catching errors (before you send June 2020
that email or business plan) or is it primarily about May 2020
learning to become a better writer in the long run? April 2020
Different companies have different visions for their software. Some March 2020
see the software as a kind of permanent, “always on” check such as January 2020
the built-in grammar and spell checkers in all modern word December
processors. Others see the software as primarily about learning to 2019
write well — you might use it in a classroom context, but you’re not November
going to use it all the time. Some try to do a bit of both. You’ll have 2019
to think about your goals for using the software to decide which October 2019
kind is appropriate for you. September
2019
    5)  Is the software rule-based? Or does it search for August 2019
patterns using arti cial intelligence? July 2019
Rule-based software is programmed with a set of human-crafted June 2019
“rules” for clear writing. If your essay violates these rules, then the February 2019
software lets you know. AI-based software is more about pattern
matching. It looks at how well your essay matches the features of
CATEGORI
exemplary essays (usually as determined by human evaluators). ES
Knowing what the software is doing helps you make sense of the
All
feedback you’re seeing. A big part of using this software effectively is
knowing when to take its advice and when to ignore it.    
RSS Feed

“ Generally speaking, software that tackles

more advanced, high-level writing skills can
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only be effectively used with known

prompts, not any random essay.”

    6) Is it only for known essay prompts, or can you submit

any text to the program?
AI-based programs tend to focus only on known essay prompts,
which they have large databases of responses for. This lets these
programs give speci c, relevant advice. Rule-based programs are
more likely to apply to a wide variety of text, but the value of the
software’s feedback will likely vary, depending on the genre of
writing you’re submitting. If you’re a teacher and want feedback
software to catch low-level errors (misspellings, awkward
construction, word choice, passive voice), then a simple rule-based
software may be appropriate. If you’re looking to really integrate the
programs into a coherent learning sequence within a speci c
writing genre, then you might want to look into AI-based programs.

    7) Does it have any other extra features?

Writing is a complex activity, and many programs have extra
features to help writers. For example, a pre-writing or outlining
capability, a built-in plagiarism detector, and writing tutorials. In
some cases, it might be the extra features that help make the
software especially useful for you. Increasingly, these software
programs are developing their own mini-curricula that incorporate a
wider variety of writing skill development.

With these things in mind, read on to nd a solution that ts your

needs. Or just to learn more about the current software landscape.

NOTE: The descriptions of each software are pulled from the

software’s home, about, or FAQ pages and then were lightly edited.
We pasted them below for easier browsing. If you know another rm
in the space,
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deneyiminizi me at ulrich@the-learning-agency.com
ki?iselle?tirmek, site kullan?m?n? analiz etmek ve ki?iye ?zel and
tan?t?we
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will take a look. Also jump into the comments!
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The Writing Tools

CorrectEnglish
CorrectEnglish is a browser tool and iOS/Apple app that helps to
eliminate writing mistakes by checking for contextual and spelling
errors, word substitutions, and 63,000 advanced grammar rules. It
works nearly everywhere on the web (on PC's or Chromebooks) and
on your Apple or Android device for writing resumes, emails, social
media posts, and more.

Criterion
The Criterion Online Writing Evaluation service is a web-based,
instructor-led writing tool that helps students plan, write, and revise
their essays. It gives them immediate diagnostic feedback and more
opportunities to practice writing at their own pace.
The Criterion service gives instructors and administrators at schools,
universities, and institutions a comprehensive writing solution to
help improve student outcomes by freeing up valuable classroom
time to concentrate on higher-level writing skills and areas of
improvement.

EasyBib (formerly WriteLab)

EasyBib is an intuitive information literacy platform that provides
citation, note taking, and research tools that are easy-to-use and
educational. EasyBib is not only accurate, fast, and comprehensive,
but it helps educators teach and students learn how to become
effective and organized researchers.

Ginger
Ginger Software is an award-winning productivity-focused company
that helps you write faster and better, thanks to grammar checker,
punctuation, and spell checker - tools which automatically detect
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and correct misused words and grammar mistakes. Ginger worksBana daha sonra hat?rlat
mlar sunabilmek i?in ?erezler kullan?r. www.youronlinechoices.eu
with whichever device or platform you prefer. Write unique text and
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enrich existing sentences with the help of Ginger’s sentence

rephraser, and utilize the synonyms tool to replace boring words
with script that’s much more exciting.

