writing thesis software

7 Must-Have Thesis Writing Tools in 2021

Writing tools like Grammarly, Mendeley online, Thesaurus, BibMe, Evernote, Plagiarism checker, Hemingway Editor, Stay Focused and Dissertation authors have significant importance in thesis writing.  

Traditionally, writing a thesis for either PhD or dissertation was a tougher task, needing huge manual writing, Proofreading, correction, re-writing, and editing things manually. 

So, it was tedious, time-consuming and depressive and therefore no one wants to go for a doctorate. However, the recent scenario is totally different, now we have computers, mobile phones and a lot of apps. 

Things can be done at a fingertip, with one click and all done! Thanks to high-power computers and apps. “Useful” apps make tasks, work and everyday life easy for us. 

We now have apps for writing, proofreading, arranging documents, taking instant and important notes, doing citation & referencing and other stuff during your research. This article explains how a PhD student can utilize apps that are useful. I will also explain how you can use it. 

Features of Mendeley:

How to use mendeley , how to cite the work , features of evernote , how to use evernote , features of bibme are: , how to use bibme, how to use thesaurus , how to use dissertationauthers , features of grammarly: .

• How to use Grammarly? 

Features of Hemingway Editor: 

Wrapping up: , 7 must-have thesis writing tools in 2021, mendeley: .

Citing articles and enlisting references orderly isn’t an easy task; it’s time-consuming and tiresome. But what if a tool can do all this work seamlessly, effectively and precisely? Mendeley is that one tool you need.

Every PhD must have Mendeley- a reference manager tool. This app or web portal is exclusively designed to manage bibliography and citations therefore it must be there on every PhD students’ laptop. 

Four amazing features of Mendeley are, 

• You can store articles, PhD, journal reads on your Mendeley. 
• It automatically creates a reference format. 
• It can cite every bit of information seamlessly and precisely when integrated. 

Meaning just read the article from Mendeley, write your content in MS word and just do insert a citation. It automatically inserts the related citation and reference at the end of the page. 

Besides, several other features are, 

• It automatically generates a bibliography 
• You can import a pdf and research papers from other sources 
• You can find the relevant articles to what you are reading 
• You can collab with other researchers online 
• You can access all your article libraries from anywhere by logging in to your account. 

The Mendeley is developed by Elsevier Publication available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 

• Go to www.mendeley.com from your computer 
• Click on “create a free account”. 
• Enter your email address and continue your work. 
• Download the ‘Mendeley for desktop’ software 
• Start adding reading materials, pdfs and research articles or create your own library. 
• To use Mendeley for citation and referencing, first from your Mendeley app for tools and click on ‘Install MS word Plugin’. 
• Go to MS word>> referencing and insert citation using the Mendeley.

Now you are ready to use, write literature from the article and just click on insert citation and your work is ready. 

We are planning to write a whole article on the present topic, how to use it and how helpful it is, that article’s we will provide you later.

In summary, the very first software or app or tool every PhD student is required is Mendeley to write a thesis. It’s a citation and reference manager tool. 

 “Notes” as writing, images, pdf, article, news paragraph is an everyday part of a PhD student . Whatever you read, whenever you find things related to your PhD topic, you have to keep a note. 

And trust me keeping notes isn’t so easy. If you fail to make it up, you will forget it the next morning. Evernote- is a tool that keeps your notes from desktop, mobile or any other device and syncs them. 

• You can scan and save documents, label them, make important sentences underline and create pdf. 
• You can even save rich notes, save images, record audio, capture ideas. 
• You even can save entire or partial web pages. 
• You can mark, highlight, underline, and pinpoint every note you capture. 
•  And guess what you can excess it from anywhere. 

Go to www.evernote.com and click on sign in. 

Now click on ‘create account’ and create one using your email address. 

Or you can download the desktop apps. 

In summary, to keep notes seamlessly and organized, the Evernote tool is required. Moreover, users can create keyboard shortcuts, note links, anchor notes to remember and share notes. 

BibMe: 

BibMe- The online writing center is the tool or service developed by Chegg. It has many features to improve your academic writing and PhD work. 

One of the best features it has is it cites your work using different styles, even using their recent version of the style. 

• You can create accurate citations in multiple styles 
• Insert citation and references in your article or paper 
• Improve your writing by improving sentence structure, grammar and spelling 
• It can also detect plagiarism and can correct it. 

Go to www.bibme.org .

Click on ‘Create account’. Create your account using your email address and use their features. 

In summary, a BibMe app is an excellent tool, however, it isn’t available as a plugin for MS Word. You can use the free version or can use the paid version to explore more features. 

Thesaurus: 

Academic writing should be professional and precise, one needs to choose the correct word as per the sentence requirement. Using Thesaurus you can find synonyms of various words. 

Besides, You can find antonyms and choose acronyms and abbreviations. 

Go to www.thesaurus.com . 

Click on synonyms and type your word in the search box.  

In summary, Thesaurus makes your writing impressive when you use synonyms and transient words. 

Disserationauthors:  

Writing a research paper, review article or thesis is quite hard for a novice, you may feel helpless sometimes when your writeup is rejected multiple times. Even if you don’t understand what is wrong with your part. 

 If you feel so, don’t worry you can hire writers, experts or writing assistance who helps you. Dissertationauthors hire expert writers for you basically from the USA and UK. 

• Go to www.dissertationauthors.com . 
• Fill the order form 
• Pay for your write up or paper 
• Reach your personal writer 
• Download your completed work

In summary, students have to write their own stuff, however, if your writing isn’t of that level you can use this service. 

Grammarly: 

Grammar, spelling and synonyms are common problems every research student faces, specifically those who aren’t from a pure English background. Imagine, what if some software or tool can do all stuff automatically!

Grammarly is exactly that one tool. They have free and paid plans available, however, the free version is enough for most students. 

It has many services in which the Google chrome “add on” extension is the best. When activated it automatically detects and corrects English problems to all documents. 

Related article: Grammarly: Your PhD writing assistant

• Correct spelling and Grammer 
• Correct wordy sentences 
• Suggest punctuations 
• Structurize the sentence 
• Check plagiarism 
• Adds more transient words and synonyms 
• And a lot more… 

Read more: How to Check Plagiarism for PhD Thesis?- Top 10 Plagiarism Checkers

How to use Grammarly?  

• Go to www.grammarly.com  
• Sign in or sign up for your account. 
• Go to the Google chrome extension search for Grammarly. 
• Add Grammarly to your chrome extension. 
• Do a quick setting as per your requirement. 

In summary, Grammarly is the one tool or software that must be present on every PhD fellow’s laptop. Its technology is based on AI, meaning as you write more, it understands your style more and suggests accordingly. 

Moreover, it also mails you your performances, common problems and how you can improve.  

Hemingway Editor 

This software is somehow similar to Grammarly, however, it has something unique in it. It’s an online editor you can use to quickly edit your article. It finds common errors, sentence structure, and grammatical mistakes. 

It corrects it precisely. Several common features are enlisted here, 

• Highlight lengthy and complex sentences, and corrections 
• Finds common writing errors 
• Finds active or passive voices. 
• It denotes each error with a different color quote. 
• It can also add headings, count the number of words and other things. 

In summary, It’s not that impressive software for the students but can help especially to correct complex sentences. It is useful for bloggers. 

Apps and Softwares make your everyday life easy and when you are in PhD, it becomes so important to make things easy. You should visit and use all this Softwares and its tools. 

However, as per my opinion research candidates should have at least Grammarly, Mendeley and Evernote. These three are enough to do a lot of work. 

Use Mendeley for citation, bibliography generation and other PhD stuff, Grammarly for writing assistance and Evernote for keeping notes and important things. 

Dr. Tushar Chauhan is a Scientist, Blogger and Scientific-writer. He has completed PhD in Genetics. Dr. Chauhan is a PhD coach and tutor.

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Thesis Apps: Best Applications & Software for Graduate Students

The process of writing a thesis requires a lot of time and patience. Custom-writing.org experts are willing to make this task easier for you. We’ve compiled a list of thesis writing apps and software. These tools will help you make plans and self-organize. There are also free apps to improve your productivity, help you carry out the research, boost your vocabulary, and check your work for mistakes.

With the thesis apps on this list, you won’t ever have to wonder how to write a dissertation because you’ll know the answer – it’s easy!

• 📑 Word Processors
• ⏰ Time Managers
• 🚀 Productivity Apps
• 🎓 Dictionaries
• 🔬 Research Tools
• 🔤 Grammar Checkers

1. 📑 Word Processors and Note-Taking Apps

This should be a no-brainer, but writing is one of the essential parts of creating a thesis. So it’s evident that you need to have the best thesis apps to deal with this task effectively.

Here are some apps that you might want to check out.

• Google docs . This is probably the first app that comes to mind when you think of alternative free word processors. It has all the functionality and capabilities you’ll need to write and format your thesis. It also allows users to work together on the same document in real-time. It’s available for Android, iOS, or as a web app.
• WPS Office . This multi-platform solution includes not only a word processor. It’s also a full-fledged office suite that allows you to create and work with spreadsheets, presentations, and PDF documents. What else could you need to create a perfect thesis?
• Office Online . This one is for those who want to get the most out of Microsoft Office for free. This one is as good as it can get — an online version of Office. Enough said.
• Jarte . This is a free word processor based on the WordPad engine. It has all the necessary functions and provides a comfortable way to work with text—and it’s free. This app also can export your documents to PDF and HTML files.
• Evernote , Google Keep , and OneNote . The reason why we put these three together? They’re all note-taking apps. Do we know that there are many other similar apps too? Yes, we do. But there’s a reason why these three are so popular. They all offer the same thing – a way to keep all your notes in one place. The difference between them is how it’s all organized, along with some extra features. All of these thesis writing apps are free, too.

2. ⏰ Time-Managing Thesis Apps

With all the steps you need to complete to write a good thesis, it’s not hard to get lost. You can quickly get stuck in one place without knowing what to do and end up making no progress at all.

Or you can use one of the dissertation apps in this category to build a plan and organize your workflow!

• Pocket . Pocket brings order to the chaos of posts and articles you want to read or use to write your thesis. You can easily save them all in one place and look through them later. Then you can decide whether or not you’ll need a particular piece of information.
• Todoist . This one is a free time manager (though it also has paid plans with extra features). With this app, you can set deadlines for each stage of your thesis creation process, and it will remind you of them beforehand. This app will help you stay on track of what plans are waiting for you next.
• Wunderlist . This to-do list app indeed does wonders. It lets you build short- and long-term plans and keep them all in order. You can set notifications to stay on track and always be sure that you’re performing according to your schedule, whether it’s a particular stage of your thesis writing or some other assignment.

3. 🚀 Thesis Apps to Improve Productivity

We all have days when things don’t work, and everything is a distraction. So how can you deal with this all-too-common problem?

There’s a good selection of productivity apps that can help you out. With one of these, you’ll finish writing your thesis in no time.

• Any.do . This one is a task manager that’ll help you stay on track of whatever your current tasks are. It will help you build a habit of reviewing your tasks and make sure that you know which assignments you need to pay the most attention to at the moment. With this app, you won’t miss deadlines or find yourself wondering what to do next.
• IFTTT . This tool allows you to create short automation sequences without any coding skills. It will remember every little thing that you tend to forget. On the one hand, you’ll get those things done; on the other—you won’t get distracted by those tasks and will be able to concentrate on what’s important right now. The app supports plenty of services and is easy to use.
• RescueTime . This app will track the time you spend completing tasks. It will also report all the websites you visit, the apps you use, and breaks you take during the day. By doing so, it helps you create greater self-awareness. As a result, you’ll immediately see whether something is going wrong and keeping you from following your plan.
• StayFocusd . This Chrome extension helps you stay focused on your current task (which, of course, explains its name). It will block all those distracting sites that tend to get in your way while you’re working. You can set a specific time for blocking or choosing a time limit for a certain time during the day.
• Write or Die . This one is a web-based tool. It is also available for iOS, with an Android version coming soon. The tool helps you eliminate writer’s block. Within the app, you can set a specific period and the word count you need to reach within this time. It also features stimuli and rewarding images.

4. 🎓 Vocabulary Boosters and Dictionaries

At this stage, dictionaries and vocabulary boosters come into play.

• Merriam-Webster Dictionary . This is one of the most well-known dictionaries out there. Apart from listing definitions and offering a thesaurus, it also features word games. These word games aim to increase your vocabulary, which will come in handy when writing a thesis. Apart from having a web-based version, there are also apps available for Android and iOS.
• Cambridge Dictionary . This is another famous dictionary listing almost every aspect and sphere imaginable. In long-term perspective, it’s even more useful than the best thesis statement generator , as it can potentially provide you with knowledge you’ll keep forever. All of the resources are available from the site, widget, or official mobile apps. A wide selection of available dictionaries and thesauruses will surely meet all of your writing needs.
• The Free Dictionary . There are many things to discover under this simple name. This web service provides dictionaries on a variety of topics. It also features a thesaurus, idioms, acronyms, a grammar book, and encyclopedia articles. What else can you ask for?

5. 🔬 Tools for Conducting Research

Another essential part of writing a thesis is research. Without properly researched sources and data , everything that’s written in your thesis will be highly questionable.

To avoid poorly supported arguments , and to be able to conduct outstanding research, consider using one of the following tools.

• Mendeley . Once you try this tool, you won’t believe that you ever researched without it. It will help you complete any type of research, come up with a topic for your paper, organize your literature review , make annotations, and manage your research materials. This multi-platform tool also allows syncing across all your devices.
• Mindmup , Bubbl.us . Both of these apps are great tools for mind mapping. They’ll help you get all of your thoughts and ideas in order. This organization will significantly help your research, as everything will be neatly organized and accessible. Both of these tools have free plans and web versions. They only differ with their extra features.
• WolframAlpha . This is a go-to source of expert knowledge on a wide variety of disciplines. This answer engine is also available on mobile platforms. Instead of just giving a list of documents or web pages that may or may not answer your question, it comes up with results from a curated knowledge base in response to your query.

6. 🔤 Grammar Checkers

Everyone makes mistakes. But it’s not a bad idea to make sure that there’s none in your thesis. The apps described below can help you with that.

• Hemingway Editor . This tool aims to improve your writing style and make it as straightforward as possible. It makes colored highlights to indicate long or very complicated sentences. As a result, you get a clean piece of content that’s understandable and easy to digest.
• Ginger . This multi-platform solution helps you find and correct all types of grammar mistakes. It also makes it easier to edit text, which improves your overall productivity, as you’ll spend less time correcting errors.
• Grammarly . This tool has gained so much popularity that it probably doesn’t even require an introduction. It finds and corrects mistakes that no word processor can spot. The tool has a browser extension, offline software, and a premium version with extra features.

Hopefully, you’ll get some thesis help by using these free tools. With these apps at your disposal, you’ll be able to craft a fantastic thesis easily.

Did we miss something? Are there any free thesis apps that you like to use that aren’t on this list? Tell us about them in the comments!

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AI for thesis writing — Unveiling 7 best AI tools

Table of Contents

Writing a thesis is akin to piecing together a complex puzzle. Each research paper, every data point, and all the hours spent reading and analyzing contribute to this monumental task.

For many students, this journey is a relentless pursuit of knowledge, often marked by sleepless nights and tight deadlines.

Here, the potential of AI for writing a thesis or research papers becomes clear: artificial intelligence can step in, not to take over but to assist and guide.

Far from being just a trendy term, AI is revolutionizing academic research, offering ChatPDF and writing tools that can make the task of thesis writing more manageable, more precise, and a little less overwhelming.

In this article, we’ll discuss the impact of AI on academic writing process, and articulate the best AI tools for thesis writing to enhance your thesis writing process.

The Impact of AI on Thesis Writing

Artificial Intelligence offers a supportive hand in thesis writing, adeptly navigating vast datasets, suggesting enhancements in writing, and refining the narrative.

With the integration of AI writing assistant, instead of requiring you to manually sift through endless articles, AI tools can spotlight the most pertinent pieces in mere moments. Need clarity or the right phrasing? AI-driven writing assistants are there, offering real-time feedback, ensuring your work is both articulative  and academically sound.

AI tools for thesis writing harness Natural Language Processing (NLP) to generate content, check grammar, and assist in literature reviews. Simultaneously, Machine Learning (ML) techniques enable data analysis, provide personalized research recommendations, and aid in proper citation.

And for the detailed tasks of academic formatting and referencing? AI streamlines it all, ensuring your thesis meets the highest academic standards.

However, understanding AI's role is pivotal. It's a supportive tool, not the primary author. Your thesis remains a testament to your unique perspective and voice.

AI for writing thesis is there to amplify that voice, ensuring it's heard clearly and effectively.

How AI tools supplement your thesis writing

AI tools have emerged as invaluable allies for scholars. With just a few clicks, these advanced platforms can streamline various aspects of thesis writing, from data analysis to literature review.

Let's explore how an AI tool can supplement and transform your thesis writing style and process.

Efficient literature review : AI tools can quickly scan and summarize vast amounts of literature, making the process of literature review more efficient. Instead of spending countless hours reading through papers, researchers can get concise summaries and insights, allowing them  to focus on relevant content.

Enhanced data analysis : AI algorithms can process and analyze large datasets with ease, identifying patterns, trends, and correlations that might be difficult or time-consuming for humans to detect. This capability is especially valuable in fields with massive datasets, like genomics or social sciences.

Improved writing quality : AI-powered writing assistants can provide real-time feedback on grammar, style, and coherence. They can suggest improvements, ensuring that the final draft of a research paper or thesis is of high quality.

Plagiarism detection : AI tools can scan vast databases of academic content to ensure that a researcher's work is original and free from unintentional plagiarism .

Automated citations : Managing and formatting citations is a tedious aspect of academic writing. AI citation generators  can automatically format citations according to specific journal or conference standards, reducing the chances of errors.

Personalized research recommendations : AI tools can analyze a researcher's past work and reading habits to recommend relevant papers and articles, ensuring that they stay updated with the latest in their field.

Interactive data visualization : AI can assist in creating dynamic and interactive visualizations, making it easier for researchers to present their findings in a more engaging manner.

Top 7 AI Tools for Thesis Writing

The academic field is brimming with AI tools tailored for academic paper writing. Here's a glimpse into some of the most popular and effective ones.

Here we'll talk about some of the best ai writing tools, expanding on their major uses, benefits, and reasons to consider them.

If you've ever been bogged down by the minutiae of formatting or are unsure about specific academic standards, Typeset is a lifesaver.

You can also check out SciSpace ChatPDF for your research paper exploration.

Typeset specializes in formatting, ensuring academic papers align with various journal and conference standards.

It automates the intricate process of academic formatting, saving you from the manual hassle and potential errors, inflating your writing experience.

An AI-driven writing assistant, Wisio elevates the quality of your thesis content. It goes beyond grammar checks, offering style suggestions tailored to academic writing.

This ensures your thesis is both grammatically correct and maintains a scholarly tone. For moments of doubt or when maintaining a consistent style becomes challenging, Wisio acts as your personal editor, providing real-time feedback.

Known for its ability to generate and refine thesis content using AI algorithms, Texti ensures logical and coherent content flow according to the academic guidelines.

When faced with writer's block or a blank page, Texti can jumpstart your thesis writing process, aiding in drafting or refining content.

JustDone is an AI for thesis writing and content creation. It offers a straightforward three-step process for generating content, from choosing a template to customizing details and enjoying the final output.

JustDone AI can generate thesis drafts based on the input provided by you. This can be particularly useful for getting started or overcoming writer's block.

This platform can refine and enhance the editing process, ensuring it aligns with academic standards and is free from common errors. Moreover, it can process and analyze data, helping researchers identify patterns, trends, and insights that might be crucial for their thesis.

Tailored for academic writing, Writefull offers style suggestions to ensure your content maintains a scholarly tone.

This AI for thesis writing provides feedback on your language use, suggesting improvements in grammar, vocabulary, and structure . Moreover, it compares your written content against a vast database of academic texts. This helps in ensuring that your writing is in line with academic standards.

Isaac Editor

For those seeking an all-in-one solution for writing, editing, and refining, Isaac Editor offers a comprehensive platform.

