Are you struggling with your academic writing? Are you tired of losing marks due to spelling mistakes, grammar errors, or plagiarism issues? If so, you're not alone! Many students and educators have turned to writing assistants to help improve their writing skills and avoid common mistakes. But with so many options on the market, it can be tough to know which one to choose. In this blog post, we'll compare two of the most popular writing assistants for academic writing, Grammarly and Turnitin, to help you make an informed decision.
Grammarly
Grammarly is a comprehensive writing assistant that helps users to improve their writing in real-time. It can detect a wide range of errors, including spelling mistakes, grammar errors, punctuation errors, and even contextual vocabulary mistakes. It also provides suggestions for better word choices and can help users avoid repetitive phrasing. Grammarly is available for download as a browser extension, desktop app, and mobile app, making it a versatile tool for students and educators alike.
Turnitin
Turnitin is a plagiarism detection software used by many universities and instructors to check for originality in students' work. It compares the submitted text to its vast database of academic papers, journals, and other sources to check for any similarities. Turnitin provides a report that highlights any areas of concern, including direct quotes, paraphrased text, or unintentional plagiarism. This report can be used by instructors as a tool for teaching students about proper citation and academic integrity.
Now, let's compare the two writing assistants' features and capabilities side-by-side.
| Grammarly | Turnitin | |
|---|---|---|
| Error detection | Spelling, grammar, punctuation, context, style, clarity, vocabulary | Plagiarism, citation errors |
| User interface | Browser extension, desktop app, and mobile app | Web-based |
| Types of documents | Essays, emails, social media posts, blog posts, resumes, academic writing | Academic writing, research papers, theses, dissertations, journal articles, conference papers |
| Languages supported | English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Russian | English, Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Dutch |
| Price | Free basic version, Premium $11.66/monthly or $139.95/annually | Varies by institution |
Overall, Grammarly is an excellent tool for users who need help improving their writing skills across various types of documents. Its real-time error detection and suggestions for better word choices make it an invaluable tool. Turnitin, on the other hand, is most useful for instructors and institutions that need to check for plagiarism in academic writing.
In conclusion, both tools have their strengths and weaknesses, so it ultimately comes down to your needs and preferences. Whether you're a student or an educator, it's worth trying out both Grammarly and Turnitin to see which one works best for you.
References
- Grammarly. (n.d.). How Grammarly Works. Retrieved from https://www.grammarly.com/how-grammarly-works
- Turnitin. (n.d.). Originality Check. Retrieved from https://www.turnitin.com/products/originality-check