Grammark
Grammark helps improve writing style & grammar and teaches
students to self-edit. Basically, it nds things that grammarians
consider bad, highlights them, and suggests improvements. So
writers can measure progress, it gives a "score" based on problems
per document length, updated whenever the writer xes a problem.

Grammarly
Grammarly’s AI-powered products help people communicate more
effectively. Grammarly automatically detects grammar, spelling,
punctuation, word choice, and style mistakes in your writing.
Grammarly’s algorithms ag potential issues in the text and suggest
context-speci c corrections for grammar, spelling, wordiness, style,
punctuation, and even plagiarism. Grammarly explains the
reasoning behind each correction, so you can make an informed
decision about whether, and how, to correct an issue.

Hemingway Editor
Hemingway Editor makes your writing bold and clear. It's like a
spellchecker, but for style. It makes sure that your reader will focus
on your message, not your prose. Too often, our words are like our
thoughts — innumerable and disorganized. Almost any bit of
writing could use some cutting; less is more, etc. So, the Hemingway
Editor will highlight (in yellow and red) where your writing is too
dense. Try removing needless words or splitting the sentence into
two. Your readers will thank you.

Intelligent Essay Assessor

The Intelligent Essay Assessor is a powerful, internet-based service
that has been proven to score written essays as accurately as trained
human scorers. IEA scores essays based on content as well as on
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Bana daha sonra hat?rlat
more
mlarmechanical aspects
sunabilmek i?in ?erezler of writing,
kullan?r. such as grammar and spelling. 
www.youronlinechoices.eu

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Intellimetric
IntelliMetric is the “gold standard” in automated essay scoring. Used
for both low- and high-stakes assessment environments, perhaps
the most important application of IntelliMetric® has been in the
area of writing instruction. The use of IntelliMetric® provides
students with two critical components: the ability to conduct
numerous attempts at writing assignments with detailed feedback
and to obtain that feedback instantly. By allowing students to make
multiple essay submissions and by providing almost instantaneous,
detailed feedback, IntelliMetric® encourages improvements in
students’ writing ability.

MI Write (formerly PEG writing)

MI Write is a web-based learning environment and formative
assessment program to help your students in grades 3-12 improve
writing through practice, feedback, and guided support. Our award-
winning automated essay scoring (AES) engine, PEG, instantly
reviews essays and provides immediate feedback and
recommendations.

“ If you’re looking to really integrate the

programs into a coherent learning
sequence within a specific writing genre,
then you might want to look into AI-based
programs.”

NoRedInk
NoRedInk builds stronger writers through interest-based
curriculum, adaptive exercises, and actionable data. We believe that
“playing with language”
Bu site deneyiminizi is an
ki?iselle?tirmek, essential analiz
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of learning totan?t?
ve ki?iye ?zel write.Bana daha sonra hat?rlat
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That’s why we have students drag in commas, click words to
Kabul ediyorum
capitalize them, throw out unwanted punctuation, and edit parts of
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sentences directly whenever possible. We also design exercises that

have multiple correct answers, as there’s more than one way to write
a sentence. Our site allows students to practice independently so
that teachers can differentiate instruction based on results and
allow learners unlimited practice so that we can free up teachers’
time to focus on big-picture issues in students’ writing.

PaperRater
PaperRater digs deep into the syntax and structure of your text
without the need to signup, login, or download. You won't nd
another tool offering plagiarism checking, automated proofreading,
grammar check, and automated scoring that can analyze your text
this quickly.

Pro Writing Aid

Pro Writing Aid analyzes your text and highlights a variety of key
writing issues, such as overused words, sentence structure,
punctuation issues, repeated phrases, consistency, dialogue, pacing
and readability. It helps you learn as you edit, making you a stronger
writer.

Quill
Quill currently provides four writing tools that enable students to
build writing, grammar, and proofreading skills, and we will
continually launch new tools that advance student writing and
thinking. Through our tools, students gain the ability to express, with
clarity and precision, complicated thoughts in writing. Although
some of the steps might seem simple, each activity helps teachers
progressively build the skills students need to read deeply and think
critically about the world around them. 