Combining traditional text editor features with AI, Isaac Editor streamlines the writing process. It's an all-in-one solution for writing, editing, and refining, ensuring your content is of the highest quality.

PaperPal , an AI-powered personal writing assistant, enhances academic writing skills, particularly for PhD thesis writing and English editing.

This AI for thesis writing offers comprehensive grammar, spelling, punctuation, and readability suggestions, along with detailed English writing tips.

It offers grammar checks, providing insights on rephrasing sentences, improving article structure, and other edits to refine academic writing.

The platform also offers tools like "Paperpal for Word" and "Paperpal for Web" to provide real-time editing suggestions, and "Paperpal for Manuscript" for a thorough check of completed articles or theses.

Is it ethical to use AI for thesis writing?

The AI for writing thesis has ignited discussions on authenticity. While AI tools offer unparalleled assistance, it's vital to maintain originality and not become overly reliant. Research thrives on unique contributions, and AI should be a supportive tool, not a replacement.

The key question: Can a thesis, significantly aided by AI, still be viewed as an original piece of work?

AI tools can simplify research, offer grammar corrections, and even produce content. However, there's a fine line between using AI as a helpful tool and becoming overly dependent on it.

In essence, while AI offers numerous advantages for thesis writing, it's crucial to use it judiciously. AI should complement human effort, not replace it. The challenge is to strike the right balance, ensuring genuine research contributions while leveraging AI's capabilities.

Wrapping Up

Nowadays, it's evident that AI tools are not just fleeting trends but pivotal game-changers.

They're reshaping how we approach, structure, and refine our theses, making the process more efficient and the output more impactful. But amidst this technological revolution, it's essential to remember the heart of any thesis: the researcher's unique voice and perspective .

AI tools are here to amplify that voice, not overshadow it. They're guiding you through the vast sea of information, ensuring our research stands out and resonates.

Try these tools out and let us know what worked for you the best.

Love using SciSpace tools? Enjoy discounts! Use SR40 (40% off yearly) and SR20 (20% off monthly). Claim yours here 👉 SciSpace Premium

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can use AI to assist in writing your thesis. AI tools can help streamline various aspects of the writing process, such as data analysis, literature review, grammar checks, and content refinement.

However, it's essential to use AI as a supportive tool and not a replacement for original research and critical thinking. Your thesis should reflect your unique perspective and voice.

Yes, there are AI tools designed to assist in writing research papers. These tools can generate content, suggest improvements, help with formatting, and even provide real-time feedback on grammar and coherence.

Examples include Typeset, JustDone, Writefull, and Texti. However, while they can aid the process, the primary research, analysis, and conclusions should come from the researcher.

The "best" AI for writing papers depends on your specific needs. For content generation and refinement, Texti is a strong contender.

For grammar checks and style suggestions tailored to academic writing, Writefull is highly recommended. JustDone offers a user-friendly interface for content creation. It's advisable to explore different tools and choose one that aligns with your requirements.

To use AI for writing your thesis:

1. Identify the areas where you need assistance, such as literature review, data analysis, content generation, or grammar checks.

2. Choose an AI tool tailored for academic writing, like Typeset, JustDone, Texti, or Writefull.

3. Integrate the tool into your writing process. This could mean using it as a browser extension, a standalone application, or a plugin for your word processor.

4. As you write or review content, use the AI tool for real-time feedback, suggestions, or content generation.

5. Always review and critically assess the suggestions or content provided by the AI to ensure it aligns with your research goals and maintains academic integrity.

Good Reads!

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Lesley McCollum is PhD student in neuroscience at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. You can follow her on Twitter @lesleyamccollum.

I’m writing this post in Microsoft Word. Chances are, it’s where you do a lot of your writing as well. It’s easy, convenient, familiar, and gets the job done for simple text documents. There are a lot of great features to MS Word if you want to (or have to) stick with it for your writing. If so, check out our previous post by Hanna on quick tricks for formatting in Word.

Some tasks call for a bit more than a basic word processor, though. If you’ve ever spent too many frustrating hours trying to format a Word document with multiple tables and figures (why does my figure keep moving halfway off the page?!), then you will likely agree that it’s not always the best to work with. As I embark on the dissertation-writing journey, I have been looking for an alternative to MS Word that is up for the job—something that can handle a large multi-chaptered document with robust formatting options.

The ideal software would be cheap (preferably free), fairly quick and painless to learn, and compatible with a reference/citation manager. One barrier to changing software is that my mentor likes using MS Word to edit my documents with the track changes feature. So a bonus would be that files could easily be converted to .docx to ease sending them to my PI for reviews. Here are a few non-Word options I have come across in my search for the best dissertation-writing software that seem to be favorites:

Windows, Mac OS X, Linux/Unix

LaTeX is an open-source document preparation system that was designed for scholarly and technical writing, and is great for handling large documents. It is a powerful and highly customizable typesetting system that, in contrast to MS Word, separates the content and document design. LaTeX is a markup language—it’s not exactly a programming language, but it does have similarities to coding. Because of this, there is definitely a learning curve when starting out. I was first exposed to LaTeX during college and used it to write my undergraduate thesis. It did take a while to learn, but has a huge amount of document support, and a great online community to answer just about any question you come across. The features I found that really made it worth the effort were its phenomenal job at handling mathematical equations, tables, and figures, and its own powerful reference manager BibTeX. Because it was designed to be used with LaTeX, they integrate perfectly and handle citations and cross-referencing effortlessly. One downside is that LaTeX does not export to .docx file format, so if you need a Word document for revisions or submission, there is no streamlined conversion from LaTeX. If you’re lucky, some schools provide LaTeX thesis templates already meeting the required specifications, so all you have to worry about is the content. Check out this great, detailed article on why you should use LaTeX for writing your dissertation.

If you are sold on the powerful and flexible typesetting available with LaTeX, but aren’t crazy about working solely with the markup language, a great compromise is LyX. It uses LaTeX in the background, but lets you write the content in a user interface similar to a word processor like MS Word. It still has all the advanced capabilities of LaTeX for mathematical equations and formatting, and integration with BibTeX. Other users have found that it doesn’t completely remove the need to understand LaTeX, but reduces the learning curve a bit. There are other programs that also provide a graphical editor for LaTeX such as Scientific Workplace or TeXmacs .

Mac OS X, Windows, Linux (beta)

Cost: $35-45 (free 30-day trial)

If you are a veteran GradHacker reader, you’ve likely seen Scrivener mentioned before, like here and here . In addition to standard word processing, Scrivener is great for project management and organization. It combines the visual appeal and ease-of-use that Macs are known for, and its users swear by it. It has a drag-and-drop interface, so a large document can be easily written in fragments, and provides a personal research database for easy storage of notes, folders, images (and just about anything else) that you collect as sources for your project. Another great feature of Scrivener is its compatibility with multiple file formats, making it easy to export in just about any document type. There are a couple of downsides for scientific writing, however. Scrivener lacks integration with reference management software—though users have found ways to handle citations, it doesn’t work seamlessly. It’s also not great for document layout containing formatted tables and figures. Check out this ProfHacker article on the values of Scrivener for academic writing.

An important note: don’t let the preparation of your dissertation get in the way of writing it . A complex document of this size could be edited and formatted forever, so don’t let that be a mode of procrastination! Try the software out, and it you don’t jive with it, stick with what works for you. Tools like these should only be sought if they will streamline the process for you, not hinder it. Adapt your writing software to meet the needs of your writing project. There isn’t always one perfect option—you may find that integrating multiple writing programs works best for the writing, compiling, and editing stages. Maybe all you really need is a distraction-free writing space to get the job done.

Check out these other helpful resources for finding an alternative to any software and for a detailed comparison of word processors .

What software are you using to write your dissertation, and what do you love about it?   Please share it with us in the comments!

[Photo courtesy of Flickr user Ross Mayfield and used under a Creative Commons license.]

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Top 11 Dissertation Writing Software For Students 2024

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Dissertation Writing Software: Your Research, Streamlined.

Writing a dissertation or thesis plays an important role in one's academic career. However, it is also a rigorous task that students often struggle with. Writing a thesis requires a lot of research, dedication, and organisation which needs to compile a lot of information together. To create a well-crafted and cohesive dissertation, it’s important to equip yourself with the right tools that will make the writing process easy for you. Well, here’s the good news for you: there are many dissertation writing software available that will help you up your game & increase your chances of producing a top-quality thesis. In this blog, we will be covering some of the top thesis-writing software that will help you write a dissertation that will stand out. 

Top 11 Dissertation & Thesis Writing Software 

To write an effective thesis, one needs to do extensive research and consider many factors that will help one’s dissertation stand out. We are covering some of the best dissertation writing software that will help you stay organised and write an effective dissertation. These tools will help you with meticulous research and planning. Without further ado, let’s check out some of the amazing dissertation writing software. 

Top Feature: Organize and Label Items

Platform: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, iPadOS, Android (beta)

Rating: 9.1/10

Review: Excellent Open Source Citation Software with Multiple Integration Plug-ins Available

The first one on our list of dissertation writing software is Zotero, which helps you organize and label items. Zotero is a reference management software that helps in managing bibliographic data and research-related materials. This is one such dissertation writing software that will make your research task easy and organize & label items. The user-friendly interface and additional features such as web browser integration and collaboration options. 

Top Feature: Translation

Platform: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux/Unix

Rating: 4.7/5

Review: Latex is very helpful for preparing the documents. It has high-quality typesetting system.

Another of the best dissertation writing software is the open-source document preparation system that was exclusively developed for scholarly and technical writing. This software is known for its highly customizable and powerful typesetting system. Students can take the utmost advantage of this software when writing a dissertation or thesis using its strong reference manager, BibTex. 

Top Feature: Mind Mapping

Platform: Windows, MacOS, Linux

Rating: 8.2/10

Review: A unique approach for organizing literature, focusing on your annotations instead of documents. It allows you to find the information you are looking for much faster.

While writing a dissertation, students often face a blocker in keeping multiple documents organized and sorted. Docear’s single-section user interface lets you sort documents and annotations. It contains a variety of tools, including PDF management and mind mapping, which allow its users to connect with new literature related to their area of research.  

4. Otter.ai

Top Feature: Custom Vocabulary, Playback Control

Platform: iOS or Android app

Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Great alternative to manual transcription services as it is faster and easier to access.

Another one of the best dissertation writing software is Otter, which develops speech-to-text transcription. Otter, developed by Otter.ai, was founded in 2016 by Sam Liang and Yun Fu who has a history of working in artificial intelligence. Otter does the hours of work with just a click; instead of writing for long hours and spending most of your time on the keyboard, you just have to speak, and Otter will do the rest of the work for you. This simple yet powerful app converts the audio into text format and ta da you on your way to writing the best dissertation. 

5. SpellCheckPlus

Top Feature: Spelling, Grammar, and Vocabulary Checks.

Platform: Web App

Rating: 4.1/5

Review: Grammar checker that finds common spelling errors and grammatical mistakes in English.

While writing such a long thesis or dissertation, mistakes are bound to happen well, what if we tell you that there is a tool that will not only edit but will give you suggestions to make your writing better? Isn’t it great? SpellCheckPlus is one of the best dissertation writing software that gives a summary of the suggestions that can make your writing better. It has a free version that gives you suggestions based on the content, whereas you can opt for an upgraded “pro” option, which includes additional features. 

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Top Feature: Bibliography & Citation Maker

Platform: Windows, MacOS

Rating: 2.6/5

Review: This is a great plagiarism checker at a good price.

A dissertation or thesis is incomplete without bibliographies; however, it takes a lot of time to manually find and write them. With BibMe in frame, this has become easy. The fully automated system generates citations and cited pages for you with just one click. All you have to do is select the format of your choice—APA, MLA, or Chicago/Turabian—and choose from a database that provides a wide range of options. Click “add” and download the bibliography of your choice. 

Top Feature: Different Controls & No Annoying Installation

Platform: Google Drive

Rating: 4.2/5

Review: Easy to use, lots of different controls, and no annoying installation.

With so many thoughts and ideas to make one's thesis better, it becomes too difficult to keep track of it becomes overwhelming. With Mindmup in the picture, you can easily connect the dots and your ideas and create an amazing thesis. Mindmup is one of the best dissertation writing software that works as online mind-mapping that makes it easy for students to put down their thoughts into action. MindMup is also a terrific collaborative tool.

8. iA Writer

Top Feature: Focus Mode, Content Blocks

Platform: Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android

Rating: 4.4/5   

Review: A pleasing minimalist tool for short-form writers, content creators, and bloggers.

Received recognition from The Guardian and The New York Times, iA Writer is one of the best dissertation writing software. It allows students to focus more by providing them with a writing-conducive environment. It has some of the best features, like focus mode, version control, cloud support, and insightful metrics. With broader clarity as to what it needs to rectify, it keeps the focus on the text and focuses on improving the content. 

9. Grammarly Premium

Top Feature: Tone Adjustments; Plagiarism Detection

Platform: Windows, iOS

Rating: 4/5

Review: Yes, the premium version of Grammarly is worth every penny.

Another one of the best dissertation writing software is Grammarly Premium, which can make your dissertation better with its amazing features. Grammarly Premium proofreads your content and gives you suggestions based on the analysis. It also has a handy feature of plagiarism check that will help you in making your thesis better. Another good feature is it easily integrates with Word, Google Docs and Chrome and gives you instant suggestions for rectification.

10. RefWorks

Top Feature: Stores and Organizes all forms of information

Rating: 4.3/5

Review: It is a useful program for managing citations and has helpful features for organisation.

RefWorks is a web-based reference management tool that helps you organize and store your references. It has amazing features like citation formatting, collaboration options, and document sharing. RefWorks is one of the best dissertation writing software that will help you keep your references handy and well-organized. 

Top Feature: Text Editor

Platform: Safari, Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge

Rating: 4.8/5

Review: Notion is a good note-taking app for collaborating and is packed with features.

Writing a thesis or dissertation requires extensive planning and research. This leads to organizing and keeping things on track, which, if not handled properly, can lead to confusion. Notion allows you to organise your ideas and provides a flexible and customizable workspace. You can use a combination of text, tables, lists, media, and more. The notion also allows you to color-code text to keep the content highlighted. 

Writing a thesis requires a lot of research, which can often make it difficult for students to keep their research material organized. This dissertation writing software will let you organize and create an outstanding thesis or dissertation. These thesis writing software will make the process of writing dissertation easy for you and stand out.   

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the most popular thesis writing software options, how does ai-assisted thesis writing software work, what features should i look for in thesis writing software, can i use free software to write my thesis, what are the advantages of using specialized thesis writing software over traditional word processors.

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Thesis Help: 95 Best Online Tools for Thesis Writing

Writing a thesis is like being sentenced to life and hard labor in libraries. Forget regular working hours or your natural right to sleep and rest. Only successful defense of your project will break you free.

• Word Processing and Taking Notes
• Knowledge Management
• Student Planners
• Bibliography Helpers
• Academic Research Tools
• Productivity Apps
• Vocabulary Builders
• Dictionaries
• Plagiarism Check
• Grammar and Style Check

The following free tools, however, provide a ray of hope. Draconian time management and supernatural self-organization can help you cope with your thesis faster. Optimize the process and enjoy the time you save.

📝 Word Processing and Taking Notes

Although you may be used to Microsoft Word, the following free alternatives can be of much help for thesis writing:

• LaTeX is a high-quality system equipped with special features for technical and scientific documentation. A great tool for thesis help due to its user-friendly interface and dozens of helpful features. For example, the tool automatically generates bibliographies and indexes.
• LyX is a free document processor that emphasizes the importance of document structure.
• Scrivener is a popular text-editing tool for Windows users. Use one of several templates to construct your document. There are also labeling options available during the working process.
• XMind is an easy-to-use text-editing and mind-mapping tool. Develop essay maps with this paper editor you can use on an iPhone or iPad for creating, editing, and storing your files.
• OpenOffice is free and intuitive editing software popular with students. Try this excellent writing tool you can easily use instead of Microsoft Word. It gives similar functions for typing, formatting, and revising.
• AbiWord is a free word processing program similar to Microsoft Word and suitable for a wide range of academic tasks.
• Jarte is a free word processor that is based on Windows WordPad and fully compatible with Windows Word.
• Google Docs is Google’s awesome service that allows you to create, format, store, and share documents online.
• ThinkFree is a free Java-based word processor that is fully compatible with Word.

• Etherpad is an open source text editor that allows real-time collaborative editing online. You and your mentor can use this tool for online revision of your thesis.

🧠 Knowledge Management

Here’s the kicker:

While doing research for your dissertation, you will need to dig through an incredible amount of literature. Maybe even look at some free college essays examples.

To make your job easier without getting lost or wasting time, consider the following knowledge management tools — they are great for dissertation help.

• KeepNote is a particularly effective note-taking application that can help you use full-text search and store your findings and notes.
• TomBoy is a free and easy-to-use note-taking and mind-mapping application. When making an analysis of sources or gathering articles in one place, it’s easy to get lost in dozens of links. Tomboy allows you to store every link carefully and have access to them anytime from your desktop.
• TiddlyWiki is a knowledge management app with a number of helpful features of much help for your thesis.
• Mindnote is an effective mind-mapping tool that can help you organize your thoughts intuitively.
• Mendeley is a tool that allows you to create your own easily searchable library of your research findings and accessible from any device.
• VUE stands for Visual Understanding Environment. This tool can be used for structuring and sharing information.
• EyePlorer is a convenient tool for creating charts and mind maps online. You can just drag in your thesis statement’s keywords and get the results.
• Zotero is a valuable academic research and knowledge management tool that combines functionality of a citation maker and knowledge management.
• Endnote can help you find, save, and share the information you need. You can work on a document with your team, see the history of changes, and get your sources cited in one of 6,000 styles.
• Cam scanner is probably one of the easiest ways to save bibliographic information by simply “scanning” a resource with your phone or any other device.

⌚ Student Planners

In being preoccupied with your thesis, you may easily forget something. The following free tools will help you be better organized:

• Any do can synchronize your personal tasks and help you achieve maximum potential.
• Trello can help you see everything about your project in one place.
• Exam Countdown is a free and easy-to-use app to keep track of all your deadlines. Thesis development consists of many parts. Don’t miss any of them with this helpful and vivid tool.
• Wunderlist is a tool for ticking off all your personal and academic goals.
• Todoist is a free online task manager that will kindly remind you of approaching deadlines.
• Tomsplanner is an online chart to help you get things done.
• HabitRPG is a free productivity app that treats your life like an exciting game. Habitica is an RPG game that not only motivates you to start a thesis but also helps with everyday routines like cleaning your room or getting enough sleep.
• Todokyo is a simple way to create to-do lists online.
• Ta-da Lists will help you reach those amazing “ta-da” moments with all your daily and weekly tasks.

🙋 Bibliography Helpers

Collecting resources and formatting citations is important for your dissertation writing, but imagine letting free citation tools do that work for you! Make this academic dream come true with our past list of the top 25 free online best citation generators , or check out the following collection of free tools:

• BibDesk will help you edit and manage your bibliography. This tool can help you keep track of not only bibliographic information but also related links and files.
• BiblioExpress will help you find, manage, and edit bibliographic records.
• Docear is a free academic literature management suite that helps you discover, organize, and cite your resources.
• Recipes4Success is an open source bibliography maker that formats citations in MLA and APA. It works as a rewording generator—you fill in the fields, and the tool gives you a full sentence in one of the most popular citation styles.
• Ottobib is a free, easy, and fast bibliography maker that allows formatting citations using only ISBN. If you use ISBN for your referencing, you can save a lot of time.
• Citavi is a free reference management and knowledge organization tool that can help to not only create citations but also organize and highlight text.
• Cite This for Me is an open source and easy-to-use citation maker that is compatible with a wide range of citation styles.
• GoBiblio is a free online citation maker that generates citations in MLA and APA.

