Academic writing and editing

Academic writing tools range from grammar checkers to full LaTeX editors. They are also where integrity questions come up most often, because the line between polishing your own text and having a tool write it for you is drawn differently by different universities, departments and journals.

Language editors are the most widely accepted. Writefull gives feedback trained on published academic papers and works in Word and Overleaf. Paperpal and Trinka focus on academic and technical English, with checks for consistency and style. Grammarly and LanguageTool cover general grammar and clarity across browsers and word processors, and LanguageTool supports many languages. DeepL Write suggests clearer phrasing, which some writers working in a second language find useful.

Paraphrasing tools such as QuillBot need the most thought. Rewording a source with a tool can still count as plagiarism if the ideas are not cited, and some universities treat AI paraphrasing of your own drafts as unauthorized assistance. Read your institution's AI policy, ask your supervisor, and follow the author guidelines of the journal you are writing for. Where disclosure is required, say which tool you used and for what.

Overleaf sits slightly apart. It is an online LaTeX editor for writing papers and theses with co-authors, with many journal and university templates. Some plans add AI writing help, and many universities hold licenses that add collaboration features at no cost to students.

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8 AI research tools in academic writing and editing

Overleaf

by Digital Science

Online LaTeX editor for writing papers and theses together, with journal templates, change tracking and reference imports.

  • Free plan or free tier

Grammarly

Writing assistant that checks grammar, clarity and tone in the browser, Word and Google Docs, with optional AI rewriting.

  • Free plan or free tier
  • Works in Word or Google Docs

Paperpal

by Cactus Communications

Academic writing assistant for language editing and submission checks, with versions for the web and Word.

  • Free plan or free tier
  • Works in Word or Google Docs

Trinka

by Crimson Interactive

Grammar and style checker focused on academic and technical writing, with consistency checks and a Word add-in.

  • Free plan or free tier
  • Works in Word or Google Docs

QuillBot

Paraphrasing tool with grammar checking, summarizing and a citation generator; check your institution's rules before paraphrasing with AI.

  • Free plan or free tier

LanguageTool

by LanguageTooler

Grammar and style checker for many languages, with browser, Word and Google Docs add-ons and an open source core.

  • Free plan or free tier
  • Open source
  • Works in Word or Google Docs

DeepL Write

by DeepL

Rewording and correction tool from DeepL that suggests clearer phrasing in English and several other languages.

  • Free plan or free tier

Writefull

by Digital Science

Language feedback trained on academic papers, available for Word and Overleaf, with tools for titles and abstracts.

  • Works in Word or Google Docs

Whatever you use, keep your own voice and your own argument. Tools can fix grammar and suggest clearer sentences; they do not know your data or your field as you do. And check every citation in a draft yourself, since AI tools can produce references that look real and do not exist.

A sensible order of use is to write the draft yourself, run a language check to catch errors, and then read the result aloud before you accept changes. Language editors sometimes change technical terms, soften claims or alter the meaning of a sentence in ways that matter in your field. Accept edits one at a time instead of all at once, and keep a copy of your original text so you can show your own work if asked. Your writing center can also help with structure and argument.

The tools below are listed in no particular order, each with a short description we wrote and a link to its official site.

Questions about academic writing and editing

Is using a grammar checker allowed in my thesis?

Most universities allow basic grammar and spelling checks. Rules on AI tools that rewrite sentences or generate text vary widely, so read your institution's AI policy and ask your supervisor if you are unsure.

Does paraphrasing with AI avoid plagiarism?

No. Reworded text still needs a citation if the ideas come from a source, and some universities treat AI paraphrasing as unauthorized help. Cite your sources and follow your institution's policy.

Do journals require disclosure of AI writing help?

Many do. Publishers commonly ask authors to describe any use of generative AI in the methods or acknowledgments, and they do not accept AI tools as authors. Check the author guidelines of your target journal.

Can AI detectors tell if I used these tools?

AI detectors are unreliable and can flag human writing, especially from second-language writers. The safer path is to follow your institution's policy, keep your drafts and notes, and disclose tool use where asked.

Is Overleaf free for students?

Overleaf has a free plan, and many universities hold institutional licenses that add premium features for their students and staff. Check with your library or IT service.

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