RevisionAssistant
RevisionAssistant can: motivate students to improve their writing
with instant, differentiated feedback aligned to genre-speci c
rubrics. It also incorporates standards-aligned reading and writing
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Bana daha sonra hat?rlat
tasks
mlarinto existing
sunabilmek units kullan?r.
i?in ?erezler acrosswww.youronlinechoices.eu
multiple subject areas. It can quickly
identify students' strengths and struggles
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automatically-scored writing assignments.It informs instruction

with real-time data and insights on student growth at the individual,
classroom, school, and district levels.

TextEvaluator
The TextEvaluator tool evaluates against eight dimensions of text
complexity and accounts for differences in genres. It also utilizes
patented Natural Language Processing methodologies and was
built using the latest A-I technology. It outputs score reports and
recommendations aligned to the CCSS. TextEvaluator provides
unbiased feedback about the complexity levels of text (including
scores and grade-level classi cations) and provides feedback on the
drivers of text complexity.

Thesis Writer
Thesis Writer is a learning platform that assists you in writing your
thesis. Use our online editor and the structured templates to create
your text. Study the tutorials prepared for every step instructing you
how to proceed with your project. The writing process is partitioned
in four sections. See below what each one is about.

WhiteSmoke
WhiteSmoke is an all-in-one English writing tool that provides
grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style checks. Our software is
activated in a single click from any text application and browser,
pointing out potential errors for consideration and offering
suggestions for improvement. We believe that users who have little
or no experience with WhiteSmoke software can use our solution to
quickly begin writing, editing, translating, and enhancing their
English documents.

Write & Improve

Write & Improve uses new technology developed at the University of
Cambridge to mark English writing accurately in seconds. Submit
your work and Write & Improve will score it on the CEFR (Common
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Bana daha sonra hat?rlat
European Framework
mlar sunabilmek i?in ?erezlerof Reference)
kullan?r. scale, giving it a level from A1
www.youronlinechoices.eu

(lowest) to C2 (highest). It also shows you the

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may need improvement, which allows you to work more on these

areas and keep improving.

WriteCheck
WriteCheck is an online plagiarism checker that also provides a
grammar-checker tool by ETS and a Tutor service by Pearson.
WriteCheck helps students become better writers by identifying
grammatical errors and unoriginal content in written work.
WriteCheck was developed with the guidance and input of
instructors who saw the need for a simple service to help students
identify and correct writing mistakes in a formative manner.

Writefull
Writefull is an app that gives feedback on your writing by checking
your text against databases of correct language. Check how often
your selected text is found in the language database, and see how it
is used in context.

Writer’s Workbench
Writer's Workbench provides immediate, accurate instructional
feedback directly to writers as they write and revise in Microsoft
Word.

WritetoLearn
WriteToLearn evaluates students’ understanding of text, not just
grammar and spelling. It also gives teachers the ability to deliver on-
demand, personalized feedback. When incorporated into the
classroom, WriteToLearn is proven to help students become better
writers and develop a skill that good readers naturally possess: the
ability to summarize what they read.

Writing Pal
Writing Pal, a web-based software tool, was developed to provide a
means of automatically scoring essays in the same way as a teacher
might while also providing writing strategy instruction, game-based
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Bana daha sonra hat?rlat
practice and individualized
mlar sunabilmek i?in ?erezler kullan?r.formative feedback to help students
www.youronlinechoices.eu

improve their writing pro ciency. This Kabul

system is not intended as a
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replacement for classroom instruction or homework, rather as a

supplemental writing practice. 

-Ulrich Boser

4 Comments

JEFF
10/13/2020 03:38:21 AM

all good tools

I de nietly try this

REPLY

NIGUSSIE YADETE
11/3/2020 12:05:16 AM

I would love to try this out with my students.

REPLY

ULRICH BOSER
11/3/2020 05:30:20 AM

Great,. Let me know how it goes!

REPLY

MUNIRA QASIM
11/29/2020 11:30:09 PM

Just came across your article and found it useful for me. I appreciate your efforts behind
this blog post. Please keep sharing such interesting content.
I would be grateful to read.!

REPLY

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