🔬 Academic Research Tools

One more thing you will appreciate is an academic full-text research environment free of commercial links:

• Google Scholar is the place to start your online research that will help you with your thesis.
• ContentMine is a tool that extracts scientific facts from around a billion academic resources.
• Data Elixir is a twice-monthly digest of the latest scientific discoveries.
• Labii is a template-based electronic notebook. Keep all your data organized into categories like protocols, results, samples, and so on.
• LazyScholar is a free Chrome or Mozilla extension that will do an automatic full-text search and create fast citations.
• Scientific Journal Finder can help you access the latest and most relevant resources in your field.
• Scizzle is a fast and easy way to discover new papers on a topic of your choice.
• MyScienceWork is a platform for making your research papers visible to anyone on the web or getting access to research of others.
• Sparrho is a collection of scientific channels and an easily navigated search engine. It contains more than 60 million scientific articles, and the best universities in the world use it.

Working with sources and doing research may be rather exhausting.

Here’s the deal:

You have to work on your performance and productivity.

🏃‍♀️ Productivity Apps

Another important routine change that can save hours and days of your life is blocking or minimizing distractions:

• TimeDoctor is an easy to use time-tracking app that will prevent you from distractions and increase your productivity.
• Online timer by TimeCamp is a free and simple solution for measuring your work time divided by separate tasks.

• Freedom can help you block the most distractions
• SelfControl is a Mac app that will help you avoid distracting websites. Just block social media or news feeds that interfere with your work.
• Write or Die is a web-based app designed to boost your productivity by reaching a target word count within a chosen time frame.
• Focus Time is a combination of an activity tracker and a Pomodoro timer.
• Rescue Time promises to help you block all distractions. Control the choice of blocked resources or use the default list.
• Leechblock NG is a Firefox add-on that can block time-wasting sites.
• StayFocusd politely questions if you shouldn’t be working and helps you achieve that.
• Write Monkey is software that can create a distraction-free interface for simply writing.
• Nirvana will help you prioritize your tasks and get the most important ones done on time.
• Tomato Timer is a minimalist timer that will help you work according to the well-known Pomodoro technique (working 25 minutes before taking a 5-minute break).

📖 Vocabulary Builders

By the time you finish your project, you can undoubtedly boast of having a rich and diverse academic vocabulary. You may want to boost your vocabulary even further with the following tools:

• IntensiveVocab is a free tool designed to help you improve your vocabulary, score higher on standardized tests, and thus improve your dissertation’s language.
• WhichWord is an iOS app designed to help you better understand the difference between frequently confused words.
• Just the Word is an online tool to help you better combine words in a sentence. You enter “just the word” into a search line and receive examples of how that word can be used and other students’ errors.
• Lexipedia is a tool that creates semantic differences for a word of your choice. This tool organizes the results in a mind map. It’s available in English, German, French, Spanish, Dutch, and Italian.
• Wordnik is a free tool that will give you several definitions for a word of your choice.
• Wordhippo is an easy and quick way to find synonyms and antonyms for a certain word. You can also find rhymes, scrabble options, words with specific letters, and so on.
• SAT Vocab by MindSnacks is a free app that can help you learn SAT vocabulary and formulate more difficult sentences by simply playing games.
• Vocabulary Builder from Magoosh is a free app to quickly boost your vocabulary.
• Visual Vocab SAT is a free but effective app for building your vocabulary.

📚 Dictionaries

This collection of sources will make you thesis writing process easy and professional.

• Abbreviations is a huge directory of all abbreviations imaginable. It’s a vast library of acronyms and abbreviations in various fields like science, medicine, government, business, and more.
• Cambridge Dictionaries is a collection of free online English dictionaries and thesauruses including bilingual and semi-bilingual resources.
• Definitions is a multilingual dictionary that provides definitions from many reputable resources. It knows every word in many narrow fields like trees, dinosaurs, and ancient history.
• Macmillan Dictionary is an open source tool with activities and word lists to not only find the words you need but also learn them.
• Merriam Webster is a free dictionary with a variety of online quizzes and tests. It’s one of the most valuable online dictionaries.
• Thesaurus is an open source dictionary offering synonyms and definitions.
• Urban Dictionary is the go-to place for synonyms and definitions. This is the best place to search for slang words.
• Ozdic is a free online collocation dictionary. You can get a full analysis of a particular word you need to learn.
• YourDictionary provides simple definitions that anyone can understand.

✅ Plagiarism Check

• PlagScan will compare your documents with billions of others.
• Article Checker is a free online plagiarism-checking tool that can search for copies of your text on the web.
• Duplichecker is a free plagiarism detection tool restricted to 1,000 words per search.
• PlagiarismCheck.org generates plagiarism reports and offers an unlimited number of free attempts.
• Plagium is a free, quick search that helps you detect instances of occasional plagiarism in your paper.
• Dustball is a free plagiarism detection tool that will easily find plagiarized parts in your text.
• ThePensters is free plagiarism-checking software for students and beyond. It analyzes the percentage of plagiarized text from web pages. Also, with the help of this tool, you can create a bibliography by ISBN code.
• PlagTracker is a convenient online plagiarism detection tool.
• Plagiarisma is another free online plagiarism checker. It supports about 200 languages, and you can switch between Google and Bing search engines when checking your documents.
• Copyscape will help you scan your thesis for any copies on the web.

✍️ Grammar and Style Check

Grammar and style checking of large amounts of text can last forever if you do it manually. The following free tools will make a world of difference for you:

• Ginger is a quick and quality online grammar checker. This is a perfect tool to eliminate misspellings.
• Grammarly with its grammar, style, and plagiarism check is a must-have for students.
• AftertheDeadline is a spell, style, and grammar checker that promises intelligent editing.
• Spellchecker is a spell check solution with a 300-day free trial. Along with grammar mistakes, it shows misused words and syntax errors.
• Online Correction is a tool for detecting style, spelling, and grammar mistakes in writing.
• Spell Check Online is a website for quick spell check online.
• Paper Rater is a free tool that offers online proofreading and does not require download.
• Grammar Check.me is a way to check and correct style, grammar, and spelling of your text online.
• Language Tool is an open source tool for style and grammar check.

Would you like to add some tool to this list? Which free apps and websites help you with your thesis?

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I got 64 % similarity for my assignment. is it bad or good? if it’s bad please tell me how to fix it?

Thanks for these helpful Tools.

Thanks for the feedback! Much appreciated.

Wow good bro

Thanks for the feedback!

Thanks for the feedback, Abderrahmane!

Hi, I would like to ask you about the thesis for Diploma

Hello! Sure, please do not hesitate to ask our experts ivypanda.com .

I’m glad, your message via Twitter brought me here and I really found your blog so helpful. Cheers!

Thank you for your kind words! 🙂

Wow right time, thanks for such a great article. Helpful.

Melik, I’m glad the article was helpful to you 🙂

If you are going for ‘fancy stuff’ you might mention markdown, rmarkdown/knitr etc. This will replace latex imho.

And if you mention Latex you should mention Overleaf (an online version and a way to learn it).

Overall though, a very interesting list. Do you rate/rank these tools?

Thank you for the feedback, David!

OUTSTANDING!!!

Thank you for putting this together.

Thank you very much, Michele 🙂

Thanks regarding furnishing this kind of well put together content.

Thanks for your feedback, Mandila! Glad you liked it!

That’s an apt answer to an interesting question.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope these tools are really helpful to you. Good luck!

AI For Dissertation: Best AI Tools For Masters & PhD Thesis Writing

Writing a dissertation can be a daunting task for master’s and PhD students, but AI tools are transforming this challenging process.

From generating detailed mind maps to providing accurate citations and real-time research insights, AI-powered writing assistants streamline every aspect of thesis writing.

In this article, we explore the best AI tools available, highlighting how they can:

• enhance your academic writing,
• simplify complex tasks, and
• help produce high-quality, well-structured content.

Best AI Tools For Masters & PhD Thesis Writing

Heuristi.ca – Mind Map Maker

Heuristi.ca is an AI-powered writing tool designed to streamline your dissertation writing process.

This AI tool helps you write your thesis or research paper by creating detailed mind maps tailored to academic writing.

You input a topic, like “organic photovoltaics,” and the AI generates related concepts and real-time insights. This assists in organising your literature review and structuring your academic writing.

The AI assistant ensures coherence by connecting related ideas, making writing more manageable and efficient. It helps avoid plagiarism by providing original content and AI-driven citation suggestions. 

By automating and streamlining aspects of the writing process, Heuristi.ca helps you meet deadlines and maintain academic standards.

Open Read – Generate Summaries 

Open Read is an AI-powered writing tool designed to enhance your thesis writing process. With Open Read, you can upload research papers and receive AI-generated summaries, making literature reviews more manageable.

The tool offers real-time features like paper Q&A and AI summaries, which streamline your academic writing tasks.

For example, you can upload a PDF and get a concise summary, along with detailed insights into the paper’s background and significance.

This AI tool helps you write your dissertation by breaking down complex information into bite-sized chunks, saving you time and effort.

Open Read also helps ensure academic integrity by providing accurate citations and checking for plagiarism. 

Explain Paper

Explain Paper is an AI tool that simplifies the academic writing process.E xplain Paper supports dissertation writing by making research more digestible and manageable. 

To use Explain Paper, simply:

• upload a research paper,
• select the text you want to understand, and
• choose an explanation level. 

The AI provides clear explanations tailored to different educational levels, making complex research accessible. 

You can select a dense paragraph and have it explained as if to a middle schooler or a college student. This helps in breaking down intricate concepts, streamlining your literature review.

The tool also ensures your writing adheres to academic standards by providing coherent summaries and related resources.

Paper Brain

Paper Brain is an AI tool designed to streamline your academic writing process. You upload a research paper, and the AI analyzes and generates concise summaries, making it easier to grasp complex topics.

This AI-powered assistant helps you write your dissertation by providing clear and concise explanations, ensuring coherence and adherence to academic standards.

You can upload a paper on graphene thickness measurement, and Paper Brain will summarise its key points and answer specific questions about the research.

This tool is invaluable for literature reviews, as it simplifies the extraction of relevant information. Graduate students writing a thesis can benefit from Paper Brain’s AI technology, which makes writing tasks more manageable and efficient. 

Einblick is an AI-powered writing tool that simplifies data visualisation for your dissertation or thesis.

Einblick can analyze and present data coherently, helping you write your dissertation with accurate, well-organized charts and graphs.

This tool is simple to use – you upload your dataset, describe the chart you need, and Einblick generates it.

This tool helps you visualise complex data quickly and efficiently, which is crucial for academic writing and literature reviews.

Let’s say if you need a scatterplot of N2O versus CH4 emissions. Einblick creates it in seconds. This AI assistant streamlines the thesis writing process by providing clear, tailored visual aids, ensuring your research paper meets academic standards.

Tavily is an AI-powered research assistant designed to streamline your dissertation writing process. You simply input your research topic, and Tavily creates an AI agent that scours the internet for relevant information.

This AI tool ensures that the data you receive is accurate and up-to-date, helping you write your dissertation or thesis with confidence.

If you’re researching organic photovoltaic devices, Tavily will provide:

• detailed summaries,
• key findings, and
• relevant sources.

This AI writing assistant makes the literature review process more manageable by automating and streamlining the search for academic papers.

It also offers tailored content that adheres to academic standards, ensuring coherence and quality in your writing.

Graduate students find Tavily invaluable for meeting deadlines and enhancing academic writing skills. The tool’s ability to analyse and synthesise vast amounts of data in real-time allows you to focus on the writing process. 

Using AI technology, Tavily helps you achieve academic success by providing a solid foundation for your thesis or dissertation.

Power Drill

Power Drill is an AI-powered writing tool designed to assist you in the dissertation writing process. To use Power Drill, you start by uploading your data sets, which can be:

• web pages, or
• files. 

The AI then analyses these data sources, providing insightful summaries and answers to specific questions.

This helps streamline the research and writing process, making it easier to organize your thoughts and structure your thesis.

You can upload a research paper, and Power Drill will highlight key points and generate concise summaries. This AI tool helps you write your dissertation by breaking down complex information into manageable parts, saving you time and effort.

Graduate students find Power Drill particularly helpful for meeting deadlines and adhering to academic standards.

The tool ensures coherence in your writing by offering accurate citations and reducing the risk of plagiarism.

Power Drill can also scan vast databases and provide real-time insights, helping you achieve academic success and write a compelling thesis or dissertation.

SciSpace is an AI-powered writing tool designed to simplify the academic writing process for dissertations and theses.

You upload your research papers, and SciSpace provides detailed summaries and key insights, making literature reviews more manageable. This AI tool uses natural language processing to extract essential information, helping you organise and streamline your writing tasks.

When you upload a PDF, SciSpace offers a concise “too long; didn’t read” summary, highlighting conclusions and significant points.

This is especially useful for graduate students who need to write their dissertation or thesis efficiently.

SciSpace also includes an AI writing assistant, which helps ensure coherence and adherence to academic standards by generating accurate citations and checking for plagiarism.

Using AI technology, SciSpace can analyze vast databases and provide real-time insights, making your writing process more manageable.

This tool helps you meet deadlines and achieve academic success by automating and streamlining various aspects of academic writing, ultimately supporting you in creating well-structured and high-quality written content.

Next Net – For Drug & Health Research

Next Net is an AI-powered tool tailored for those in the drug and health research fields. This AI assistant helps you write your dissertation or thesis by providing comprehensive, real-time searches of the latest literature and research data.

You input your query, and Next Net uses advanced AI technology to scan vast databases for relevant information.

For example, if you’re researching new drugs, Next Net offers detailed insights into recent developments, gene expressions, and clinical trials.

This AI tool streamlines the literature review process by organizing complex data into manageable, easy-to-understand summaries.

Graduate students find Next Net invaluable for its ability to generate accurate citations and ensure academic integrity.

Next Net’s AI-driven approach makes writing a thesis more efficient, allowing you to focus on creating well-structured, high-quality content. This AI tool is essential for achieving academic success in the health research domain.

Chat GPT, Perplexity, Bing

ChatGPT , Perplexity, and Bing are AI-powered writing tools that significantly enhance the academic writing process. Each tool leverages artificial intelligence to assist with various aspects of dissertation and thesis writing.

ChatGPT uses advanced natural language processing to generate coherent, detailed responses to research queries. You can ask it to help:

• outline your thesis,
• draft sections of your dissertation, or
• provide insights on complex topics.

It’s particularly useful for brainstorming and refining ideas, making writing tasks more manageable. You can also create templates to help you generate texts faster.

Perplexity , another AI tool, excels at providing real-time, accurate references for your research paper. By asking Perplexity detailed questions, you get precise, sourced answers that streamline your literature review. 

Bing, integrated with AI, offers a balanced approach to research. You can specify the type of response you need—creative, balanced, or precise—making it a versatile assistant for academic writing.

Bing’s AI can scan vast databases to find relevant information, helping you write your dissertation or thesis with comprehensive, up-to-date data.

By automating and streamlining the writing process, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Bing help you achieve academic success with well-researched and well-written content.

AI Tools For Thesis and Dissertation Writing

From Heuristi.ca’s mind mapping to ChatGPT’s brainstorming capabilities, these AI-powered assistants streamline literature reviews, ensure academic standards, and provide accurate citations.

Tools like Open Read and Explain Paper simplify complex concepts, while Einblick and Next Net offer data visualization and real-time research insights.

By leveraging these AI tools, graduate students can enhance their academic writing skills, meet deadlines, and achieve academic success efficiently.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

Thank you for visiting Academia Insider.

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Software for Writing a PhD Thesis

There are four categories of software for thesis writing: (1) project organizing; (2) word-processing; (3) bibliographic organization; and (4) specialty software. Here are some of the best programs, along with those I find essential to my PhD thesis and scholarly writing workflow.

[UPDATED 2 February 2019 –  And I have successfully completed the PhD! Hooray! ]

Now I’ll be using a macbook pro for the task, but many of the software programs I mentioned can run on mac or pc (though some run better on one or the other).

Proje ct organizing/note taking.

Some might use a word-processing program for this while others might find a specialized program instead. I’ve heard of many people using Evernote , a free program I also have and like okay but use very little. (If you use Evernote, you must consider Brett Kelly’s guide, Evernote Essentials! ) There’s also MS OneNote, Simplenote, and Springpad (see a review of these here ).

I’ve decided on a more complicated yet powerful program, Scrivener . It’s difficult to describe what this program does in few words. It is similar to a word-processor–it in fact has a streamlined word processor as a main feature. But it is much more. It allows you to compose, organize and edit a complicated project (like a dissertation, book, or screenplay), its various chapters (or documents), notes and relevant documents (pdfs of articles, summary notes or quotes, etc.), among other things. Learning the program takes an initial investment in time (perhaps a Saturday morning), but the tutorial document walks you through the program’s main features quite nicely. I think this might be the single most powerful program I’ve been using in writing my thesis. In fact, I now have dozens of projects in Scrivener, from academic projects to business ventures. I love it.

So why use this and a word processor? For me, Scrivener’s real power is in the research/note-taking, initial composition and organization–especially organization!–phase of thesis work. While using Scrivener will add a step to the process (as opposed to using Word from the start), I Scrivener saves me time in the long run.

Scrivener is very affordable and they offer great customer support. Here are your four options for when you’re ready to purchase (education licenses are discounted):

Scrivener 3 for Mac OS X (Education Licence) Scrivener 3 for Mac OS X (Regular Licence) Scrivener for Windows (Education Licence) Scrivener for Windows (Regular Licence)

Though I’ve not used it, the Dummies guide for Scrivener has excellent reviews for those wanting more help.

File Syncing/Backup

While more a ‘service’ than ‘software’, consider a plan for backing up the files you create with all this software! I recommend a physical home back up solution that you perform at least monthly (preferably more often) in addition to  a cloud backup of your most important files. For the latter, DropBox   is my choice– sign up for free !

Word-processing.

One must, after all, be able to compose, format, and publish the thesis. Some use Scrivener for this (see above), and that is an option. Other opt for Microsoft Word ( amzn ). While Pages for Mac has some nice features, OpenOffice is capable, too, and I’ve heard a few, mostly those working with the Hebrew language extensively, recommend  Mellel ( amzn ) I have years of experience on Word and it is very widely used. Further, the University of Michigan Library has published a pdf online entitled “ Using Microsoft Word 2011 (Mac) for Your Dissertation ” to help! If you’re using Word for Mac for academic writing, it’s a must-read.

Bibliography organization.

Various programs on the market today specialize in organizing bibliographic data and integrating this data easily into word-processing documents. The top two I’ve heard people using are EndNote ( amzn ), and Zotero (one might add Nota Bene or Sente). I’ve only used Zotero, but its powerful, efficient, easy to learn/use, and costs nothing! I won’t be looking elsewhere. It also powerfully integrates into Word (for Windows or PC). I can also use it with Scrivener, my organizational and initial composition program. For a video on the power of Zotero for a theological library, see Andy Naselli’s helpful blog post here .

A lot of research goes into thesis writing. Let me introduce you to a web tool I’ve created to help: reSearch Engine . Just enter a search term, press enter, and presto.

Specialty Software.

I have and use all three and each has its pros and cons. I will likely use Accordance for my “quick and dirty” searching and copy-pasting of ancient languages. Of course, its a powerful program that can do intense searches, and I will likely use it for this when such searches are needed. Logos is my go to program for secondary resources, especially exegetical commentaries and quick referencing church fathers or other ancient sources. Logos has not just saved me money on print books, it has saved me from needing multiple book shelves!

I’d be happy to hear what others are using and find helpful.

106 Responses to Software for Writing a PhD Thesis

What I can’t seem to figure out is how to load ZOTERO on my MAC. I did it once a while back, but have a new computer now. I spent a couple hours once trying to download it and make it work… no joy 🙁 a post on where/how to install would help me… I may be hopeless, I still like binders and paper copies to organize research by chapter…

John Mark, good to hear from you! Do you remember when this was you tried to load it and whether it was the version that runs in the Firefox web browser or the stand-alone version? I’m now using the stand-alone version for mac which functions like a normal app. The other version I used (which is still available) was actually an extension in Firefox and, as I recall, was loaded differently. Here’s the Zotero download page –you’ll see the stand-alone versions down the page a bit. If you happen to have used one version or there other (or both), your library is sync-able, one to the other. I hope that helps a little.

> OpenOffice is capable, too

The development of OpenOffice has been stalled for a while, since its sponsoring company (Oracle) dropped it and its new home (Apache) is still trying to get organized. LibreOffice is its main successor, with an active development community and several new releases. I enjoy LibreOffice and have been using it for a study I’ve been writing over the last year (currently 60+ pages).

David, thanks for commenting–it’s been a while since we’ve talked! I wasn’t aware of the circumstances of development you’ve mentioned. I’ve used OpenOffice just a bit on Ubuntu, but since I already had Word, I wasn’t motivated enough to invest time into it (nor Ubuntu for the matter). Sounds like LibreOffice is serving your needs quite well. I’ll have to give it a look.

Josh, Take a look at http://www.ActiveScholar.com for an all-in-one application, designed by academics for academics: ResearchWriter. Love to hear your comments.

This looks interesting, but perhaps you can tell me how it is superior to Scrivener or other alternatives? It looks like the special pricing for your product is still twice the cost of Scrivener, and, correct me if I’m wrong, yours requires the user to also use MS Word?

I don’t know much about ActiveScholar, but from fiddling with it for about 5 minutes, I would instead recommend the free, more robust Citavi. Citavi is WONDERFUL and easily surpasses ActiveScholar, from what I can see. One can watch Citavi videos at http://www.citavi.com/ . Note: Citavi is for Windows computers, and if you want to run it on a Mac, you’d have to run Windows on your Mac.

Have you had a chance to use Scrivener?

[…] while back I mentioned using Scrivener for writing a thesis. Thought I’d share a few more thoughts on what I’ve enjoyed about it this […]

Don’t forget Mendeley for bibliography organization…it’s the best! mendeley.com/

In what ways do you think medeley is better than Zotero?

+1 to Mendeley.

I have tried all of them–Zotero, Endnote, etc., etc. Mendeley wins HANDS DOWN! The one and only, ONLY thing Zotero may do better than Mendeley is handle web snippets better than does Mendeley. Maybe. I haven’t tried to hard to deal with web snippets in Mendeley. I have gotten around this by using the snippet program provided on my laptop, saving my snippet in PDF format, and storing it in Mendeley. Also, snippets can also easily be stored in Citavi (another program worth a serious gander for Windows users or those willing to run Windows on their Mac). I tweak my academic workflow periodically, and at the moment Mendeley and Citavi are essential to my workflow. Citavi allows you to manage your note-taking and bibliography generation near flawlessly. I do not use Mendeley for bibliography generation, just FYI.

Some of what it is about Mendeley: the deep searching capability; the ability to annotate and note take and tag and key . . . all while leaving the PDF clean; the collaborative capabilities; the backup; the simplicity of syncing between its desktop and web versions . . . I could go on.

Once reason I can’t leave Mendeley: Say I vaguely remember an article I collected, but not too well. Perhaps I remember that it was about Peirce and Radford and algebra. Mendeley will allow me to quickly, quickly see which of the 1000+ PDF articles or book excerpts in the collection contain these three words. Then I can open and search the PDFs side-by-side, and deeply.

Mendeley and Zotero do “speak with one another,” from what I’ve read. However, I only deal with Mendeley and Citavi for source management. I blog a bit about this. 🙂 It’s a great topic.

Thanks for sharing your experience. Using Scrivener and Zotero, it seems I can get similar results as you describe here, though since I have not tried it with Mendeley and Citavi, I can’t offer a comparison. One difference appears to be Mendeley’s ability to handle pdfs, especially in annotating, etc. I can’t imagine the “time saving factor” is too different, but of course it all depends on what exactly you’re doing.

Thank you. This is so helpful!

Glad you found it helpful!

As PhD you must use latex document preparation system.

Perhaps in Math related studies, but this isn’t true across the board, esp. in humanities.

Can you import fonts into Scrivener (e.g., Greek and Hebrew fonts)?

So far as I know, Scrivener is able to use all (or at least most) the fonts you have installed on your system, including Greek and Hebrew. I copy and paste a lot of my Greek and Hebrew in unicode, and I’ve had no issues with them in Scrivener.

I’m just diving in to the writing of my dissertation (DBA) and I’m curious as to what “original language research” is. Is this specific to your topic? or do all research projects entail some form of original language research to some degree?

Excellent post by thew way, I definitely think that Scrivner looks promising.

i study theater literature in masters degree in iran.i wanna know which software is best for me to use. i should be compatible with office word and i can use persian font in it…what kind of software do you suggest?? is zotero good?can i use persian font in it?…my operating system is windows 7.

I need this organisation to help me out on how to write thesis and dissertation

How about instead of Scrivener, you go with Evernote!

I have Evernote, but just haven’t found it as useful as many say it is. If your primary purpose is note taking, data organization, etc., then Evernote is probably great. Scrivener offers a lot of other organization and word-processing features. I’m sure the two could be incorporated together fairly effectively, too.

Indeed, Evernote is great to take note and organize your digital information (the notes, pdfs or any type of digital information). However, it is a poor word processor and I would never recommend its use for that purpose!

Agreed, Michel. I am using Evernote more now than I used to, primarily for record keeping.

thanks so much respect

My pleasure.

[…] my previous post I discussed some of the software choices I’ve made for working on a PhD thesis. This evening […]

[…] By the way, I’ve begun gathering information and advice to incorporate in an ebook for anyone interested in better writing (e.g., theses, essays, etc.). The goal is to be thorough yet concise. Topics include research, organization, writing style, process of writing, and technological aids (software, web, etc.). If you want to hear when its finished, sign up below. If not, no worries!  See also: writing software recommendations. […]

I have developed a thesis writing software in the true meaning. Have a look at my site. My software helps you to create the thesis title, thesis statement, research questions, hypothesis tests and conclusion. See my audio and video descriptions.

@ Joshua L. Mann i am a ph.d researcher and i want to know is there any good free version software that can do all my thesis writing work like bibilography organisation, chapter preparations etc.

Vinay, for bibliography management, I use a free program called Zotero (see links above). For writing, one of the better free word processors is part of the Open Office software (google it). I assume at this point in your education you have written a fair bit, so I would consider sticking with the word processor you feel most comfortable with, so long as it can handle your subject, field, etc. If it is a matter of money, talk to the IT dept. at your institution about your problem. Perhaps they will work with you on obtaining the software you need.

What’s your url, I’d like to check out the software???

Thank you for these very helpful posts! I currently use a Mac, but am planning to go back to a PC, and I want academic humanities outlining and note organization software that has longevity, so I don’t have to learn a new program in a year or two. I’m almost ready to try Scrivener, on the basis of your review. But I’m not clear from your posts whether it does the two things I most need: a) allow one to expand and collapse outlines, so that one can view a short version, longer version, and longest version; and b) allow one to attach one’s notes to an outline section and then, as one writes, delete them from that section (so one can “crunch” the notes into text, till they’re no longer notes!) For instance: 1. TOPIC 1 A. subtopic A i. sub-subtopic i. ii. sub-subtopic ii. B. subtopic B 2. TOPIC 2 Sometimes I want to look at only the TOPICS (i.e. Arabic numerals), to see the broad shape of the project. Sometimes I want to look only at the TOPICS and subtopics, but not the sub-subtopics, to see a slightly more detailed version without all the detail. And sometimes I want the whole thing (when I’m writing, for instance). My current technique is to have three outlines in three separate documents–short, medium, and long–and I’m constantly editing them all, trying to keep them in alignment, and failing! Re turning notes into text: currently I write my notes in paragraphs with headings (each paragraph is like a notecard). I then copy them into Word endnotes attached to each relevant outline section, and then take them out of the endnote when I’m writing that section and organize them, deleting each one as I incorporate it into text. This doesn’t allow me to see them the way I would if they were notecards on my desk. And it’s very cumbersome (and I’ve occasionally accidentally deleted a whole endnote full of notes). This system also doesn’t keep them connected to their source texts, so I have to type out bibliographic info for each of them. My question: can Scrivener a) collapse and expand my outline; b) allow me to attach my notes to outline sections, and delete as I go (ideally keeping notes linked to bibliographic entries). Grateful for your help!

JP, Scrivener should be able to do all that you’re asking. If you have some doubts, I recommend that you download a trial version and give it a test drive. It should come with an instruction file which leads you through the functions of the program. I went through it in a weekend (about 2 afternoons). As far as longevity, Scrivener seems stable to me.

I’m glad you found this helpful. If you decide to purchase, you can go through my link in the post which helps me (at no extra cost to you), but no worries if you decide not to. Up to you. Drop me a line if you have further questions.

hi! i’m a phd student. i find scrivener very useful for organising n writing my thesis as it compiles everything in one place. however, i’ve got some questions to ask before considering to purchase:

1. does it crashes on a windows pc/laptop? my laptop specs are toshiba win 7 core i5 vpro running on a 2.5ghz processor 4GB ram 64 bit os. 2. i’m using mendeley for organising my references. does scrivener allows integration with mendeley? if yes, that is a bonus!!!

Hanna, (1) I’m not aware of any issues in the windows version that would make it crash, but since I do not use it on windows, I would do a little research. It looks to me like your hardware will handle it just fine. (2) I’m not sure where Mendeley is at it terms of Scrivener support. There is demand for it (see here )!

scrivener is UH-GLEE!!! very windows 98 at least on pc. it didn’t work for me. perhaps i needed a financial incentive. LMFAO 🙂

I think the appearance reflects the intentionally minimalistic design. I never thought of it as ugly, but I suppose I am not surprised that others might. (I’m not sure what you mean by “financial incentive,” but if you mean to imply that my recommendation of Scrivener is based on a financial incentive, you are wrong.)

I started using Scrivener for Mac a week or two on Joshua’s recommendation (thank you Joshua!) I’m happy with many aspects of it. However, I’ve found that I can’t load the many articles that are the sources for my project: trying to do so crashes the system. I plan to create reference links to these articles, but… this is a downside. Second, I’m having trouble managing the formatting, both of documents I’ve transferred in and documents I’ve created. For instance, I use hanging indents for my bibliographies. But I can’t seem to create new hanging indents (only increase or decrease existing ones). Finally, there are times when folders seem to disappear from my binder (only some folders and only sometimes). When I open the binder category (with the small arrow at the left), they don’t appear (causing panic that I’ve lost my work!) But if I close the system and reopen it, they then appear again. Any help appreciated!

Thanks for the info. I’m not sure I have answers for you since I have not had those specific issues, but I would certainly let the folks at Scrivener know. I assume your Scrivener and Mac OSX software is up to date?

Thanks for the share on Scrivener. Sounds like the perfect program for dissertation writing!

Joshua, have you tried BookEnds for Bibliography?

I have just started on my dissertation and am looking at software to use. I intend to use Apple Pages instead of MS Word, since I already have it. The University also provides EndNote license to use, but I had some issues with it on a Mac and especially with Pages. I have used BookEnds for other papers, and if it is setup the way you intend to use it, it is very good.

I will try Scrivener and see if it will be helpful for my dissertation. Thank you for the information.

I have not used BookEnds, but from what I’ve heard, it is comparable to its competitors. I can’t speak to how well Pages will work with it or any other program. I have Pages but never use it. I would hesitate to use Pages, mostly because Word is so dominant in my field (including with publishers). Also, your software developers are going to be absolutely sure their program plays nicely with Word since a majority of their users are going to be also using Word. Something to consider. Thanks for stopping by!

Mendeley is a nice software but I will not recommend it at all for a writing a phd thesis. Works fine for small papers, but It’s incredibly slow if you have more than 100 references. If you google “mendeley slow” you’ll see what I mean

[…] from my site. I recommend a word processing program called Scrivener, and I wrote a bit about how I incorporate it into my scholarly workflow. After I had published the post, I found out the company has an affiliate program whereby I earn a […]

Hey Josh, thank you for the article. Have a question on Hebrew font within the Scrivener document. Did you notice any “space” issues between the lines when you copy and past Hebrew Text or type Hebrew words? It happens in the MS Word for me, and in Scrivener. So, I am wondering if you know of any solution for that. I use SBL Hebrew or Ezra SIL, no matter what font I use, the second I resize them, I will see so much space in between two lines. I am in the process of writing dissertation – OT Concentration (well, just getting started, actually). Hopefully I will be able to use Scrivener and others you suggested.

Joel, I have noticed issues with Hebrew fonts. Few Word processors offer really great right to left Hebrew font support. Mellel is an exception (www.redlers.com/mellel.html). However, I think you might be able to fix your line spacing problem in Word by going to the “Format” menu, selecting “paragraph,” and changing the line spacing to “Exactly” and then entering the desired size of line spacing (e.g., 12 point, 24 point, or whatever). This ought to make the line spacing consistent no matter the font used. Scrivener should be able to do similar formatting.

Hi Josh, Thanks for the reply. I do have Mellel, but I am not sure how to use it well. I just do not want to run into compiling/exporting after working in Mellel or Scrivener, since my professors like “Word” 🙂 So they can edit and send comments/remarks etc. Do you work with Mellel as well? My paper will be mostly with Hebrew Text. Also, I have noticed “numbering” format in your video. How did you do that in Scrivener?

Thanks for your help!

I don’t use Mellel, but I know some others who do and like it.

As for the numbering question, I am not entirely sure what you mean. Could you explain? (Also, I should also note that the video was done by someone else.)

Ok. The numbering format I was talking about was the numbers I have noticed in the video, right before the blue folders: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and so on…

Hi Joshua, I wondered if you knew about any software available for doing a PhD thesis in APA format? Or can you tell me at least how to hunt one down, thanks, Angelique

Angelique, any of the major bibliography programs will handle APA, so which one you go with is a matter of (1) how much you like the program and (2) if it’s compatible with your word processor. For example, the bibliography manager I use is free (Zotero), and I can use it with the two word processors I use, Word and Scrivener. Hope that helps!

Hi, i have used Scrivener for a few years on both Mac and now on PC. It is a very versatile and powerful tool. However … I understand that Scrivener is meant for writing and not formatting but as I construct my text I find that even maintaining consistent fonts, indents, bullets and line spaces to be a constant drama. Even basic bulleted lists are problematic. The whole visual issue with Scrivener I find distracting. Thanks for your article Alex

Yes, Scrivener has its advantages and disadvantages to be sure. I use it everyday, but I also use it in tandem with Word.

Thanks for this helpful post. I’m in crisis trying to decide a word processor and bibliographic manager as I begin my dissertation. I’ve been using Nota Bene for academic work for several years but need to move into the MS Word and unicode world. I have a MacBook but am glad to use a PC. My dissertation will include biblical Greek and Hebrew. Here are the combinations I am considering:

– Mellel with Bookends (I’m not attracted to the Mellel learning curve.)

– Word with Bookends

– Word with Zotero Will Zotero allow me to customize the Turabian format if my university has it’s own unique tweaks to this academic style?

I’m using QIQQA for bibliographic management, PDF annotation and citations directly into Word, it has automatic keywords and theme generation. It imports Bibtex directly from Google Scholar. It has brainstorming tools and online library syncing. The problem I have with it is that the citation fields are only designed for Word, so for Scrivener I have to cite as a comment inline with my text and then insert citations once I have exported to Word. This works but isn’t as streamlined as I would like. An alternative for use with Scrivener is Mekentosj’s ‘Papers’ which uses plain text code for its citation tool. I was using Papers a lot (Windows and Mac) but as I started to use more of the features I discovers more and more features had bugs. Papers is however a potentially great solution on either platform. I used Endnote for years but always found it had a very old style interface and wasn’t very helpful for the note and PDF annotation process. Cheers Alex

Yes, you can customize with Zotero, so Turabian should not be a problem. I have not used Mellel to any major extent, but I have two friends who are using it and like it (one is doing an OT in the NT sort of thesis, so he needs a Hebrew-friendly processor). Word for mac does not support right to left unicode which is silly but true, so you may have to use Word on Windows. Hope that helps!

“For this category, Microsoft Word for Mac (2011) was the clear winner. ”

I wrote my Thesis in Latex and the results certainly look better than Theses produced in Word. Assembling a large document with many figures and citations was a lot easier in Latex than it would have been in Word (based on what I’ve seen others have to go through).

Rob, I would honestly love to give Latex a good try, but I’m afraid I’m intimidated by the learning curve (I think is) required for it. In any case, when I say “winner,” I also take into account pragmatic concerns that are specific to me. But thanks for sharing your experience!

Scrivener looks good, just downloaded it. Still trying to figure out how to do referencing in it. Might not use it due the same reason as with dissertation writing the reference management is a must. Also, In terms of attaching the documents to the chapter of concept looks weak.Perhaps, it is meant for book writing primarily. I guess there is no one answer to managing whole writing dissertation bit, where one software can help manage your writing, your pdf files and references. Please suggest, Thanks

I continue to use Scrivener (more than one year now) for organizing notes. Word continues to be my main word-processing program, however. One can use shortcode references in Scrivener and then run the (.rtf) file through a bibliography management program which will convert shortcode to full citations. Since Word files are so standard in my field, I just can’t escape it as a word processor.

Thanks for your marvelous posting! I certainly enjoyed reading it, you’re a great author. I will make sure to bookmark your blog and will eventually come back later on. I want to encourage you to continue your great writing, have a nice holiday weekend!

[…] of planning and labeling notes effectively in their Can’t Miss Tips. And for now –  Joshua Mann blogged a quick and dirty intro to Scrivener for PhD students; the video is really helpful. Just […]

Thank you Mr Joshua for your thoughts. Iam regular user in Mendeley only and into Material Sciences. Shortly in a few weeks i’l be commencing my Research project and currently collecting relevant papers to my topic. If you have knowledge of any Science oriented softwares please do list them out.

Much of the software in the post should be applicable, though you may find some kind of database software useful for tracking results, statistics, etc. I suggest you talk to some experienced scholars in your field and see if they have any software specific to your work.

I would like to be able to highlight multiple documents/PDFs/Articles and then be able to easily scan/search and be able to see a list of information highlighted or noted from multiple articles. Which program does this best? I realize none seem to do this from simple highlighting. But can I cut and paste in a note or annotate somehow and d this? Or must is simply be done manually in a large word doc?

Mike, Some pdf viewers (like Mac Preview) will display a list of highlighted material per pdf, but I’m not sure of a solution that can collect the material as you’ve described–That doesn’t mean there isn’t something out there.

Two thoughts: (1) Evernote can auto OCR all documents (included PDFs and images) and these become easily searchable as a whole; (2) One way to speed up the manual highlighting is to select the line(s) you wish once, press ‘ctrl-C’ (or cmd-C) to copy, then toggle the highlighting (your PDF viewer likely has a shortcut, perhaps cmd-H). With the line also copied to the clipboard, you can quickly paste it into your preferred word processor. So you essential select text, press cmd-C then cmd-H, then cmd-V to paste in document.

I only know of one application on a Mac that will present a list of all highlighted and annotated sections of a PDF: Sente. ( http://www.thirdstreetsoftware.com/site/SenteForMac.html ). It is free for a small library, so you can find out if will work for you without having to pay anything.

It has a very nice interface for highlighting, taking notes, and writing comments on quotations. There are also scripts for exporting your highlights and notes into an external file.

http://www.thirdstreetsoftware.com/site_6.6/Images/Notes.png

I just read Joshua’s comment, and indeed Preview will give you a list of highlights. I didn’t know it would do that! However, Sente may work well for you with multiple PDFs because you can export those annotations into an extra file, and then combine them. That will avoid having to copy/paste everything.

[…] more here – Software for Writing a PhD Thesis – Joshua L. Mann. […]

thank you so much for this incredible post.

I’m hoping you can point me in the right direction i am a graduate student writing my Master’s Thesis in Special Ed and could use a few pointers

after 30 years, i have returned to college. don’t laugh but i never had to write a research paper before.

i have a collection of articles that i am reading and need to take notes my kids use index cards and then sort them as they begin to compile and organize their thoughts

i’ve watched a number of tutorials and i’m not sure what is the best way for me to implement a form of note taking that would enable me to best leverage the feature set of scrivener

all my research (so far) is in PDF. i know that i can import the files – Can i highlight in Scrivener? is it possible to create a separate note card for individual notes that i take while reading each article? or is there a better way? i.e. – would it be better to create color coded tags for each article and then color code the notes – not sure how that would work as far as sorting and organizing

thank you all so much for your help.

with warm wishes -Ethan

Ethan, Glad to hear you’re back at it. Best of luck in your essay writing. I’ll answer your specific questions first:

Can i highlight in Scrivener?

You can highlight entered text, but not within pdf files (to my knowledge). Evernote premium would have an advantage here, as it can OCR pdfs and, I believe, offer highlighting functions.

is it possible to create a separate note card for individual notes that i take while reading each article? or is there a better way?

Yes, you can create a new “document” for each article, each article section, or more narrow if you wish. You can also nest them inside of each other, color code them, and add tags. I’m not sure there is a ‘best way’. I think you’ll have to experiment a bit to find what works best for you.

Generally, I will create a rough outline of my paper (project, etc.) as early as possible, and begin filing notes under the headings of the rough outline. Now, this outline may change over time, and if/when it does, I will reshuffle my notes. That seems to be the pattern I’ve settled into at the moment. Hope that helps!

[…] Check out software recommendations for thesis writing. […]

[…] Software for Writing a PhD Thesis […]

Dear sir, i am doing my Ph.D in India and i am looking for good grammar checking software for my thesis, so please suggest the software that fulfill my needs. thanking you advance for your kind courtesy.

Given the complexity of language (its grammar and syntax, etc.), computer programs do a poor job at consistently ‘checking’ or ‘correcting’ it. Rather than look to software, I suggest you seek some help from you institution. Sitting down with someone who can read your writing and offer feedback will help you in the short AND long run. If you cannot find anyone to work with you, I may be able to help if you’re writing in the English language. Do check the resources on offer at your institution, first, though–they will usually be freely offered.

I did an in-depth post on using Scrivener and Papers specifically for academic history research papers including dissertations. For those interested, you can find it here: http://earlyamericanists.com/2013/06/18/digital-workflow-for-historians/

Thanks for this, Michael.

Thanks Joshua, such a helpful post and thread.

I couldn’t read your article on my phone because of your incredibly annoying big assed advert

Thanks for letting me know you had problems on your phone. Because the slide in message is not functioning correctly on certain phones, I have now prevented it from appearing on mobile devices. Sorry for the inconvenience. It is a temporary announcement that will remain for the duration of the KickStarter project.

The lifehacker review of note taking tools is really old (from 2011). This is much more up to date and it’s crowdsourced!

http://www.slant.co/topics/697/~what-is-the-best-cross-platform-note-taking-app

Also just backed your kickstarter! Looks amazing 🙂

Thanks for you support!

Thanks for this!

Hi, I’m going to be writing a thesis; I’m a windows user thinking of switching to mac. However I’ve heard that ms word for mac struggles with large text documents and the track changes function. I’ll be sending such files to pc users; also I’ll be using footnotes for references, obv if word for mac does struggle with large docs then I wouldn’t make the switch.

Any advice please.

Sean, I have not had any issues with Word for Mac as you describe, but I tend to make my documents chapter length rather than writing chapters within one document. I also use footnotes and have no issues. (If by chance you need right-to-left unicode, as with Semitic languages, avoid Word for Mac).

Dear Joshua,

Thankyou for the reply. I’ll feel better informed!

Kind regards,

How is your PhD thesis coming along?

The thesis is going well. Thanks for asking!

Good to hear. I’ve just started mine and have been researching the best software to help me organize everything. Scrivener does seem like the best choice.

I wish you well in your studies. I continue to use Scrivener for notes and organizing, while using Word for most writing articles, essays, and chapters.

Man, there is so much stuff to digest here as a first year graduate student that hopes to be Biblical scholar one day, what seems to be the best way to organize notes/research with a word processor that makes your bibliographic information a breeze?

I am willing to spend money.

I use Logos and Accordance to study/research.

Seems like finding one program that can do it all would be more user friendly? thoughts on using two different programs? (Ex. one for notes/research and another for Bib. work?)

D.A. Carson and N.T. Wright have suggested using Nota Bene, so that makes that tempting just based on what those men have written, but in this post and comments, it seems the best options are MS with Zotera or Mendeley?

I am so confused, and I don’t want to make the wrong choice. Please help!

Hi i am a Ph.D. researcher and i kindly request you to provide me the details of getting full versions of scriviner, plagiarism detector, zotero and other thesis writing softwares as i am feeling difficulty in writing my Ph.D. thesis.

Joshua Mann thank you very much for your patients explaining this initial step of thesis. I am a master in Rheumatology, I would ask if there is any software for processing clinical trials data and integrated it’s reports in microsoft word?

I am a doctoral student. My university suggests getting the dissertation professionally edited. I cannot afford this service. Can you recommend an APA editing software to replace the professional editor?

Ken, I personally do not know of any software I would depend upon for editing. You could swap services with a fellow student who you trust. I’ve also known of peers gifted in editing skills who will do it for a reasonable price.

I am interested in using Scrivener for my dissertation but I use a Chromebook. Can you recommend any comparable programs that are compatible with the OS operating system. Thanks

I’m not sure but perhaps you’ll find this article helpful.

Joshua: Congratulations on being awarded your PhD! Thank you for your research and work on “Software for Writing a PhD Thesis”. I am also working on a PhD in Interdisciplinary Studies (Biblical Studies, Ministry, & Leadership). Question: Does Scrivener allow me to deposit multiple PDF references in one folder and Scrivener search a term, subject, phrase, or date within all those PDFs, like Logos Bible software? Thanks and In His Service!

Mark, I’m afraid I don’t know the answer because I have never tried this. But I think you may be able to. You might check some of these articles: http://www.simplyscrivener.com/tag/pdfs/

Hi Josh, I’ve been considering a field in academic theology and digital humanities and this blog seems to do just that! Would you mind answering some questions on this career path?

Hi Russell. I’d be happy to answer your questions. I’ll send you an email and you can follow up there.

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How To Write A Dissertation Or Thesis

8 straightforward steps to craft an a-grade dissertation.

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) Expert Reviewed By: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | June 2020

Writing a dissertation or thesis is not a simple task. It takes time, energy and a lot of will power to get you across the finish line. It’s not easy – but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a painful process. If you understand the big-picture process of how to write a dissertation or thesis, your research journey will be a lot smoother.  

In this post, I’m going to outline the big-picture process of how to write a high-quality dissertation or thesis, without losing your mind along the way. If you’re just starting your research, this post is perfect for you. Alternatively, if you’ve already submitted your proposal, this article which covers how to structure a dissertation might be more helpful.

How To Write A Dissertation: 8 Steps

• Clearly understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is
• Find a unique and valuable research topic
• Craft a convincing research proposal
• Write up a strong introduction chapter
• Review the existing literature and compile a literature review
• Design a rigorous research strategy and undertake your own research
• Present the findings of your research
• Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Step 1: Understand exactly what a dissertation is

This probably sounds like a no-brainer, but all too often, students come to us for help with their research and the underlying issue is that they don’t fully understand what a dissertation (or thesis) actually is.

So, what is a dissertation?

At its simplest, a dissertation or thesis is a formal piece of research , reflecting the standard research process . But what is the standard research process, you ask? The research process involves 4 key steps:

• Ask a very specific, well-articulated question (s) (your research topic)
• See what other researchers have said about it (if they’ve already answered it)
• If they haven’t answered it adequately, undertake your own data collection and analysis in a scientifically rigorous fashion
• Answer your original question(s), based on your analysis findings

In short, the research process is simply about asking and answering questions in a systematic fashion . This probably sounds pretty obvious, but people often think they’ve done “research”, when in fact what they have done is:

• Started with a vague, poorly articulated question
• Not taken the time to see what research has already been done regarding the question
• Collected data and opinions that support their gut and undertaken a flimsy analysis
• Drawn a shaky conclusion, based on that analysis

If you want to see the perfect example of this in action, look out for the next Facebook post where someone claims they’ve done “research”… All too often, people consider reading a few blog posts to constitute research. Its no surprise then that what they end up with is an opinion piece, not research. Okay, okay – I’ll climb off my soapbox now.

The key takeaway here is that a dissertation (or thesis) is a formal piece of research, reflecting the research process. It’s not an opinion piece , nor a place to push your agenda or try to convince someone of your position. Writing a good dissertation involves asking a question and taking a systematic, rigorous approach to answering it.

If you understand this and are comfortable leaving your opinions or preconceived ideas at the door, you’re already off to a good start!

Step 2: Find a unique, valuable research topic

As we saw, the first step of the research process is to ask a specific, well-articulated question. In other words, you need to find a research topic that asks a specific question or set of questions (these are called research questions ). Sounds easy enough, right? All you’ve got to do is identify a question or two and you’ve got a winning research topic. Well, not quite…

A good dissertation or thesis topic has a few important attributes. Specifically, a solid research topic should be:

Let’s take a closer look at these:

Attribute #1: Clear

Your research topic needs to be crystal clear about what you’re planning to research, what you want to know, and within what context. There shouldn’t be any ambiguity or vagueness about what you’ll research.

Here’s an example of a clearly articulated research topic:

An analysis of consumer-based factors influencing organisational trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms.

As you can see in the example, its crystal clear what will be analysed (factors impacting organisational trust), amongst who (consumers) and in what context (British low-cost equity brokerage firms, based online).

Need a helping hand?

Attribute #2:   Unique

Your research should be asking a question(s) that hasn’t been asked before, or that hasn’t been asked in a specific context (for example, in a specific country or industry).

For example, sticking organisational trust topic above, it’s quite likely that organisational trust factors in the UK have been investigated before, but the context (online low-cost equity brokerages) could make this research unique. Therefore, the context makes this research original.

One caveat when using context as the basis for originality – you need to have a good reason to suspect that your findings in this context might be different from the existing research – otherwise, there’s no reason to warrant researching it.

Attribute #3: Important

Simply asking a unique or original question is not enough – the question needs to create value. In other words, successfully answering your research questions should provide some value to the field of research or the industry. You can’t research something just to satisfy your curiosity. It needs to make some form of contribution either to research or industry.

For example, researching the factors influencing consumer trust would create value by enabling businesses to tailor their operations and marketing to leverage factors that promote trust. In other words, it would have a clear benefit to industry.

So, how do you go about finding a unique and valuable research topic? We explain that in detail in this video post – How To Find A Research Topic . Yeah, we’ve got you covered 😊

Step 3: Write a convincing research proposal

Once you’ve pinned down a high-quality research topic, the next step is to convince your university to let you research it. No matter how awesome you think your topic is, it still needs to get the rubber stamp before you can move forward with your research. The research proposal is the tool you’ll use for this job.

So, what’s in a research proposal?

The main “job” of a research proposal is to convince your university, advisor or committee that your research topic is worthy of approval. But convince them of what? Well, this varies from university to university, but generally, they want to see that:

• You have a clearly articulated, unique and important topic (this might sound familiar…)
• You’ve done some initial reading of the existing literature relevant to your topic (i.e. a literature review)
• You have a provisional plan in terms of how you will collect data and analyse it (i.e. a methodology)

At the proposal stage, it’s (generally) not expected that you’ve extensively reviewed the existing literature , but you will need to show that you’ve done enough reading to identify a clear gap for original (unique) research. Similarly, they generally don’t expect that you have a rock-solid research methodology mapped out, but you should have an idea of whether you’ll be undertaking qualitative or quantitative analysis , and how you’ll collect your data (we’ll discuss this in more detail later).

Long story short – don’t stress about having every detail of your research meticulously thought out at the proposal stage – this will develop as you progress through your research. However, you do need to show that you’ve “done your homework” and that your research is worthy of approval .

So, how do you go about crafting a high-quality, convincing proposal? We cover that in detail in this video post – How To Write A Top-Class Research Proposal . We’ve also got a video walkthrough of two proposal examples here .

Step 4: Craft a strong introduction chapter

Once your proposal’s been approved, its time to get writing your actual dissertation or thesis! The good news is that if you put the time into crafting a high-quality proposal, you’ve already got a head start on your first three chapters – introduction, literature review and methodology – as you can use your proposal as the basis for these.

Handy sidenote – our free dissertation & thesis template is a great way to speed up your dissertation writing journey.

What’s the introduction chapter all about?

The purpose of the introduction chapter is to set the scene for your research (dare I say, to introduce it…) so that the reader understands what you’ll be researching and why it’s important. In other words, it covers the same ground as the research proposal in that it justifies your research topic.

What goes into the introduction chapter?

This can vary slightly between universities and degrees, but generally, the introduction chapter will include the following:

• A brief background to the study, explaining the overall area of research
• A problem statement , explaining what the problem is with the current state of research (in other words, where the knowledge gap exists)
• Your research questions – in other words, the specific questions your study will seek to answer (based on the knowledge gap)
• The significance of your study – in other words, why it’s important and how its findings will be useful in the world

As you can see, this all about explaining the “what” and the “why” of your research (as opposed to the “how”). So, your introduction chapter is basically the salesman of your study, “selling” your research to the first-time reader and (hopefully) getting them interested to read more.

How do I write the introduction chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this post .

Step 5: Undertake an in-depth literature review

As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to do some initial review of the literature in Steps 2 and 3 to find your research gap and craft a convincing research proposal – but that’s just scratching the surface. Once you reach the literature review stage of your dissertation or thesis, you need to dig a lot deeper into the existing research and write up a comprehensive literature review chapter.

What’s the literature review all about?

There are two main stages in the literature review process:

Literature Review Step 1: Reading up

The first stage is for you to deep dive into the existing literature (journal articles, textbook chapters, industry reports, etc) to gain an in-depth understanding of the current state of research regarding your topic. While you don’t need to read every single article, you do need to ensure that you cover all literature that is related to your core research questions, and create a comprehensive catalogue of that literature , which you’ll use in the next step.

Reading and digesting all the relevant literature is a time consuming and intellectually demanding process. Many students underestimate just how much work goes into this step, so make sure that you allocate a good amount of time for this when planning out your research. Thankfully, there are ways to fast track the process – be sure to check out this article covering how to read journal articles quickly .

Literature Review Step 2: Writing up

Once you’ve worked through the literature and digested it all, you’ll need to write up your literature review chapter. Many students make the mistake of thinking that the literature review chapter is simply a summary of what other researchers have said. While this is partly true, a literature review is much more than just a summary. To pull off a good literature review chapter, you’ll need to achieve at least 3 things:

• You need to synthesise the existing research , not just summarise it. In other words, you need to show how different pieces of theory fit together, what’s agreed on by researchers, what’s not.
• You need to highlight a research gap that your research is going to fill. In other words, you’ve got to outline the problem so that your research topic can provide a solution.
• You need to use the existing research to inform your methodology and approach to your own research design. For example, you might use questions or Likert scales from previous studies in your your own survey design .

As you can see, a good literature review is more than just a summary of the published research. It’s the foundation on which your own research is built, so it deserves a lot of love and attention. Take the time to craft a comprehensive literature review with a suitable structure .

But, how do I actually write the literature review chapter, you ask? We cover that in detail in this video post .

Step 6: Carry out your own research

Once you’ve completed your literature review and have a sound understanding of the existing research, its time to develop your own research (finally!). You’ll design this research specifically so that you can find the answers to your unique research question.

There are two steps here – designing your research strategy and executing on it:

1 – Design your research strategy

The first step is to design your research strategy and craft a methodology chapter . I won’t get into the technicalities of the methodology chapter here, but in simple terms, this chapter is about explaining the “how” of your research. If you recall, the introduction and literature review chapters discussed the “what” and the “why”, so it makes sense that the next point to cover is the “how” –that’s what the methodology chapter is all about.

In this section, you’ll need to make firm decisions about your research design. This includes things like:

• Your research philosophy (e.g. positivism or interpretivism )
• Your overall methodology (e.g. qualitative , quantitative or mixed methods)
• Your data collection strategy (e.g. interviews , focus groups, surveys)
• Your data analysis strategy (e.g. content analysis , correlation analysis, regression)

If these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these in plain language in other posts. It’s not essential that you understand the intricacies of research design (yet!). The key takeaway here is that you’ll need to make decisions about how you’ll design your own research, and you’ll need to describe (and justify) your decisions in your methodology chapter.

2 – Execute: Collect and analyse your data

Once you’ve worked out your research design, you’ll put it into action and start collecting your data. This might mean undertaking interviews, hosting an online survey or any other data collection method. Data collection can take quite a bit of time (especially if you host in-person interviews), so be sure to factor sufficient time into your project plan for this. Oftentimes, things don’t go 100% to plan (for example, you don’t get as many survey responses as you hoped for), so bake a little extra time into your budget here.

Once you’ve collected your data, you’ll need to do some data preparation before you can sink your teeth into the analysis. For example:

• If you carry out interviews or focus groups, you’ll need to transcribe your audio data to text (i.e. a Word document).
• If you collect quantitative survey data, you’ll need to clean up your data and get it into the right format for whichever analysis software you use (for example, SPSS, R or STATA).

Once you’ve completed your data prep, you’ll undertake your analysis, using the techniques that you described in your methodology. Depending on what you find in your analysis, you might also do some additional forms of analysis that you hadn’t planned for. For example, you might see something in the data that raises new questions or that requires clarification with further analysis.

The type(s) of analysis that you’ll use depend entirely on the nature of your research and your research questions. For example:

• If your research if exploratory in nature, you’ll often use qualitative analysis techniques .
• If your research is confirmatory in nature, you’ll often use quantitative analysis techniques
• If your research involves a mix of both, you might use a mixed methods approach

Again, if these words have got your head spinning, don’t worry! We’ll explain these concepts and techniques in other posts. The key takeaway is simply that there’s no “one size fits all” for research design and methodology – it all depends on your topic, your research questions and your data. So, don’t be surprised if your study colleagues take a completely different approach to yours.

Step 7: Present your findings

Once you’ve completed your analysis, it’s time to present your findings (finally!). In a dissertation or thesis, you’ll typically present your findings in two chapters – the results chapter and the discussion chapter .

What’s the difference between the results chapter and the discussion chapter?

While these two chapters are similar, the results chapter generally just presents the processed data neatly and clearly without interpretation, while the discussion chapter explains the story the data are telling  – in other words, it provides your interpretation of the results.

For example, if you were researching the factors that influence consumer trust, you might have used a quantitative approach to identify the relationship between potential factors (e.g. perceived integrity and competence of the organisation) and consumer trust. In this case:

• Your results chapter would just present the results of the statistical tests. For example, correlation results or differences between groups. In other words, the processed numbers.
• Your discussion chapter would explain what the numbers mean in relation to your research question(s). For example, Factor 1 has a weak relationship with consumer trust, while Factor 2 has a strong relationship.

Depending on the university and degree, these two chapters (results and discussion) are sometimes merged into one , so be sure to check with your institution what their preference is. Regardless of the chapter structure, this section is about presenting the findings of your research in a clear, easy to understand fashion.

Importantly, your discussion here needs to link back to your research questions (which you outlined in the introduction or literature review chapter). In other words, it needs to answer the key questions you asked (or at least attempt to answer them).

For example, if we look at the sample research topic:

In this case, the discussion section would clearly outline which factors seem to have a noteworthy influence on organisational trust. By doing so, they are answering the overarching question and fulfilling the purpose of the research .

For more information about the results chapter , check out this post for qualitative studies and this post for quantitative studies .

Step 8: The Final Step Draw a conclusion and discuss the implications

Last but not least, you’ll need to wrap up your research with the conclusion chapter . In this chapter, you’ll bring your research full circle by highlighting the key findings of your study and explaining what the implications of these findings are.

What exactly are key findings? The key findings are those findings which directly relate to your original research questions and overall research objectives (which you discussed in your introduction chapter). The implications, on the other hand, explain what your findings mean for industry, or for research in your area.

Sticking with the consumer trust topic example, the conclusion might look something like this:

Key findings

This study set out to identify which factors influence consumer-based trust in British low-cost online equity brokerage firms. The results suggest that the following factors have a large impact on consumer trust:

While the following factors have a very limited impact on consumer trust:

Notably, within the 25-30 age groups, Factors E had a noticeably larger impact, which may be explained by…

Implications

The findings having noteworthy implications for British low-cost online equity brokers. Specifically:

The large impact of Factors X and Y implies that brokers need to consider….

The limited impact of Factor E implies that brokers need to…

As you can see, the conclusion chapter is basically explaining the “what” (what your study found) and the “so what?” (what the findings mean for the industry or research). This brings the study full circle and closes off the document.

Let’s recap – how to write a dissertation or thesis

You’re still with me? Impressive! I know that this post was a long one, but hopefully you’ve learnt a thing or two about how to write a dissertation or thesis, and are now better equipped to start your own research.

To recap, the 8 steps to writing a quality dissertation (or thesis) are as follows:

• Understand what a dissertation (or thesis) is – a research project that follows the research process.
• Find a unique (original) and important research topic
• Craft a convincing dissertation or thesis research proposal
• Write a clear, compelling introduction chapter
• Undertake a thorough review of the existing research and write up a literature review
• Undertake your own research
• Present and interpret your findings

Once you’ve wrapped up the core chapters, all that’s typically left is the abstract , reference list and appendices. As always, be sure to check with your university if they have any additional requirements in terms of structure or content.  

Psst... there’s more!

This post was based on one of our popular Research Bootcamps . If you're working on a research project, you'll definitely want to check this out ...

20 Comments

thankfull >>>this is very useful

Thank you, it was really helpful

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Great to hear that – thanks for the feedback. Good luck writing your dissertation/thesis.

This is the most comprehensive explanation of how to write a dissertation. Many thanks for sharing it free of charge.

Very rich presentation. Thank you

Thanks Derek Jansen|GRADCOACH, I find it very useful guide to arrange my activities and proceed to research!

Thank you so much for such a marvelous teaching .I am so convinced that am going to write a comprehensive and a distinct masters dissertation

It is an amazing comprehensive explanation

This was straightforward. Thank you!

I can say that your explanations are simple and enlightening – understanding what you have done here is easy for me. Could you write more about the different types of research methods specific to the three methodologies: quan, qual and MM. I look forward to interacting with this website more in the future.

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions 🙂

Hello, your write ups is quite educative. However, l have challenges in going about my research questions which is below; *Building the enablers of organisational growth through effective governance and purposeful leadership.*

Very educating.

Just listening to the name of the dissertation makes the student nervous. As writing a top-quality dissertation is a difficult task as it is a lengthy topic, requires a lot of research and understanding and is usually around 10,000 to 15000 words. Sometimes due to studies, unbalanced workload or lack of research and writing skill students look for dissertation submission from professional writers.

Thank you 💕😊 very much. I was confused but your comprehensive explanation has cleared my doubts of ever presenting a good thesis. Thank you.

thank you so much, that was so useful

Hi. Where is the excel spread sheet ark?

could you please help me look at your thesis paper to enable me to do the portion that has to do with the specification

my topic is “the impact of domestic revenue mobilization.

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Best Software Tools for Writing Thesis

A significant milestone in your academic career is the completion of a thesis. It requires a substantial amount of commitment and research skills for its completion. It’s critical that you familiarize yourself with the necessary software tools in order to quicken and streamline the writing of your thesis.

1. Word processing software

Word processing software serves as the foundation of your thesis writing process. These tools provide a structured and user-friendly environment that empowers you to bring your ideas to life.

1. Microsoft Word

2. google docs.

Google Docs, a web-based word-processing tool, is an excellent choice for thesis writers who need seamless collaboration with advisors or peers. It allows real-time collaboration, making it easy to seek feedback and make revisions together. Google Docs also offers cloud storage and integrates effortlessly with other Google services, ensuring your work is accessible from anywhere.

3. LibreOffice Writer

4. wps office writer, 2. reference management software.

Thesis writing revolves around citing a multitude of sources, from research papers and books to articles and websites. Managing these references manually can be an overwhelming task, prone to errors and inefficiencies. This is where reference management software comes to the rescue.

2. Mendeley

Mendeley, a reference manager and academic social network, not only helps you organize your references but also facilitates collaboration with peers. Its combination of reference management, research discovery, and free and premium versions makes it a robust tool for thesis writers.

4. RefWorks

Citavi is more than just a reference manager; it’s a comprehensive knowledge organization tool. It allows you to manage references, create citations, and organize research materials effectively—a favorite among students and researchers alike.

7. ReadCube Papers

8. paperpile.

Paperpile is tailor-made for Google Docs and Google Scholar users. It interacts perfectly with Google services and provides citation formatting and collaboration tools, resulting in a smooth thesis writing process.

3.Search engines and research databases

Researching a thesis thoroughly is an essential part of the writing process. It is essential to have access to reputable research databases such as IEEE Xplore, JSTOR, or PubMed.

These tools are like treasure troves of academic knowledge, housing a vast collection of scholarly articles, journals, books, and conference papers across various fields. They serve as your gateway to relevant literature, enabling you to discover, access, and cite high-quality sources efficiently.

1. Google Scholar

3. ieee xplore.

If your thesis delves into electrical engineering, computer science, or related disciplines, IEEE Xplore is your go-to digital library. It provides access to a variety of technical documents, such as eBooks, conference papers, journal articles, and standards. It’s a goldmine for those seeking the latest advancements in technology.

4. ScienceDirect

4. plagiarism checkers.

Maintaining academic integrity is paramount when it comes to thesis writing. Plagiarism, whether intentional or accidental, can have severe consequences on your academic and professional future. This is where plagiarism checkers step in as invaluable allies.

1. Turnitin

2. grammarly.

Grammarly, known primarily as a grammar and writing assistance tool, also offers a robust plagiarism checker feature. It scans your text for similarities across various online sources and provides a detailed report, helping you maintain the originality of your thesis.

3. Copyscape

4. plagscan, 5. duplichecker.

DupliChecker is a free online plagiarism analyzer that compares your text to multiple web sources. It helps you keep your thesis unique on a tight budget by providing a percentage of similarity along with highlighted matches.

6. Unicheck

8. plagiarism checkerx.

Plagiarism is the act of copying another person’s work. CheckerX is an easy-to-use program that compares your thesis to publications, scholarly databases, and web sources. It provides an easy-to-understand report that highlights similarities, making it a simple alternative for researchers.

9. WriteCheck

5. project management software tools.

Writing a thesis requires managing several assignments, due dates, and milestones. Using project management and task tracking apps like Trello, Asana, or Todoist can help you stay organised.

Trello is a visually appealing project management solution that allows you to organise tasks and projects on virtual boards. You can work with others, add cards for specific tasks, make lists, and establish deadlines. Trello’s adaptable design makes it ideal for tracking your overall progress, organizing research resources, and outlining chapters. Trello makes it simple to see your thesis project through to completion.

3. Microsoft Project

A simple yet incredibly powerful task-tracking app, Todoist helps you make and keep track of to-do lists. You may prioritize activities, set deadlines, and make repeating tasks with it. Working together is also a breeze because you can remark and discuss tasks. Todoist is a popular alternative for individual thesis authors who want to keep organized and focused due to its user-friendly interface and cross-platform availability.

5. Evernote

6. tools for data analysis and visualisation.

Python, a well-liked programming language for data analysis is well-known for its versatility. Python’s modules, such as NumPy, Pandas, and Matplotlib, allow you to swiftly manipulate data, do statistical analysis, and generate amazing visualizations. Its user-friendly syntax makes it accessible to researchers from various backgrounds, enabling them to unlock the full potential of their data.

A popular software program in social science research is called SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). It provides a full range of data analysis methods, such as regression analysis, hypothesis testing , and descriptive statistics. Additionally, SPSS has data visualization features that let you show your study findings accurately and effectively.

7. Note-Taking Tools

1. microsoft onenote.

Microsoft OneNote is like a digital notebook that allows you to create and organize notes in a free-form manner. Its versatility shines as you can format text, record audio and video, embed images, and sync your notes across devices. This tool is excellent for keeping detailed research notes, jotting down ideas, and creating structured outlines for your thesis.

2. Evernote

4. google keep.

Google Keep is a simple note-taking application that integrates effectively with other Google services. While it may not have the advanced features of some other tools, its simplicity is its strength. You can make checklists, reminders, and notes in text, audio, and image notes using Google Keep. It syncs seamlessly across devices and supports easy collaboration.

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19 Academic Writing Tools (that are completely free!)

A selection of tools for academic writing – from collaborating, time-tracking and project management to finding the perfect phrase or translation. We are continuously updating this list (latest update: April 2023).

I often get asked about my favourite academic writing tools. That’s why I compiled this scientific tools list for you with 19 great tools to support your academic writing. You can use all these scientific research tools for free and some of them have paid versions with additional features.

Just one word of caution: Exploring new academic writing tools can be a time-suck and distract you from getting your actual writing done. If you are one of those people who spend hours signing up for new software for academic writing and getting it set up, only to abandon the tool a few days or weeks later – then be careful reading this scientific tools list, and don’t get overenthusiastic. 😉

By the way, I don’t have any affiliation with any of the academic writing tools listed below, and none of these are affiliated links.

Here, we go, 19 tools for academic writing and scientific research I recommend in no particular order:

ACADEMIC Writing tools

1. writefull.

This proof-reading tool for scientific texts is powered by AI and big data. You can integrate the Writefull app into Word or Overleaf for free. A reader of the blog brought my attention to this tool (thank you so much!) and I’ve only recently started using it, so I can’t give you a full-blown review just yet but so far the results are promising. Writefull is owned by Digital Science, a company that has released several Open Science apps, such as figshare, Overleaf and Altmetric. 

2. Phrasebank

Created by Dr John Morley from “The University Language Center” of Manchester University, the Phrasebank is a database of common phrases used in papers, dissertations and grant proposals – a real goldmine!

The phrases are organised both by the common sections in a paper such as the Introduction, Methods, Results or Discussion section. For example, in the tab for the Introduction section, one can find entries for “establishing the importance of the topic for the world or society” or “identifying a knowledge gap in the field of study”. If you click on the latter, you can find among others the following suggested phrases: “It is still unclear whether…”, “However, the behaviour of X has not yet been investigated” and “Causal factors leading to X remain speculative”.

You can also look for phrases by choosing a general language function. Some of the choices are “being cautious”, “describing trends”, “signalling transition”.   

The Phrasebank is very useful to get inspiration for new wording but I do not endorse all entries. Sometimes you find language that is a bit clunky or overly complicated so do use your own judgement when you browse this academic writing tool. PS: You can also download the Academic Phrasebank as PDF or Kindle file.

3. Thesaurus.com

If you’re looking for synonyms, thesaurus.com is the best online thesaurus I’ve found so far. It divides the synonyms based on different meanings of the word and indicates the relevance of the synonym by using three shades of orange.

Just one word of caution: Don’t fall into the trap of using too many synonyms in your academic writing. Being precise is so much more important than varying the words you are using in your writing. In particular for field-specific terminology, I advise against using synonyms .

This is a hot tip for researchers who need to transcribe interviews (hello, social scientists!), who like to record research ideas or those who like to write by dictating text into their phone. Otter is an AI-based transcription tool that works for English language recordings. The quality of the transcriptions is comparable to other transcription services using AI, meaning they are often not accurate and can give nonsensical, even comical results — especially when the recorded voice has a strong or unusual accent. Still, the automated and quick transcriptions (real time transcriptions are available too!) can be a good starting point and are a huge time saver. What’s cool about Otter compared to its competitors is that they give you 300 minutes of transcriptions per month for free!

There are many online dictionaries but Linguee is my favourite for academic writing. It suggests a translation on the basis of previous translations published on the internet.  Therefore, this dictionary is especially great if you’re looking to not only translate a word but a certain turn of phrase or idiom. Linguee translates to and from English in over 20 languages. An essential academic writing tool for all non-native English speakers!

ACADEMIC WRITING TOOLS FOR Collaboration AND CO-WRITING

6. authorea.

The magazine “ TechCrunch ” describes Authorea as “a Google Docs for scientists”. On the academic writing platform, you can write, edit, and insert citations, figures and data. And it’s great for collaborative writing: Co-authors can access the same text at the same time, track the changes they made, insert comments and even live-chat during writing sessions. Documents can be imported from LaTeX and Word and exported as LaTeX, Word and PDF documents. You can also submit your article as a bioRxiv preprint straight from the Authorea platform. This software for academic writing is free for up to ten documents with limited sharing options.

7. Overleaf

Overleaf is to LaTeX users, what Authorea (see tool #6) is to Word users: an online editor that allows you to access and collaborate on your writing projects from anywhere. You can, for example, invite others to comment on your work. Overleaf offers some other neat collaborative writing features, such as a track-changes function, but – unfortunately – only on the paid plan. LaTeX may seem a bit intimidating at first but you actually get the hang of it quite fast (and feel like a coder 😎). Also, in my experience, you save a lot of time formatting your text (and feel smug about it when you talk to Word users 😁).

Slack is a chat tool that you can use in your lab or with your collaborators. Used in the right way, it allows you to save time by cutting down on emails and create a group atmosphere even if the members are not working in the same location. You can easily add files to the chats and create different channels for subgroups or certain topics. There also exist virtual communities on Slack you can join, such as the New PI Slack community for Assistant professors around the world. 

Loom is a great scientific research tool when you want to share a quick video with a colleague, student or collaborator. This could be a recorded presentation or lecture, your comments on the paper of a co-author, or a tutorial on using a piece of software. You can record your screen, camera and microphone. The neat thing is that after you’re done recording, Loom auto-generates a link you can share.

Academic writing tools for Productivity and project management

Toggl is a time-tracking app that you can install on your phone and computer. There’s only one way of knowing how long certain writing tasks typically take you, and that is by tracking the time they took you to complete . Time-tracking has another great advantage: You can identify time-sucks in your day. And these may be less obvious than you think.

I like to use Toggl for time-tracking because it’s quick to use and integrates with various other scientific research tools I am using. You just need to click the big red power button to start or stop a recording and assign tracked times to different projects. This scientific research tool has paid plans but for most people the free basic plan will be sufficient.

Are you easily tempted to check your phone when you really should be writing? This app called Forest may be just right for you then. Once installed on your phone, you can start planting a virtual tree whenever you want to focus. It grows from a little plant to a full-grown tree. When you pick up your phone and leave the app, the tree dies. This way, you can build your forest representing the time you have spent on focused work (or quality time with your family and friends…). I’m not using Forest myself, but I’ve heard that it works really as an academic writing tool well for some people. Give it a go!  

12. Focusmate

As Forest (see tool #11), Focusmate is an app to help you stay focused. Instead of  gamification, the concept of Focusmate is based on social accountability. Here is how it works: You schedule a 50-minute virtual co-writing session with another Focusmate member, turn on your webcam when your session starts, greet your temporary co-worker and then get to work silently.

Even though being filmed while working is a little strange in the beginning, co-writing sessions work really well for a lot of researchers. This is why we offer co-writing sessions as part of our academic writing program, the Researchers’ Writing Academy, as well.

13. Cold Turkey

If Forest (tool #11) or Focusmate (#12) don’t get you to focus on your writing, you may need to go Cold Turkey . This software for academic writing blocks any other application and turns your computer into a typewriter. You can choose whether you want Cold Turkey to prevent you from digital distractions for a certain amount of time or until you’ve hit a certain word count. With the paid version, you can even access integrated productivity soundtracks and text formatting.

Not an app exactly, but free as well: Click the orange button below to have me walk you through my step-by-step system to write clear & concise papers for your target journals in a timely manner . This free academic writing training is perfect for you if you’re reading this blog post because you are procrastinating on writing your paper.

Trello is an excellent project management tool for your academic writing, which you can use for managing each of your writing projects, for creating a publication pipeline and as a daily and weekly to-do list. Trello is a great introduction into project management because it’s a lot easier to learn and use than most other project management software. For each project called a “Board”, you can create different “lists”, which are vertical collection of “cards”, which you can move between lists. You can add due dates, checklist lists, links, files and text to each card. To work collaboratively, you can leave comments on cards and assign them to members on your team. You can also use Trello as a brainstorming tool, using the cards just as you would use post-it notes.

Members of my online course, the Researchers’ Writing Academy , get access to Trello templates I created to easily manage their publication pipeline, the writing process for each of their scientific papers and all of their other daily, weekly and monthly tasks and projects.

15. Todoist

Todoist is an alternative to Trello (see tool #16) or can be used in addition. It’s an online to-do list organiser and project management tool that comes as an app and browser version. You can organise your tasks in projects and schedule them for a certain day. This academic writing tool shows you today’s tasks as well as those for the next seven days. It also tracks your productivity, i.e. how many tasks you have completed.

academic writing Tools for finding and reading the literature

Feedly is a neat RSS feed manager that helps you stay up to date with the scientific literature. Instead of getting email alerts from journals (because who wants to get more emails…) you can view and organise the literature you are interested in by following journals’ RSS feeds. You can not only use this for scientific literature but also subscribe to blogs, for example the one you’re reading right now, by simply putting the URL in the Feedly search: https://annaclemens.com/blog .

Are you a mindmapper? Then you need Xmind , a free mindmapping and brain-storming tool. It’s intuitive, looks good and does exactly what you want a mindmapping tool to do. The free version allows for embedding of hyperlinks, images, attachments, so you can really use it however you like! That’s all I can really say about it as I’m not using mindmapping myself. But I know scientists who swear by it!

18. Audemic

Audio formats have become so popular (I’m a big podcast lover myself!) so it shouldn’t really come as a surprise that there now is an audio tool available for the scientific literature too: Audemic . This tool — completely free to use for individual researchers — creates summaries for you (that go beyond the abstract), lets you skip sections, highlight text and take notes while listening.

There are a few reference managers for your academic writing to choose from, some of which cost money. Zotero is free, open-source and doesn’t lack in functionality. You can easily save references from your browser, organise them in folders and with tags and create bibliographies with the right style. You can also create a citation library with your co-authors or share your library with others.

That’s it: 19 academic writing apps and scientific research tools to support your writing for free! However, the best academic writing software won’t make you more productive if you don’t rely on a streamlined writing process and if you aren’t using your writing sessions effectively. If you want to get your hands on a template to write scientific papers in a systematic fashion, sign up for this 1-hour writing training now. It’s free too!

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Typos and grammar errors can slip into anyone’s work. ProWritingAid’s AI-powered thesis checker can catch and fix even the trickiest issues so your ideas can shine.

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Sure, that email might only need a cursory check. But a 100-page thesis needs more comprehensive reviews. Use our structure analysis , complex paragraph alerts , and transitions report to improve your work.

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Want more? Join our community or read our blog for advice from our resident experts on how to become a better writer.

ProWritingAid’s Thesis Checker FAQs

1. how do i use the online thesis checker.

Sign up for free, upload your thesis, and run any of ProWritingAid’s 25+ reports. You’ll see a number of suggestions that you can either accept or reject.

2. Does the essay checker work with British English and American English?

The thesis checker works with British English, American English, Australian English, and Canadian English. Just choose the one you’d like to use, and ProWritingAid will tailor its suggestions to match.

3. Is using a thesis checker cheating?

Not at all. The thesis checker won’t ever write the thesis for you. It will only point out possible edits and advise you on changes you need to make. You have full autonomy and can decide which changes to accept.

4. Is there a student discount?

Students who have an eligible student email address can get 20% off ProWritingAid Premium. Email [email protected] from your student email address to access your discount.

5. Can ProWritingAid check my thesis for free?

Absolutely. ProWritingAid offers a free membership to everyone, always, and you can edit up to 500 words at a time. If you need to edit more work, you can upgrade to Premium at any time.

6. Does ProWritingAid have a plagiarism checker?

Yes! ProWritingAid’s plagiarism checker will check your work against over a billion web-pages, published works, and academic papers, so you can be sure of its originality. Find out more about pricing for plagiarism checks here .

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Top 7 Free Online Tools for PhD Thesis Writing

Top Free Online Tools for PhD Thesis Writing

Writing a Ph.D. thesis? Don’t know how to write a Ph.D. thesis? Do not fret! Here are 7 free online tools to help you with your PhD thesis writing. If you are a research scholar currently dealing with a tough Ph.D. thesis, then you have come to the right place. In this article, iLovePhD has compiled a list of the top 7 free online tools to streamline your PhD thesis work.

• Some scholars may find it difficult to decide which tool to use, especially considering the abundance of available online alternatives and their capability to perform various tasks.
• Each online tool has its own advantages and limitations.
• Some tools are completely free, while others are free trials of software that cost money.
• Some only carry out the bare minimum of tasks, while others possess highly unique skills that enable them to do much more with the data.

Free Online Tools for PhD Thesis

1. grammarly.

• Grammarly is a free online grammar and text editing tool that can greatly help users enhance and improve their writing.
• Along with assisting you with maintaining your word count, Grammarly can help you improve your writing abilities and grammar.
• The “My Grammarly” section on the homepage of the tool allows the user to create or upload a document.
• Grammarly offers numerous alternatives for you to modify your text while also helping you save time and effort. 

2. Word-Counter.io

• When it comes to actual text editing and counting, the word count is the go-to free online tool. 
• Using an online word counter tool is a straightforward solution for students and teachers. 

• The word counter is a straightforward and user-friendly online tool that displays the appropriate word count for the text entered into the writing area. 
• The free online word counter tool can access various text statistics that greatly help the user, including word density and other crucial data like all words, words with and without spaces, words, sentences, pages, etc.
• It assists in avoiding repetition in one word and ensures that your words are consistent with one another.
• The number of rewrites and cuts may also be decreased, thus saving time and effort.

3. Quillbot’s Citation Generator

• Quillbot’s Citation Generator is a fast, reliable way to make citations for your essays, presentations, and other projects.
• We can create APA, MLA, and Chicago-style full and in-text citations in a snap. 
• Quillbot is one of the top writing tools on the internet that serves the best of multiple integrated tools to the user. 
• Any user can easily use the free citation generator of Quill Bot to automatically and even manually create citations within just a few seconds, with hundreds of different citation styles to choose from.  

Website link: Quillbot’s Citation Generator

• Mindmup is a limited free online mind map creator tool designed by Sauf Pompiers Ltd that enables to the creation of graphic, digital mind maps. 
• We can create, collaborate, and share mind maps in the cloud based on an open source mind map editor, with a simple and open data format.” 

5. Text Readability Calculator Tool

• This free online tool can easily assess your text’s comprehensibility and readability, which are the most important factors to consider while writing any type of content. 

6. Plagiarism Checker free online Tool for PhD Thesis

• A plagiarism checker tool is an online tool that helps any user performs a deep web search to see if the written content matches any other similar content on the web. 
• With a plagiarism checker at your disposal, you can now confirm the accuracy of the data you are about to publish.
• Any content that is to be published, it must be cross-checked with the plagiarism checker to see if it is the original content. 

7. Similarly Checker

• Finally, the similarity checker can help you determine whether the current piece of writing is a repeat of earlier work.
• The Similarity Checker can compare two different types of content side by side to see if they match in any way. 
• It is done so you can always create fresh content and avoid repeatedly writing the same type of text.
• The similarity checker examines every section of the provided document and identifies and highlights any content that matches in seconds. 
• Using this tool, you can quickly check for repetition by comparing current assignments with similar ones and other relevant work. 

As it is said before, getting a Ph.D. degree is not an easy one. So, to make it convenient and easy for scholars, iLovePhD has compiled a list of 7 free online tools that can greatly reduce the stress of writing a Ph.D. thesis. 

Using the right tools can improve your productivity, enhance your content, and overcome any challenges you may face.

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Thesis editing services

Get your thesis back, free of language errors and inconsistencies.

Standard thesis Proofreading & Editing is perfect if you’re confident about your writing but need a second pair of eyes to catch:

• Spelling and grammar errors
• Inconsistencies in dialect
• Overuse of passive voice
• Subjective or inflated language

For a more comprehensive edit, you can add one or multiple add-on editing services that fit your needs.

Add-on services

Customize your editing package to get the help you need, structure check, clarity check, paper formatting, citation editing.

Ensures sections and chapters are structured and focused and your writing is free of redundancies.

• Through in-text feedback, your editor will help:
• Organize and focus individual chapters and sections
• Eliminate repetitive and redundant information
• Perfect transitions between sentences and paragraphs
• Align titles and headings with the section’s content

You’ll also receive a personalized Structure Check Report meant to help you identify missing elements in each chapter or section and prioritize improvements.

Ensures ideas are presented clearly, your arguments are consistent, and your audience can follow along.

Through in-text comments and checklists, your editor will:

• Make sure your text tells a clear and logical story
• Check that you’ve clearly presented concepts, ideas, and key terms
• Make sure your key takeaways and conclusions are front and center
• Highlight contradictions within the text
• Ensure you’re keeping your audience’s needs in mind

Ensures a professional look for your document that meets your formatting requirements.

Your formatting expert will ensure consistency for the following:

• Margins, spacing, and indentation
• Body text and headings
• Page numbers
• Abstract and keywords
• Explanatory footnotes

Choose our Paper Formatting service for a professional finish or our APA Editing Service for the most up-to-date APA formatting.

Citation Editing ensures your citations and references are consistent and meet your style guide’s requirements.

After you provide your document with a reference list, your citation expert will:

• Format the layout of your reference page (margins, indents, spacing)
• Ensure that your chosen citation style is applied consistently according to the guidelines
• Cross-check citations with reference entries
• Provide feedback on reference list entries that you need to complete due to missing information

Your expert is familiar with all common citation styles. Find more information about the service and our requirements in our FAQs .

You'll get matched with the perfect editor for you

At Scribbr, you can rest assured that only the best editors will work on your paper.

All our 800+ editors have passed the challenging Scribbr Academy, which has a passing rate of only 2%. To put this in perspective, Harvard has an acceptance rate of 3%

We handpick your editor on several criteria, including field of study and document type. And we’ll even expand your team with citation and formatting experts if needed.

I have a doctorate in biology and studied a range of life science subjects. I specialize in editing academic texts.

I researched at Harvard, taught English with a Fulbright in Peru, and earned a master's from Johns Hopkins.

I am an academic editor and book reviewer. I am familiar with many style guides and have edited over 6 million words.

I have a bachelor's in electrical engineering and a master's in psychology and am pursuing a PhD in neuroscience.

I am an ESL teacher and academic editor with a research background in the humanities, arts, and culture.

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This deadline works automatically for the following document sizes:

• 3 hours: less than 3,000 words
• 6 hours: less than 6,000 words
• 12 hours: less than 12,000 words

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“They proved themselves again!”

They proved themselves again as an excellent service. They have talented editors which can improve your thesis or other document greatly, especially if you struggle with your writing. Furthermore, their customer service communication is likewise excellent, as they will repeatedly check if everything is according to your wishes, will answer fast, and at any time.

How it works

Get your thesis edited in 3 easy steps, upload any time.

Upload your document and easily select the pages that need editing. Next, choose your turnaround time and services and explain your situation and needs to the editor.

Stay in the loop

After placing your order you can keep track of our progress. From finding your perfect editor to potential hand-overs to formatting or citation experts.

Revise and submit

You’ll receive back your document with tracked changes and feedback as well as a personal letter from your editor. The last step is submitting your work with confidence!

Scribbr & academic integrity

Scribbr is committed to protecting academic integrity. Our proofreading service, our AI writing tools ( plagiarism checker , paraphrasing tool , grammar checker , summarizer,  Citation Generator ) as well as our free Knowledge Base content is designed to help students produce quality academic papers.

We make every effort to prevent our software from being used for fraudulent or manipulative purposes.

Your questions, answered.

At Scribbr, we promise to make every customer 100% happy with the service we offer. Our philosophy: Your complaint is always justified – no denial, no doubts.

Our customer support team is here to find the solution that helps you the most, whether that’s a free new edit or a refund for the service.

The fastest turnaround time is 12 hours.

You can upload your document at any time and choose between four deadlines:

Yes, if your document is longer than 20,000 words, you will get a sample of approximately 2,000 words. This sample edit gives you a first impression of the editor’s editing style and a chance to ask questions and give feedback.

How does the sample edit work?

You will receive the sample edit within 12 hours after placing your order. You then have 24 hours to let us know if you’re happy with the sample or if there’s something you would like the editor to do differently.

Read more about how the sample edit works

Yes, regardless of the deadline you choose, our editors can proofread your document during weekends and holidays.

Example: If you select the 12-hour service on Saturday, you will receive your edited document back within 12 hours on Sunday.

Yes, in the order process you can indicate your preference for American, British, or Australian English .

If you don’t choose one, your editor will follow the style of English you currently use. If your editor has any questions about this, we will contact you.

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• September 13, 2022
• Software Used to Write Thesis & Research Papers
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• Author Diana Clark

Every student at one point or the other has felt the need to say write my research paper to reduce their work load or finish an urgent submission. Students need to write many papers in their academic lives. They need to write essays to achieve higher academic scores while at school. They need to write admission essays or pass an admission test to get enrolled in the chosen institution for their education. Finally, they need to write a thesis to finish their studies and finally obtain a diploma.

Because of it, students often and quite desperately search for tools that would help them with the thesis and research papers. Thankfully, there are many such tools available today. To help you, we’ve narrowed down the list to some of the best software used to write, research, reference and edit these complex assignments.

Writing Software

Writing research papers or a thesis isn’t simple, but with the right software, it is much easier. Depending on how often you need such software and how many papers you’ll write, you can decide between more advanced and simpler choices to use. For example, you can use tools like Microsoft Word, Scrivener, or LaTeX for writing and publishing. Those who are more tech-savvy will use tools like LibreOffice or OpenOffice. Some hate typing and choose verbal writing software like Zapier or Dragon.

These are the most popular software used for all kinds of writing. Whatever choice you make out of the list, you can’t go wrong with your thesis and research papers.

Microsoft Word

All technology-led generations know of Microsoft Word. After all these years, it is still the most popular software for the creation of documents. With the Word app available now, users can even edit and view the documents from various devices, collaborate and share it with others. Since it is easy to use and has a myriad of attractive features, it’s definitely a tool to consider for your thesis and research papers.

LaTeX is a widely popular tool for typesetting, most commonly used for academic, scientific, and technical documents. Compared to Microsoft Word that has the most widespread use in terms of writing software, this one was specifically created for technical documents and publishing assignments.

However, if you choose this one, keep in mind that it isn’t a word processor and does not at all focus on the appearance and format. That being said, LaTeX can be very useful when you’re writing your first draft since it focuses on the content itself. But, when you need to format and edit, you might want to use a text processor.

Have you used Scrivener just yet? This is word-processing software mostly used by writers and authors. It’s a platform that works wonders with big projects since it lets you organize concepts, research, notes, and various documents.

Libre-Office and Open-Office

These two software choices let you create documents, presentations, and spreadsheets. Similar to Microsoft Word they are currently the biggest competitors to the first tool in the list. They both share a large variety of features.

Zapier and Dragon

These two are highly popular dictation tools that transform voice into writing. They are widely used by authors who have to write on a daily basis, as well as by students when they need to write large research papers and a thesis.

Referencing Software

With big papers like the thesis, you’ll have to use the proper format to organize dozens, if not hundreds of different sources. This can take hours of your valuable time, but with the help of good referencing software, you can do it within minutes and be certain that the citation is spotless.

When it comes to referencing, the following two are the most popular among students.

Citavi is a popular, rather versatile software used for business and academic purposes. It will help you manage all sources, save the most important passages, as well as note down the page numbers for future use.

Ref-N-Write

This is a slightly more complex tool than Citavi, but one that’s much used among students. Ref-n-write lets you perform a text search, look through all the files you have, check the tone you used in the paper, evaluate your vocabulary, etc. Its features go beyond just referencing since the software is also used to help out the writing process and paraphrase texts.

Researching Software

When you’re working on your research, the right tools and methods can make the process easier and much more effective. These are some of the best sources for research.

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office tools are very popular among students. In terms of research, Microsoft Excel is at the top of most student’s lists. It helps them perform quantitative analysis with the help of its numerous statistical functions. Moreover, Excel lets you visualize everything in charts and tables, as well as organize all that data without errors.

Google Scholar

This is a free tool for research made and maintained by Google. It’s extremely popular among those who need to find academic articles, journals, literature, patents, and white papers. All of this makes it perfect for your research papers and thesis.

Research Gate

ResearchGate already has over 11 million users, which makes it one of the most popular research platforms for academics, researchers and scientists. It’s an amazing place to discuss and look for important academic sources.

Editing Software

All of the tools above will help you write that paper, but what happens when you finish your draft? Editing is very hard on the person who wrote the content and it is very easy to miss the crucial mistakes in your paper, especially with lengthy tasks like a thesis.

Here is the editing software that will ensure that this won’t happen.

MS Word Spelling & Grammar Checker

MS Word has its own spelling and grammar checker. Still, you should remember that human editing is essential and a paper can’t be great without it. Even so, the MS checker is very detailed and amazing at finding the errors.

The second most popular editing tool after MS Word is Grammarly. This tool doesn’t just look for spelling or grammar errors. If you choose the paid version, it will find more mistakes than you can imagine and even offer suggestions for content improvements.

Have you tested all of these tools? Writing the research papers and thesis can be so much easier with the right software, so you better start using them today!

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Where to put a description of software tools used in a thesis?

At the moment I'm writing my master-thesis in the area of information systems. Because I developed some code to demonstrate my approach, I also mention some software tools in my proof-of-concept section. I'm talking about the ones used at multiple places, that are not really important.

• Shall I describe them in the appendix or somewhere else?
• Shall I link them to the description each time I mention a certain tool?
• Shall I give a link to their website in the footnotes?

I know, that there is no right and wrong to this. Nevertheless, I have the freedom and I'm searching for a good approach. Maybe someone had the same problem or knows which existing thesis has an elegant solution.

At the moment, I put a link in the footnote at the first mentioning of a tool; I also have a short description for the software tools in the appendix.

• academic-writing

• How do you reference other, non-software external content, especially that which you reference repeatedly throughout the text? –  user Commented Dec 19, 2018 at 19:04
• I'm not sure what you are asking for. I'm using Latex and referencing to sources via \autocite and to graphics, sections and other via \cref . –  So S Commented Dec 19, 2018 at 20:30
• 1 Do you expect your code to be broadly useful? To your committee, to the public? I suggest footnotes and a dedicated appendix for all software references. –  SFWriter Commented Dec 20, 2018 at 0:02
• Not really at the first place. But if someone wants to rebuild or understand my approach on a deeper level, he/she also needs to know what these external software tools are used for. –  So S Commented Dec 21, 2018 at 8:57

I would check with your department on the standard structure of a thesis. Typically these questions are addressed in the relative documentation.

If your thesis includes a methods section, then, by all means, list your software tools there, including how you used them, and make sure you conclude each mention with a correct (and lasting) reference in the bibliography.

If your thesis does not include an explicit methods section, then mention the tool when you first use it, describe its function, and add a bibliographical reference; in later sections you can write "we use software XYZ for the task (see section XX and reference YY)" where you refer both to your description on how to use the software tool, and to the bibliographical reference. Note that if you use your software tool in a different manner you should describe its alternative use.

Please, do not include Windows, Linux, or any operative system as a software tool if they are just a generic platform on which you are running your software. The same goes for any other tool (software or not) that is not specific and necessary for your research.

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Research and Write Effectively: Dissertation, Thesis, Term paper

Working on a doctoral dissertation, a master's thesis, a senior capstone, or an undergraduate term paper? Meet with a subject librarian to refine your research question, design a literature review search, learn about research methods, and connect to tools for qualitative and quantitative analysis.  

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• Refining a research topic
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• Locating collections of primary sources and secondary datasets
• Constructing and documenting a literature search strategy
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Not sure who to contact? Chat with us online , or request a consultation to be matched with a specialist.

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What is an outline?

Types of outlines, outline template.

• Revising and Editing
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An outline is a tool to organize written ideas about a topic or thesis logically. Outlines arrange major topics, subtopics, and supporting details. Writers use outlines when writing their papers to know which topic to cover in what order. Outlines for papers can be very general or very detailed. Check with your instructor to understand what is expected of you.

Alphanumeric Outline

I.      Roman Numerals

A.    I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, X, etc.

B.    Represent main ideas to be covered in the paper in the order they will be presented

II.    Uppercase Letters

A.   A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, etc.

B.    Represent subtopics within each main idea

III.       Arabic Numbers

   A.    1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc.

   B.    Represent details or subdivisions within subtopics

IV.    Lowercase Letters

   A.    a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, i, j, l, m, etc.

   B.    Represent details within subdivisions

Full-sentence outline

• Each roman numeral (I, II, III, IV…) indicates the start of a new paragraph. So I. is the first sentence of the introduction, II. is the first sentence of the first paragraph of the body, III. is the first sentence of the second paragraph of the body, and so on.
•  Each capital letter (A, B, C, D…) indicates a main point within the structure of the paragraph. So in our introduction, A. is the attention getter, B. is another attention getter, C. describes a point that makes the topic personal, and D. is the thesis statement.
• Each Arabic numeral (1, 2, 3, 4…) indicates a sentence or piece of supporting evidence for each main point. So in the first body paragraph (II.), point A. is a general statement that needs some additional support, so 1. provides a supporting statement of fact and the citation of where that information came from. 2. provides another sentence with supporting evidence, as does 3.

There are no formal APA guidelines for creating an outline. We recommend you follow standard  APA formatting rules for accepted fonts, double spacing, one-inch margins, page numbers, and header . A cover or title page should also be included if you are handing in the outline as an assignment. Include a References page if outside resources are used while drafting your outline.

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• 10 Best AI Essay Outline Generators of 2024
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Top 10 Free Essay Writing Tools for Students in 2024

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Writing an essay seems less challenging once all relevant sources and ideas are in place. Several essay writing apps can help you generate an outline for essays. Moreover, you can use these apps to write your essay. In this article, we have listed the top ten essay writing tools that can help you improve your essay and get good grades.

When discussing essay writing apps, we mean essay writing and editing tools that improve your work, not apps that provide readymade essays. Many of the free essay writing tools available online are powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). We do not encourage copying essays as that can bring about unsavory results. 

So, none of the tools that have made it to our list of top ten essay writing tools will help you cheat. They will, of course, help improve your essay to make it your best work. So, if you’re looking for a list of the best essay-writing tools, read on for detailed information.

Get an A+ with our essay editing services! Learn more

Top ten essay writing tools

Our top ten essay writing tools are a diverse list. They help you in various essay writing tasks such as planning your essay, writing it, improving it, and getting feedback when it’s complete. Here are the top 10 essay writing tools in 2024, including the best AI essay writing tools:

1. MyEssayWriter.ai

This is an AI-powered essay writing assistant designed for students. It provides personalized essays tailored to students’ specific topics and needs. As part of free services, the tool offers artificial intelligence-based essay outliners and writers. 

If you want a custom essay, you can place an order, and an expert will draft your essay for a fee. The rates depend on the academic level, urgency, and word count a student requires.

A high-school-level essay of 300 words returned within 7 days costs around $22. 

2. EssayService.ai

This is a user-friendly platform that offers various tools to improve essay quality. It includes real-time grammar and structure feedback and tone and style adjustments. It gives multiple essay generation options, with a free essay grader for students to have their essays checked.

The platform also offers a paid essay writing service, where you can calculate the charges by inputting information like essay type, number of words, and deadline, among others. 

A high-school-level essay of 300 words returned within 7 days costs around $22.

This is an AI writing tool offering various content formats, including essays. It allows users to choose topics, outlines, and writing styles for AI-generated essays. You can also brainstorm ideas and generate essay outlines. 

This tool helps you overcome writer’s block in the early stages of essay writing. All you need to do is create an account on the platform and start writing. 

The free version allows you to generate up to 10,000 words, while you can generate unlimited content for $7.5 per month as part of the “Unlimited” plan.

4. Writesonic

This is a content-creation tool, but it offers essay-writing features as well. It can generate essay outlines, introductions, and body paragraphs based on your input. The platform states that it provides plagiarism-free content. 

Writesonic can speed up the initial essay writing process and offer a basic structure for your essays. If you use this college essay writing tool judiciously, you can generate excellent essays that can get you the score you want. 

Chatsonic, which costs $12 per month if billed annually, offers a chat option with features similar to ChatGPT. 

5. Grammarly  

Grammarly is one of the best essay editing tools, offering users a choice between American and British English. Its AI helps you fix problems with spelling, punctuation, grammar, and style, enabling you to write better essays.

The free version highlights basic grammar mistakes while the paid version optimizes your use of language. This means that it flags things like repetitive phrases, vague wording, and excessive use of words.

Grammarly is available as both a download for MS Word and as a Chrome extension for Google Docs or other online formats.

Grammarly Premium costs $12 per month when billed annually. 

A powerful AI language model, ChatGPT can help you draft essays with a few clicks. It can generate essays based on prompts and instructions for various topics. ChatGPT can also help you create essay outlines and arguments.

This is an ideal tool for brainstorming and exploring different writing styles. However, it is crucial to verify the content it generates to ensure factual inaccuracies do not go unnoticed.

ChatGPT Plus costs $20 per month with access to multiple versions of the platform.

7. Jasper.ai  

Jasper.ai is an AI writing assistant with features for creating various content formats, including essays. The copywriting tool allows users to write essays of all types, tailoring them to suit varied target audiences and writing tones. 

Since it offers long-form content generation with plagiarism checks , you can generate content of a certain depth. However, we recommend essay checking and editing to ensure quality.

Jasper’s “Creator” plan costs $39 per month for one-person access.

8. CollegeEssay.org

CollegeEssay.org offers an AI-powered essay writing tool designed to simplify the essay writing process for students. This tool uses advanced AI algorithms to generate free essays. It also offers grammar and plagiarism checks, in addition to a content paraphrasing tool . 

The platform also gives you the choice to order custom essays as part of paid essay writing services. However, free AI essay writing tools should do the job well if you are a student. 

A high-school-level essay of 300 words (considered one page) costs $11.

9. MyPerfectWords

This is an essay writing service with grammar and plagiarism checks, where you need to key in the topic and the relevant prompt. The essay writer then refers to multiple resources to write an essay using AI. 

Its citation tool can seamlessly integrate references relevant to your essay to ensure zero attribution issues.

It’s certainly a great tool for any essay writer!

Merlin brings users a comprehensive suite of writing tools, including essay writing. The tool asks you to specify the word count and academic level of the topic at hand, along with the essay-writing approach you wish to take. 

You can also review the generated content and modify the prompt/s to get different results. The platform shares pointers with users on how to ensure the integrity and accuracy of their content. 

Merlin’s free plan is quite beneficial for students since they allow 102 queries per day, and this limit resets every 24 hours. If you are interested in a paid plan, they offer the “Pro (Unlimited)” at a discounted price of $19 per month. The standard price without discount is $29.

Can writing tools help improve your essay?

Well, the short answer is that these tools certainly help. However, automated software might not always understand writing like human beings do. Hence, a human editor overseeing the job AI tools do can introduce more reliability to the essay writing process. This is because there’s no replacement for thorough research, critical thinking, and effective essay editing.

While you can use free AI tools to write your essay, seek essay editing and proofreading services offered by a company like PaperTrue. Once you’re done with your essay, just send it over to us for feedback before your submission deadline.

Want to keep reading? Here are the newest articles we’ve worked on:

• How to Write an Essay Outline
• Tips on How to Structure an Essay
• How to Write an Essay Header
• How to Format a College Essay
• How to Write an Expository Essay

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The Best Apps for Distraction-Free Writing

We are bombarded by distractions every moment of every day. Some of them are of our own making; others are basically unavoidable. As I sat writing this story my Fitbit reminded me to get up and move, I received well over 100 emails, Duolingo told me it was time for a lesson, Google let me know it was screening a suspicious call , and I received an alert to water my plants. All of this noise would make it hard to accomplish any task, but it’s particularly problematic when you’re trying to write.

Even the tiniest of distractions can completely disrupt your flow when you’re trying to put words down on a page, and so a whole cottage industry has cropped up around making tools for distraction-free writing. These apps can’t stop telemarketers from calling you or deflect the deluge of Instagram notifications, but they do strip away the extraneous nonsense found in traditional word processors like rulers, toolbars, and tables, and focus on what’s most important: words.

Distraction-free writing apps come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and at various price points. Here are a few of my favorites.

Google Docs

Sometimes the best tool is the one you’re already using. Google Docs wouldn’t qualify as “distraction-free” by most measures. It has all the bells and whistles you’d expect from an office suite. But if you go up to the View menu and click “Full screen,” you get a surprisingly clean and minimal interface.

In full screen mode, you see a page with words, rulers along the top and sides, and a document outline on the left. That’s it. The toolbar and most other interface elements are removed. You can hide the rulers and document outline as well; just go to the View menu.

To make Docs as close to the other distraction-free apps in this roundup, go to Tools, Preferences, and turn on Enable Markdown. This allows you to format your work with simple text cues like putting words between asterisks to style them with italics. My biggest complaint is that there’s no dark mode for Google Docs at the moment.

The best feature of Google Docs though, is the price: Free.

At the other end of the price spectrum is iA Writer . The desktop app for macOS is $50. And if you want to use it on your iPad or iPhone, that’s another $50. Windows and Android users get a bit better of a deal at $30, but the experience isn’t quite as smooth, and features generally come to Apple’s platforms first.

That being said, I think it might provide the best experience of the bunch. Even in standard mode, iA Writer is a clean and minimal text editor with a decent amount of customization and support for simple Markdown formatting .

But the real magic happens when you click the focus mode button in the top bar. There are a few ways to customize focus mode, but by default the line you’re actively typing on is highlighted and centered. As you move on to the next line, the completed text fades to a dull gray and moves upwards. It’s not too different from what you’d experience with a typewriter.

iA Writer has dark mode and shortcut integration for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. Plus it’s just plain pretty. Given the high price though, you have to be pretty dedicated to the idea of a distraction-free working environment to spring for iA Writer.

The basic layout and feature set of Ulysses isn’t terribly different from iA Writer. There’s a sidebar for navigating and organizing your files, and a large main pane for composing. But it’s definitely more feature-rich, including tools for goal tracking and proofreading. Thanks to its simple but thoughtful organization system, you could probably even use Ulysses as a note-taking app in a pinch.

Like iA Writer it has a typewriter mode with line highlighting and text scrolling. But you have to turn on the various parts of it individually the first time. One of its bigger draws is its styles that allow you to export documents using templates customized for scripts, novels, blog posts, and more.

The knock against Ulysses is that it’s available only as a $40 annual subscription. And it’s strictly for macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. If you’re a Windows user, you’re out of luck.

FocusWriter

This is perhaps the most bare-bones of the bunch, but it shouldn’t be overlooked. FocusWriter has all the basics you’d expect from a text editor, including spell check and the ability to have multiple documents open simultaneously. It also has tools for serious writers, like stat tracking and goal setting.

Unlike most of the other apps here, FocusWriter uses rich text (RTF) for formatting instead of Markdown. It probably has the most customizable interface of the bunch, though. You can meticulously choose the interface colors, fonts, and background.

One of the biggest draws will be that it’s free and open source, though right now it’s available for Windows and Linux only. While you can probably get it running on macOS if you know your way around a command line, it will take some legwork, and there’s no mobile client or file syncing.

The idea of distraction-free writing is, inherently, kind of gimmicky. But OmmWriter is probably the most gimmicky of the bunch. It doesn’t just strip away the extraneous nonsense; it aims to immerse you in an environment conducive to a flow state. That includes gentle soundscapes to help you focus and even various typing sound effects to enhance the vibes.

If you want more audible feedback while typing, but don’t want to invest in a nice mechanical keyboard, this might do the job. Though, the very slight lag between your fingers hitting the keys and the sound coming out of the speakers bugged me.

Otherwise, the UI is pretty bare, with a resizable text box in the center and a few buttons to the right for changing settings. It’s the cheapest of the commercial options here at $9.93 for macOS or Windows. But you can also give it a whirl in your browser by playing with a stripped down version for free.

Scrivener has a dedicated following among long-form writers, and for good reason. While the app does have an excellent distraction-free mode, complete with typewriter-style scrolling, it also sports advanced organizing tools that you’re sure to appreciate if you’re working on a book or a screenplay. It’s made specifically with longer writing projects in mind.

Its project outlines make it simple to collect research or rearrange ideas until you find what clicks. When it comes time to actually write, the full screen composition mode gets rid of everything but the text box. It’s the most minimal of editors.

Scrivener is available on macOS and Windows for $60, or iOS for $24. Unfortunately you will have to purchase a separate license for each platform, which could get expensive if you use multiple devices.

This is perhaps the best deal of the bunch if you’re looking for a true distraction-free experience without having to jump through a lot of hoops. For $15, Calmly offers some customization of the interface and basic stat tracking, but mostly it’s just focused on writing.

Like many of the other apps, Calmly is Markdown based, so your resulting files are just plaintext and easily transferred between apps. What you won’t find here are any file management tools or flashy export options, though it does allow you to insert images and add comments, which many of the other apps don’t.

Calmly is available as a desktop app for Windows, Linux, and macOS, but there’s also a stripped down web-based version that is free.

Obsidian isn’t really a distraction-free writing app; it’s a full-featured notetaker. But its clean UI and reliance on Markdown make it a pretty solid writing tool. Plus, its wealth of customization options and deep catalog of extensions mean you can turn Obsidian into the specific writing environment that suits your needs. You can add typewriter-like modes, or set up goal tracking to monitor your productivity. You can just as easily remove features and strip away any of the bits you don't want.

The best part is that Obsidian is free for personal use. If you want to use it as more than just a text editor, I highly recommend you spring for the $4 monthly subscription. This enables file syncing, which keeps all your work in order across all your devices. Obsidian is also platform agnostic and available for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Windows, Android, and Linux. Just don't let browsing and trying out all those extensions become a distraction itself.

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Developing a Strong Thesis Statement for Your English Essay

The impact of word prediction software on writing

The backstory.

After a three-hour surgery in early July, I woke up feeling a bit disoriented in the hospital bed. As the anesthesia wore off, I gradually became more coherent and could communicate with the nursing staff. However, I spent most of my overnight stay feeling like I was in a fog. I struggled to find the right words mid-sentence, which was frustrating because I needed to communicate what I needed. 

The next day, I communicated as I typically do. That’s when I drew the parallel between my frustrations of not finding the right words after surgery and the struggles many people go through as writers. 

The context

Being a fluent writer feels out of reach for many kids due to circumstances outside their control. Striving writers, whether they face challenges to meet grade-level benchmarks or have a language-based learning disability such as Dyslexia, often struggle to find the right words. In addition, English language learners may grapple with the intricacies of English, which causes them to slow down when writing. Also, students with more severe learning disabilities may have difficulty putting their words onto the page. All of these kinds of writers benefit from accessibility tools like word prediction software, which can increase their writing fluency and allow them to move through the writing process with greater ease.

The big picture

Word prediction tools prove invaluable for young writers. They enhance writing efficiency, accuracy, accessibility, and confidence by reducing keystrokes, minimizing errors, supporting users with diverse needs, and improving overall writing fluency.

Word prediction offers four distinct benefits to learners with writing difficulty.

• Increased Efficiency: Word prediction reduces keystrokes and allows faster writing by providing contextually relevant words and phrases learners can insert with fewer keystrokes. Once a writer sees the word they want, they can simply type the number next to the predicted word, which will be inserted in their document. Reducing the physical effort it takes to type can be transformative for students with fine motor difficulties or emerging keyboarding skills since word prediction allows a child to select their intended word with fewer keystrokes.
• Improved Accuracy: Word prediction tools reduce the cognitive demands when students engage in transcription. This is valuable so students can focus on the message they want their writing to convey instead of worrying about whether they’ve spelled words correctly. In addition, typos, phonetic spelling errors, and easily confused words get corrected as they type.
• Enhanced Accessibility: Various accessibility features reduce a student's cognitive load while they’re engaged in transcription. This matters because accessibility features can alleviate the anxiety associated with word retrieval:

Using a topic-specific vocabulary feature: This feature offers words related to a particular subject and helps students with difficulty recalling specific terminology. It can particularly benefit learners with memory-related cognitive disabilities or language-processing issues. When there’s a topic feature built into a word prediction program, students can easily find relevant vocabulary for almost any subject. Students might increase their vocabulary due to topic-specific suggestions they encounter.

Tackling Fine Motor Demands: While word prediction might not increase a student’s typing speed, it can reduce motor fatigue by reducing the number of keystrokes they make and eliminating the need to fumble with the shift keys.

• Increased Confidence : Young writers can take greater risks and use more complex words in their writing, rather than default to utilizing simpler words they know how to spell accurately. In addition, word prediction allows students to become more fluent writers since they can focus on communicating big ideas in their writing, rather than getting stuck when attempting to recall a word, the correct spelling, or use more sophisticated language.

Examples in action

Using word prediction software, Kiara, a dyslexic middle school student with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, can complete her English Language Arts assignments more efficiently. As Kiara types, the software suggests words and phrases, reducing her struggle with spelling and allowing her to focus on expressing her ideas with fluidity. Using word prediction speeds up Kiara’s writing process and boosts her confidence. Kiara feels a sense of accomplishment and relief, knowing she can keep up with her peers and convey her thoughts. The word prediction software transforms Kiara’s anxiety about writing into a positive, empowering experience, making her feel more capable and motivated.

Cole, a high school student, has fine motor difficulties and finds typing challenging. While voice typing is an option for him, he prefers to use the keyboard like the rest of his peers. With word prediction software, the number of keystrokes Cole needs to make is reduced since he can input the corrected word by typing just the first letters. In addition, Cole doesn’t have to fumble with the shift keys, which slows him down further. Word prediction software also increases Cole's writing stamina since his fingers need to do less work and he can complete essays and other assignments for his classes in less time than using the hunt-and-peck method of keyboarding. 

Word prediction doesn’t compose a text or do the writing for someone. Rather, it looks at the context of a piece of writing and makes relevant suggestions to help a writer get their thoughts on the page.

One small shift

All students, not just those with an Individualized Education Plan (or IEP) or 504 Plan , can benefit from having access to word prediction software. Making word prediction software available to all students reduces the stigma sometimes associated with using assistive technology. In addition, having word prediction available to all students means that students with undiagnosed learning disabilities and temporary disabilities – such as a broken wrist – can use word prediction whenever needed. Further, providing access to word prediction for all students means that all children can learn how to use it, thereby removing any stigma for needing the extra support and eliminating the need to later add it onto an IEP or a 504 Plan as an accommodation.

The bottom line

Word prediction reduces students' cognitive and fine motor demands, allowing them to go through the writing process with an emphasis on drafting, rather than concerning themselves with accurate keyboarding and correct spelling. 

Discover more

• Beyond spelling: How word prediction software enhances the writing process 
• Empowering individuals with dyslexia  

Stacey Shubitz is the Chief of Operations and Lead Writer at Two Writing Teachers and the co-host of the Two Writing Teachers Podcast. A certified literacy specialist and former classroom teacher, she has experience teaching fifth grade in East Harlem, NY, and fourth grade in Central Falls, RI. In 2009, she transitioned to a career as a literacy consultant in Pennsylvania. She consults with school districts and presents at local, state, and national conferences.

Stacey is the author of Craft Moves: Lesson Sets for Teaching Writing with Mentor Texts and co-authored several other educational books about writing instruction. Currently, she is writing a practical guide offering firsthand insights and expertise for parents and caregivers navigating the complexities of special education in grades K-6. From understanding legal frameworks to fostering self-advocacy skills, the book will provide essential tools and real-life examples to advocate for children with higher support needs confidently.

Online Connections:

●     Blog: http://twowritingteachers.org

●     Podcast: Two Writing Teachers Podcast

●     Website: Shubitz Literacy LLC

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Presenting your thesis

 formatting your thesis.

Please refer to Regulation 7.4.2 for important information on how to format your thesis.

The Library Services guide 'Presenting your thesis' has been written as the standard for all theses presented for research degrees in the University of Birmingham. 

It offers guidance on the practicalities of producing your thesis in a format that is acceptable for examination and for deposit in the library. This guide does not deal with the content and academic standard required of a thesis and on these matters you are advised to consult University Regulations, your supervisor and guidance issued by your School.

Please also see the  Getting your thesis ready workshop webpage .

 Thesis word limit

On submitting your thesis for examination you are required to complete a declaration form confirming the word length of your thesis. You should therefore be aware of the maximum word length for your thesis. See  Regulation 7.4.2 (d).

The stated maximum number of words excludes tables, diagrams (including associated legends), appendices, list of references, footnotes and endnotes, the bibliography and any bound published material. For information on referencing styles see the  iCite – referencing at the University of Birmingham  webpages.

A thesis that exceeds the maximum number of words will not be accepted for examination unless permission to exceed the stated word count has been granted by the Research Progress & Awards Sub Panel. Permission to exceed the stated word count is only granted in exceptional circumstances. If you consider that you will not be able to meet the stated word limited, you are advised to discuss this with your supervisor at an early stage.

 Language of your thesis

 acknowledging collaborative work.

If any material is included in your thesis which is a result of collaborative working, you must include details of how much of the work is your own and how much is that of other people. See Regulation 7.4.1 (h).

It is also important to seek the prior agreement of those other people to make your thesis available in the University eTheses Repository. 

 Previously published or submitted work

You may include work that has already been published providing the work is properly integrated, either in the thesis or as an appendix to which reference is made - see  Regulation 7.4.1 (g). It must be adequately referenced and you are advised to consult with your supervisor if you are unsure about the inclusion of any previously published work in your thesis. 

For additional information please refer to the Copyright for Researchers web page

You may not include material for assessment which has already been submitted for another degree awarded at this or any other University, unless all of the conditions set out in Regulation 7.4.1 (f) are satisfied.

If you are considering including published papers in your thesis, please read the alternative format thesis guide (Word - 22KB).

 Plagiarism

Plagiarism is a form of cheating and is a serious academic offence. It arises where work submitted is not the student's own and has been taken from another source. The original material is then hidden from the marker, either by not referencing it properly, by paraphrasing it or by not mentioning it at all.

For further information see the University’s Guidance on plagiarism for students .

All theses submitted for examination are checked through plagiarism detection software.

 Editorial help for PGR theses

A thesis submitted for examination at the University of Birmingham must be solely the postgraduate researcher’s own work (except where University Regulations permit the inclusion of appropriately referenced collaborative research or work – see Regulation 7.4.1 . A postgraduate researcher must not employ a ‘ghost writer’ to write parts or all of the thesis, whether in draft or as a final version, on his/her behalf.

Editors, whether they are formal supervisors, informal mentors, family or friends or professional, need to be clear about the extent and nature of help they offer in the editing of University of Birmingham PGRs theses and dissertations. Supervisors of PGRs also need to be clear about the role of the third party editors as well as their own editorial role.

PGRs may use third party editorial assistance (paid or voluntary) from an outside source.  This must be with the knowledge and support of supervisors and the use of third party editorial assistance must be stated in the thesis acknowledgement page.

A ‘third party’ editor cannot be used :

• To change the text of the thesis so as to clarify and/or develop the ideas and arguments;
• To reduce the length of the thesis so it falls within the specified word limit;
• To correct information within the thesis;
• To change ideas and arguments put forward within the thesis; and/or
• To translate the thesis into English.

A ‘third party’ editor can be used to offer advice on:

• Spelling and punctuation;
• Formatting and sorting of footnotes and endnotes for consistency and order;
• Ensuring the thesis follows the conventions of grammar and syntax in written English;
• Shortening long sentences and editing long paragraphs;
• Changing passives and impersonal usages into actives, vice versa as may be appropriate;
• Improving the positioning of tables and illustrations and the clarity, grammar, spelling and punctuation of any text in or under tables and illustrations; and
• Ensuring consistency of page numbers, headers and footers.

Where a third party editor is used it is the PGR’s responsibility to provide the third party editor with a copy of this statement (Word - 20KB)  and ensure they complete the Third Party Editor Declaration Form (Word - 32KB)  confirming their compliance with this statement.

When submitting the thesis the PGR must record in the Acknowledgements page the form of contribution the ‘third party’ editor has made, by stating for example, “this thesis was copy edited for conventions of language, spelling and grammar by ABC Editing Ltd”.

Please also see the Code of Practice on Academic Integrity .

 Intellectual property rights

These rights generally belong to the student, but if your work is considered to be commercially significant students may be required to assign their rights to the University. 

For further information please see:

• University Regulation 5.4 covering Intellectual Property
• Regulation 3.16 covering Patents and The Exploitation of Inventions
• The Copyright for Researchers webpage

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